St. Petersburg is, hands down, the most beautiful city in Russia. The capital of tsarist Russia for more than 200 years, it has a trove of striking buildings and bridges set along the Neva River and its canals. Here are my five tips on what to do if your adoption journey takes you to the city.

1. The Hermitage: Centered on the former winter palace of the tsars, the Hermitage could be all of the most important things to see in "Petya" by itself. One of the largest and oldest art museums in the world (Catherine the Great went on a shopping spree in Europe in 1764), it has works by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt, as well as early 20th-century gems by Gaugin and Picasso. You can take a great virtual tour, courtesy of IBM, by clicking here. On your way into or out of The Hermitage, stop to take in Palace Square.

2. A boat ride on the Neva River: St. Petersburg is often called the Venice of the North because it too was built on a collection of islands. So it's not surprising that the best way to see it is on the Neva River and the surrounding canals by boat. It is also the best way to see one of the landmarks of the Soviet era, the cruiser Aurora. This is the boat that fired the shot that launched the Russian Revolution of 1917. Some orphanages are still teaching children the song about the Aurora because my younger son arrived home knowing it.

3. Nevsky Prospect: This is the Champs Elysee of Russia, and if you want to see how the new Russia is spending its time and money, take a stroll here. There are movie theaters, restaurants, bars, art galleries and shopping, shopping, shopping. But walking Nevsky is also a way to take in a lot of Russia's history. Peter the Great planned the broad avenue as the jumping off point for journeys to Novgorod (a medieval walled city that is the oldest city in Russia) and Moscow. Because of that, the avenue is also often the setting for protest gatherings, including a recent one against Putin that landed 100 people in jail. If you are on the Nevsky when such a crowd gathers, take an immediate turn off.

4. St.Isaac Cathedral: The Kazan Cathedral, another landmark in St. Petersburg, may be more visually striking, but I like St. Isaac for its funky history. When I was there in 1982, it had been pressed into service as the Soviets' Museum of Atheism. Quixotic, to say the least. But fortunately, unlike the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, the building was preserved, and it is a striking testament to classic European church ornamentation. The interior rivals anything you will see in Italy. If the observation platform is open, make the trek up for a great view of the city.

5. The Russian Museum: While The Hermitage focuses on European art, The Russian Museum is all about Russian masterpieces. Opened by Emperor Nicholas II, it has vast collections of icons, paintings, sculptures and folk art. You will get a new appreciation of the importance of tea in Russia after seeing its collection of tea services and samovars.