Letnyi Sad (Summer Gardens), St. Petersburg

In 1704, Peter the Great employed Frenchman Le Blond to design a luxurious formal garden in the manner of Versailles. In 1777, the beautiful garden with fountains, imported trees and more than 200 Italian statues was unfortunately ruined by a flood. Today's slightly more austere incarnation can be ascribed to the more restrained taste of Catherine the Great. Nowadays, more than 80 statues are here—in winter they are eerily encased in wooden boxes for protection from the winter elements; in summer, the relaxed calm of the gardens makes it a popular destination for weddings and parties. You can expect to pay a small fee to enter the gardens.