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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. 451 Pamyatnik "Mig-19"
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik "Mig-19"

    Pamyatnik Mig-19 is a public aviation monument located on Kubinskaya Ulitsa in Saint Petersburg, featuring a mounted Sov...

  2. 452 Panteleymonovskiy Most
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Panteleymonovskiy Most

    Panteleymonovskiy Most is a historic iron pedestrian bridge spanning the Fontanka River at the junction with the Moika R...

  3. 453 Pamyatnik Porebriku I Bordyuru
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Porebriku I Bordyuru

    Pamyatnik Porebriku I Bordyuru is a quirky outdoor monument located on Ulitsa Basseynaya in St Petersburg, dedicated to...

  4. 454 Tserkov' Shestokovskoy Ikony Bozhiyey Materi, Gruzinskiy Prikhod
    Temples Hidden gem

    Tserkov' Shestokovskoy Ikony Bozhiyey Materi, Gruzinskiy Prikhod

    The Church of the Shestokovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, belonging to the Georgian parish, is a historic religious si...

  5. 455 Nos Mayora Kovaleva
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Nos Mayora Kovaleva

    Nos Mayora Kovaleva is an unusual St Petersburg monument dedicated to the detached nose of Major Kovalyov from Nikolai G...

  6. 456 Monument to Nizami Gyandzhevi
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Monument to Nizami Gyandzhevi

    The Monument to Nizami Gyandzhevi in St. Petersburg honors the 12th-century Persian poet and philosopher, a cultural gif...

  7. 457 Католическая Церковь Во Имя Посещения Пресвятой Девой Марией Святой Елизаветы
    Temples Hidden gem

    Католическая Церковь Во Имя Посещения Пресвятой Девой Марией Святой Елизаветы

    The Catholic Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Saint Elizabeth is a historic red-brick neo-Gothic c...

  8. 458 Temple of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
    Temples Hidden gem

    Temple of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian

    The Temple of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian serves as the St. Petersburg representation (podvorye)...

  9. 459 Ausammas Nikolai Gogolile
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Ausammas Nikolai Gogolile

    The monument to Nikolai Gogol on Malaya Konyushennaya Ulitsa in St. Petersburg is a bronze full-length sculpture dedicat...

  10. 460 Freylinskiy Korpus
    Museums Hidden gem

    Freylinskiy Korpus

    The Freylinskiy Korpus, also known as the Maid of Honor Wing, is a historical pavilion located on Elagin Island in St. P...

  11. 461 Astra Marine, Faberge berth
    Beaches and ponds Hidden gem

    Astra Marine, Faberge berth

    The Faberge berth is a specialized river terminal on the Neva River operated by Astra Marine for sightseeing boat tours....

  12. 462 Novo-Zhdanovskiy Skver
    Parks Hidden gem

    Novo-Zhdanovskiy Skver

    Novo-Zhdanovskiy Skver is a compact urban green space situated on Petrovsky Island in St. Petersburg. It serves as a lan...

  13. 463 Milepost 782
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Milepost 782

    Milepost 782 in St Petersburg is a unique historical roadside landmark located at 5 Lodeynopol'skaya Ulitsa. Originally...

  14. 464 Molbert art gallery
    Museums Hidden gem

    Molbert art gallery

    Molbert Art Gallery is a specialized exhibition space located in the historic heart of St. Petersburg, dedicated to show...

  15. 465 Dvorets Yusupovykh Na Fontanke
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Dvorets Yusupovykh Na Fontanke

    The Yusupov Palace on the Fontanka, also known as the Yusupov House, is a historic mansion located on the embankment of...

  16. 466 Muzey Svyatoy Blazhennoy Ksenii Peterburgskoy
    Museums Hidden gem

    Muzey Svyatoy Blazhennoy Ksenii Peterburgskoy

    The Museum of Saint Xenia of St. Petersburg is dedicated to the life and veneration of Xenia of Saint Petersburg, one of...

  17. 467 Akademicheskiy Sad
    Parks Hidden gem

    Akademicheskiy Sad

    Akademicheskiy Sad is a quiet public park located on Vasilievsky Island in St Petersburg, positioned on the 3rd Line. Th...

  18. 468 Roshchinskiy Sad
    Parks Hidden gem

    Roshchinskiy Sad

    Roshchinskiy Sad is a compact neighborhood green space situated along Roshchinskaya Ulitsa in the Moskovsky District of...

  19. 469 Vladimir Lenin atop an armored car
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Vladimir Lenin atop an armored car

    The monument depicts Vladimir Lenin standing atop an armored car, commemorating his 1917 arrival at Finland Station. Scu...

  20. 470 Веревочный парк Norway Park Елагин
    Amusement parks Hidden gem

    Веревочный парк Norway Park Елагин

    Norway Park Yelagin in St. Petersburg is part of the Norway Park rope park chain, located on Yelagin Island within the C...

  21. 471 Kolmovskiy Sad
    Parks Hidden gem

    Kolmovskiy Sad

    Kolmovskiy Sad is a neighborhood green space located in the Moskovsky District of St. Petersburg. It functions as a loca...

  22. 472 Art of Foto
    Museums Hidden gem

    Art of Foto

    Art of Foto is a specialized gallery and museum in St Petersburg dedicated to the art and history of photography. Locate...

  23. 473 Monument to Nicolas the 1st
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument to Nicolas the 1st

    The Monument to Nicholas I is a bronze equestrian statue located in St Isaac's Square in St Petersburg. Unveiled in 1859...

  24. 474 Column of Glory Izmailovo Regiment
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Column of Glory Izmailovo Regiment

    The Column of Glory is a reconstructed victory monument located in front of the Trinity Cathedral in the Admiralteysky D...

  25. 475 Zaychik, Spasshiysya Ot Navodneniya
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Zaychik, Spasshiysya Ot Navodneniya

    Zaychik, Spasshiysya Ot Navodneniya (The Hare That Saved Itself from the Flood) is a small bronze sculpture mounted on a...

  26. 476 Novaya Stsena Aleksandrinskogo Teatra
    Venues Hidden gem

    Novaya Stsena Aleksandrinskogo Teatra

    The New Stage of the Alexandrinsky Theatre (Novaya Stsena) is a contemporary architectural and multidisciplinary cultura...

  27. 477 Pamyatnik Fel'dmarshalu Knyazyu M.b. Barklayu-De-Tolli
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Fel'dmarshalu Knyazyu M.b. Barklayu-De-Tolli

    The monument to Field Marshal Prince Mikhail Barclay de Tolly in St. Petersburg stands on Kazan Square in front of the K...

  28. 478 logistics Museum
    Museums Hidden gem

    logistics Museum

    The Logistics Museum in St. Petersburg is a specialized institution dedicated to the history, development, and modern pr...

  29. 479 Muzey Nonkonformistskogo Iskusstva
    Museums Hidden gem

    Muzey Nonkonformistskogo Iskusstva

    The Museum of Nonconformist Art in St Petersburg is dedicated to unofficial Soviet and contemporary art that developed o...

  30. 480 Monument to Nikolay Przhevalsky
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument to Nikolay Przhevalsky

    The Monument to Nikolay Przhevalsky in St. Petersburg commemorates the renowned Russian geographer and explorer who surv...

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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.