St. Petersburg Culture Lab
Learn Russian, Live St. Petersburg!
SRAS cultural programs are designed to give you a wide introduction to your city and to Russia as a whole. These structured experiences are laid-back, educational, and an opportunity for students to get to know each other.
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The Church on Spilt Blood
as seen on the SRAS St.
Petersburg Walking Tour! |
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SRAS students touring
the summer gardens. |
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In our experience, however, most students prefer to save on the costs of organized activities and to have mostly free time – to study, to peruse independent interests, and to spend time with the friends they make from around the world while in Russia.
To strike a balance between these needs and wants, we offer several core activities, attendance to which is required and the cost of which is included in most programs (see the individual program pages for details). We also offer several optional experiences which are available at additional cost.
1. Included Events
St. Petersburg Walking Tour
Our tour begins with a stroll down historic Nevsky Prospekt. We will visit the Cathedral of Our Mother of Kazan, see the Alexandrinsky Theater, the monument to Catherine the Great, and the Engineers' Castle. We will walk through the Mikhailovsky Gardens to the Church on Spilt Blood, past the Hermitage, and then to St Isaak's Cathedral. On the way, we will enjoy an informal discussion about myths, history, daily life in St Petersburg, and learn about Russia's culture, language, economy, and politics. Our tour is also focused on introducing you to some of the cultural differences between Russia and the West - so that you can better adapt to them and learn from them. Questions are always welcome and encouraged!
Tour of the Hermitage
Our Hermitage tour will give you a general overview of the collections of one of the most famous art museums in the world. Through the art and its surroundings (it is housed in the Winter Palace, a former residence of Russian Emperors), we will also talk about Russian history, how present-day Russia came about, and the place of art in society. Some of the interesting questions we may cover include: "Why did Rasputin became so influential?" "How do Russians understand patriotism and the Russian identity in a post-Soviet era?" and/or "Why was there 'no sex in the Soviet Union?' as one participant of the Soviet-American 'TV Bridges' in the 1970s famously said?"
The Summer Imperial Residences
The imperial summer residences are very important for getting a 'feel' of the imperial splendor of the former capital of the Russian Empire. During our tour we will visit Pavlovsk Imperial Palace, one of the better preserved palaces filled with incredible art treasures. The Palace has rich history and provides us with an excellent opportunity to talk about court life and politics in Russia in the late 18-th and early 19-th centuries. If the weather is good on the way back to the city we will stop in Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin) and walk in its elegant Park. Pavlovsk and Pushkin are very close to each other - about 15-20 min by bus. Both places are very beautiful in any season. In summer we take opportunity to take our students to see one of the 'ten wonders of Russia' - the fountains of Peterhof, the world famous Imperial palace and park founded by Peter the Great himself.
Cultural Performance
Each semester, students are treated to one cultural performance. In this past, this has generally been a play or ballet but has also, based on requests and scheduling, could be a puppet show, a jazz performance or even concerts by modern groups such as The Red Elvises.
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Moscow!
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Broaden your horizons
even further! Choosing a
program in St. Petersburg
doesn't have to mean
missing Moscow! |
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2. Optional Events
Moscow
This optional trip brings you to Moscow for two to three days, depending on school schedule. Cost differs by semester, but usually ranges between $300-400 and includes train fare, hostel accommodations, and our Moscow Walking Tour, Tour of the Kremlin, and, whenever possible, our Working in Russia Seminar (see our Moscow Cultural Program for more information on the seminar and tours; see also this writeup by a St. Petersburg student who took our Moscow trip in 2011!).
Other Events
Your St. Petersburg coordinator will keep a close eye on events and let you know of other unique tours or experiences such as plays and ballets, exciting Russian cultural events such as Maslenitsa festivities and St. Petersburg City Day celebrations, and opportunities for language exchanges. These events are often available at little or no cost.
Find Out More!
Heath and Safety in Russia
The SRAS Newsletter
Library: All About Russian
Eurasian Regions and Cities
Journal for Students
More Free Resources!
Questions or comments?
Contact us!
