The Oreshek Fortress opens to the public on May 1 after a winter break. It’s a great opportunity to get out of the city and enjoy the beautiful view on your way to the fortress, as it is located on an island and only accessible by water. Both the fortress and the town of Shlisselburg are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which definitely makes them worth visiting. To get there, take the direct bus number 575 from the Ulitsa Dybenko metro station to Shlisselburg, which departs every 20 minutes (the trip takes about 1,5 hours), and when you’re there, get a ferry ticket to the fortress. One more thing before you go to Shlisselburg: don’t forget to check out the Proryv/Breakthrough Panorama Museum which is located right near the town.

St. Petersburg is the marine capital of Russia and this weekend, April 29-30, the city will host the 5th Icebreaker Festival. Guests can see several Russian icebreaker ships and even learn how an icebreaker works and looks from the inside! The entrance is free. The show starts at 1 pm April 29 on Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment.

Soap Bubbles Festival is yet another event that will be interesting to both adults and children. Guests can relive their childhood and experience the joy of blowing giant soap bubbles. The festival will take place at Babushkina Park of Culture and Leisure (149 Obukhovskoy Оborony Avenue) at 15:00 April 29-30. The entrance fee is 200 rub and includes a bubble-blowing kit.

Great news for music lovers! St. Petersburg is this year’s Global Host City for International Jazz Day, celebrated worldwide on April 30. The festival’s program includes a series of educational and outreach events, such as free screenings of movies about jazz, and a concert at the Mariinsky Theatre.

Whatever you choose, we hope you enjoy your weekend! Yours truly, ITMO.NEWS.