Henri Matisse’s vibrant canvas Dance was commissioned by
a Russian collector in 1910, then acquired by the state during the
Revolution. It now hangs in the Hermitage Museum (hermitage
museum.org). You could easily spend a whole day exploring this
huge collection – including Matisse’s later work on a similar theme,
Ballerina – but avoid cultural saturation by nipping out for lunch
at nearby Yat (eatinyat.com), which serves excellent Russian food.
Later, spend the evening at Polnyi Balet, a restaurant in the former
home of famed ballerina Agrippina Vaganova, with an Art Deco
interior (Gorokhovaya ulitsa 4). Devote Sunday to clothes-shopping
for your night at the ballet: Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor on Nevsky
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nearby, glamorous department store Au Pont Rouge (aupontrouge.
ru) specialises in cutting-edge Russian fashion. After a costume
change, head for 19th-century Mariinsky Theatre to see one of the
World’s premier ballet troupes, as well as the extraordinarily ornate
interior (advance booking essential; mariinsky.ru).
STAY Opposite the Nikolsky Cathedral, in a 19th-century building,
Alexander House has 14 homely but stylish rooms, a sitting room
with fireplace and a guests-only restaurant (from £95; a-house.ru).
ARRIVE Aeroflot and British Airways fly direct to St Petersburg from
London airports (from £140; aeroflot.ru).25
Stay en-pointe
in St Petersburg
Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum is
one of the city’s major draws,
and Rembrandt’s colossal
painting The Night Watch its
pride and joy. Spend the day
looking around, and take in the
exhibition marking 350 years
since the artist’s death (opening
15 February; rijksmuseum.nl).
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to be a night scene (hence the
name), this masterpiece can be
seen in 3D at Rembrandtplein,
a public square that’s a
cornerstone of Amsterdam’s
nightlife. Begin with drinks
2230,Ƥ-$Ƥ2&#Ƥ!#,2307! $¹1
De Kroon (dekroon.nl) ," $¹
Schiller (cafeschiller.nl), perfect
for nocturnal people-watching,
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The Dutch have been drinking
genever since Rembrandt’s
time, and it’s inventively
deployed at nearby bar The
Flying Dutchmen, where each
cocktail is served with its own
potted history ƺ̮7',%"32!&+#,
cocktails.com). Spend the next
day wandering the canals to
Rembrandthuis, once his
home, now a museum
(rembrandthuis.nl).
STAY A t t h e D o e l e n H o t e l ,
where The Night Watch was
originally hung, the Rembrandt
suite features a full-size replica
(from £180; nh-collection.com).
ARRIVE Eurostar takes under four
hours to reach Amsterdam from
London St Pancras (from £110;
eurostar.com).26
Nightwatching
in Amsterdam
(^52) BEST
WEEKENDS
AWAY