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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. 901 PhysLand
    Museums Hidden gem

    PhysLand

  2. 902 Mongol'f'yeri, Teatr-Studiya
    Venues Hidden gem

    Mongol'f'yeri, Teatr-Studiya

  3. 903 Don-Kikhot
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Don-Kikhot

  4. 904 Pamyatnik Galine Ulanovoy
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Galine Ulanovoy

  5. 905 Tsvetochnyye Chasy
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Tsvetochnyye Chasy

  6. 906 Pamyatnik Dimitru Blagoyevu
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik Dimitru Blagoyevu

  7. 907 Zal Yupitera
    Museums Hidden gem

    Zal Yupitera

  8. 908 Begemotikha Tonya
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Begemotikha Tonya

  9. 909 Pamyatnik I. V. Gote
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik I. V. Gote

  10. 910 Pamyatnik "Baron Myunkhauzen"
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Pamyatnik "Baron Myunkhauzen"

  11. 911 Zhiloy Dom Yevangelicheskoy Shvedskoy Tserkvi Sv. Yekateriny
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Zhiloy Dom Yevangelicheskoy Shvedskoy Tserkvi Sv. Yekateriny

  12. 912 Skul'ptura "Mal'chik, Smotryashchiy V Vodu"
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Skul'ptura "Mal'chik, Smotryashchiy V Vodu"

  13. 913 Teatr-Studiya Kumkuat
    Venues Hidden gem

    Teatr-Studiya Kumkuat

  14. 914 Ploshchadka Dlya Petanka
    Venues Hidden gem

    Ploshchadka Dlya Petanka

  15. 915 Gosudarstvennyy Muzey Gorodskoy Skul'ptury
    Museums Hidden gem

    Gosudarstvennyy Muzey Gorodskoy Skul'ptury

  16. 916 Art Center
    Venues Hidden gem

    Art Center

  17. 917 Fontan Vo Dvore
    Parks Hidden gem

    Fontan Vo Dvore

  18. 918 Monument to first builders of St. Petersburg
    Historical places Hidden gem

    Monument to first builders of St. Petersburg

  19. 919 Храм Георгия Победоносца
    Temples Hidden gem

    Храм Георгия Победоносца

  20. 920 Air Gallery
    Museums Hidden gem

    Air Gallery

  21. 921 Teatral'naya Studiya Litsa
    Venues Hidden gem

    Teatral'naya Studiya Litsa

  22. 922 Arka-Zvonnitsa S Karil'onom
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Arka-Zvonnitsa S Karil'onom

  23. 923 Orthodox Center for Spiritual Revival
    Temples Hidden gem

    Orthodox Center for Spiritual Revival

  24. 924 Khram Sv. Strastoterptsa Tsarya Nikolaya
    Temples Hidden gem

    Khram Sv. Strastoterptsa Tsarya Nikolaya

  25. 925 Стадион НЗЛ/СДЮШОР-2
    Venues Hidden gem

    Стадион НЗЛ/СДЮШОР-2

  26. 926 ДОТ N°76 Рубеж "Ижора"
    Historical places Hidden gem

    ДОТ N°76 Рубеж "Ижора"

  27. 927 FoSSart
    Museums Hidden gem

    FoSSart

  28. 928 Dom Knyagini Natal'i Petrovny Golitsynoy, Pushkinskoy Pikovoy Damy
    Places of interest Hidden gem

    Dom Knyagini Natal'i Petrovny Golitsynoy, Pushkinskoy Pikovoy Damy

  29. 929 Ледяные скульптуры Ice Fantasy
    Museums Hidden gem

    Ледяные скульптуры Ice Fantasy

  30. 930 Часовня На Территории Городской Инфекционной Больницы № 30 им. С.П. Боткина
    Temples Hidden gem

    Часовня На Территории Городской Инфекционной Больницы № 30 им. С.П. Боткина

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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.