Street Eats, St.Petersburg, Russia: Cinnamon coated almonds… yum!

Street Eats, St.Petersburg, Russia: Cinnamon coated almonds… yum!

Welcome back to our Street Eats series, where we explore some of the world’s most delicious (and outrageous) street food. Today we’re venturing to St.Petersburg, Russia, one of the richest cities in the world.  Rich in history, the city boasts formidable architecture, from the hermitage to numerous palaces including Catherine’s Palace and the Peterhof, the wealth of rulers like Peter the Great visible at every turn. The gateway to Russia, the city continues to attract tourists from all over the world looking to enjoy a comfortable stay in modern Russia while taking a journey back in time through the era of the Tsars and the iron clasp of Communism that is still tangible in St.Petersburg today.

Restaurants within the city walls boast both local and neighbouring cuisine, the most famous being Khachapuri, a delicious Georgian cheese bread, in addition of course, to traditional Russian delicacies like Pelmeni, Borsch and Russian crepes! Yum-my. Outside of “sit-down” venues, St.Petersburg doesn’t really offer an assortment of food options. After all, you can’t sip on vodka and stroll at the same time! Fast food like Subway is, unfortunately, readily available for those in a hurry, but if you’re wandering around the city and in search of a little something to tie you over until dinner time, then here’s one sweet temptation you won’t want to miss.

#1 Street Snack in St.Petersburg: Cinnamon coated almonds

Cinnamon covered almondsWhat are they?

They are, quite simply, almonds (or hazelnuts, or pistachios depending on the stall and you’re favourite kind of nut) covered with a sweet cinnamon dusting. A satisfying way to start, interrupt, or end your day.

Where can you find them?

Available at most tourists hot-spots, cinnamon coated almonds can be found in any relaxing environment where people are bound to stroll. I sampled these treats while wandering through the  Mikhailovsky Gardens but encountered stalls many times throughout my trip for the bargain price of 50 rubles, or $1.50 CAD.

Want to read more about the beautiful city of St.Petersburg? Here are some blogs you won’t want to miss:

A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg: Pre-departure, Transportation and Hotel

A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg: A walk (and cruise) through the historic centre – Day 1

A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg, Russia: Peterhof, Pelmeni and Swan Lake

A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg: The Hermitage, Cafe Singer and the best souvenir shop in town

A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg, Russia: The Hermitage, Cafe Singer, and the best souvenir shop in town – Day 3

A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg, Russia: The Hermitage, Cafe Singer, and the best souvenir shop in town – Day 3

Welcome back! Earlier this year, I spent 3 full days (5 in total with one for travel from Finland and to Sweden) exploring the beautiful city of St.Petersburg, Russia. Here you can find my first impressions of the city alongside advice on transportation and planning your trip!

Day #3 St.Petersburg

On Day #1 of our trip, we roamed around the historic city centre and took a beautiful canal ride up the Neva! Day #2 of our trip included a visit to the beautiful gardens of Peterhof and an unforgettable show of Swan Lake, performed at the Hermitage! Day #3 of our trip was entirely devoted to exploring the inside of the Hermitage and taking one last stroll down Nevsky Prospekt in search of an enticing patio and a great souvenir shop – success! Here’s a snapshot from our last full day in St.Petersburg.

The Hermitage

Boasting one of the largest art collections in the world, we decided to reserve the entire morning and early afternoon of our last day in St.Petersburg for wandering the Hermitage, located in Palace Square, featuring the Alexandre Column, and situated opposite the beautiful arc design  pictured below.

Palace Square

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A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg, Russia: Peterhof, Pelmeni and Swan Lake – Day 2

A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg, Russia: Peterhof, Pelmeni and Swan Lake – Day 2

Welcome to Day #2 of our 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg, Russia! On our first full day in St.Petersburg, we explored the historic centre of the city on foot and via boat cruise down the Neva River. On the agenda for our second full day in the city was a visit to Peterhof – meaning “Peter’s Court” in German –  followed by a performance of Swan Lake at the Hermitage, the highlight of our trip.

Getting a feel for the “real” St.Petersburg

We packed a picnic lunch and hopped on the matushka bus to the palace. Matushka buses are like mini-buses and can be boarded at Avtovo metro station – don’t worry, you’ll know which one is destined to Peterhof by the signs, which are in English, and the enthusiastic driver assistants calling for you to jump on board.

The benefit of taking the bus was getting an insight look at what St.Petersburg is actually like, outside the gilded walls of the famous city. Contrary to the coloured palaces that line the streets of the Nevky Prospekt, these concrete buildings, and ancient trams were a little more along the lines of what we expected to see in the former USSR.

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