Why St Petersburg is ‘Paris on steroids’

Michael Murphy enjoys a grand Russian adventure filled with opulence, culture and history

Over a weekend in October, four of us embarked on an adventure to the birthplace of President Putin, prejudiced by tales of gulags and oligarchs. Russia seemed to be an exotic and forbidding destination. What we discovered was a wealthy European city with expensive cars in the streets, designer boutiques, superb restaurants, and world-class theatre. It is crammed with museums and art galleries and magnificent churches, and populated by a reserved but kind and welcoming people. Apart from the immigration officers, everyone smiles warmly.