Day 2 started with a canal ride which is an essential part of any sightseeing holiday to St. Petersburg as it gives you a different perspective of the city. Despite it being chilly those of us who braved the outdoors were given thick woollen blankets to wrap ourselves in as we saw the major sights from the water. When Peter the Great founded St. Petersburg, he had been inspired by Amsterdam and Venice. Even today, water still covers about 10 percent of the city's surface. With more than 70 canals and 400 bridges St Petersburg truly is the "Venice of the North".

We then headed to the "piece de' resistance" , the one and only - Hermitage Museum - This former royal residence (AKA Winter Palace) now houses one of the world's greatest art collections. Not only did we get early entrance before the official opening hours but we were the FIRST group to enter for the day......absolutely no-one in front of us except the employees. And it is no wonder that this is undoubtedly St. Petersburg's most famous visitor attraction as one does not know where to look first - the walls, ceilings, doors, floors or the art work - EVERYTHING is opulent.

Built in 1754 Empress Elizabeth wished the beauty of her sumptuous new palace to eclipse that of the leading European royal palaces. Construction required enormous sums of money and involved vast numbers of labourers. Over 4,000 people, including Russia's greatest specialists, worked on the creation of the Winter Palace. However it was Catherine Alexeyevna, the wife of Peter III who purchased the art collections which formed the basis of today's Hermitage Museum.

Fun facts about the Hermitage include;

· There are more than three MILLION works of art and artefacts

· If you spent one minute on every piece it would take 11 years to see everything on offer.

· This is the largest collection of paintings in the world

· It is the 2nd largest art museum in the world with a gallery space of 66,842 square metres

· There are 1,786 doors, 1,945 windows and 1,057 halls and rooms.

· The museum is actually five interconnected buildings

· The official name is The State Hermitage Museum Federal Government Funded Cultural Institution.

Universally acknowledged as one of the world's greatest treasuries of art and antiquities, the Hermitage is reason enough on its own to book a trip to St. Petersburg. The buildings themselves are truly grand and it is clear why they were home to Russia's imperial family. BUT then you get to the art - name a famous artist and you will find a work here - Rembrandt, Ruben, Van Dyck, da Vinci, Rafael to name a few. In addition to this there are rooms of Greek and Roman antiquities, sculptures, statues, urns etc. Entry 700 RUB. Open 10:30-18:00, Wed and Fri til 21:00. Closed Mondays. Cruise ship tour groups may have the main galleries open for them before regular opening times and on Mondays.

A note for those who wish to see the Hermitage's renowned collection of impressionist and post-impressionist art - this is located in the General Staff Building across Palace Square.

With only 3 hours at the museum (which seemed to pass in seconds) we barely touched the surface of all there is to see. In fact we were very fortunate to have a knowledgeable guide who was able to take us straight to the key pieces so we had the time to admire their beauty. Not sure my photos do justice to this truly magnificent palace/museum but they will provide me with everlasting memories.

Off for another Russian lunch to absorb what we have seen before heading off for the afternoon to see more sights. I fear everything will be a letdown after visiting the Hermitage.

First stop for the afternoon is Yusupov Palace on the Moika River which is perhaps most famous as the scene of the assassination of Grigory Rasputin. It is said that at the end of 1916 a group of nobles led by Prince Yusupov decided to take matters into their own hands as there was the feeling that Rasputin was too close and providing ill advice to the imperial family. Once at the palace, Rasputin was left in a room laid out with a spread of cyanide-laced baked treats, tea, and wine. The conspirators observed Rasputin down several glasses of the poisoned wine but became increasingly concerned when the poison seemed to have no effect on the man. In the end it took four bullets, a sound beating, and a final drop into the icy River Neva to kill Rasputin. His autopsy showed that his death was ultimately caused from drowning or hypothermia, indicating that he survived all but the final dunking. Yusupov and his conspirators never faced charges for the murder that so many knew they had committed, but just three months later the February Revolution forced the abdication of Nicholas II, and Yusupov fled the country.

This is one of the few aristocratic homes in the city to have retained many of its original interiors. Whilst the rooms are lavish and beautifully maintained we have to confess to being a little underwhelmed after the Hermitage. I would advise visiting here beforehand so that you can truly appreciate this architectural gem. Of particular interest was the theatre which still operates today and reminded me of the Theatre Royal in Hobart. We were also treated to an a Capella music group in the main concert hall to appreciate the acoustics (and for them to flog their CDs). Entry 700 RUB and murder of Rasputin exhibit 400 RUB. Open daily from 11am to 5pm.

We then spent a short time viewing a few more sights including Kazan Cathedral - A large Russian Orthodox cathedral on Nevsky Prospekt built in 1811. The cathedral was inspired by the Basilica of St. Peter's in Rome and was intended to be the country's main Orthodox Church. After the war of 1812 (during which Napoleon was defeated) the church became a monument to Russian victory. Captured enemy banners were put in the cathedral and the famous Russian Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, who won the most important campaign of 1812, was buried inside the church. Free entry

We drove down Nevsky Prospekt the city's main street where you can find Gostiny Dvor. It is the oldest and largest department store in St Petersburg taking up an entire block. Spent time admiring the many architectural delights of the city.

We then stopped to see the Bronze Horseman - St. Petersburg's most famous public monument, this statue of Peter the Great is the most instantly recognizable symbol of St. Petersburg. It is also the subject of one of the greatest poems in the Russian language, Alexander Pushkin's The Bronze Horseman: A Petersburg Tale. Completed in 1782, the statue took 12 years to complete. The pedestal of the monument, the "Thunder Stone", is purportedly the largest ever moved by man.

Our final stop was the grand St. Isaac's Cathedral - The skyline of St. Petersburg's historic centre is dominated by the grand gold dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral. Completed in 1858, St. Isaac's took over forty years to build and decorate. With its European Empire-style facades and 112 colonnades made unique by the use of red Karelian granite this building is quite imposing. This vast cathedral can accommodate 14,000 standing worshippers. The cathedral has three altars. The central one is dedicated to Saint Isaac of Dalmatia; the left-side altar is dedicated to Saint Alexander Nevsky; and the one on the right is dedicated to Saint Catherine.

The interior was originally decorated with scores of paintings by great Russian masters of the day. When these paintings began to deteriorate due to the cold, damp conditions inside the cathedral, Montferrand ordered them to be painstakingly reproduced as mosaics. Different types of semiprecious stone from all over Russia now form the interior walls and columns and it is said that decoration of the cathedral's interior required 900 pounds of gold, 16 tons of malachite, 1,100 pounds of lapis lazuli, and 1,000 tons of bronze. Entry 250 RUB. Open daily at 10am. Closed Wednesdays. St. Isaac's will be handed over to the Russian Orthodox Church in 2019, rent-free for a period of 49 years. After the handover, entrance to the cathedral will be free.

Well what an action packed few days seeing the major sights of St Petersburg. My mind is spinning and my eyes are sore from all the stupendous places we have been to. Again this would not have been possible in the timeframe without our magnificent tour guide Dina from TJ Travel. As we head back to the ship I realise that this is one place that I would really love to visit again......perhaps spend a week or two......preferably with someone who speaks Russian !!!