40 best romantic getaways

St. Petersburg

Photo: Courtesy of Taleon Club Taleon Imperial Hotel

Urban Retreat
This former seat of imperial Russia has a surreal beauty, especially in the colder months when its fairy-tale architecture—the mint-green Winter Palace, the multi-striped onion domes of the Church on Spilled Blood—stands in sharp relief to the crystalline snow. The landmarks are worth a visit: the Mariinsky Theater opened a $40 million concert hall in 2007. But save time to discover some local favorites. At the pan-Asian restaurant Terrassa (dinner for two $85), ask for a seat on the glass-enclosed balcony overlooking Nevsky Prospekt. The less-discovered Vasilievsky Island, west of the city center, is home to the low-lit Restoran (dinner for two $80), known for its house-infused vodkas and pelmeni, Siberian dumplings filled with ground elk meat. Spend the night in one of the 60 new suites at the Taleon Imperial Hotel (doubles from $375), a favorite of Russian high rollers. Or book a room at the recently restored Art Nouveau Grand Hotel Europe (doubles from $315).