sea eagle safari hurtigruten

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Svolvær - Sea Eagle Nature Safari

Close-up experience with the majestic sea eagle.

Scenic Islands and beaches only accessible by boat.

Local host and skipper.

Storytelling.

A trip made for nature enthusiasts! Prepare for fresh air and wind in your hair. 

Hundreds of small islands surrounded by the ocean and covered by mountains. A sense of wilderness may be the image you have of the arctic and this is exactly what you get a taste of on our nature safari by RIB boat. 

This is a real nature experience; we can assure you no trip is the same. The light reflections, bird life and colours change with the seasons. The area we visit has a high population of sea eagles, meaning that chances for close ups with the majestic eagles are high. Your skipper gladly shares stories from the area - both historical anecdotes and stories about today’s daily life.

Practical information

Language: English, German.

Included: Floating suit - safety vest - goggles.

Remarks/requirements: We do not recommend this trip for people with back problems or if pregnant. Special clothing/equipment needed/recommended: Extra clothing is recommended all year round, especially spring, fall and winter. Bring your own scarf, hat and gloves.  Rib ride lasts approximately 1 hour. Daylight hours during winter may affect availability.

Walking information: 150 meters to starting point. 150 meters back to ship. 

Wheelchair accessible: No.

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Sea Eagle Safari

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Sea Eagle Safari - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

The king of the skies: the sea eagle

Watching this majestic bird soar above while you are on deck may well make you wish you could fly yourself.

A mighty bird

With a wingspan of up to 2.65 metres, the White-tailed Eagle – also known as the sea eagle – is the largest bird of prey in Norway . Scientists believe that they can carry up to double their own weight – and the heaviest sea eagle ever recorded was a whopping 7 kg.

Sea eagles prey mainly on fish and other seabirds. They build their nests in treetops or mountainsides, usually sticking to the same nest for several breeding seasons. They normally lay two eggs; the chick comes out after 38 days, and leaves the nest after 10–11 weeks. 

A protected species

Aside from Norway, the sea eagle is found across a wide area that spans from Greenland and Iceland to Iraq in the south, across Central and Northern Asia and all the way to the Pacific.

Today, the sea eagle is a protected species both in Norway and most countries in Western Europe. From what is believed to have been a low point of approximately 500 breeding couples in Western Europe in 1975, Norway alone now has more than 2,000.

Close encounters

On deck, as we sail through the bird’s natural habitat, close encounters between human and eagle are not uncommon.

Only when you see these majestic birds with your own eyes, soaring above the ship, do you realise how big they really are.    

A trip not to be missed

While on a Hurtigruten voyage along the Norwegian coast, you can join one of our scenic boat trips to the majestic Trollfjord to witness these incredible birds in the wild.

Sea Eagle Safari

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Hurtigruten Southbound Shore Excursions

Complement your southbound hurtigruten voyage with an extensive range of shore excursions that give you the opportunity to experience many of the major attractions along the way..

The Hurtigruten experience is far more than seas and skies. Enrich your voyage by taking part in an extensive excursion programme and take full advantage of the fact that the ships call at ports other ships cannot reach. Knowledgeable, English-speaking local guides ensure that yours will be the true Norwegian experience.

All excursions are pre-bookable and only remaining places will be sold on board. Note that the excursion number denotes the day on which the trip operates.

Shore excursions should be booked at least one month prior to departure.

To provide you with the best experience, we have categorised all of the excursions on three different levels according to the level of fitness required to ensure you get the most from your excursion :

Level 1 : Involves limited physical activity, most of the tour is operated by vehicle.

Level 2 : Involves moderate physical activity on relatively level surfaces and gentle terrain.

Level 3 : Involves physical activity on uneven surface and/or steep terrain. You may be expected to carry your own backpack and equipment. Not suitable for guests with limited mobility.

Level 4 : Involves a high level of physical activity over an extended period, in terrain that may often be uneven, slippery and steep. You are expected to carry your own backpack and equipment. Not suitable for guests with limited mobility.

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8A Breakfast at the North Cape Port : Honningsvåg - Hammerfest : While most of your co-passengers on board the Hurtigruten ship are still sleeping soundly under their covers, you can board a bus bound for Honningsvåg to visit the North Cape and large tracts of West Finnmark. Do not be put off by the tour's early departure time: mornings at North Cape are very special, 1,000 feet above sunlight dancing across the horizon. At North Cape - the very tip of the European continent - enjoy a hearty breakfast and view Ivo Caprino's impressive 180 ° wide-screen film about life on the North Cape and the region throughout all four seasons.

