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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. 631 Pamyatnik Geroyu Sovetskogo Soyuza Aleksandru Marinesko
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Geroyu Sovetskogo Soyuza Aleksandru Marinesko

  2. 632 Pamyatnik Sashe Kondrat'yevu
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Sashe Kondrat'yevu

  3. 633 Osobnyak Baryatinskikh
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Osobnyak Baryatinskikh

  4. 634 Lebyazh'ya Kanavka
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Lebyazh'ya Kanavka

  5. 635 Apartment house Ratkova-Rozhnova
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Apartment house Ratkova-Rozhnova

  6. 636 Byvshiy Dom Aktsionernoy Kompanii Zinger
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Byvshiy Dom Aktsionernoy Kompanii Zinger

  7. 637 Trading house "Esders and Sheyfals"
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Trading house "Esders and Sheyfals"

  8. 638 Poslaniye Cherez Veka
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Poslaniye Cherez Veka

  9. 639 Museum of the Soviet era
    Museums Hidden gem

    Museum of the Soviet era

  10. 640 Памятник С.М.Кирову
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Памятник С.М.Кирову

  11. 641 Музей Военмех, БГТУ им. Д.Ф. Устинова
    Museums Hidden gem

    Музей Военмех, БГТУ им. Д.Ф. Устинова

  12. 642 Khram Pokrova Presvyatoy Bogoroditsy
    Temples Hidden gem

    Khram Pokrova Presvyatoy Bogoroditsy

  13. 643 Khram Vo Imya Svyatitelya Spiridona Trimifuntskogo
    Temples Hidden gem

    Khram Vo Imya Svyatitelya Spiridona Trimifuntskogo

  14. 644 Krasnen'koye Kladbishche
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Krasnen'koye Kladbishche

  15. 645 Koldovskiye Khudozhniki
    Museums Hidden gem

    Koldovskiye Khudozhniki

  16. 646 Pamyatnik Khudozhniku Andreyu Myl'nikovu
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Khudozhniku Andreyu Myl'nikovu

  17. 647 Original Meet
    Venues Hidden gem

    Original Meet

  18. 648 Iskusstvo Veyera
    Museums Hidden gem

    Iskusstvo Veyera

  19. 649 Памятник «Три ангела»
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Памятник «Три ангела»

  20. 650 monument Frunze
    Historical places Hidden gem

    monument Frunze

  21. 651 Monument Narodnym Opolchentsam Leninskogo Rayona.
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument Narodnym Opolchentsam Leninskogo Rayona.

  22. 652 Sankt-Peterburgskiy Gosudarstvennyy Akademicheskiy Teatr Baleta Borisa Eyfmana
    Venues Hidden gem

    Sankt-Peterburgskiy Gosudarstvennyy Akademicheskiy Teatr Baleta Borisa Eyfmana

  23. 653 Yunyye Uchastniki Oborony Leningrada
    Museums Hidden gem

    Yunyye Uchastniki Oborony Leningrada

  24. 654 Skver Solov'yova-Sedogo
    Parks Hidden gem

    Skver Solov'yova-Sedogo

  25. 655 Музей РГПУ им. А. И. Герцена
    Museums Hidden gem

    Музей РГПУ им. А. И. Герцена

  26. 656 Muzey Morskogo Podvodnogo Oruzhiya
    Museums Hidden gem

    Muzey Morskogo Podvodnogo Oruzhiya

  27. 657 Church of St. Peter the Apostle
    Temples Hidden gem

    Church of St. Peter the Apostle

  28. 658 Mal'chik S Gusem
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Mal'chik S Gusem

  29. 659 Pamyatnik Petru Velikomu
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Petru Velikomu

  30. 660 The monument to Admiral Nakhimov
    Historical places Hidden gem

    The monument to Admiral Nakhimov

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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.