- The city's historical center and related monument groups are collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site due to the integration of Baroque and Neoclassical architecture.
- During the summer months, the city experiences the 'White Nights,' a phenomenon where the sun barely sets, resulting in continuous twilight.
- The city's transit system contains some of the deepest metro stations in the world, with several stations built over 80 meters below the surface.
- St. Petersburg was constructed on reclaimed marshland, requiring the driving of millions of wooden piles into the soft ground to support its heavy stone buildings.
- The city's canal system, often called the 'Venice of the North,' features over 300 bridges connecting its various islands and river banks.
About St Petersburg
St. Petersburg serves as Russia's cultural capital, constructed on a network of islands and canals in the Neva River delta. The city is renowned for its imperial architecture, best represented by the expansive State Hermitage Museum and the adjacent Winter Palace. Visitors often congregate at Palace Square to witness the neoclassical design of the city center. Meanwhile, the Savior on the Spilled Blood offers a distinct contrast with its traditional Russian mosaic-clad domes, while the Peter and Paul Fortress stands as the city's original citadel.
Highlights of St Petersburg
The places our editors single out — and why they're worth your time.
Museums
It houses one of the largest art collections in the world within the former royal residence.
Museums
This former residence of the Russian Tsars defines the architectural silhouette of the Neva riverfront.
Temples
Its massive golden dome is one of the highest in the world and offers panoramic views from the colonnade.
Temples
The exterior features elaborate multi-colored mosaics depicting biblical scenes.
Historical places
This site contains the burial vaults of nearly all Russian monarchs from Peter the Great onwards.
Places of interest
This central plaza serves as the primary gathering point for viewing the Alexander Column.
Museums
This decommissioned protected cruiser is a preserved historical vessel famous for signaling the start of the 1917 revolution.
Parks
It remains the oldest park in the city, established by Peter the Great in the early 18th century.
Top things to do in St Petersburg
The 1,054 highest-rated places in St Petersburg, ranked by travellers.
1
Places of interest
Palace Square is the central city square of St. Petersburg, connecting the Winter Palace to the General Staff Building....
2
Museums
The State Hermitage Museum is one of the world's largest art galleries, housed within a complex of six historic building...
3
Museums
The Winter Palace serves as the centerpiece of the State Hermitage Museum complex in St. Petersburg. Designed by Bartolo...
4
Temples
St. Isaac's Cathedral is the largest Russian Orthodox cathedral in Saint Petersburg, featuring a massive gold-plated dom...
5
Historical places
Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, the Peter and Paul Fortress marks the birthplace of St. Petersburg and occupies Zaya...
6
Parks
Park 300-Letiya Sankt-Peterburga is the youngest major park in St. Petersburg, established in 1995 to commemorate the ci...
7
Temples
The Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood is a Russian Orthodox memorial church constructed between 1883 and 1907 on...
8
Temples
Kazan Cathedral is an active Russian Orthodox cathedral in Saint Petersburg, defined by its massive semicircular colonna...
9
Parks
New Holland is an artificial island in St. Petersburg formed by the Krukov and Admiralteysky Canals. Originally commissi...
10
Parks
The Summer Garden is the oldest park in St. Petersburg, established in 1704 by Peter the Great as his personal residence...
11
Museums
The Cruiser Aurora is a protected cruiser of the Imperial Russian Navy that remains a commission-active ship while funct...
12
Parks
Primorskiy Park Pobedy is a 168-hectare landscape park located on the western tip of Krestovsky Island in St. Petersburg...
13
Amusement parks
Divo-Ostrov is a large-scale amusement park situated on Krestovsky Island in St. Petersburg, featuring a variety of high...
14
Museums
Grand Maket Russia is an 800-square-meter interactive model railway and diorama representing the diverse geography and i...
15
Historical places
The Bronze Horseman is an iconic equestrian monument of Peter the Great located on Senate Square in St. Petersburg, Russ...
16
Places of interest
Anichkov Bridge is the oldest and most famous bridge crossing the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg, located on the histo...
17
Parks
Moskovsky Victory Park is a sprawling green space in St. Petersburg dedicated to the memory of the Soviet victory in Wor...
18
Venues
The Mariinsky Theatre is a historic Russian opera and ballet house located on Theatre Square in St. Petersburg. Establis...
19
Parks
Kirov Central Park is located on Yelagin Island, covering the entirety of the island at the mouth of the Neva River in S...
20
Museums
The Mikhailovsky Palace serves as the primary building of the State Russian Museum, housing the world's largest collecti...
21
Museums
The Kunstkamera, or Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, is Russia's oldest museum, established by Peter the Great in...
22
Parks
The Field of Mars (Marsovo Pole) is a large memorial park in central St. Petersburg that serves as the burial site for r...
23
Zoos
The Oceanarium in St. Petersburg is a multi-level indoor aquarium housed within the Planeta Neptun shopping complex, des...
24
Museums
Erarta is the largest private contemporary art museum in Russia, located in a restored Soviet-era building on Vasilievsk...
25
Zoos
Leningradskiy Zoopark is one of the oldest zoos in Russia, established in 1865 in St. Petersburg. The zoo is located wit...
26
Parks
The Botanical Gardens of Peter the Great, situated on Aptekarsky Island, represent one of the oldest botanical instituti...
27
Museums
The Fabergé Museum is located in the restored Shuvalov Palace on the Fontanka River Embankment. It houses the world's la...
28
Temples
The Peter and Paul Cathedral serves as the primary burial site for the Romanov dynasty, housing the remains of almost al...
29
Temples
Alexander Nevsky Lavra is one of the four lavras of the Russian Orthodox Church and the oldest monastery in St. Petersbu...
30
Places of interest
Loft Project Etagi is a multi-functional creative space housed within a converted former bread factory on Ligovsky Avenu...
Around St Petersburg
Worth the short trip out of the city.
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St Petersburg on the map
Top attractions plotted across the city.
Plan your visit to St Petersburg
June to early July, to coincide with the White Nights and the most favorable temperatures for canal exploration.
4-5 days, providing enough time to explore the major museums and nearby palace complexes.
The city features an extensive metro system supplemented by an dense network of trams, trolleybuses, and marshrutka minibuses.
Stay in the Admiralteysky or Tsentralny districts to be within walking distance of the primary imperial sites and major transit hubs.
Mid-range; while luxury accommodation is available, local dining and public transport options are generally accessible for various budgets.
Frequently asked
Aventuro lists 1,054 curated attractions in and around St Petersburg, ranked by traveller ratings.
Palace Square is the highest-rated place to visit in St Petersburg right now.
The largest category is museums, with 274 places to explore.
Travellers also explore Moscow, Kazan, Novosibirsk.
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