Stories of a backpacker: A Birthday in St. Petersburg, Russia - Second Chapter, "Hermitage"

“When we want mood experiences, we go to concerts or museums. When we want meaningful emotional experience, we go to the storyteller.”
― Robert McKee

I left you with the beautiful images of a cold St.Petersburg by night.

The dark disappears and a new day is there.
The first thing I want is a very big and fat breakfast.
I get dressed and I'm ready to go, once again alone, but my energies are back to finally visit the city for the full day.

Everywhere is more beautiful on a sunny day

Some sun in St.Petersburg

I'm an engineer, I like to plan and organize, but usually when I travel I preferer to try to keep it simple and easy.
The idea is to visit the big and famous Hermitage Museum, once you are here, you cannot skip this...
I'm going there after lunch, but before there is some time to enjoy the city streets on a quiet and partially sunny Monday day.

Streets arcade, St.Petersburg, Russia

Lomonosov Bridge, St.Petersburg

Eternal flame in Mars Field, St. Petersburg

Hermitage Museum

It's finally time to visit one of the largest and oldest museums in the world.
As soon as I arrive there I notice how huge actually this place is. It is a six buildings complex including the largest collection of paintings in the world.

Selfie in front of the Hermitage Museum, St.Petersburg

Even the square in front of the museum is grand and huge, this is how it looks from inside the Hermitage.

Palace square, St.Petersburg, Russia

Walking inside the museum feels like swimming in culture, the halls are literally full of paintings. The buildings are divided into sectors, per years and Nationality. The main attraction is the Italian one, obviously my biggest goal.

Museum internal flight of steps, Hermitage Museum, St.Petersburg

Selfie in one of the Hermitage's mirrors, St. Petersburg

Hermitage Museum, St.Petersburg

The Italian masterpiece

I walk for around an hour when I arrive at the Italian Renaissance sector, and there it is, maybe the most valuable paint of the entire (incredible big) collection. The da Vinci piece.

Madonna and Child - Leonardo da Vinci. Hermitage Museum, St.Petersburg

I walk for another three hours. Alone with my thoughts. I find the museums one of the best places where to think, to reflect,
to be only with ourselves at least for some hours.
I feel very grateful about my life, about the possibilities I have and I take to enjoy these beautiful experiences.

The day was long and intense, I find this "Leica" restaurant, close to the university. I really deserved my tasty steak.

Dinner at Leica's, St.Petersburg, Russia