Continuing on, make a short stop to visit a Sámi family for an opportunity to meet reindeer. When you return to Honningsvåg, drive through an underwater tunnel connecting the town with the mainland. The bus then heads south along the majestic Porsangerfjord. From there, you turn toward the coast and Hammerfest, which has undergone a dramatic change since it became the host municipality of the high-tech offshore Snøhvit gas field project. It is here in Hammerfest - the world's northernmost town - where you rejoin the Hurtigruten.

This is an all-encompassing excursion that combines wildlife, culture, spectacular and unusual scenery and a visit to the top of the world.

8B The Northernmost Town in the World Port : Hammerfest : Hammerfest is the northernmost town in the world and together with Vardø also the oldest town in the north of Norway, established in 1789. From the Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society, the bus takes you to the Meridian monument, which is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage. The column symbolizes the first official measurement of the exact size and shape of the earth and during a photo stop your guide will tell the history of the column. From here, you also have a spectacular view of Melkøya and the Snøhvit field.

Hammerfest has a long energy history, which goes back to 1891. Back then, Hammerfest was the first town in northern Europe to get electric street lighting produced from water power. You will also learn about Europe's first LNG factory (Liquid Natural Gas). On the way up to the town mountain, Salen, you will hear more about the town's history, traditionally known for its hunting and fishing but also Pomor trading, its role in the Napoleon war and WW2 which resulted in the total destruction of the town in 1944. You will also learn about the Sámi history and culture and perhaps spot some reindeer on the way. The mountain Salen has a great view overlooking the whole town. Before returning to the quay, drive past the church with its rare architecture inspired by fish flakes.

8C A Midnight Concert in the Arctic Cathedral Port : Tromsø : No visit to Tromsø is complete without a visit to Tromsdalen Church - the Arctic Cathedral. There is perhaps no more beautiful means to experience this white painted cathedral, with its impressive glass mosaic, than attending a Midnight concert. As delicate candle lights burn, this elegant church fills with the most beautiful Norwegian folk music and songs as well as classical and sacred selections. This is a moving and perfect end to the day. Add this special late-night excursion to your other adventures in and around Tromsø.

8F Snowmobile Trip in the Polar Night Port : Mehamn - Kjøllefjord : Join an exciting polar night safari by snowmobile from Mehamn to Kjøllefjord, hunting for the Northern Lights in the polar night sky. You will enjoy several stops on the way, hoping to admire this Arctic phenomenon. Before embarking on this exciting and different experience through "the white desert", guides give you thorough instructions on snowmobiling.

En route, you will make a stop at a real Sámi lavvo (tent) for some hot drinks by the campfire. The remainder of the journey down to Kjøllefjord is made by bus, whilst the guide tells you about life on the coast. In Kjøllefjord you rejoin your ship. Valid driving licence required.

8G Mountain Hike in Hammerfest Port : Hammerfest : Take a hike in the areas surrounding the northernmost town in the world! You will walk along the old road in Hammerfest that dates back to 1898. On a clear day, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Barents Sea and the beautiful islands Melkøya, Sørøya and Seiland.

8H Into the Ice Port : Hammerfest : Feel like a real polar hero on this mini expedition up the Salen mountain in Hammerfest, the world's most northern town. The bus picks you up at the pier and takes you to "Framheim" situated on mount Salen. After putting on warm clothes you go on an expedition by foot to the top of the mountain. You will really get a feeling of how it is like to be outside in the Arctic. Complete the experience by planting a flag at the top before you stop to enjoy some Arctic delicacies.

9A A Taste of Vesterålen Port : Harstad - Sortland : Harstad to Sortland is one of Hurtigruten's classic excursions and exemplifies why passengers are so enthusiastic about our excursions. In this outing, discover Viking history, breathtaking scenery and wonderful sights.

The trip begins in Harstad, where you begin the morning with a little sightseeing through the town streets and then stop at a viewpoint. A few kilometres outside town, in Trondeneshalvøya, stands the white medieval church, Trondenes Kirke. In addition to housing several art treasures, the church is a premier cultural heritage site from the late Middle Ages. (Special, short ecumenical services are sometimes held here for passengers).

Next door, Trondenes Historical Centre offers an in-depth exhibit complete with sounds, scents and objects that capture the region's dramatic span from the Viking Age and Middle Ages to the present. The bus then takes us across Hinnøya, an island, where you can enjoy views of the beautiful fjords, steep mountains and fertile farms. You then cross the Gullesfjord by ferry and have coffee, tea and freshly baked cakes. Ferry along the Sigerfjord and in Sortland, the centre of the Vesterålen islands, you rejoin the Hurtigruten ship.

