slothis · English

A 6-Hour Walk Around St. Petersburg

2016-10-05 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

After parting ways with Timur at the museum, I was resting in a park when it suddenly started to rain. As the shower poured down, everyone hid under the trees. I can't even remember the last time I took shelter from the rain under a tree back in Seoul. Watching people stop in their tracks to chat with their lovers or friends while waiting for the rain to stop made me so grateful for this moment of leisure. In Seoul, I never really got caught in the rain except during my commute. I always had an umbrella ready and was only focused on rushing to my destination, but here I am in an unfamiliar neighborhood, leisurely waiting for the rain to stop without an umbrella.

But it was raining way too hard. Even under the trees, the leaves couldn't handle the weight and started dripping water down on us. I had no choice but to brave the pouring rain and duck into a building for cover. I was getting bored waiting for the rain to stop, but then I caught a Wi-Fi signal! The hotel was called the "Grand Hotel." From now on, if I ever need Wi-Fi on Nevsky Prospect, I'm heading straight to the Grand Hotel!

A crowd of people gathered in front of a building with massive columns
A famous singer must have visited the plaza in front of Kazan Cathedral. He looked like he'd do gangster rap, but he was handing out some dark liquid to people—I couldn't tell if it was cola or kvass.
A concert poster for pianist Seong-Jin Cho attached to a building wall
Walking by, I saw a concert hall with a poster of a Korean pianist. It was in Russian, so I wasn't exactly sure what the name was, and even if I did, I'm such a novice that I wouldn't know who it is anyway...
People passing by a statue of a lion with golden wings on a bridge over a canal
Two statues of lions with golden wings and round lights on their heads on both sides of a bridge entrance
Walking aimlessly, I came across Bank Bridge. According to my guidebook, the building currently used as a university was once a bank, hence the name "Bank Bridge," meaning the bridge in front of the bank. The lion statues themselves look a bit old, but their wings are so flashy you can spot them from afar.
Two statues of lions with golden wings standing in front of a yellow building
The "old bank" that is now used as a university.
Two white lion statues sitting side by side on a bridge over a canal
Two white lion statues sitting facing each other on both sides of a bridge entrance
Walking a little further, I found Lion Bridge.

As I kept walking aimlessly, I realized I was heading toward the Mariinsky Theatre. Since I missed out on seeing the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, I went to the Mariinsky Theatre to make up for it. I went just in case, but sure enough, today's tickets were completely sold out. It really seems like Russians don't just pay lip service to loving art. How many nations out there visit museums and watch ballet as a casual hobby?

The light green exterior of the Mariinsky Theatre building seen across the street under a cloudy sky
The Mariinsky Theatre. What you see here is the historic Mariinsky I, and behind it is the modern Mariinsky II building. I really wanted to see a performance at Mariinsky I, but things don't always go as planned.
A hand wearing a black watch and a beaded bracelet resting on a bumpy light green stone wall
A photo of me touching it just in case it brings good luck.
A person walking on a narrow wooden plank walkway next to a construction site

Once I actually got to the Mariinsky Theatre, it was so hard to just turn around and leave. I didn't even go near the Bolshoi, so it was easy to walk away then, but having it right in front of my eyes and having to turn back because there were no tickets was incredibly disappointing. I kept walking, pondering what to do, and before I knew it, I was near the Peter and Paul Fortress. Today was a day where I spent just as much time agonizing over what to do as I did walking.

A massive white cruise ship docked at a port and cars parked in front of it
Once upon a time, my dream was to be the captain of a huge ship like this. Ships are still an object of admiration for me. For my next trip, I'd love to cross the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean on a cargo ship or cruise liner.
A rainbow over a wide river and European-style buildings lined up on both sides under a cloudy sky
A faint rainbow over small boats passing on a wide river and antique buildings along the riverbank
It's faint, but it's a rainbow!!
An ancient Egyptian sphinx statue standing on a granite pedestal by the riverbank
I have no idea why there are sphinxes here, but there are sphinxes around the Neva River.
A golden-domed cathedral and a long row of buildings seen beyond small fountains rising over the river
Fountains installed on the river and a cathedral with a golden dome roof seen to the right beyond them
A fountain installed by a restaurant on the Neva River.
A massive cathedral with a golden dome roof and classical buildings seen across the river.
The side of a red bus with a large 2018 Russia World Cup logo printed on it
I only found out Russia is hosting the 2018 World Cup after seeing this bus. I really feel like I have no idea what's going on in the world these days.
A red bus running on a bridge where a cruise ship is passing, with an ornate turquoise building in the background.
A red column decorated with ship prows standing in a square with people gathered around it.

I was finally near my accommodation, ready to stop wandering and go home to boil some ramen, when I heard incredibly upbeat music coming from somewhere. It seemed to be coming from under the Rostral Columns, and when I looked closely, a huge crowd had gathered. Wow, it must be a festival!

When I went over to check it out, people who looked like they were part of a club were dancing to the music. The music was drawing people in, and the crowd that gathered started dancing in their own way too. I always thought Russians were stiff, but they actually have so much groove. The more I travel here, the more I start to feel a sense of closeness to these people who are so different on the inside than they appear on the outside.

A large iron anchor sculpture placed on a park walkway with a green lawn.
A wide river landscape under a blue sky and a fortress with a golden spire seen in the distance.
A massive stone statue sitting holding an oar under a red column with protruding ship decorations.
The more I look at the Rostral Columns, the more I wonder what they were thinking when they built them. They say it's a lighthouse built to commemorate naval victories, but it looks really fascinating.

Expenses

Total Expenses 1680RUB, $160, €20

Total Trip Expenses 525,936 KRW + 45,931RUB + $312.26 + €20