Hermitage - European Art

 As with the Ancient Greek and Egypt sections, the upper floor of the Hermitage is immense, stunningly beautiful and full of a vast collection of art from various European countries – including France, Britain, Italy and Holland. A large area is devoted to Russian culture, as well as to rooms preserved from the days of the Winter Palace – including some very ornate furniture and a gorgeous, dark library of which I’m not jealous at all.

 It’s incredible to think how they must have filled the scores of lavish rooms in the palace before it officially became a museum: I caught myself thinking, ‘Russians really know how to do monarchy’ before I remembered the massive poverty gap, the assassinations, the revolution…maybe the British do have the right idea.

Entry to the Hermitage is free for all students, under-18s and Russian pensioners, R200 for Russian adults and R400 for tourists. Dvortsovaya Ploshad’ – Big blue building. Can’t miss it.