The ship responsible for warning the city of the oncoming siege of the Winter Palace in 1917 is today docked in front of the Naval Academy. The ship was purposefully sunk until after the end of World War II in order to protect it, and has since existed as a museum of the revolution.

The famous Bolshoi theater reopened in 2011 after an extensive six-year renovation that cost between $750 million and $1.1 billion. It now stands as one of the most exquisite performance halls in the world. Facing the Russian classical-style building on Teatralnaya Square, you would have no idea that it and its annexes hold fourteen floors of stages and rehearsal areas and tunnels to the surrounding buildings. It is the second largest opera house in the world after La Scala with the world’s largest ballet company (more than 200 dancers) and is dedicated to celebrating its national legacy so more than 70 percent of its performances are of Russian ballets and operas, many of which are rarely performed outside of the country. In addition to its incredible history and legacy, the setting is extraordinary. Among the notable features: the French chandelier with 24,000 crystals, the red velvet seats with gilt wooden backs, a stage that can be tilted for performances, and the state-of-the-art acoustic system. Contact the Indagare Bookings Team to arrange a behind-the-scenes visit.

Indagare Tip: You can book tickets online but you will pay considerably more for the convenience.

Set within the park of the Catherine Palace are a series of buildings created by the Scottish architect Charles Cameron for Catherine the Great. The exquisite rooms, which include the famous Cameron Gallery and the Agate Rooms, are currently closed and undergoing restoration. Indagare members can contact the Bookings team to arrange a special visit.

Officially named the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, but better known as the Church of Spilled Blood, this instantly recognizable attraction sits by the Griboyedova Canal on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881. The Russian Revival–style architecture and bright candy-colored rooftops stand out against the mainly Baroque and Neo-Classical buildings of St. Petersburg and make it (understandably) one of the city’s most popular sights. However, this wasn’t always the case and the building spent half a century as a warehouse and, under Bolshevik rule, as the Museum of People’s Will in celebration of the assassination. There have been arguments over the past century in favor of tearing the building down, as some find the building “too Russian” in style.

For many visitors, photographing the building from the outside is the main event (there is a good vantage point from the small bridge over Griboyedova Canal), but inside are extravagant mosaics based on popular 19^th-century art that were painstakingly restored in the 1990s.

This palace, which lies a dozen miles west of Moscow, has been called Russian Versailles for its extravagant architecture and art-filled halls. It was built as a private palace and under Soviet times was used by the military but it is now open to the public who can come to enjoy its art collection and glorious gardens. In summer there are numerous concerts on the grounds. Indagare members can contact the Bookings Team to arrange a visit.

The largest private museum of contemporary art in Russia is located in a former 1960s Communist headquarters on St. Petersburg’s St. Basil's Island. The museum, whose name refers to the multiple eras of art, displays works chronologically, with each floor having its own theme, such as Turn of the Century or Soviet era. With offshoots in New York City, Zurich, London and soon Hong Kong, the goal is to support Russian art and artists, both well-established and emerging.

This mammoth park, which Westerners associate with the spy novel by Martin Cruz Smith, is Moscow’s Central Park and full of restaurants and leisure activities. The Moscow River runs through it and residents come for long strolls, picnics, roller blading and romance. Kids may enjoy the ferris wheel ride.

History enthusiasts may want to visit the main naval base of Imperial Russia from the 18^th to the 20^th century. You can tour the military museum as well as take a boat to tour the fort from the water and visit the D-2 submarine, which was used in World War II as well as a Russian battleship that was used in World War I and the October Revolution. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Ream to arrange.

Paul I, Catherine the Great’s son, had this majestic cathedral built in the early 1800s. Today it sits at a busy section of the city's main thoroughfare, Nevsky Prospect. Book a table at Terrassa to dine overlooking majestic views of the cathedral and its colonnade. Fun (ironic) fact: during the Communist era, the cathedral was turned into the Museum of Atheism.

Home to Mathilde Kschessinska, the ballerina who was Nicholas II’s mistress, this stunning palace is another example of how the city’s history is layered—Lenin famously made many speeches from the balcony and today the building houses the Museum of Russian Political History.

This multi-purpose arts center, in a renovated industrial space near St. Petersburg’s train station is an example of the city’s contemporary art scene.

Located directly next door to the original Mariinsky (and connected by an elevated walkway) this new theater opened in 2013. Boasting 2,000 seats, the technologically advance space was designed in a distinctly contemporary style. Locals have varying opinions on the institution's aesthetics, but the excellent acoustics cannot be argued with. The Mariinsky (I) puts on a different show each night so the second space allows for double the amount of performances, which is a good thing in a city that emphasizes the importance of the performing arts.

It may sound strange to say that visiting a city’s subway system is a sightseeing must-do, but Moscow’s metro stations are not typical. In fact, during the Soviet era, the government felt that these thoroughfares should serve as grand palaces for the people so they were embellished with decorative accents like chandeliers and marble benches and statues that were taken from churches or palaces or with worker murals created to reinforce the teachings of the Soviet Party.

By riding a few stops with the city’s daily 9 million passengers, you can visit stations that feature stained glass, mosaics and Baroque statues. A few notable stations are: Komsomolskaya (chandeliers, ceiling frescos); Novoslobodskaya (stained glass detailing), Ploschad' Revolyutsii (sculptures) and Mayakovskaya (incredible Art Deco details; considered by many to be one of the most beautiful stations).

Indagare members can contact the Bookings Team to arrange guided visits.

The author Vladimir Nabokov was born in this grand home, and often described it in his writings, particularly Speak, Memory. Today the stately building near St. Isaac’s Cathedral houses a museum honoring the writer and displays personal effects like his typewriter and a beautiful butterfly collection.

Like many European cities, the river in St. Petersburg features prominently in the life of the city and its residents. The wide, cold Neva separates districts, flows into the city's multiple canals and makes use of its hundreds of beautiful bridges such as the Lantern Bridge, Kissing Bridge and Postal Bridge. The banks of the river are also home to many of the city's palaces, statues (such as Egyptian sphinxes and Statue of Bronze Horseman). In summer, take a boat tour at night to watch the bridges brought up and down for bigger ships to pass through. Indagare members can contact our bookings team to arrange for a private boat cruise.