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St Petersburg
Russia

Things to do in St Petersburg

1,064 attractions · Russia

Photo: Виктория Стрижова, CC BY-SA 4.0

Northwestern Federal District, Russia · 59.937, 30.314

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.

Good to know

  1. 1

    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.

  2. 2

    During the summer months, the city experiences the 'White Nights,' a phenomenon where the sun barely sets, resulting in continuous twilight.

  3. 3

    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.

  4. 4

    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.

  5. 5

    The city's canal system, often called the 'Venice of the North,' features over 300 bridges connecting its various islands and river banks.

Plan your visit to St Petersburg

Best time to visit

June to early July, to coincide with the White Nights and the most favorable temperatures for canal exploration.

How many days

4-5 days, providing enough time to explore the major museums and nearby palace complexes.

Getting around

The city features an extensive metro system supplemented by an dense network of trams, trolleybuses, and marshrutka minibuses.

Where to stay

Stay in the Admiralteysky or Tsentralny districts to be within walking distance of the primary imperial sites and major transit hubs.

Budget

Mid-range; while luxury accommodation is available, local dining and public transport options are generally accessible for various budgets.

Top things to do in St Petersburg

The 1,064 most popular places in St Petersburg.

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  1. 271 Khram Blagoveshcheniya Presvyatoy Bogoroditsy Na Vasil'yevskom Ostrove
    Temples Known locally

    Khram Blagoveshcheniya Presvyatoy Bogoroditsy Na Vasil'yevskom Ostrove

    The Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a prominent example of Russian Neo-Byzantine architecture s...

  2. 272 Olimpiya
    Parks Known locally

    Olimpiya

    Olimpiya is a local residential-style park located in the Admiralteysky District of Saint Petersburg. It serves as a nei...

  3. 273 Labirint Strakha
    Amusement parks Known locally

    Labirint Strakha

    Labirint Strakha is an interactive horror-themed walk-through attraction located in the heart of St. Petersburg. The exp...

  4. 274 Dvorets Zinaidy Yusupovoy
    Museums Known locally

    Dvorets Zinaidy Yusupovoy

    The Dvorets Zinaidy Yusupovoy, located at Liteyniy Ave 42, is a neoclassical mansion that once served as a high-society...

  5. 275 Monument to Alexander Griboyedov
    Historical places Known locally

    Monument to Alexander Griboyedov

    The Monument to Alexander Griboyedov, situated on Zagorodnyy Prospekt in St. Petersburg, commemorates the famous Russian...

  6. 276 Khram Voskreseniya Khristova
    Temples Known locally

    Khram Voskreseniya Khristova

    Khram Voskreseniya Khristova, known as the Church of the Resurrection of Christ at the Warsaw Station, is an active Orth...

  7. 277 Sad Sen-Zhermen
    Parks Known locally

    Sad Sen-Zhermen

    Sad Sen-Zhermen, located in the courtyard of Liteyny Prospekt 46, is a hidden pocket park in St. Petersburg styled after...

  8. 278 Big Petrovsky Bridge
    Places of interest Known locally

    Big Petrovsky Bridge

    The Big Petrovsky Bridge is a modern cable-stayed bridge spanning the Malaya Nevka River in Saint Petersburg. It serves...

  9. 279 Poltava
    Museums Known locally

    Poltava

    The Poltava Museum in St. Petersburg is a historical exhibition centered on the full-scale reconstruction of the 54-gun...

  10. 280 Theatre Centre at Kolomna
    Venues Known locally

    Theatre Centre at Kolomna

    The Theatre Centre at Kolomna, also known as the Private Theatre (Privatny Teatr), is a specialized performance venue si...

  11. 281 КТМ Камерный театр Малыщицкого
    Venues Known locally

    КТМ Камерный театр Малыщицкого

    KTM (Kamerniy Teatr Malyschitskogo) is a professional experimental theater in Saint Petersburg focused on contemporary d...

  12. 282 Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace
    Places of interest Known locally

    Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace

    The Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace, located on the Palace Embankment, serves as the St. Petersburg branch of the Institute for...

  13. 283 Ital'yanskiy Dvorik
    Places of interest Known locally

    Ital'yanskiy Dvorik

    Ital'yanskiy Dvorik is a secluded courtyard located in St. Petersburg's historic center, known for its distinct Italian-...

  14. 284 Solntsesprava
    Venues Known locally

    Solntsesprava

    Solntsesprava is a creative hub and multifunctional cultural space located in the historic Vasilievsky Island district o...