Idyllic in summer, picture perfect in winter, this is an eventful tour filled with scenery and Viking culture.

9B Lofoten Islands Port : Svolvær - Stamsund : Lofoten is a group of islands off the west coast, north of the Arctic Circle - at the 67th and 68th parallels. Throughout history, Lofoten has been the home and workplace of generations of fishermen. The Lofoten fishing season in spring is still vital and central to the economy and population here. Many people associate Lofoten with its precipitous, dramatic and often fabled mountains and picturesque fishing villages. However, Lofoten is so much more - quiet bays, white sandy beaches, sheltered fjords and perhaps surprisingly, expansive, green agricultural areas.

This is a remote part of the world but we make getting here a simple excursion for Hurtigruten passengers. Starting in the "Capital of Lofoten," Svolvær you head to the well-known fishing village of Henningsvær. It is said that the light in Lofoten is unlike any other place on earth, which is why artists from Norway and abroad have always come here. In Henningsvær, you will visit an art gallery showcasing several Norwegian artists' interpretations of the beauty of the Lofoten archipelago. There is also a slide show presentation and an opportunity to purchase artwork.

Pictures may say more than a thousand words but they are no match for being in this picturesque and awe-inspiring landscape. So come aboard, find a good seat and enjoy the view.

9C Sea Eagle Safari, Trollfjord Port : Transfer to tender boats in open sea - Svolvær : Just north of the Trollfjord is the sea eagle's realm and the ship's tender boats are ready to take you to see the king of birds close up. First, you accompany the Hurtigruten ship into the Trollfjord where you will see it turning around in the narrowest of spaces, a magnificent sight.

The eagle safari commences when you leave the Trollfjord. It actually starts with the gulls. Like screeching, white fighter aircraft, the gulls swoop in for fish right from your hands. Keep your camera ready, as the aloof sharp eyed eagles become curious. You then pass through a narrow sound with steep mountains to one side. This is where the sea eagles dwell and soon they come to share in the banquet. Watch these beautiful, rare birds of prey circle the boat with wings outstretched before they dive towards the sea. It is all so close, so wild and so fantastic that some passengers forget to take pictures. If you are lucky, you may observe up to five or six majestic birds within an hour.

Then set course for Svolvær, arriving at the quay about five minutes ahead of the Hurtigruten. In less than two hours, you will have an amazing experience that will stay with you long after you return home.

*Whilst never guaranteed, during summer months (subject to local conditions) Hurtigruten ships will often enter Trollfjord. When this happens, the experience of being on board a tender boat and watching your ship is quite magnificent.

9D Lofoten by Horse Port : Svolvær - Stamsund : Enjoy a horseback ride through the magnificent scenery of the Lofoten Islands! From Svolvær you will be taken to meet your Icelandic steeds at the Hov Horse Farm in Gimsøy. Experience the wonder of a sunset trot through the powdery white sand, over hillside and past exciting relics from the Viking Age. This is a fantastic way to experience the beauty of the Lofoten Islands; the gentle ambling gait for which the Icelandic horses' are renowned makes this a horseback ride suitable for riders with all levels of experience. Icelandic horses are well-known for their good temperament and you're sure to have a friend for life by the time your hack comes to an end.

9E Rib-Adventure in Lofoten Port : Svolvær : Join a speed-filled excursion with RIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boats) into the fantastic Lofoten archipelago. The experienced skippers take you to a lagoon with white sandy beaches surrounded by small islands and skerries that protect it from the mighty ocean outside.

There is a good chance to see sea eagles, Europe's largest bird of prey up close. After a short photo stop, you continue to the fishing village of Skrova, where you stop to have snack and learn about Skrova, known for exporting salmon all over the world. The statue "The Fisherman's Wife" will greet you when you return to the harbour in Svolvær to rejoin the ship.

9F Discover a Fishing Village Port : Svolvær : Grab your camera for a guided fishing village walk on Svinøya island near Svolvær, surrounded by the mighty mountains of Lofoten. Hear the stories, feel the sea breeze, taste locally made stockfish, visit a gallery and enjoy the unique atmosphere.

9G Fishing in Lofoten Port : Svolvær : The Atlantic Cod harvest has taken place in Lofoten for thousands of years. Now its your turn to experience it as you join a local fishing boat out in the beautiful surroundings of Lofoten. The skipper takes you out to the fishing banks where the adventure starts. Rod and reel while eagerly awaiting a response from the deep sea. Hopefully you will experience the thrill of a cod on the line.

