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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. 31 Yusupov Palace
    Museums Popular

    Yusupov Palace

    The Yusupov Palace on the Moika River served as the primary residence of the Yusupov princely family from 1830 until 191...

  2. 32 Mariinskiy-2
    Venues Popular

    Mariinskiy-2

    Mariinsky-2 is a modern annex to the historic Mariinsky Theatre, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects and opened in 20...

  3. 33 Russian Railways Museum
    Places of interest Popular

    Russian Railways Museum

    The Russian Railways Museum is a massive exhibition complex featuring a permanent collection of over 100 pieces of histo...

  4. 34 Sfinksy
    Places of interest Popular

    Sfinksy

    The Sfinksy, or Sphinxes of St. Petersburg, are two authentic 3,500-year-old Egyptian stone figures located on the Unive...

  5. 35 Liteyniy Bridge
    Places of interest Popular

    Liteyniy Bridge

    Liteyniy Bridge is a notable drawbridge spanning the Neva River in St. Petersburg, connecting the Liteyny Prospekt area...

  6. 36 Yusupovskiy Sad
    Parks Popular

    Yusupovskiy Sad

    Yusupovskiy Sad is a historical park featuring a large central pond with two islands connected by bridges. The site orig...

  7. 37 Alexander Garden
    Parks Popular

    Alexander Garden

    Alexander Garden is a historical public park situated along the southern facade of the Admiralty building in St. Petersb...

  8. 38 Yelaginoostrovskiy Dvorets-Muzey
    Museums Popular

    Yelaginoostrovskiy Dvorets-Muzey

    The Yelaginoostrovskiy Dvorets-Muzey is a neoclassical palace situated on the eastern tip of Yelagin Island in the Neva...

  9. 39 Military­-Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps
    Museums Popular

    Military­-Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps

    The Military-Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps in St. Petersburg houses one of the world's large...

  10. 40 Butylka
    Historical places Popular

    Butylka

    The Butylka, or 'The Bottle,' is a circular brick structure located within the New Holland Island complex in St. Petersb...

  11. 41 Zoological Museum of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences
    Museums Popular

    Zoological Museum of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences

    The Zoological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg houses one of the world's largest natural his...

  12. 42 Vyborgskiy Dvorets Kul'tury
    Venues Popular

    Vyborgskiy Dvorets Kul'tury

    Vyborgskiy Dvorets Kul'tury is a prominent performing arts venue located in the Vyborgsky district of St. Petersburg. Th...

  13. 43 Strelka Vasil'yevskogo Ostrova
    Historical places Popular

    Strelka Vasil'yevskogo Ostrova

    Strelka Vasil'yevskogo Ostrova functions as the easternmost tip of Vasilevsky Island in St. Petersburg, marking the conf...

  14. 44 Mikhailovsky Theatre
    Venues Popular

    Mikhailovsky Theatre

    The Mikhailovsky Theatre is one of Russia's oldest opera and ballet houses, established in 1833 on the Arts Square in St...

  15. 45 Waterpark Piterlend
    Parks Popular

    Waterpark Piterlend

    Waterpark Piterlend is one of Russia's largest indoor aqua parks, situated under a massive 45-meter-high glass dome on t...

  16. 46 MazaPark
    Amusement parks Popular

    MazaPark

    MazaPark is an expansive indoor amusement center located within the Kontinent shopping mall in St. Petersburg. It operat...

  17. 47 Chasovnya Svyatoy Blazhennoy Ksenii Peterburgskoy
    Temples Popular

    Chasovnya Svyatoy Blazhennoy Ksenii Peterburgskoy

    Chasovnya Svyatoy Blazhennoy Ksenii Peterburgskoy is a small Russian Orthodox chapel located within the Smolensky Cemete...

  18. 48 Alexandrinsky Theatre
    Venues Popular

    Alexandrinsky Theatre

    The Alexandrinsky Theatre, established by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in 1756, stands as the oldest national theater in R...

  19. 49 Music Hall
    Venues Popular

    Music Hall

    The Music Hall, currently operating under the name Chaliapin State Music Theater, is a historic venue located in the Ale...

  20. 50 Saint Michael's Castle
    Museums Popular

    Saint Michael's Castle

    Saint Michael's Castle, also known as Mikhailovsky Castle, is a distinctive moat-encircled palace commissioned by Empero...

  21. 51 Mikhailovsky Garden
    Parks Popular

    Mikhailovsky Garden

    Mikhailovsky Garden is a historic landscape design site in St. Petersburg that serves as a bridge between the Russian Mu...

  22. 52 Peter the Great Central Naval Museum
    Museums Popular

    Peter the Great Central Naval Museum

    The Peter the Great Central Naval Museum is one of the world's oldest and largest naval museums, housing over 700,000 ar...

  23. 53 Alexander Column
    Historical places Popular

    Alexander Column

    The Alexander Column is a 47.5-meter red granite monolith situated in the center of Palace Square, St. Petersburg. Desig...

  24. 54 Yekaterininskiy Sad
    Parks Popular

    Yekaterininskiy Sad

    Yekaterininskiy Sad, also known as Catherine Garden, is a formal public park situated in front of the Alexandrinsky Thea...

  25. 55 LDM. Novaya Scena
    Venues Popular

    LDM. Novaya Scena

    LDM. Novaya Scena is a modern theatrical venue located in the historic building of the former Leningrad Palace of Youth...

  26. 56 Большой драматический театр имени Г. А. Товстоногова
    Venues Popular

    Большой драматический театр имени Г. А. Товстоногова

    The Bolshoi Drama Theatre (BDT) in St. Petersburg is one of the oldest and most prestigious drama companies in Russia, f...

  27. 57 Birzhevoy bridge
    Places of interest Popular

    Birzhevoy bridge

    The Birzhevoy Bridge is a bascule bridge crossing the Malaya Neva River in St. Petersburg, connecting Vasilyevsky Island...

  28. 58 General Staff Building
    Historical places Popular

    General Staff Building

    The General Staff Building is the expansive neoclassical structure forming the southern curve of Palace Square in St. Pe...

  29. 59 Golitsyn Loft
    Places of interest Popular

    Golitsyn Loft

    Golitsyn Loft is a former creative cluster located in a historic 18th-century mansion on the Fontanka River Embankment....

  30. 60 Kotel'naya Kamchatka
    Museums Popular

    Kotel'naya Kamchatka

    Kotel'naya Kamchatka is a historic boiler room in St. Petersburg that served as the legendary workplace of musician Vikt...

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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.