171. St. Petersburg Parks #10 - Krestovsky Park
Krestovsky Ostrov is one of the largest islands north of St. Petersburg's city center. It is easily accessible via the Metro. The eastern half of this large island is mostly residential, but the western half is basically all park. A large path bisects the park along the island's east/west axis, with smaller paths radiating out from the park's center. A few small ponds and rivers dot the landscape, which is otherwise lightly wooded. It takes approximately 20-30 minutes at a brisk pace to walk across the entire park.
The FC Zenit football stadium (where some of the FIFA World Cup games will be played in 2018) is located at the western end of Krestovsky Island, at the edge of the park. I think that the majority of the park's visitors are sports fans walking to or from the Metro station on the opposite side of the park during game days. The Divo Ostrov amusement park occupies most of the northeastern side of the park. All of the roller-coasters and rides were operating when I passed by in August and September, but were of course shut down when I visited Krestovsky Island on a cold and snowy early December afternoon. A few restaurants are located on the periphery of the park, including a beer garden where I enjoyed an Oktoberfest celebration several months ago with some colleagues.
Krestovsky Park is not a place I would recommend to anyone looking for quiet contemplation or to commune with nature. But if you're looking for a fun afternoon at a football game or amusement park, or a dinner at a restaurant outside of the hustle and bustle of the more populated areas in other parts of the city, this is a nice destination.
This picture is from late September, back when the fountains in Krestovsky Park were still in operation:
The FC Zenit football stadium (where some of the FIFA World Cup games will be played in 2018) is located at the western end of Krestovsky Island, at the edge of the park. I think that the majority of the park's visitors are sports fans walking to or from the Metro station on the opposite side of the park during game days. The Divo Ostrov amusement park occupies most of the northeastern side of the park. All of the roller-coasters and rides were operating when I passed by in August and September, but were of course shut down when I visited Krestovsky Island on a cold and snowy early December afternoon. A few restaurants are located on the periphery of the park, including a beer garden where I enjoyed an Oktoberfest celebration several months ago with some colleagues.
Krestovsky Park is not a place I would recommend to anyone looking for quiet contemplation or to commune with nature. But if you're looking for a fun afternoon at a football game or amusement park, or a dinner at a restaurant outside of the hustle and bustle of the more populated areas in other parts of the city, this is a nice destination.
This picture is from late September, back when the fountains in Krestovsky Park were still in operation:
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