Up until fairly recently, St Petersburg was the Imperial capital of Russia and home to the ill-fated czars who were finally overthrown early in the 20th Century. Almost a century later, St Petersburg has maintained much of the beauty and splendour associated with the ruling families of Russia - and no visit would be complete without spending a day in the awesome Winter Palace, a gigantic stately home still full of amazing pieces of art and displays of grandeur that stand as a graceful reminder of more opulent Imperial times.
Article courtesty of Thomas Cook - www.thomascook.com