10 photos along with 10 reasons to stay in St. Petersburg forever

Observing the city from high up: the center of St. Petersburg doesn’t have any tall buildings (except cathedrals) because from 1844 to 1905 there was a rule that buildings could not be higher than the tsar’s residence, the Winter Palace. So if you climb up the colonnade of St. Isaac’s Cathedral, you’ll get an amazing view of this flat city.

Opening bridges: watching the bridges open at night is a must for my summer walks. It’s funny though that many visitors see it only as a tourist attraction - this is not true. Petersburg is one of the biggest ports in Russia, so the bridges open to let ships pass along the Neva River.

Drinking beer on the embankments: although it’s officially forbidden to drink alcohol in public places there is nothing better than to drink a cold beer with friends on a hot sunny day. Be ready to hide your bottle though if a policeman shows up!

History is everywhere in the city center. St. Petersburg is a real gem for those who are interested in Russian history, because it was the capital for two centuries and many ordinary houses from the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th have been preserved. / Pictured: Peter and Paul Fortress. Today it is an integral part of the State Museum of St Petersburg History. The cathedral inside the fortress is the burial place of all Russian tsars since the reign of Peter the Great, including the remains of Nicholas II and his family.

Water, rivers and canals: St. Petersburg is often called the Venice of the North, because it is situated on about 40 islands. Peter the Great, the founder of the city, forbade the building of bridges in the very beginning and wanted everyone to get around by boat.

St. Petersburg is much more than just a vibrant city: it’s a never-ending feast. From its wide avenues to its ornate remnants from its Imperial past, Russia’s Venice of the North never fails to impress.

Nightlife: it is all started with establishing the bar Dacha 10 years ago as an answer to the lack of affordable, inclusive places in the city. That one bar on Dumskaya Street led to a blooming of independent bars and clubs, another notable one of which is Fidel. They offer reasonably priced alcohol and great music from the Beatles to Blur and rock and pop hits from the 70s and 80s.

The yards in the city center, also referred to by locals as “well-yards”. These dark, claustrophobic yards were formed during the 1800s and early 20th century when house builders were interested in saving as much space as possible.

St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum is the treasure chest of Russia. Founded by Empress Catherine the Great, the teal palace on the bank of the Neva River contains one of the world’s most renowned art collections.

Elena Bobrova, RBTH author and St. Petersburg resident, tries to explain the unexplainable: why one trip to St. Petersburg makes you want to return forever. "The White Nights in St. Petersburg is a time when the sunset coincides with morning and twilight lasts all night. The official time of the White Nights in St. Petersburg is from June 11 to July 2."