Peter
The person who gave name and ideology to the project, Peter started running the tours in 1996 all by himself, inspired by some walking tours he’d taken in other cities in Europe.
Before settling for the tours, Peter had tried over twenty different jobs, the most amazing being of a live (!) translator in the movies in St. Petersburg, in the wild times of the early 90’s. Screening of pirate copies of Hollywood action movies was accompanied by simultaneous voiceover translation, done by a person with a microphone, sitting behind the audience. It wasn’t paying too well, alas.
Today Peter occasionally fixes a job or two as a journalist – for several years he was a writer with The St. Petersburg Times, the city’s English language newspaper. Whatever money he saves, he spends on travelling, preferring long and detailed low budget journeys. The most impressive one was a half-a-year voyage from St. Petersburg to Tasmania overland, with only one connection flight from Bali to Darwin!
Belonging to the rare breed of Russian backpacker, Peter acquired a unique habit of acting as an ambassador of his own city and country, both of which he so much loves. Lonely Planet St. Petersburg commented on Peter’s tours: “He’s ultra knowledgeable and laid back, but most importantly, his passion for the city is infectious".
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Vika
"Wanted to thank you for recommending Vika to take us through the Hermitage. She did an absolutely marvellous job... just the right tone, the right pace" - little we can add to this comment by a happy customer. Vika does trips to Pushkin, Peterhof and all other palatial suburbs as well as tours of St Petersburg's principal museums and attractions.
Nick
An excellent guitarist, Nick plays in a number of bands on St. Petersburg club scene for over a decade. He's our chief expert on clubbing and always has few tips on local nightlife for you up his sleeve.
Having obtained his PhD in Medical Psychology in 2006, he quits his job as a scientist for a time being. He's a broad specialist in the sphere of guiding, but his Revolution Tour is an absolute hit. He boasts to know the location of a workers' canteen where Lenin had his last meal before the Revolution - and claims that it's still functioning!
Nick is a keen sportsman, biking and snowboarding being his favourites. He is a fine connoisseur of Russian banya (steam bath) and bliny with apple and cinnamon
Olga
Olga is our chief authority on classical St. Petersburg, a qualified linguist, and one of a few guides at Peter’s Walking Tours who give tours of the numerous St. Petersburg’s museums and palaces. Olga is young and charismatic, an adorer of cats and an expert on things Russian – she’s seen more of this vast country than all of the other guides here combined.
Olga can do most of our theme tours, including the Dostoyevsky Walk and the Pub Crawls.
Dmitry
Dmitry is a native of the Petrograd Side, a fascinating early twentieth-century neighbourhood north of the Peter-and-Paul Fortress. So naturally, the Petrograd Pub Crawls the walking tours of the area (voted the neighbourhood of the year by Peter.s Walking Tours) are among his specialities. Dmitry is a university graduate in Spanish philology, fluent speaker of five European languages, an aspiring traveller and photographer . We could not dream of a better guide really.
Alina
One of the youngest in our team, Alina belongs to the generation that considers Communism ancient history. Yet, she's already got over three years of experience working with Peter's Walking Tours and is fully licensed as a museum and palace guide.
That, added her personal courage and charisma, makes Alina a rather valueable cadre for Peter’s Walking Tours. Alina is now busy studying design at a prestigious art school, so she only gives a couple of tours a month, primarily on weekends.
"A very sharp local travel guide" - The Rick Steves'.
Angela
Having returned after four years of living in Australia, Angela is rediscovering St. Petersburg - on rollerblades, which apparently helps her get rid of a strange acquired habit of walking upside down. No worries mate.
In her school years Angela was a promising figure skater - her champion career has never worked out, but Russia is still ahead of the rest of the planet in the sport. Angela's first training ground was a church on Vasilyevsky Island, converted into an indoor skating rink in the Soviet times.
Besides Oz, Angela has done quite a few travels recently, including Mongolia, Siberia and some remote monasteries of China and upper Volga.
Vera
Vera. A brilliant sense of humour, along with incredible industriousness and enthusiasm, make Vera a priceless Peter's Walking Tours guide. Besides English and her native Russian, Vera does tours in French and German, still finding time to study at the State Pedagogical University. She does great Original walks and the Siege of Leningrad tours.
Alexander
Alexander joined us in 2007, and is now one of our top specialists in 20th century political history, WWII and the Siege of Leningrad. Alexander does Political Sciences at the State St Petersburg University, graduating this year. He does Original walks, Siege tours, pub crawls and many other tours.
'The best possible introduction to St Petersburg', - a customer from the UK wrote us in an email after a walking tour with Alexander. 'In four hours I acquired a wealth of information which enhanced the rest of my stay'.
Yunna
A history student majoring in Russian-Swedish relations, she is young, beautiful, sporty, adventurous and a komsomolka on top of that. Customers point out 'her enthusiasm for Russian history' - and also the fact that she drives fast. Yunna does great city walks and palace and museum tours.
