There are more than 70 rivers and canals in the city with around 400 bridges across them. All the bridges over the Neva are raised to allow large vessels pass through at night between May and October, when the river is navigable. At that same time various pleasure boats ply around St. Petersburg — so following different routes one can see city’s main sights from the water. The looming silhouettes of the bridges, the grandeur of the waterways, the granite embankments with their various piers and slipways, the 18th and 19th century palaces and parks on the banks of the Neva and the canals, architectural landmarks in the form of the domes and spires of churches and cathedrals, visible from a long way off — all this contributes to the unique appearance of the «Venice of the North», one of the world’s most beautiful cities.