We are going to be visiting St. Petersburg soon and bought this book in order to give us some idea of what to expect. I don't think that we could have chosen a better book as there are loads of tips, several very good colour photographs and excellent descriptions on the very best places to visit. It really has given us a good idea of what to look out for and in that sense it is essential.
The price is extremely reasonable and another plus point is that the book is pretty compact and easy to just slip into a jacket pocket or small bag. If you too are thinking of visiting the second capital of Russia then this guide book could just be what you are looking for.
As a PS to this review, we have now visited St Petersburg and this guide was very useful. We were there for two days and had the good fortune to visit Catherine's Palace, The Hermitage Museum and we also did a tour of the city. In all honesty, if you want more in depth information of stand alone places of interest then you may want a bigger guide than this. But if you want a basic idea with a bit of historical background then this is a very good buy and highly recommended. It is also great to look through the guide again even after your visit.