9I Vesterålen and Lofoten by RIB Port : Transfer to tender boat in open sea - Svolvær : Join a RIB ride through the beautiful areas of Vesterålen and Lofoten. You drive through the narrow Trollfjord. Here, you go ashore and get a guided tour of the power station and the art gallery located here. You also get to hear the story of the battle of Trollfjord that took place in the year 1890. A snack is served before you continue between small islets and skerries to the charming fishing village of Skrova. Remember to watch out for sea eagles along the way.

10B UNESCO Islands Vega Port : Sandnessjøen - Brønnøysund : The Vega Archipelago was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2004, a status gained largely due to the unique interaction between the eider ducks and the islanders. Your tour around these islands will soon give you an insight into life in these small villages on the way to the fishing village of Nes, situated on the main island Vega. Here, you make a stop to visit the "E-house", a museum and documentation centre for eider ducks. At Nes, there is also a café and a World Heritage exhibit, all situated within a well kept architectural environment that acts as the perfect setting to learn about the exciting history of the eider ducks. Afterwards, you return to Brønnøysund where you board your ship again.

10C Visit the Salmon Port : Brønnøysund : Norway is one of the world's major exporters of fish and seafood. Norway's fertile coast, with its cool and clear water, offer the optimum conditions for sustainable and responsible aquaculture. After a short bus tour of Brønnøysund you cross the magnificent Brønnøysund Bridge and continue to Toft and the Norwegian Aquaculture Centre. Here you will learn about farming and the surrounding environment. You can meet the salmon, see what they eat and how they live. You can even take part in the feeding, and learn about modern farming. The interactive centre offers you the chance to try out an underwater camera, taste the salmon, and ask questions of the resident guides who will be with you every step of the way.

11A Trondheim & Nidaros Cathedral Port : Trondheim : Trondheim is a large city by Norwegian standards, though it has still managed to preserve many of the charms and intimacy of a small town. It is also a city full of contrasts, with modern buildings standing side-by-side with monastery ruins, impressive wooden buildings and colourful wharves.

You will hear all about the city's many features as the bus takes you through Trondheim's streets and boroughs, including a short stop at "Utsikten" ("The View") to admire the city from up on high. As no sightseeing trip to Trondheim is complete without visiting one of its premier cultural treasures, you will of course make time to take in the impressive Gothic-style Nidaros Cathedral. Built over the burial place of St. Olav, the patron saint of Norway, this enormous building, with its countless details and decorations, dates back to around 1070. After a guided tour around the cathedral, you will soon understand why many describe it as the most beautiful religious building in Norway.

11B The Hidden Rooms of Nidaros Cathedral Port : Trondheim : Join a fascinating wander through some of the hidden chambers of the cathedral. In the basement, you will walk through dark passages of the tombstone crypt, and explore the largest collection of medieval tombstones in Norway.

11C The Atlantic Road Port : Kristiansund - Molde : The Atlantic Road is one of Norway's most visited tourist destinations and the winner of the "Engineering Feat of the Century" award in 2005. The road is 8.2 km long and is built on a total of 8 bridges in picturesque surroundings.

Today, start with a short sightseeing tour of Kristiansund before you continue to Averøy where you visit the beautiful Kvernes Stave Church. Afterwards, you go to the "Bjartmars Favorittkro" tavern, where you are served the speciality of the house, Bacalao. Then continue along the Atlantic Road and finish with a short sightseeing tour of Molde.

11E Bergtatt - A Magnificent Marble Mine Port : Kristiansund - Molde : This excursion will take you on an unforgettable boat trip on an illuminated crystal clear lake, followed by a tasty soup made from local ingredients while you watch a movie all about mining. The tour also includes a short sightseeing visit to the coastal town of Molde

Prices are in £s per person.

Excursion timings are for guidance only.

All excursions are subject to minimum and maximum number of participants, and to weather conditions. Contents may vary depending on weather / local conditions.

Please note that with the exception of 8C with 8A, 8B or 8D; 9A with 9B, 9C or 9D; 11A with 11C, you will not be able to combine two excursions on the same day.

The excursion number denotes the day on which the excursion operates.

The period of operation refers to the ship's departure date from Bergen.

Excursions can not be pre-booked within 21 days of travel.

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Top 12 places to see the sea in and around St. Petersburg

The following are good places to take in the “water” (full disclosure: rivers and lakes have also made this list). By no means is this a complete list of the offerings near St. Petersburg , but it could provide an ambitious roadmap for a summer well spent. The first six are located in the Resort District (Kurortny Raion) in the northwestern part of St. Petersburg, while the latter six are scattered in and around the city.  

