After my rather emotional Christmas walk from the the Church on Spill Blood, I headed towards Nevsky Prospekt, passed the brightly-lighted Lutheran church and headed to the Christmas market at Ploschad Ostrovskovo (Ostrovskovo Square), a five-minute walk from the right side of Gostiny Dvor metro station.
Ploschad Ostrovskovo is a small square dominated by the huge, bronze monument of Catherine the Great and behind it is the Alexandrinsky (Pushkin) Drama Theatre. This is where the annual Christmas market in St Petersburg is held since it opened in 2006. The market opened on December 21, 2012 and will close on January 14, 2013
The market cannot be missed. It’s sparkling blue lights and a big arc attract attention of passerby’s and commuters alike, even from a snow-shaded window of a crowded bus passing Nevsky Prospect and loud sound of the performances can be heard once you get out of the metro station.
Although smaller compared to European Christmas markets, the one is St Petersburg is not any less festive. A temporary stage was set up beside Alexandrinsky for nightly entertainment, including a performance of Russian folk songs.
Stalls of different products encircle Ostrovskovo Square, mostly typical Russian products like wooden kitchen utensils, woolen clothes, socks and scarfs, crystal decorations, dolls etc – items that you can also buy from souvenir shops or at the nearby Gostiny Dvor metro station. There were also a lot food stalls selling Christmas market staples like sausages and gluhwein and Russian meat breads and pastries.