City Comparison
Compare two incredible cities side by side โ culture, food, local tips, and immersive 4K virtual walks.
Country
๐ท๐บ Saint Petersburg
Russia
๐น๐ท Istanbul
Turkey
Continent
๐ท๐บ Saint Petersburg
Europe
๐น๐ท Istanbul
Europe
Best Season
๐ท๐บ Saint Petersburg
June (White Nights โ sun barely sets, city stays awake around the clock) or December (snow-covered canals and New Year lights on Nevsky Prospekt)
๐น๐ท Istanbul
Spring (AprilโMay) or Autumn (SeptemberโOctober)
Currency
๐ท๐บ Saint Petersburg
Russian Ruble (RUB)
๐น๐ท Istanbul
Turkish Lira (โบ)
Greeting
๐ท๐บ Saint Petersburg
ะะดัะฐะฒััะฒัะนัะต (Zdravstvuyte) โ formal; ะัะธะฒะตั (Privet) โ informal
๐น๐ท Istanbul
Merhaba
During White Nights in June, the city's historic drawbridges open at 1 am simultaneously to let ships through the Neva River โ watched by thousands from the Palace Embankment. It's free, atmospheric, and unmissable. Book Hermitage tickets online a day ahead; walk-up queues in summer can be 2โ3 hours.
Bargaining is expected in the Grand Bazaar. Always accept the tea offered by shopkeepers.
๐ท๐บ Saint Petersburg Fun Fact
Saint Petersburg was built on 42 islands and is connected by 342 bridges โ more bridges than any other city on Earth. Peter the Great was so determined to build his 'window to the West' that an estimated 30,000โ100,000 workers died during construction on the swampy Neva delta. The city changed its name three times: St Petersburg โ Petrograd (1914) โ Leningrad (1924) โ St Petersburg again (1991).
๐น๐ท Istanbul Fun Fact
Istanbul is the only city in the world that straddles two continents โ Europe and Asia.
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