  15. 285 Kitayskiye L'vy-Strazhi Shi-Tsza
    Places of interest Known locally

    Kitayskiye L'vy-Strazhi Shi-Tsza

    The Shi-Tza are a pair of granite statues representing mythical guardian lions, located on the Petrovskaya Embankment in...

  16. 286 Yuzhnaya Roshcha
    Parks Known locally

    Yuzhnaya Roshcha

    Yuzhnaya Roshcha is a public park located in the Moskovsky District of St. Petersburg, situated along Moskovsky Prospekt...

  17. 287 Могила Блаженной Матроны Босоножки
    Temples Known locally

    Могила Блаженной Матроны Босоножки

    The Grave of Blessed Matrona Bosonozhka is located at the Farforovskoye Cemetery in St. Petersburg, marking the final re...

  18. 288 Gavrila Derzhavin Museum
    Museums Known locally

    Gavrila Derzhavin Museum

    The Gavrila Derzhavin Museum, known as the Derzhavin Estate, is a reconstructed 18th-century noble residence once owned...

  19. 289 Rimsky-Korsakov Apartment and Museum
    Museums Known locally

    Rimsky-Korsakov Apartment and Museum

    The Rimsky-Korsakov Apartment and Museum preserves the Saint Petersburg residence where composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov...

  20. 290 Sankt-Peterburgskiy Gosudarstvennyy Muzey-Institut Sem'i Rerikhov
    Museums Known locally

    Sankt-Peterburgskiy Gosudarstvennyy Muzey-Institut Sem'i Rerikhov

    The Saint Petersburg State Museum-Institute of the Roerich Family is housed in the historic M.P. Botkin mansion on Vasil...

  21. 291 Некрополь XVIII века
    Museums Known locally

    Некрополь XVIII века

    The 18th-Century Necropolis, part of the State Museum of Urban Sculpture, serves as the oldest burial site in St. Peters...

  22. 292 Dom-Muzey F. I. Shalyapina
    Museums Known locally

    Dom-Muzey F. I. Shalyapina

    The F. I. Shalyapin House-Museum is the former residence of the legendary Russian opera singer Feodor Chaliapin, where h...

  23. 293 Kts "Gaura"
    Venues Known locally

    Kts "Gaura"

    Kts Gaura is a specialized wellness and cultural center in Saint Petersburg focused on yoga, Vedic philosophy, and holis...

  24. 294 Tsekh"
    Venues Known locally

    Tsekh"

    Tsekh (Ceh) is a prominent independent theater venue located in the Petrogradsky District of St. Petersburg. The space s...

  25. 295 Kamskiy Garden
    Parks Known locally

    Kamskiy Garden

    Kamskiy Garden is a localized urban park situated in the Vasileostrovsky District of Saint Petersburg. The garden serves...

  26. 296 Masterskaya M. K. Anikushina, Filial Gosudarstvennogo Muzeya Gorodskoy Skul'ptury
    Museums Known locally

    Masterskaya M. K. Anikushina, Filial Gosudarstvennogo Muzeya Gorodskoy Skul'ptury

    The M. K. Anikushin Workshop is a branch of the State Museum of Urban Sculpture housed in the original studio where Sovi...

  27. 297 Muzeros
    Museums Known locally

    Muzeros

    Muzeros is a specialized museum located in St. Petersburg focusing on the history and collection of various types of lig...

  28. 298 Potseluyev Most
    Places of interest Known locally

    Potseluyev Most

    Potseluyev Most, or Kissing Bridge, is a historic cast-iron bridge spanning the Moika River in St. Petersburg. The curre...

  29. 299 Ploshchad' Starogo Teatra
    Parks Known locally

    Ploshchad' Starogo Teatra

    Ploshchad' Starogo Teatra is a quiet, local green space situated on Krestovsky Island in St. Petersburg. The square is d...

  30. 300 Tank Kv-85
    Historical places Known locally

    Tank Kv-85

    The KV-85 monument is a Soviet heavy tank memorial located on Prospekt Stachek in St. Petersburg. It serves as a tribute...

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Frequently asked

How many attractions are there in St Petersburg?

Aventuro lists 1,064 curated attractions in and around St Petersburg, sorted by popularity.

What's the top attraction in St Petersburg?

Palace Square is the most popular place to visit in St Petersburg right now.

What kind of attractions does St Petersburg have?

The largest category is museums, with 279 places to explore.

Which other cities are worth visiting nearby?

Travellers also explore Moscow, Kazan, Novosibirsk.