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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. 871 Chasovnya Bozhiyey Materi V Chest' Ikony Yeya "Vsetsaritsa"
    Temples Hidden gem

    Chasovnya Bozhiyey Materi V Chest' Ikony Yeya "Vsetsaritsa"

  2. 872 Pamyatnik Pozharnym Kalininskogo Rayona
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Pozharnym Kalininskogo Rayona

  3. 873 Kolonna 50-Letiyu Osnovaniya Akademii Khudozhestv
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Kolonna 50-Letiyu Osnovaniya Akademii Khudozhestv

  4. 874 Pamyatnik Yungam Baltiki
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Yungam Baltiki

  5. 875 Monument Roerich
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument Roerich

  6. 876 Kamen' Druzhby
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Kamen' Druzhby

  7. 877 Dom Poltoratskikh
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Dom Poltoratskikh

  8. 878 Park Virtual'noy Real'nosti Atmosfera
    Amusement parks Hidden gem

    Park Virtual'noy Real'nosti Atmosfera

  9. 879 Gallery of Modern Art "Moss-18"
    Museums Hidden gem

    Gallery of Modern Art "Moss-18"

  10. 880 Museum Galiny Starovoytovoy
    Museums Hidden gem

    Museum Galiny Starovoytovoy

  11. 881 Byust A.s.pushkina
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Byust A.s.pushkina

  12. 882 Pamyatnik Geroyam Moryakam Baltiyskogo Morskogo Parokhodstva
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Geroyam Moryakam Baltiyskogo Morskogo Parokhodstva

  13. 883 Gaura
    Temples Hidden gem

    Gaura

  14. 884 Muzey Sovremennogo Iskusstva I Galereya Saylentport
    Museums Hidden gem

    Muzey Sovremennogo Iskusstva I Galereya Saylentport

  15. 885 Prichaly
    Beaches and ponds Hidden gem

    Prichaly

  16. 886 Muzey Istorii Instituta Eksperimental'noy Meditsiny Ramn
    Museums Hidden gem

    Muzey Istorii Instituta Eksperimental'noy Meditsiny Ramn

  17. 887 Tsarskosel'skiy Zheleznodorozhnyy Most
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Tsarskosel'skiy Zheleznodorozhnyy Most

  18. 888 Teatr Rasskaza
    Venues Hidden gem

    Teatr Rasskaza

  19. 889 Fizkul'turnitsy
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Fizkul'turnitsy

  20. 890 Vostok
    Amusement parks Hidden gem

    Vostok

  21. 891 Idoly Yuzhnoy Kolumbii
    Museums Hidden gem

    Idoly Yuzhnoy Kolumbii

  22. 892 Byust Vasiliya Surikova
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Byust Vasiliya Surikova

  23. 893 Vozrozhdeniye Stolyarnogo Dela
    Museums Hidden gem

    Vozrozhdeniye Stolyarnogo Dela

  24. 894 Памятник святому царю-мученику Николаю II и его семье
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Памятник святому царю-мученику Николаю II и его семье

  25. 895 Mitki Art museum
    Museums Hidden gem

    Mitki Art museum

  26. 896 Chasovnya Nikol'skogo Khrama
    Temples Hidden gem

    Chasovnya Nikol'skogo Khrama

  27. 897 Salt town
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Salt town

  28. 898 Pamyatnik A.m.gorchakovu
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik A.m.gorchakovu

  29. 899 Музей истории СПбГЭТУ «ЛЭТИ»
    Museums Hidden gem

    Музей истории СПбГЭТУ «ЛЭТИ»

  30. 900 Equation of Gravity
    Museums Hidden gem

    Equation of Gravity

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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.