Tarkhovka 

  Source: instagram zebra (@lizachkazebreva)

The sandy beach at Tarkhovka is not on most people’s radars, but it is open to the public and provides a great view of the fortress at Kronstadt across the Finnish Gulf . This first “water” stop into the Resort District is just a short ride by car, bus or an “eletrichka” train from Finlyandsky train station (a good option on summer weekends due to traffic). There is water access on both sides, as Sestroretsky Razliv Lake lies just inland from the train tracks and Primorskoe highway.

Sestroretsk

  Source: instagram (@vasiliygvozdarev)

Featuring some of the most popular beaches in St. Petersburg , there are also numerous hotels, bars, restaurants, health spas and sanitoriums, with the oldest – the Sestroretsky Resort – dating back to 1898. You can access the water from Dubki Park in the center of town and from there the coastline of the Finnish Gulf extends north. If you walk far enough you will hit “Dyuny” (Dunes) a popular nude beach.

  Source: instagram (@m1nochrome)

Laskovy beach is another gem of St. Petersburg ’s coastline and is packed with sunbathers on hot summer days. But it is also popular as a picnic spot in the off-season. Much of the rest of the coastline here is fairly rocky (especially after storms throw stones around), although equally beautiful. Like many settlements along the coast here, Solnechoe is growing fast, with its population increasing nearly 50 percent since 2002.

  Source: instagram (@vasiinka)

Besides hosting the museum complex to the great Russian painter Ilya Repin , Repino also features a popular beach, several restaurants and 14 spas, resorts and sanatoriums. Take in the museum , have a meal and go for a swim.

  Source: instagram @familyguru

Komarovo ’s relaxed atmosphere, forests and ample beachfronts have attracted city dwellers for generations. There are a few restaurants that operate on the beach in summer, although Komarovo is far enough away from the city to deter some day-trippers compared to the closer options.   

Zelenogorsk

  Source: instagram (@rustfu)

  Source: instagram (@seefrau_hexe)

Kronstadt is actually a city and naval fortress on an island called Kotlin. Famous for being the site of an anti-Bolshevik rebellion in 1921, today this pleasant town offers several great spots to take in a sea view, with the south side flanked by three harbors. Be sure to check out the Naval Cathedral and the Damba , an enormous 25-kilometer dam complex that spans the Finnish Gulf and protects St. Petersburg from flooding. It cuts through the island offering some great views.  

Peter and Paul Fortress

  Source: instagram (@irishaanisimova)  

The most popular beach in the city center, people flock here any day of the year that there is sun. Located on the Neva River side of the fortress , in the summer it is packed, not surprising considering how small the beach actually is. For me summer in St. Petersburg and a trip to the beach here to gaze out at the grandeur of the city are inseparable associations.  

Krestovsky Island

  Source: instagram (@divo_ostrov)

Another good option within the heart of the city, this is one of St. Petersburg’s most tranquil districts on weekdays when there are few tourists. Its long coastline is situated between several tributaries of the Neva River and provides ample space for taking in a sunset or having a picnic.  

Park dedicated to the 300 Years of St. Petersburg

  Source: instagram (@yanaseu)

St. Petersburg’s youngest park was built to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the city’s founding. It is probably also the busiest place to take in a sea view as the territory is covered by fountains, statues, 300 crabapple trees (a gift from the city of Helsinki), a lighthouse, a wave pool and even hosts a diving school.  

Kanonersky Island

  Source: instagram (@evgesha_krivoshein)

The site of some of St. Petersburg’s main customs buildings, for some this may represent an unlikely choice. However, if you walk around long enough you can find a relatively private corner for a picnic. Located near the city center this island is a bit rough around the edges with no infrastructure for tourists, however, it offers great views of the Finnish Gulf and the boat traffic coming into the harbor.  

Lake Ladoga

  Source: instagram (@tanyamint)

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Story of cities #8: St Petersburg – is the 'city built on bones' starting to crumble?

Built on a swamp at the cost of thousands of lives, Peter the Great’s ‘antidote to Moscow’ has survived uprisings, sieges and floods to become Europe’s third largest city. But is history now catching up with St Petersburg?

On 16 May 1703, while looking over sparse marshlands near the mouth of the Baltic Sea that he had taken from the Swedes, Tsar Peter the Great cut two strips of turf from Hare’s Island on the Neva river, laid them in a cross and declared: “Let there be a city here.” As he spoke, an eagle appeared overhead in an auspicious omen.

