The Catherine Palace stands in the town of Pushkin, historically Tsarskoye Selo, about 25 km south of St Petersburg. Its long blue facade and golden domes face wide gardens and a lake, and inside are the gilded Great Hall and the Amber Room, lost in the Second World War and rebuilt and reopened in 2003.

We book a timed entry, since summer crowds are large, and combine the visit with a ride round the park in an electric cart.