What a day to visit the Lower Gardens of the Peterhof Palace estate – sunshine and 20 degrees. Took the 30 min hydrofoil from Lion Pier straight to the gardens.

The fountains were sparkling brilliantly and hundreds of people were perambulating.

Dinner @ The Repa. The restaurant’s interior was created by Russian designer Alena Akhmadullina. The concrete walls are adorned with murals inspired by the work of artist Andrey Remnev, and works of modern art are on display throughout the space.

The furniture design also reflects this style: simple items sit beside complex, whimsical pieces, and elements of the wall art are repeated in the embroidery on the chairs. Historic autographs of brilliant figures from the arts world, such as Maya Plisetskaya, Placido Domingo, Diana Vishneva, and Mihail Chemiakin have been preserved on the walls.

With a focus on produce and provenance, the restaurant’s short menu features interesting ingredients from different regions of Russia and other Eurasian countries.