Tsarskoe Selo, St. Petersburg

Created and designed largely under the auspices of Empress Elizabeth and later Catherine the Great, Tsarskoe Selo is another grand countryside legacy of the Tsarist era. It was the Royal summer home of tsars. The impressively ornate Catherine Palace is the undoubted centerpiece of the ensemble, a huge baroque construction in blue, white and gold. The palace, along with the entire neighboring town, was comprehensively sacked by the Germans during WWII and repairs inside are still continuing. Admission is free.