We stayed in St. Petersburg for three days as part of a Baltic Cruise on Silverseas in July of 2007.  We spent 2 days touring the Hermitage (shown above), the 2nd largest art museum in the world built by Catherine the Great in 1764.  It's a tremendous and interesting place to visit, even for non art lovers.  The history is mind blowing.  One evening we went to a performance of Swan Lake by the Marlinsky Ballet Company . We also took a very memorable boat ride through the canals of the city. The Russians we came in contact with were very dour, miserable looking people who looked like they were very wary of foreigners.  We really couldn't go anywhere other than where the guides wanted us to go.  Even though it was a "free" country, it still felt like the KGB was looking at us the whole time we were there.  

​

​

​

​