Saint Petersburg listed among top-25 best travel destinations

St. Petersburg has made it into TripAdvisor’s destination rankings for the first time ever, being named the 20th most desirable tourist destination in the world . The Venice of the North beat out its fellow Russian competitors – Moscow , Yekaterinburg , Kazan and Sochi .

Participants in the fifth annual Travelers’ Choice Destinations poll voted on 412 cities in 38 countries, with separate winning lists for Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Central America, China, Europe, India, Mexico, the Middle East, South America, the South Pacific and the United States.

Here’s how cities ranked around the world:1. Paris 2. New York City 3. London 4. Rome 5. Barcelona 6. Venice 7. San Francisco 8. Florence 9. Prague 10. Sydney 11. Berlin 12. Istanbul 13. Bangkok 14. Chicago 15. Tokyo 16. Cape Town 17. Rio de Janeiro 18. Buenos Aires 19. Marrakech 20. St. Petersburg 21. Beijing 22. Shanghai 23. Siem Reap 24. Chiang Mai 25. Queenstown, New Zealand.

“St. Petersburg is a fantastic destination for travelers, with so many places to eat, stay and play,” said Julie Cassetina, a spokesperson for TripAdvisor .

Russians call St. Petersburg the city of legend, with a beauty rivaling that of Paris. It is the northernmost city in the world to have a population of at least one million people, a city-cum-monument built on a swamp, the “window to Europe” and a major Russian seaport. St. Petersburg is rightly considered the tourist capital of Russia. The city will be celebrating its 310th anniversary this weekend.

Russia Beyond the Headlines would like to congratulate the Palmira of the North and invite readers to take in this amazing city with us.

Best apps to survive your St Petersburg trip:

1. St Petersburg: Wallpaper* City Guide

The newly updated Wallpaper* City Guide apps present the best a location has to offer to the design-conscious traveller.

2. St Petersburg Guide - Lonely Planet

The world’s favorite guidebook, enhanced with iPhone-smartness. Over 9 million Lonely Planet apps downloaded.

3. St. Petersburg Map and Walking Tours

This Lite version of the walking tours app comes with a detailed and fully functional city map to assist you explore the city and locate sights.

4. The State Hermitage app

Primarily the base application is intended for those who are planning  their visit to the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. It tells about the museum’s history and its world-famous masterpieces which you can enlarge to enjoy in details.

5. In Your Pocket guides app

Since 1992, In Your Pocket has been publishing regularly updated, essential guides to an ever increasing number of European cities. In 2012 they've presented the app as well.

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