Chicago to Saint Petersburg Flights

  About Chicago

Located on the West coast of Gujarat is the quaint little city of Porbandar. The city is highly regarded for its pilgrimage as it has a strong mythological relevance. Many pivotal incidences from the tales of Mahabharat and Ramayana have taken place in the city, or so says the folklore. As the city is on the Saurashtra's coastal side, the city is blessed with a brilliant climate and geography. There are hills, coasts, rivers, lakes and more such geographical benefits that make Porbandar a beautiful city. Historically, the city adds another feather to its illustrious cap by being the birthplace of freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi. With such intriguing stories that the city has to tell, it easily becomes one of the most visited places in Gujarat.

The flight connectivity to Porbandar from other major cities is also excellent. The coastal town connects with the rest of India through popular routes, making travel easy and convenient. Booking hotels in Porbandar are also useful as the city comes with exciting accommodations.

Best time to visit Chicago

Porbandar enjoys fair weather throughout the year. The temperature is mostly at a pleasant range between 23 degree Celsius to 36 degree Celsius. Depending on the year and the humidity, the temperatures do see some changes, but mostly, it's sunny positive. The winters in Porbandar are quite enchanting as the cold breezy air adds quite a romantic charm to the place. The temperatures usually range from 10 degree Celsius to 36 degree Celsius. When you do plan for your Porbandar trip, try to choose this season. The pleasant weather will make sightseeing more comfortable. Not to mention how the flight tickets to Porbandar are also cheap and affordable, irrespective of the peak season. December and January are considered as best months to visit Porbandar.

The monsoon months in Porbandar are just as enjoyable as the winters. Between July to September, the monsoon drenches the city with a cool but humid atmosphere. While the humidity does increase during monsoon, the strong winds that pass through the city during the season help normalise the temperature to a pleasant level. You can book a hotel in Porbandar during this time and take in all the monsoon magic. You certainly wouldn't regret it.

Summers, though, could be a little hot. In comparison to the pleasant weather the city experiences throughout the year, the summer winds come with high temperatures that sometimes reach 40 degree Celsius. While it is not ideal for visiting Porbandar during summers, if you are already used to such temperatures and climate, you wouldn't have much trouble. Not to mention how the flight tickets to Porbandar during summers see a drop in prices.

Places to visit in Chicago

Porbandar does not have many tourist attractions as such. The place is a pilgrimage with many temples and shrines. During your trip, you can visit some of the temples, namely, Sri Hari temple, Krishna-Sudama temple, Kirti temple, to name a few. These temples have strong connections with the Hindu mythology tale Mahabharat. The city also has some relics from the Harappan civilisation which could add to a good historical venture.

One of the big highlights of Porbandar's tourism is the Huzoor Palace, built in the early 20th century by Rana Natwarsinhji, the last Maharaja of Porbandar. The structure has derived architectural inspiration from European styles and is quite beautiful. The vicinity also has fancy fountains and well-maintained gardens.

Things to do in Chicago

The city might have only pilgrimage as the most prominent tourist attraction, but you can tweak your itinerary and add some personal excursions of your own. Located a little away from the city are the Jambuvan Caves, known to be the resting place of the famous warrior Jambuvan, who has played an essential role in the mythological tales of Mahabharat. The caves are also known to have Ramayana relevance with Hanuman spending time in the caves. You can also visit the Porbandar Bird Sanctuary and indulge in some photography. The sanctuary has a scenic setting which adds to the charm and beauty of the place. The biggest attraction of the bird sanctuary is how it inhabits migratory birds such as jacanas, little cormorants, whistling teals, avocets, coots, grebes, pelicans, terns, to name a few.

Food and Restaurants in Chicago

Porbandar is famous for its Gujarati cuisine. The city, much like the rest of the state, is rich in vegetarian Gujarati delicacies. From lip-smacking dhokla with green chutney to divine khandwas, one can never get tired of these dishes. Porbandar also follows the Jain-style cuisine by eliminating potatoes, onions, etc. from their dishes. They substitute potatoes with bananas which manage to do the job perfectly well. In fact, Jain cuisine is just as tasty as a regular vegetarian cuisine. You should probably give Jain food a try when in Porbander.

Travellers with a taste for vegan and vegetarian food can head to Flavours. The restaurant is famous for its take on vegan-friendly dishes as well as a slew of global cuisine. You will definitely be happy and satiated with their take on international cuisine. The place is extremely healthy and something worth considering. If exquisite fine dine is in your itinerary then you should head to Blue Coriander and book a table. The place with its classy interiors has great food reviews. You can get some lovely Gujarati thalis here or even the sweet daal that they're fans of. The food is known to be fresh and tasty with a plethora of choices for vegetarians. You can also get a spicy vada pav at Goli Vada Pav. Mumbaikars know their vada pavs well, and they sure love Goli Vada Pav.

