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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. 601 Rotonda U Glavnogo Pruda
    Museums Hidden gem

    Rotonda U Glavnogo Pruda

  2. 602 The management of the Mariinsky Theater
    Venues Hidden gem

    The management of the Mariinsky Theater

  3. 603 Monument "Rotonda"
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument "Rotonda"

  4. 604 Mansion Franz San Galli
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Mansion Franz San Galli

  5. 605 Khram Kazanskoy Ikony Bozhiyey Materi
    Temples Hidden gem

    Khram Kazanskoy Ikony Bozhiyey Materi

  6. 606 Tserkov' Prepodobnomuchenika Andreya Kritskogo
    Temples Hidden gem

    Tserkov' Prepodobnomuchenika Andreya Kritskogo

  7. 607 Villa Oldenburg
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Villa Oldenburg

  8. 608 Памятник Петру I
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Памятник Петру I

  9. 609 ETNO
    Venues Hidden gem

    ETNO

  10. 610 Monument to the sailors of the fleet and the creators of Russia
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument to the sailors of the fleet and the creators of Russia

  11. 611 Monument of General Brusilov
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument of General Brusilov

  12. 612 Prikhod Svyatogo Nikolaya Chudotvortsa I Muchenitsy Tsaritsy Aleksandry
    Temples Hidden gem

    Prikhod Svyatogo Nikolaya Chudotvortsa I Muchenitsy Tsaritsy Aleksandry

  13. 613 Gabdulla Tukay
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Gabdulla Tukay

  14. 614 Stadion
    Venues Hidden gem

    Stadion

  15. 615 Sobornoye Kol'tso
    Museums Hidden gem

    Sobornoye Kol'tso

  16. 616 Музей-Архив Санкт-Петербургского Университета Д.И.Менделеева
    Museums Hidden gem

    Музей-Архив Санкт-Петербургского Университета Д.И.Менделеева

  17. 617 Collector's Art Gallery DiDi
    Museums Hidden gem

    Collector's Art Gallery DiDi

  18. 618 Simeonovskaya Tserkov'
    Temples Hidden gem

    Simeonovskaya Tserkov'

  19. 619 Rossiyskiy Tsentr Muzeynoy Pedagogiki I Detskogo Tvorchestva
    Museums Hidden gem

    Rossiyskiy Tsentr Muzeynoy Pedagogiki I Detskogo Tvorchestva

  20. 620 Gavanskiy Rabochiy Gorodok
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Gavanskiy Rabochiy Gorodok

  21. 621 Park
    Parks Hidden gem

    Park

  22. 622 Pavil'on Rossi V Mikhaylovskom Sadu
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pavil'on Rossi V Mikhaylovskom Sadu

  23. 623 Muzey Istorii Pivovareniya
    Museums Hidden gem

    Muzey Istorii Pivovareniya

  24. 624 NAMEGALLERY
    Museums Hidden gem

    NAMEGALLERY

  25. 625 Памятник архитектуры ХIX века
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Памятник архитектуры ХIX века

  26. 626 Сквер Довлатова
    Parks Hidden gem

    Сквер Довлатова

  27. 627 Nevskiye Vorota
    Museums Hidden gem

    Nevskiye Vorota

  28. 628 Onegin Art Galereya
    Museums Hidden gem

    Onegin Art Galereya

  29. 629 Скульптурная композиция «Зодчие»
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Скульптурная композиция «Зодчие»

  30. 630 Sfinksy
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Sfinksy

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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.