Beautiful and numerous fountains and palaces in Peterhof available from May to September (and the Great Peterhof Palace - all through the year), Catherine and Alexander Palaces and Parks with the same names in Pushkin(=Tsarskoye Selo), Pavlovsk Palace and Park - these are the most popular suburban attractions of St.Petersburg. They are all former summer residences of Russian Emperors built in different architectural styles, with beautiful interiors and parks surrounding them. Each of them is about 1 hour drive by private car/mini-bus from St.Petersburg. Peterhof is best to get to by hydrofoil available from May to September. It is best to plan Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk together for one day, and Peterhof may also easily take most of the day if you do not like being in a hurry and want to enjoy it to the full.