The history of the Pushkin district begins with a Swedish manor and a Russian victory, and the story of what grew there is the story of the Russian court itself. The town was long called Tsarskoye Selo, the Tsar's Village, and the great Catherine Palace, with its long blue and white facade and gilded decoration, was the summer residence of the empresses. Inside, the Amber Room, once panelled with amber, was looted during the Second World War and has been recreated in recent decades, to the delight of visitors.
The town was renamed Pushkin in 1937, to mark the centenary of the poet's death, who had studied at the Lyceum here as a boy. The school building still stands next to the palace, and the park behind it is full of memories of his poems. The historic centre, with the palace, the Alexander Palace, the Catherine Park and its lakes, is listed by UNESCO together with Saint Petersburg.
With nearly ninety-three thousand inhabitants, Pushkin is a proper town with every service a rider might need. The main road from Saint Petersburg is busy, and traffic builds up at the palace in summer, with tour buses jostling for space. Parking close to the palace is limited and often restricted, so look for a side street or one of the signed car parks. The streets of the old centre are narrow and the surfaces uneven, with a few cobbled stretches that need a careful hand.
Ride in on a weekday morning in May or September, and you will find the town at its best. The park is quiet, the long avenues of lime and maple are in leaf, and the light on the palace is soft. At weekends, and in the high summer, the crowds can be dense. The cafes near the park serve good pastries and strong coffee, and a plate of blini is a classic accompaniment.
Winter is cold and snowy, and the park looks beautiful under a blanket of white, but the roads can be treacherous, with black ice on the bends and snow banks along the verges. Dress warmly, and take care.