Peterhof

Peterhof, (originally Piterhof, Dutch: "Peter's Court") is a series of palaces and gardens, laid out on the orders of Tsar Peter the Great, and sometimes called the "Russian Versailles". It is located about 20 km west and 6 km south of St Petersburg, overlooking the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The same name refers to the adjacent town of 82,000 people.

Tourist information

Peterhof is now again accessible by sea; hydrofoil boats depart from the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, pass down the river Neva and the Gulf of Finland coast, and dock at the mouth of the Sea Channel. The palace is also easily accessed by road. Public transit and private van services make regular trips from Petersburg.

Related Topics:
Hydrofoil - Winter Palace - St. Petersburg - Neva - Gulf of Finland

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The Upper Gardens are freely accessible, but entry to the Lower Gardens requires the purchase of tickets (not included in the boat fee for visitors arriving by hydrofoil). The palaces and grotto are accessible only as part of guided tours. As at many tourist attractions in Russia, tickets for Russian nationals are discounted to around 10% of the price for foreigners. This means that locals can afford to, and do, use the sea front and beaches for summer relaxation and swimming.

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Hours are limited. Even during the summer tourist season, the Lower Gardens do not open until ten or eleven in the morning, and the fountains are shut off at five.

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