St. Petersburg sightseeing - Shuvalovka village?

Has anyone visited the "folk park" called Shuvalovka village? It's supposed to have recreated wooden peasant houses from the XVIII and XIX centuries, and demonstrations of the folkways of the time.

If you've been there, was it as described, and did you go with one of the major tour companies?

We're looking forward to touring St. Petersburg during our 2-day port stop in September, but maybe after so many overwhelming palaces we thought it might be interesting to see a bit more of how the "other half" lived. This was the only thing we've found so far, but all the reviews seem to be in Russian.;)

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks. Kathy

Hi, Kathy

I've never been, but, based on the Russian reviews you mentioned, I wouldn't hold my breath - seems like a tourist trap, kind of like Mandrogi on Moscow-Spb river cruise route.

As to the "other half" , unless you go to Kizhi, Solovki, of other similarly remote and preserved places, the chances of seeing anything authentic are rather limited. That said, imperial St.Petersburg, with its palaces and cathedrals, represents just a part of the city's history. Have you considered looking into museums and memorials dealing with WWIi and the city's role in it? That could give you your "real life" fix.

Thanks very much for the info and your suggestions. Yes, I'm checking on WWII memorials etc. Maybe an ethnographic museum would include some of the things I'd particularly enjoy - like needlework. Few of the group tours include those and we'd like not to have to do a private tour. But we'll see. Exploring the possibilities is all part of the fun!