Find Your Holiday Spirit Steps Away from ITMO Campuses

Lomonosova St. campus

This campus is under a minute away from some of the city’s brightest decorations: just down Lomonosova St. to reach Fontanka Embankment and spot the Lomonosov Bridge all ablaze with lights. Walk along the embankment towards Nevsky Prospekt, enjoying the shining stars shimmering above the water. Nevsky itself is, of course, the quintessence of festivity in terms of its abundant decorations – massive red and gold, perceptibly royal. Having reached it, you have two options in your quest for the cheer: turn towards Gostiny Dvor to ogle at the decorated Christmas tree and giant clock there or go to the Christmas market on Manezhnaya Square for the ultimate holiday experience.

Kronverksky Pr. campus

Being on this campus, it would be easiest to reach Alexandrovsky Park, enjoying a stroll among the snow-coated trees and spotting the decorations nearby the Music Hall. A little further down Kronverksky Prospekt you will find Veranda, a home decor boutique with a magnificent display of all things New Year — how lucky that boosting your holiday spirit is free of charge. If you turn around and walk down Kronverksky Prospekt in the other direction, you will reach Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt all decked out with glimmering blueish fairy lights imitating snowflakes. One more place to go is the Peter and Paul Fortress, complete with piles of snow and a welcoming Christmas tree.

Birzhevaya campus

A seven-minute walk will take you to the Spit of Vasilievsky Island, alight with sparkling lights and with a view on the snowglobe-y city, complete with the temperamental Neva river. And there is only one way to go from there – to St. Pete’s main square, but first, admire the fluorescent wands above the Palace Bridge, making their own magic up in the air. Finally, reach the Palace Square for the biggest Christmas tree in the city, the epitome of holidays in St. Petersburg. Bonus: check out the golden lights in the Alexander Garden as you leave the Palace Square.

Grivtsova campus 

Just ten minutes – and you are in Yusupov Garden, a historically legendary place for ice skating in St. Petersburg, which back in the 19th century housed a popular ice rink. Every year, there are also slides off its snow-covered hills, where you just might spot exuberant kids enjoying themselves. Walk a little further and you will reach Voznesensky Prospekt, one of the city’s quieter avenues, yet still decorated with some of the prettiest glowing planets and stars hanging above all the hustle and bustle. Down, down the prospekt you go and reach St. Isaac’s Square with an overview of majestic St. Isaac’s Cathedral, standing guard of the seemingly bewitched snowy covered trees of the square, each adorned with glowing stars.

Bonus tip

And what if you find yourself somewhere far from ITMO campuses but in desperate need of some holiday cheer? This year we were happy to discover that Yandex Maps (iOS, Android) will show you decorated Christmas trees nearby, so that you always know where to stare at sparkling baubles and fairy lights