Neva Drawbridges

Between roughly late April and November, when the Neva is free of ice, the drawbridges across it are raised at night to let sea-going ships pass between the Baltic and the inland waterways. Each bridge has its own times, published for the season and generally starting between one and two in the morning, and the Palace Bridge is the one people gather for because it opens directly opposite the Winter Palace with the Rostral Columns behind it, its two leaves rising together and framing the spire of the Peter and Paul cathedral. The embankments fill with crowds, boats collect below, and it has become a fixed part of a summer visit. The practical point that catches people out is that once the bridges are up the north bank and Vasilievsky Island are cut off from the centre until they close again before dawn - there is no crossing, taxis will not take you, and the wait is several hours.

What you actually see

• The Palace Bridge - two leaves rising opposite the Winter Palace, framing the cathedral spire.
• The published timetable - each bridge with its own opening and closing times.
• The shipping - vessels passing through between the Baltic and the inland routes.
• The crowds - embankments filling in the small hours through the summer.

When to go

Late April to November. Openings begin between one and two in the morning; the schedule is published each season.

Honest expectations

Once the bridges lift you cannot cross until they close, which strands people on the wrong bank for hours - check the schedule before crossing. The embankments are crowded and cold. Metro service has stopped by then. Boat viewing is ticketed and sells out in June.

Nearby

The Winter Palace and the Spit of Vasilievsky Island are the standard viewing points.