Natalia
Hi everybody! Thank you for checking out my page. My name is Natalia. I am a private guide in St Petersburg, Russia. Let me tell you a few things about myself as a guide, and you will see why we will get friends soon.
I have been in tourism for 5 full years now, and I feel like this is exactly where I should be. It’s funny 
though, that a few years ago I didn’t even think of such a profession as a private guide. When I was a student, one of my friends who I studied with, Nadia, started to work as a guide. We are both major in English linguistics, so when I discovered this job opportunity I thought «Hey, that’s a cool way to practice the language with native speakers. Plus, you get pocket money as a bonus. I should definitely give it a try!» And I gave it a try. After having taken a guiding course I started to guide tourist groups around city’s attractions, mainly giving shore excursions. Only after a while of working as a private guide in St Petersburg I realized how much I got involved into this job. It is really so great to understand how much you can give to people, who are eager to explore your culture. We all know that sometimes it’s really hard to enjoy your vacation in a new place, where you don’t speak the language. This is why it is so important to find somebody who can help you and give you a good piece of advice.
I myself am pretty much a traveller. I have been to a number of places including The US, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Greece, England, Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Sweden, and India. I like to travel around my own country too. Providing I was born and raised in Siberia, I have seen quite a bit of Russia. It is highly essential for me to keep moving. I truly believe that traveling can open your eyes not only on other cultures, but also on your country, on yourself. What can be more amazing than getting to know new people, talking to them, seeing how they live, what they think?
The key point in my work is that I always treat my guests the way I would like to be treated.
Being quite an experienced traveler, I can understand what you would expect from a St Petersburg private guide. I do realize that beside historical information and sightseeing, it is really important to get some good tips on where to go, what to eat, how to get tickets, etc.
On my tours, I always give the maximum of what I can share. Don’t worry, it is not about overloading you with tons of historical facts 🙂 It is more about trying to give you the maximum of what you need when you travel to a new place. I make up a good combination of historical background, practical information, and simple chatting on random topics. The key point in my work is that I always treat my guests the way I would like to be treated.
It is by far not a secret that St. Petersburg has an impressive number of museums. Be it a great art gallery, like The State Hermitage, or the tiny off-the-beaten-path Cabin of Peter the Great, there’s always a lot to discover. If as a private guide in St Petersburg l had to pick my favorite museum, I would vote for St. Isaac’s Cathedral. It’s colonnade actually. I think it is on
e of the most amazing places in the city. Once you get on top of the cathedral, you can clearly see every single corner of St. Petersburg. Should I explain how romantic the view is ?:) Oh, by the way, there is a great chance to visit the colonnade as a part of our walking tour.
I am accredited by all the major museums of St. Petersburg. Upon your request I can guide you in The Hermitage, Peterhof, Catherine Palace, The Church on the Spilled Blood, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Yusupov Palace, or we can simply have a nice walking or driving sightseeing tour around St. Petersburg.
