Three Best Weekend Getaways Near St. Petersburg
 - Александра Потапенко.jpg "Three Best Weekend Getaways Near St. Petersburg")
If you are wondering where to go to spend a weekend close to St. Petersburg read this article about wonderful places in St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast which you can visit all year round.
We all know that studying at HSE University, working and living in such a big city like St. Petersburg is a real challenge. It would be obvious to note that regular rest is vital for productive studying and a happy life. Although it is still true.
One of the best ways to get a good rest is to go on a one-day trip in the surroundings of St. Petersburg. There are many options. For example, it is possible to visit some popular tourist attractions like Petergof, Pavlovsk, Gatchina and so on. These places are popular because of the palaces and gardens which have cultural and historical significance. However, that is not the only option. In the surroundings of St. Petersburg there are many places to go on one-day hiking trips where you can have a picnic. There are not many cultural objects but such places are really beautiful and give the opportunity to study the nature of the St. Petersburg region. Of course, such quiet and green places are ideal to spend a day off there and enjoy nature.
I have chosen three wonderful places. Some of them are nature reserves where you can find interesting species. All of them are close to St. Petersburg and it is possible to get there by public transport. And, what is important, most of these places are available all year round. I hope my recommendations will help you to choose a place for the next one-day trip. So, take a note of this.
Komorovsky coast
The Komorovsky coast reserve is a wonderful place to explore the area of Leningrad oblast. It is located near the village Komarovo where famous Russian artist Ilya Repin lived. There you can find characteristic views of the northern coast of the Gulf of Finland — sandy beaches, spruce forest and dunes. The fauna of this reserve is widely varied. For example, this eco-trail is especially famous because of huge anthills.
In 2014 in the reserve the eco-trail named ‘Komorovsky coast’ was opened. Its length is about 3 km but it is possible to shorten it. Of course, the benches and gazebos are installed along the route, where visitors can and have a picnic even if it is rainy. Also, there are some
bird feeders on the route. The reserve workers recommend using only uncooked sunflower seeds because they are safe for bird species that live in the reserve.
Mostly the eco-trail is a wooden walkway but a part of the root is soil path. So, keep this in mind when choosing footwear for this trip, because the quality of the trail depends on weather conditions.
How to get there: daily trains from Finlyandsky railway station to Rochino, takes approximately 1 hour. The main entrance to the eco-trail is at Morskaya street of the village Komarovo.
Lindulovskaya Grove
Lindulovskaya Grove is a popular state natural botanical reserve. It is located close to the village Rochino and it has a huge area. The main purpose of the reserve is to protect the oldest artificial planting of different types of larch in Europe. The planting was created in the 18th century by Peter I. The area became a reserve in 1856.
The origin of the name ‘Lindulovskaya Grove’ is the Finnish word ‘lintu’ which means ‘bird’. In fact, there live a huge number of different animal and bird species.
In this reserve you can find an eco-trail named ‘Larch grove’. It is equipped with a special track, information boards and observation decks. Its length is 5,5 km and it is looped so you will return to the same place you came from. It would be an easy trip even for people who are not used to hiking long distances.
Lindulovskaya Grove is available in all seasons. However I should notice that in winter the river Rochinka looks especially beautiful.
How to get there: daily trains from Finlyandsky railway station to Rochino, takes approximately 1 hour. Then, 3 km on foot to the beginning of the eco-trail.
Sestroretsk eco-trail
The ‘Sestroretsk swamp’ is one of the most popular natural reserves in the surroundings of St. Petersburg. One of the reasons for its popularity is that it is located near the city and it is easily accessible.
Do not get scared by the name of this reserve. Of course, there is a well-equipped eco-trail there. Although from the route you can see and admire different types of swamps of St. Petersburg region. So, flora and fauna of this reserve is also especially interesting and includes many endangered species. For example, it is possible to meet grouses in early spring, cranes in summer and other wild birds.
The length of the route is 3,5 km. It is not hard and runs along equipped wooden paths. Of course there are some observation decks where you can take some photos and admire the view.
How to get there: daily trains from Finlyandsky railway station to Beloostrov, takes approximately 1 hour. Then, 2,3 km on foot in a southwesterly direction to the beginning of the eco-trail.
Recommendations and tips
- Normally, there are no restaurants, cafes and even shops in natural reserves. So, I highly recommend you to bring some food, snacks, water and warm tea in thermos with you.
- These places are natural reserves. So, it is especially important not to leave any rubbish in nature. There are special places for sorting the waste.
- Carefully follow the instructions if you want to feed the birds. There are some restrictions. However you can bring with you some uncooked sunflower seeds, which are safe for the birds.
- Almost all these places are available all year round. However, it is important to dress for the weather and bring some more warm clothes with you in late autumn, winter and spring.
- Do not worry too much about studying routine and enjoy your time in nature!
I really hope that you are inspired by my story about these amazing places in the surroundings of St. Petersburg. You should definitely try to find time to visit some of them. Remember that all these places are good all year round and you do not have to wait for summer to go on a one-day trip to the countryside.
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