Or at least that’s the myth of St Petersburg’s founding. In reality, Peter the Great wasn’t even there, and most likely neither was the eagle. It was a group of soldiers under the command of his friend, General Alexander Menshikov, who began building what would become the Peter and Paul Fortress on Hare’s Island in May 1703. The tsar only arrived the following month.

But although untrue, this myth perfectly encapsulates the origins of St Petersburg. Built on an inhospitable swamp at the cost of thousands of lives, it was brought into being through the iron will of Peter, who needed a warm-water port and a fortress against the Swedes. Moreover, it was to be his “window to Europe”: a new capital where Peter’s western-inspired reforms of the military, bureaucracy and national culture would take hold.

St Petersburg survived its adverse beginnings and then a revolution, a catastrophic siege in the second world war and seven decades of communist rule, to become the third largest city in Europe. Now, however, it faces the twin challenge of preserving its past while solving quality-of-life problems to ensure its future.

“It’s the classic question of how to preserve and develop at the same time,” says Svyatoslav Murunov, an urbanist based in the city. “The historic centre of St Petersburg is mummified. It’s not developing and it’s even deteriorating; it has viruses like commercial advertising and high-rise construction that ruin the view.”

The establishment of St Petersburg is a story that has been both celebrated and deplored in Russia, with history books trumpeting the achievement while authors lament its unnatural and bloody creation. Fyodor Dostoyevsky called it the “most abstract and premeditated city in the whole world”, and national poet Alexander Pushkin both eulogised and condemned it in his famous work The Bronze Horseman , which describes the disastrous flood of 1824 and the bronze statue of Peter that stands on Senate Square.

Starting with the construction of the Peter and Paul Fortress, Peter dragooned thousands of conscripts, convicts and prisoners of war to erect the city from scratch in a place where snow can fall as early as September and as late as May. Tree trunks had to be sunk into the swampy ground before it could support structures.

Living in ramshackle quarters and working with inadequate tools – often digging by hand and carrying the dirt in the front of their shirts – these involuntary labourers died in their thousands, carried off by disease or frequent flooding. As a result, St Petersburg became known as the “city built on bones”.

Antidote to the chaos of Moscow

Peter had got the idea for his reforms and his new capital during his travels through Europe, when he worked for a time in a shipbuilding yard in Amsterdam. Wanting his new city to be similarly based around the sea, he initially forbade bridges, even though a variety of officials and even his own physician died while navigating the treacherous Neva in small boats.

The city plan was based on Amsterdam’s, with straight prospects radiating outward from a centre – in this case, the Admiralty shipyard – and criss-crossed by canals. Peter’s system of artificial canals on Vasilyevsky Island silted up and were eventually made into roads, but the numerous channels on the southern side of the Neva became major aquatic arteries after the city centre was moved there. These canals, now hemmed in by stone embankments, have given the city its nickname: “the Venice of the North”.

Seeking an antidote to Moscow’s chaotic, organic construction, Peter laid down three main rules for his fledgling city: buildings must be constructed next to each other with their faces along a “red line”; streets must be straight, not curved; and everything must be built of stone.

Foreign architects including the German Andreas Schlüter and the Swiss Italian Domenico Trezzini were instrumental in developing the city’s layout, and its distinctively grandiose “Petrine Baroque” architecture. It is this style of building, with its white columns, arched windows and pastel-coloured walls (typically begrimed by the harsh climate) that gives the city much of its atmosphere of picturesque decay.

“[Peter’s] main task was to make Petersburg a real city, because Russian cities at that point where just a pile of buildings, naturally grown,” says the architect Daniyar Yusupov. “Schlüter made a grid city so that a courtyard was within each building – except that there were cows, sheds and other very non-urban things in the courtyards at that time.”

Just as the northern city’s dark and dismal winters give way to its glorious White Nights , when daylight is interrupted by only few hours of twilight, those difficult early days gave way to a flowering of a new state and cultural institutions. In 1712, Peter officially moved Russia’s capital to St Petersburg, and the country’s great aristocratic families soon followed with their own palaces – especially after the emperor banned building in stone everywhere but there.

Perhaps no building better represented the extravagant lifestyles of the new capital and its western-inspired cultural boom than the palace of Russia’s richest family , the Sheremetevs, which is locally known as the Fountain House. Built in the 1740s with a baroque yellow-and-white facade, the inside of the mansion was adorned with European furnishings and works by artists including Raphael, Van Dyck and Rembrandt.

