We visited the dazzling Peterhof Palace and Gardens on our last day in St. Petersburg, Russia.  Built by Peter by the Great in the 18th Century, Peterhof is spectacular!  The Palace was closed because it was a Monday, but we were most interested in the gardens anyway.  I had the visit scheduled on the itinerary for the previous day, but it was rainy and we definitely wanted a pretty day for our visit.

We walked 10 minutes from our lodging at Comfort Hotel to the Pier with Lions embankment on the canal where we boarded a 40 minute Hydrofoil boat to Peterhof.

Upon arrival, there is a beautiful 10 minute walk to the centerpiece of the complex, the Grand Cascade and Samson Fountain in front of the Palace.

Even with my wide-angle lens, I wasn’t able to capture the entire complex!

The gardens are also referred to as the “Russian Versailles”.

The creativity is astounding!

You can barely view the sea in the distance…

What a picturesque day we had for our visit!

So many fountains!

The Lower Gardens were designed in the style of french formal gardens of the 17th century.  This area is called the Topiary Gardens…

I wasn’t prepared for the enormity of the gardens and the sheer beauty!

The Joke Fountains will suddenly squirt water on unsuspecting visitors.

Peterhof is situated on the Bay of Finland and the view was lovely, endless blue sky filled with puffy white clouds…

Another refreshing fountain…

Rows and rows of greenery…

I’m not sure of the name of this building, but it’s quite attractive…

The cascading golden fountain was one of my favorites…

Peterhof Gardens are truly a work of art and was my favorite destination in St. Petersburg!