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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. 571 Podvor'ye Konevskogo Muzhskogo Monastyrya
    Temples Hidden gem

    Podvor'ye Konevskogo Muzhskogo Monastyrya

  2. 572 Stadion
    Venues Hidden gem

    Stadion

  3. 573 Staryy Novyy God
    Museums Hidden gem

    Staryy Novyy God

  4. 574 Стадион «Октябрьский»
    Venues Hidden gem

    Стадион «Октябрьский»

  5. 575 Park
    Parks Hidden gem

    Park

  6. 576 Moskovskiy Sad
    Parks Hidden gem

    Moskovskiy Sad

  7. 577 SDVIG
    Venues Hidden gem

    SDVIG

  8. 578 Храм иконы Божией Матери "Неупиваемая чаша"
    Temples Hidden gem

    Храм иконы Божией Матери "Неупиваемая чаша"

  9. 579 Monument to Lenin
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument to Lenin

  10. 580 Sankt-Peterburgskaya Yeparkhiya Russkoy Pravoslavnoy Tserkvi
    Temples Hidden gem

    Sankt-Peterburgskaya Yeparkhiya Russkoy Pravoslavnoy Tserkvi

  11. 581 SPAS gallery
    Museums Hidden gem

    SPAS gallery

  12. 582 Prichal "Zimnyaya Kanavka"
    Beaches and ponds Hidden gem

    Prichal "Zimnyaya Kanavka"

  13. 583 Sad Aleksandra Matrosova
    Parks Hidden gem

    Sad Aleksandra Matrosova

  14. 584 Art-Tir
    Museums Hidden gem

    Art-Tir

    Art-Tir is a specialized shooting range and cultural space located on the Petrogradskaya Embankment in St. Petersburg. I...

  15. 585 Zdaniye Birzhi
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Zdaniye Birzhi

    Zdaniye Birzhi, or the Old Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange, is a prominent neoclassical landmark situated on Spit of Vas...

  16. 586 Yacobson Ballet
    Venues Hidden gem

    Yacobson Ballet

  17. 587 Pamyatnik Yunym Geroyam Oborony Goroda Lenina
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Yunym Geroyam Oborony Goroda Lenina

  18. 588 Shrine of Our Lady of the Sign
    Temples Hidden gem

    Shrine of Our Lady of the Sign

  19. 589 Monument "Trolley"
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument "Trolley"

  20. 590 Dvorets Mikhaila Mikhaylovicha
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Dvorets Mikhaila Mikhaylovicha

  21. 591 Санкт-Петербургский Государственный Институт Кино и Телевидения; Музей отечественной киноаппаратуры
    Museums Hidden gem

    Санкт-Петербургский Государственный Институт Кино и Телевидения; Музей отечественной киноаппаратуры

  22. 592 Памятник дворнику
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Памятник дворнику

  23. 593 Barochnyy Most
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Barochnyy Most

  24. 594 Tsimbalinskiy Most
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Tsimbalinskiy Most

  25. 595 Osobnyak Grafini N. F. Karlovoy
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Osobnyak Grafini N. F. Karlovoy

  26. 596 Monument to Paul I
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument to Paul I

  27. 597 Rumyantsev obelisk
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Rumyantsev obelisk

  28. 598 Park
    Museums Hidden gem

    Park

  29. 599 Voskresenskaya Tserkov' Na Vasil'yevskom Ostrove
    Temples Hidden gem

    Voskresenskaya Tserkov' Na Vasil'yevskom Ostrove

  30. 600 Usad'ba Kir'yanovo
    Museums Hidden gem

    Usad'ba Kir'yanovo

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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.