It became a centre of high society, hosting lavish dinners and balls, not to mention concerts, plays and operas performed by the Sheremetevs’ serfs (bonded peasants). The family trained hundreds of them as artists, craftsmen and performers each year, and its theatrical troupe was the foremost in the nation.

Alongside the luxury of the imperial court and nobles’ palaces, however, the working classes laboured in poverty – a situation that spiralled out of control around the turn of the 20th century, as industrialisation drew ever more peasants to the capital to work in factories. This time also saw the appearance of the narrow, oddly shaped “well courtyards” that St Petersburg is famous for, as developers tried to squeeze in low-income apartments behind more expensive street-view flats.

According to Alexander Karpov, an urban planning expert and advisor to the St Petersburg legislature, the “urban planning mistake” of chaotic new construction was a direct cause of the October Revolution in 1917 , when Bolshevik forces captured the Winter Palace and established the world’s first socialist state. “The city couldn’t create conditions of life for the huge crowd of people, and they weren’t able to adapt socially or economically,” Karpov says. “These people made up the critical mass that then exploded.”

Urban planning mistakes continue to plague the city to this day, albeit with less momentous consequences. During the Soviet era, the main change to the city’s landscape, as in most parts of the USSR, was the widespread construction of “micro-districts” : huge standardised blocks of identical flats for 10,000-20,000 people constructed around vital infrastructure, penetrated only by small service roads.

As a result, most residents live in a vast band of “sleeper” neighbourhoods and have to travel through the “grey zone” of under-utilised factories to reach their jobs in the centre, leading to congestion in the underground and on the streets. St Petersburg once had more than 400 miles of tram lines , the largest such network in the world – but many of these have been torn up since the Soviet breakup.

“The density and connectivity of the street network needs to be raised, not in the centre but in the manufacturing belt,” says Karpov. “They’re building the underground very slowly; it’s an embarrassing tempo. Lines for buses, trolleybus and trams would be simpler, but these aren’t being built.”

Meanwhile, the downtown has its own problems, even though the entire historic centre is a Unesco world heritage site . According to the architectural preservation group Lively City, 10 to 15 historic buildings are lost each year, ruined in bad-faith renovations or simply torn down to make way for new-builds. Although St Petersburg passed a law in 2009 protecting “objects of cultural heritage” in the centre, owners can get around this and tear down buildings if they can prove them to be hazardous.

“Buildings are sometimes saved but often it’s a long war, unfortunately,” says Natalya Sivokhina, a Lively City activist. “We protect a building but then they try again to destroy it, or they disfigure it. When we achieve something, usually some business or lobby or interested officials are involved, and it’s hard to get a final victory.”

The authorities have even been found to be complicit in prohibited demolitions. In February, a district court ruled that the city’s preservation committee illegally allowed an investor to tear down the top floor and one wing of an 18th-century mansion on Glinka Street last year, planning to make it into a hotel. The building was once the home of the great admiral Nikolai Mordvinov and is protected as a monument of regional significance.

But the bete noir of local activists is the Lakhta Centre , a new headquarters for the state gas champion Gazprom that is planned to be the tallest building in Europe upon completion in 2018 – in a city with no other skyscrapers. Originally located directly across the Neva river from the governor’s office, the project was moved to the north-west outskirts after a public outcry .

Many activists still see this as a defeat, since the Gazprom tower will nonetheless alter the skyline that is visible from the promenades that line every river and canal. The “panorama” is greatly treasured in St Petersburg: the city’s layout, in both the imperial- and Soviet-era districts, includes many astoundingly long lines of sight. Standing on the highway at Pulkovo airport on the southern edge of the city, it is possible to see the spire of the cathedral in the Peter and Paul Fortress, more than 10 miles away.

“The whole city is built on these themes,” Karpov says. “It’s one of the ways to reflect the imperial concept … The greatness was visible in this concept, in these great orientation points. And this is very deeply rooted. It’s what makes up the genetic code of the city.”

According to local historian and author Lev Lurye, St Petersburg has more than 15,000 buildings that date back before 1914 – and most of them need to be renovated. A city programme to do repair work has moved agonisingly slowly, and flats in historic buildings generally sell for less due to their poor condition. “For sale” and “for rent” signs can often be spotted in windows even on Nevsky Prospect, the city’s main street.

“The factor of capitalisation is not right,” Yusupov says. “They can sell for lots of money just because it’s the city centre – but the quality and social infrastructure don’t match up.”

