18.08.2019: Arriving in St. Petersburg

On the way from Waldai to St. Petersburg (about 300km), we made a detour to Veliky Novgorod. This city is one of the oldest in Russia and had its heyday in the Middle Ages. The German Hanseatic League maintained an important trading post here for centuries. Later, after the founding of St. Petersburg, the city lost its importance. However, during World War II, the city was besieged and bombed for months. Today, the essential sights have been restored and thanks to the eloquent tour guides, one could imagine the splendor of the past.

The entry into St. Petersburg was less congested than expected. The first impressions of the city (so much to see, so many tourists) need to be absorbed. The evening ended with a relaxed tasting accompanied by food at the local Vodka Museum.

The city will be explored in the next 2 days. We stayed at the Mariott, which is quite centrally located.