Finding a non-vegetarian restaurant in Porbandar might be challenging as the city primarily has a vegetarian population. However, there is one place where you can get some lovely Indian spin on dishes, including seafood. SaltWater, located on the Dwarka Porbandar highway, has the best seafood that you should certainly try. As for those who are tired of all the spices and want something savoury, you should check out Shiva Baker's Point and Midday Munchies.

How to reach Chicago(Transportation)

By Air

Porbandar Airport is located along the coast of the state of Gujarat. The airport is open for commercial use but also has a military presence. The city's airport is well-connected with some of the big cities in India such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, June, Jaipur and Bangalore, to name a few. Thanks to the consistent infrastructural development, the city has managed to find great connectivity with other cities in India. The flight connectivity to Porbandar is excellent as many flights from big cities have direct flights. SpiceJet and TruJet are the two airlines with dedicated flights flying to Porbandar. Even though it is a domestic airport, there are provisions of duty-free shops within the airport that one can avail goods from at a reasonable cost.

The airport also provisions a slew of restaurant chains and fast food shops to keep the passengers entertained. The most popular route to Porbandar is from Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi as these three cities have regular flights flying in and out. The location of the airport is also convenient, enabling easy access to the city centre. You can hire a taxi cab from outside the airport, or if you have booked a hotel in Porbandar, they will probably send the airport shuttle, if you request it.

By Rail

Porbandar Railway Station is perfectly connected with major cities within Gujarat. There are dedicated daily trains to and from Porbandar to Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Somnath and more. The railway also connects well with other domestic routes from Porbandar to big cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Jaipur. Weekly trains to cities in the South such as Hyderabad and Kochi are also available. It is essential to know the train schedule before booking the tickets. Specific express trains are not reserved for Porbandar so you might end up spending a lot of your time in transit. The station is around 5 km from the city centre.

As frequent trains are entering and leaving the city regularly, transport via train is also considered to be a good and affordable option. Flight tickets to Porbandar could be expensive sometimes depending on the season in which you are booking your flights.

By Road

Major cities are connected to Porbandar through the domestic route of NH 8B. The national highway brings cities such as Ahmedabad and Rajkot closer to Porbandar. Public buses are also available to connect Porbandar to the rest of the cities in Gujarat. You can find them at the bus station where buses to Vadodara, Jamnagar, Surat and even Mumbai are available. Many travellers opt for roadways to reach Porbandar, especially if they are travelling from the coastal areas of Maharashtra. Tourists even drive down to Porbandar from Jaipur and other cities in Rajasthan as it is a good drive. From the bus station, rickshaws and buses are also available that can take you to the hotel you have booked in Porbandar. Taxi cabs are also present in the city, so transportation in the city is extremely convenient for travellers.

  About Saint Petersburg

Russia's famous port city, Saint Petersburg, is located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. The city raves some of the best tourist attractions for being one of the big cities in all of Russia. The city was part of the imperial capital for two centuries before the baton was passed to Moscow. While it is not the capital anymore, the city continues to remain the cultural hub of Russia.

Best time to visit St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg enjoys cold weather throughout the year. The temperatures even tend to go in the negative as the geographical features are such. During winters, you will actually get to experience negative temperatures that range from -5 degree Celsius to -2 degree Celsius. With such extreme temperatures, winters shut down the city. While some domestic businesses do function, the city mostly shut as traversing within St. Petersburg is quite risky. With frostbites and breathing problems that could crop up due to the extreme cold, many avoid winters to visit St. Petersburg. The days are short during winters, and the temperatures certainly don't spell 'vacation'. Hence, the best thing to do would be to avoid the months of October through mid-April. Some festivals do take place in the city. However, the cold temperatures make it tough to enjoy the fun, vibrant events. The hotel prices do take a dip as the tourism industry sees less action. This is probably the only time when you will get to enjoy the inexpensive hotels in St. Petersburg.

As long as you are open to brave the cold and freezing winters of the city, booking flights and hotels in St. Petersburg during winters will get you multitudes of discounts. Months from June through September see the best of St. Petersburg. Although the temperatures don't really escalate to a pleasant 25 degree Celsius to 30 degree Celsius, the average 20 degree Celsius does uplift the city's spirts. Many festivals take place during these months as the sun is present for 24 hours. The city is literally awake the whole time during the summer months, and it only adds to the beauty of St. Petersburg. Restaurants and bars also extend their working hours as the city is practically awake the whole time. This doesn't mean you will have a smooth trip. The summers experience a massive surge in the hospitality sector as many tourists from around the world flock over to visit St. Petersburg. Booking a hotel in St. Petersburg during their summers is quite challenging and comes with an exorbitant cost. However, as long as you make advance hotel bookings in St. Petersburg, you might be able to avail good discounts.

