One hour from: St Petersburg

Beyond the watery delights of St Petersburg are signs of Bolshevism and Baroque.

Beyond the watery delights of St Petersburg are signs of Bolshevism and Baroque.

Peterhof

Peterhof is a jewel of Russian art, a town of parks, palaces and fountains on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. Built for Peter the Great to rival Versailles – which it does – this former summer residence of the Russian tsars during the 18th and 19th centuries is full of spectacular fountains (there are more than 150 of them), cascades, sensational gardens and palaces.

By boat: take the hydrofoil from the Hermitage jetty; journey time approx 40mins. By train: take the suburban train from Baltic station to Noviy Peterhof, then bus no 350, 351, 352 or 356 to palace grounds; journey time approx 50 mins.

Pushkin Town

The town of Pushkin, formerly called Tsarskoye Selo (Tsars' village), has the summer residence of Catherine the Great, which was the main bolt-hole of the Imperial family until the Bolsheviks took them away from here on 1 August 1917. Russia's favourite poet, Alexander Pushkin, studied at the school building for noble children, the Lyceum. Be awed by Catherine's Palace, one of the world's architectural masterpieces.

By train: take the suburban train from Vitebsk station, then bus 371 or 382; journey time approx 40 mins.

Pavlovsk Palace and Park

With classical interiors designed by the most influential architects of the time, this suburban residence of Tsar Paul I is one of the most charming of all the royal estates. Allow plenty of time to see the Egyptian Vestibule, the Italian Hall, the Throne Room and the Hall of Knights, which are choc-a-bloc with clocks, statues, porcelain, paintings and many of the Romanov family belongings.

By train: take the suburban train from Vitebsk station; journey time approx 35 mins.

Oranienbaum

Prince Alexei Menshikov, the first governor of St Petersburg and good friend of Peter the Great, built the beautiful ensemble of palaces and parks here in 1713 to rival the estate at Peterhof. He planted orange trees, unwise given the climate, as a final flourish. But the project bankrupted him and was given to the Crown. Highlights include the Great Palace, the Chinese Palace and the Sliding Hill Pavillion, which looks like a giant wedding cake.

By train: take the suburban train from Baltic station, then short walk to the park; journey time approx 1 hour.

Staraya Ladoga

Founded by Prince Oleg, the town of Staraya Ladoga is the oldest in north-west Russia and can be traced back to the Eighth century. There is no other place in Russia with so many ancient monuments in such a small area. Look out for the vast burial mounds from pagan times, the 12th century Church of St Nicholas, the 16th century Church of St John the Baptist and the 18th and 19th century monasteries along with the Ladoga Fortress.

By train: take the country train from Moskovsky station to Volkhovstroy, then bus; journey time 1 hour plus.

Gatchina

Built in the 18th century, Gatchina is tinged with sadness. Catherine the Great gave the palace to her lover, Grigori Orlov, as recompense for helping her to dispose of her husband, Peter III, but Orlov was to have only two years at Gatchina before going insane. Catherine then bestowed it to her son, Paul, who was strangled to death in 1801. The big draw here is the art collection and the landscaped gardens.

By train: suburban train from Baltic station then a short walk; journey time 1 hour plus.

Cresta Holidays (0870 161 0900; www.crestaholidays.co.uk) offers a four-night b&b break at the three-star Pribaltiyskaya Hotel in St Petersburg from £641 per person, including flights. For further information contact Intourist, 7 Wellington Terrace, London W12 4LW (0870 112 1232; www.intourist.co.uk).

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