A smattering of projects have sprung up in recent years to utilise the many empty palaces, merchant houses and other structures downtown. Oligarch and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich is bankrolling the ambitious redevelopment of New Holland , an island in the centre that currently holds brick naval facilities from the 18th century.

Other entrepreneurs have taken a more low-budget approach, starting cultural centres in old buildings such as the former Smolny bread factory, which now holds Loft Project Etagi : a makeshift honeycomb of gallery space, cafes, hipster stores and a hostel. Taking advantage of a cheap 11-month rental agreement and doing all repairs themselves, the administrators of Taiga Creative Space have transformed a mansion built in 1730 on the Neva embankment into office and retail space for creative-minded businesses, including a second-hand guitar store and a screenprinting studio. Coordinator Daria Kachavina says that many other languishing buildings could be put to similar use, were it not for the reluctance of property owners to rent for less than the market price.

“[Historic buildings] are empty because landlords have gotten used to certain standards. They can’t expand their horizons and think maybe they could rent cheaply to artistic people and then five years later give it to mid-level businesses,” she says.

Besides preserving its historic architecture, St Petersburg has also been slow to improve quality of life, and a controversial plan to reconstruct the city centre was recently cancelled. Lurye says that rather than a grandiose plan, the city simply needs more parks, more public transport and fewer fences between its intricate network of courtyards to encourage more foot traffic.

“The main problem of downtown is an absence of green space,” he says. “We are the least green city in Europe, among the big cities.”

One positive side-effect of the Gazprom tower protests was that they catalysed the formation of a civil society and residents’ involvement in urban planning politics. The ruling United Russia party, which dominates lawmaking bodies in most other regions, has only 20 out of 50 seats in the St Petersburg parliament, meaning the local government is more receptive to residents than in other places.

“We are number one in civil society activity, in terms of projects that are copied in other Russian cities, and these are volunteer projects,” says Krasimir Vransky, founder of the Beautiful Petersburg website and mobile app, which allows residents to file complaints to the city over local problems. Started after Vransky successfully complained about a store illegally selling alcohol in his courtyard, he says the group has solved 30,000 local problems and has now branched out into urban planning research.

Another activist group working to adapt the city for modern living is Velosipedizatsia (“bicyclisation”), which aims to reduce traffic gridlock and crowding on public transport by promoting bicycles – still a relatively infrequent sight on St Petersburg’s high granite sidewalks. Thanks to the group’s lobbying and promotional efforts, the city plans to create more than 20 miles of bicycle routes this year; the first three of 16 planned routes .

For Olga Mnishko, a coordinator at Velosipedizatsia, urban innovations such as bike paths are critical if St Petersburg’s population is to continue to grow and thrive amid Russia’s economic recession. “In Russia this isn’t understood, because in Russia there are two cities that are important: Moscow and St Petersburg,” she says.

“But in the future, I think there will be many cool cities, and if St Petersburg continues to just be a city-museum, no one will come here to live. The city was built in the 18th century – but now it’s the 21st century, and there are different demands being placed on it. We need new values so that people stay here, and don’t move to Copenhagen.”

Does your city have a little-known story that made a major impact on its development? Please share it in the comments below or on Twitter using #storyofcities

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The king of the skies: the sea eagle

Watching this majestic bird soar above while you are on deck may well make you wish you could fly yourself.

A mighty bird

With a wingspan of up to 2.65 metres, the White-tailed Eagle – also known as the sea eagle – is the largest bird of prey in Norway . Scientists believe that they can carry up to double their own weight – and the heaviest sea eagle ever recorded was a whopping 7 kg.

Sea eagles prey mainly on fish and other seabirds. They build their nests in treetops or mountainsides, usually sticking to the same nest for several breeding seasons. They normally lay two eggs; the chick comes out after 38 days, and leaves the nest after 10–11 weeks. 

A protected species

Aside from Norway, the sea eagle is found across a wide area that spans from Greenland and Iceland to Iraq in the south, across Central and Northern Asia and all the way to the Pacific.

Today, the sea eagle is a protected species both in Norway and most countries in Western Europe. From what is believed to have been a low point of approximately 500 breeding couples in Western Europe in 1975, Norway alone now has more than 2,000.

Close encounters

On deck, as we sail through the bird’s natural habitat, close encounters between human and eagle are not uncommon.

Only when you see these majestic birds with your own eyes, soaring above the ship, do you realise how big they really are.    

A trip not to be missed

While on a Hurtigruten voyage along the Norwegian coast, you can join one of our scenic boat trips to the majestic Trollfjord to witness these incredible birds in the wild.

Sea Eagle Safari

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