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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.

Filtered by
  1. 541 Volkovskoye Pravoslavnoye Kladbishche
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Volkovskoye Pravoslavnoye Kladbishche

  2. 542 XX лет после войны.Музей повседневной культуры Ленинграда 1945-1965 гг.
    Museums Hidden gem

    XX лет после войны.Музей повседневной культуры Ленинграда 1945-1965 гг.

  3. 543 Новый музей современного искусства
    Museums Hidden gem

    Новый музей современного искусства

  4. 544 Nikol'skoye Kladbishche
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Nikol'skoye Kladbishche

  5. 545 Teatr Astrolyabiya
    Venues Hidden gem

    Teatr Astrolyabiya

  6. 546 Gosudarstvennyy Muzey-Pamyatnik Isaakiyevskiy Sobor, Muzey Kamnya
    Museums Hidden gem

    Gosudarstvennyy Muzey-Pamyatnik Isaakiyevskiy Sobor, Muzey Kamnya

  7. 547 Monument to Mikhail Lermontov
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument to Mikhail Lermontov

  8. 548 Water tower
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Water tower

  9. 549 The Monument to the Fighters of the Revolution. Memorial Eternal Flame
    Historical places Hidden gem

    The Monument to the Fighters of the Revolution. Memorial Eternal Flame

  10. 550 Tea House
    Museums Hidden gem

    Tea House

  11. 551 Gosudarstvennyy Muzey Politicheskoy Istorii Rossii
    Museums Hidden gem

    Gosudarstvennyy Muzey Politicheskoy Istorii Rossii

  12. 552 Tsiolkovskiy Konstantin Eduardovich
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Tsiolkovskiy Konstantin Eduardovich

  13. 553 Summer Garden History Museum
    Museums Hidden gem

    Summer Garden History Museum

  14. 554 Pamyatnik I.a. Krylovu
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik I.a. Krylovu

  15. 555 Playground
    Parks Hidden gem

    Playground

  16. 556 Стадион "Hyundai Sport Club"
    Venues Hidden gem

    Стадион "Hyundai Sport Club"

  17. 557 Teatr Dramaticheskikh Improvizatsiy
    Venues Hidden gem

    Teatr Dramaticheskikh Improvizatsiy

  18. 558 Dom A.f. Klarka
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Dom A.f. Klarka

  19. 559 Muzey Istorii Militsii Kul'turnogo Tsentra Gu Mvd Sankt-Peterburga I Lenoblasti
    Museums Hidden gem

    Muzey Istorii Militsii Kul'turnogo Tsentra Gu Mvd Sankt-Peterburga I Lenoblasti

  20. 560 Dokhodnyy Dom Leykhtenbergskogo
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Dokhodnyy Dom Leykhtenbergskogo

  21. 561 Osobnyak Grafini Kleynmikhel'
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Osobnyak Grafini Kleynmikhel'

  22. 562 Pamyatnik Mendeleyevu
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Mendeleyevu

  23. 563 Gosudarstvennyy Pushkinskiy Teatral'nyy Tsentr V Sankt-Peterburge
    Venues Hidden gem

    Gosudarstvennyy Pushkinskiy Teatral'nyy Tsentr V Sankt-Peterburge

  24. 564 Mini-Zoopark
    Zoos Hidden gem

    Mini-Zoopark

  25. 565 Knigi Blokadnogo Goroda
    Museums Hidden gem

    Knigi Blokadnogo Goroda

  26. 566 Muzey Istorii Gosudarstvennykh Bumag Rossii
    Museums Hidden gem

    Muzey Istorii Gosudarstvennykh Bumag Rossii

  27. 567 Monument to Alexander Popov
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument to Alexander Popov

  28. 568 Children's Ballet Theatre
    Venues Hidden gem

    Children's Ballet Theatre

  29. 569 Naberezhnaya Novokrestovskoy
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Naberezhnaya Novokrestovskoy

  30. 570 Dom Sonechki Marmeladovoy
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Dom Sonechki Marmeladovoy

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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.