
The Best Cities Around the World to Celebrate Pride
Pride is more than just rainbows and parades.
Russia’s most famous street—the Champs-Élysées of St. Petersburg—runs for 3 miles (5 kilometers) through the city’s historic center from the Admiralty Building to Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Some of the city’s most impressive buildings line the street, including the Kazan Cathedral, Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood, and the Grand Europe Hotel.
A stroll down Nevsky Prospekt has become a quintessential St. Petersburg experience, and it would be hard to spend time in the city without encountering the boulevard at least a couple of times. Nearly every city sightseeing tour will include the street. For a closer look, opt for a walking food tour along the street, where you can sample typical Russian dishes like pierogi, borsch, and beef stroganoff, or a night tour to see the street beautifully illuminated.
Nevsky Prospekt runs through the heart of the city, and most directions use the street as a landmark. The easiest way to get there by public transportation is to take the St. Petersburg Metro to Nevsky Prospekt Station.
Nevsky Prospekt remains lively throughout the year, though it can feel crowded during the high season (mid-June to September). Try to visit the street during the day and at night for a complete experience.
French writer Alexander Dumas once called Nevsky Prospekt “the street of religious tolerance” for the many different denominations of churches that line it. Prominent churches include the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Petrikirche (Lutheran Church of St. Peter), and the Kazan Cathedral.