In winter, St. Petersburg is cold, frosty and most often snowy. And although it gets dark early in winter, this is not a reason to spend your entire vacation without leaving the city limits.
Winter holidays in the Leningrad Region can be eventful if you go to a ski resort, for example, to Igor or to the Arctic Village husky center, meditative, if you choose deserted Peterhof, Mon Repos Park or Gatchina for walks. Any destination is suitable for family tourists.
Since, going to explore the outskirts of St. Petersburg, the traveler will spend most of the time outdoors, take care of warm clothes and shoes. Also, stock up on a thermos with tea so as not to be distracted by looking for hot drinks stalls.
Peterhof and the bay
Peterhof in winter is a different planet. Gilded statues of the Grand Cascade in caps of snow, trees in white decoration, the frozen Gulf of Finland, a minimum of tourists, and if you are lucky, there will be no one at all but you, silence, solitude, winter phantasmagoria.
All parks of Peterhof - Upper, Lower and Alexandria - are open for visits in winter. Nobody charges a fee for staying in them. Here you can wander along the alleys, imagining yourself as the lord of the royal lands, admire the magnificent panorama of the bay, if the ice is strong, then even move away from the coast to look at the cascade from the side. You can bask in the Grand Palace, where there will be no long lines, which are the norm for other seasons.
In Alexandria Park, you can find a comfortable paved ski track, so bring your skis with you from St. Petersburg.
Gatchina and geysers
In the forest near the village of Korpikovo near Gatchina there is an amazing sight - 6 geysers. You can come to them at any time of the year, but it is better to do this in winter, when the water, with force being pushed out of the ground to a height of 1.5 meters, suddenly freezes right in the air, forming ice spheres.
Nobody knows the reasons for the appearance of geysers near Gatchina. There are several explanations for this phenomenon, but even scientists will not say which one is correct. Rumor has it that geysers began to gush either at the site of deep artificial reservoirs that were created during the Soviet Union in case of a nuclear war and the possible destruction of the water supply system in Leningrad, or at the site of gas storage facilities built during the same period.
Sights of Gatchina
Igora and tracks
There are about a dozen ski resorts in the Leningrad Region. Only in the Priozersk direction can you find the famous Okhta Park, Eagle Mountain, Karelia, Orekhovo and Igor. The latter is 54 km away from St. Petersburg. It is an all-season resort that began operations in 2006.
Ten ski slopes with a total length of more than 4 km are equipped on gentle slopes, so they will be of interest mainly to beginners. The difference in elevation in Igor does not exceed 120 meters. All slopes are illuminated, so they are accessible even in the dark.
Those who are indifferent to skiing should not give up a trip to the resort, because a huge spa complex has been built here, where you can spend more than one day enjoying massages, body wraps and other pleasant procedures.
Ski resorts in Russia
Husky Center Arctic Village
Just 20 km from St. Petersburg along the Vyborg highway, on the shore of Pastorskoye Lake, there is a husky center - a place where every child will be happy a priori. Moreover, children who do not yet go to school are not charged money for admission.
The kennel, where blue-eyed huskies live, invites you not only to chat with cute dogs, but also to take a walk in light sleighs that drag 8-10 dogs along. There are 3 tracks of different lengths specially equipped for these purposes. Choose the longest one for riding, ten kilometers long, because the thrill of driving a dog sled is hard to convey.
Another 20 km route has been laid along Pastorskoye Lake. It is used for husky training that takes place on weekdays. Tourists can also be admitted to such trips.
Park "Mon Repos" in Vyborg
A winter fairy tale with centuries-old lush spruce trees, long snow-covered alleys, bizarre rocks, bridges, gazebos, a beautiful view of the Vyborg Bay can be found in the Mon Repos park in Vyborg.
The landscape park, whose name translates as "My Peace", is the former property of first the Prince of Württemberg, a relative of the wife of Emperor Paul I, and then of the Barons Nicholas, who, in fact, turned the territory of 161 hectares into a work of landscape art. Unfortunately, a significant part of the buildings of the Nikolai estate is either destroyed or in need of reconstruction, but this does not affect the atmosphere of the quietest and most peaceful place in the Leningrad Region.
The entrance to the territory of the Mon Repos Park is paid. The reserve is open for visits from 9:00 to 21:00.
