Dear colleagues,

Renowned as one of the world’s architectural masterpieces and the cultural capital of Russia, St.Petersburg offers its visitors a wealth of individual tourist attractions that can hardly be outnumbered by any other world’s tourist centre.

Many Russians and foreigners dream of coming here and visiting fantastic museums, palaces and other points of interest that can be seen around the city.

Despite the evident shortage of places to stay the number of city’s guests is steadily growing, traditionally reaching its peak in summer.

Along with restricted accommodation resources the city faces another problem: a great disparity of tourist flows.

Suffice it to say that high-season visits account for nearly 70 % of the total annual volume of tourists coming here. Owing to it touring the city in summer is not always comfortable because of jams that happen not only in the streets but in the museums too. Yes, the white nights add a lot to the beauty of St.Petersburg in summer, but there are many other advantages making the city very attractive in winter, autumn or early spring as well.

After all, the world-famous Hermitage museum or internationally acclaimed Mariinsky Theatre are fantastic at any time of a year!

Among evident benefits of visiting St.Petersburg at a low-season period are:

1. A much easier access to the museums and popular dining places;

2. Spending less time (and money too!) at the restaurants;

3. A much better choice of the companies, orchestras and soloists performing at the local theatres and concert halls. It’s also the period when two renowned art festivals-the International Ballet Festival and the Art Square Musical Festival - are taking place here.

4. No doubt it’s a very good time for arranging conferences, seminars and incentive tours - just because of getting especially attractive offers from the hotels, venues and catering companies.

5. It is the time when you can watch or try something very Russian - be it troika ride in a snow-covered park or Maslenitsa holiday when Russians celebrate the coming of the spring with pancakes and butter.

6. When snow turns tree branches into silver silhouettes, powders the granite embankments and puts the white lace over the grilles of the gardens, don’t you think that all this is worthy to be seen?

Comintour