Places to visit in St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg has a plethora of art galleries and architecture that you will enjoy. You can start exploring by visiting the Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace. Built in 1764, the structure was originally reserved for private art collections. However, it has come out to be one of the most famed attractions in St. Petersburg. Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is another such attraction that will pique your interest with its story. Plus, the architecture of the place further makes it an alluring sight. St. Isaac's Cathedral is a beautiful neoclassical structure that has managed to survive a lot of ordeals, including the Nazi shelling and World War II. You should also visit Peter and Paul Fortress. It is actually the place where the city of St. Petersburg was founded, hence holds a lot of historical relevance. Do not miss the Catherine Palace and Park. The fanciful structure, with its Russian-inspired architecture, is something worth exploring. You can learn about the royal heiress too. UNESCO has recognised Peterhof Palace and Garden as a World Heritage Site.

Things to do in St. Petersburg

The city's museum is perfect for you to learn more about Russian history. Do visit the Russian Museum for the same. You can also go to the Fabergé Museum for more cultural enlightenment. Opera and ballet are recognised to be popular art. You can catch a show at the Mariinsky Theatre which has shows of Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. A walk around Alexander Park is also a good way to spend your time in St. Petersburg. The large expanse of the garden is perfectly designed to bring about a lovely and serene vibe. During the warm seasons, the bars and pubs are open till late in the night. Perhaps you can actually hang out there, maybe chat up with the locals and have a good time downing some vodka. There are boat rides too that are available in the city. You can take it up and soak in the beauty of the city.

Food and Restaurants in St. Petersburg

Much like Moscow, even St. Petersburg has a slew of lovely Russian cuisine along with international flavours. Although you might not be able to find those contemporary Mediterranean dishes, it would still be quite a fancy spread. The Russian cuisine is a testament to their geographical features and lifestyle. To combat the excessively cold winters, they need to keep their body warm. This means to consume as much stews and borschts that one can find. Don't be surprised to get hold of the classic Russian dishes as the city has them aplenty. Food spread including borscht, stroganoff, caviar and cabbage stew, are staple to the city. The good thing about food in St. Petersburg in comparison to the country's capital, Moscow, is that the prices are cheap and affordable. Moscow's restaurants put quite an exorbitant price on the menu for the dishes. However, in St. Petersburg, you wouldn't have to worry about that. The restaurants and food establishments make exquisite dishes and are pocket-friendly. When you're in the city, there are some must-haves that you should add to your list.

Aside from the traditional staple food that you'll find, do not miss the Russian version of crepe and pancakes that comes with caviar stuffing. These snacks are affordable and perfect to be relished under the Russian sun. There are many street vendors that are present in every corner, serving piping hot stews and such comfort food on the go. However, if you wish to upscale your dining experience just a notch, then head to Literary Cafe, located on Nevsky Prospekt. They serve the traditional Russian meal and once played host to celebrities such as Pushkin and Dostoyevsky. If you wish to see some variations in the Russian dishes, Hamlet + Jacks have some interesting meals, including Siberian venison and Baltic herring. Phali Hinkali is also a good place to chow down hearty delicacies which are inspired from Georgian cuisine. The city does have fusion food with an elegant setting. Places such as Palkin, Probka and Bekitzer, to name a few, have some interesting food that will go down well with your system. They are a little pricey, but the vibe is what they sell.

How to reach St. Petersburg (Transportation)

There is no direct way to reach St. Petersburg from India. One will have to face layovers and change flights to reach the Russian city. The flight connectivity to St. Petersburg from India is decent. It could be better, but due to the little demand the city has from India, there are fewer airlines and flights connected to reach St. Petersburg. The most popular route to reach St. Petersburg is through Warsaw in Poland. Warsaw has the best flight connectivity to St. Petersburg. Hence, you will have to go through the European route to reach St. Petersburg. Airlines such as Uzbekistan Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Air France, KLM Royal Dutch, Aeroflot, Swiss, Lufthansa, Emirates, to name a few, offer dedicated flights to St. Petersburg. Much of the layovers take place in cities such as Warsaw, Frankfurt and Paris. In fact, Paris is another popular international route to St. Petersburg that is favoured as the connectivity from the French capital is immaculate. There are layovers and flight changes that you will have to deal with on your way to St. Petersburg. Not to mention how a transit visa will also be required.

Since a majority of the popular routes to St. Petersburg fall in European cities, a Schengen transit visa is required. However, acquiring a visa would be quite easy. You can get in touch with the embassy for the same. The flight duration is close to 14 hours if you opt for the Paris route to reach St. Petersburg. It is by far the best international route to choose to reach St. Petersburg. However, depending on the airlines and flight ticket costs, the duration also varies. The summers in St. Petersburg are peak season for tourism so there might be a surge in flight tickets to St. Petersburg. Hence, to avoid paying excessively for flight tickets to St. Petersburg, you can make prior flight bookings online. It would be convenient and might also come with some online discounts and deals. You can make your flight and hotel bookings in St. Petersburg together to avail some online deals and discounts. Plus, the peak season would lead to a lack of good hotels, so it is best to make hotel reservations in advance to avoid any problems later.