The Neva River is changeable, sudden and sweeping — she reminds of a woman who knows perfectly well that she has the right to act on any whim. The river is one of the most beautiful and deepest in Europe. It doesn’t have a typical river regime — that is to say that it doesn’t overflow in the spring or lose depth in the summer. The Neva carries its waters from Lake Ladoga to the Baltic Sea’s Gulf of Finland and flows through the centre of one of the most beautiful cities in Russia, St. Petersburg, and has played witness to many key moments in Russian history.In this RTG TV film we explore the Neva throughout the seasons. In the winter the great river is covered in ice and the Nevskaya Zastava icebreaker is the only thing powerful enough to push through its frozen waters. In autumn the river threatens to overflow, sometimes even spilling over onto the banks of the city. Every spring thousands of tourists set off on boat trips along the Neva and its neighbouring canals. The river’s lower reaches create a rare and beautiful picture for them to see with the delicate bridges and monumental buildings. The Neva itself plays a defining part of St. Petersburg’s architectural ensemble, calmly and majestically carrying its waters along the granite frame of the embankment.