Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice
L’Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia is one of Venice’s foremost institutions of art. Founded in 1750 by the Venetian Senate, it contains some of the city’s finest artistic treasures. Out of it evolved...
View ArticleVenice – Ca’ d’Oro
The Golden House of Venice is one of the city’s most outstanding works of architecture. In a city renowned for them, that is quite a claim. But the accolade is well earned. As a main European center of...
View ArticleScuola Grande Di San Rocco
Often compared to the Sistine Chapel Ceiling in Rome, the paintings in San Rocco by the Venetian master Tintoretto easily demonstrate why. While none can surpass Michelangelo, this native artist was...
View ArticleTeatro La Fenice
The Fenice Theater in Venice is a world famous opera house. But even for those whose musical tastes run elsewhere, it’s a tourist’s delight. First constructed in the late 18th century, the theater...
View ArticleGrand Canal, Venice
The Grand Canal in Venice is a main waterway through the city. If offers great scenery, pleasant gondola rides and more to visitors and locals alike. As Venice’s ‘Main Street’ the Grand Canal is a must...
View ArticlePalazzo Grassi
Anyone who was anyone in 18th century Venice simply had to have their own palace. And so it was with the Bolognese Grassi family. Contrary to popular thinking, aristocracy isn’t always hereditary. One...
View ArticleThe Islands of Venice
There are several islands a short boat ride from Venice that are well worth a look when you visit this beautiful city. Murano One of the most popular is nearby Murano. Most tourists come to visit the...
View ArticleSt. Mark’s Campanile, Venice
The belltower of the Basilica di San Marco is much more than just an enclosure to house bells to ring the faithful on a Sunday morning. It is a symbol of Venice and one of its most significant...
View ArticleAlexander Nevsky Monastery
One of Russia’s premier religious sites, the monastery named for Prince Alexander of Novgorod is among the most popular tourist destinations in St. Petersburg. Like many attractions, the site isn’t...
View ArticleBridges of St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is sometimes called the ‘Venice of the North’ for all its canals. But canals would be a great inconvenience without bridges to walk across them. Luckily this city of 101 islands has over...
View ArticleSt. Petersburg Cruises
St. Petersburg lies at the shore of the Gulf of Finland that separates it from that Scandinavian country. A coastal city, it offers a number of cruises both short and long. Whichever choice a visitor...
View ArticleGardens of St. Petersburg, Russia
Summer Garden (Letny Sad) The Letny Sad is one of St. Petersburg’s oldest and finest gardens. Designed to provide Peter the Great with a leisurely stroll, visitors can easily imagine themselves in his...
View ArticleLeningrad Zoo
First completed in 1865, the Leningrad Zoo has had its ups and downs over the past nearly century and a half. It isn’t the equal of the world class zoos such as those in San Diego and the Bronx. Still,...
View ArticleSt. Petersburg Monuments
Italy is famous for its outdoor fountains and sculpture. Paris, too, has its Arc de Triomphe and dozens more. But St. Petersburg, Russia is no slouch when it comes to monuments. Tourists flock to this...
View ArticleNevsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg
Nevsky Prospekt may sound like a great title for a spy movie, but translated it really just means Neva Avenue. Sounds ordinary, doesn’t it? But, like the Champs Elysées in Paris or Broadway in New...
View ArticlePalace Square, St. Petersburg, Russia
Dvortsovaya Ploshchad, Palace Square in English, is the premier outdoor gathering place in St. Petersburg. As early as 1905, it was a site of upheaval. On Bloody Sunday palace guards opened fire on...
View ArticlePeter & Paul Fortress, St. Petersburg, Russia
Erected during the Great Northern War against Sweden, Peter & Paul fortress forms the cornerstone for the city of St. Petersburg, Russia. Though built as a bar against its then-enemy, the battles...
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Peterhof, St. Petersburg
The summer palace known as Peterhof sited on the shores of the Gulf of Finland is one of St. Petersburg’s premier attractions. And for good reason: it’s spectacular. Centered in an enormous park, it...
View ArticleSt. Isaac’s Cathedral
Under construction for 40 years, from 1818-1858, St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg forms one of the distinctive elements of Russia’s second largest city. One of the largest and most ornate...
View ArticleThe Battleship Aurora, St. Petersburg
Completed in 1900, the battleship Aurora was destined for fame. One of the few survivors of the Tsushima battle of the Russo-Japan war in 1905, it would go on to feature prominently in the Bolshevik...
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