Back to map
A
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. 91 The Pushkin Apartment Museum
    Museums Popular

    The Pushkin Apartment Museum

    The Pushkin Apartment Museum preserves the final residence of Alexander Pushkin, Russia's foundational poet, located in...

  2. 92 Anna Akhmatova Museum at the Fountain House
    Museums Popular

    Anna Akhmatova Museum at the Fountain House

    The Anna Akhmatova Museum is located within the historic Sheremetev Palace, also known as the Fountain House, in St. Pet...

  3. 93 Semimost'ye
    Places of interest Popular

    Semimost'ye

    Semimost'ye, or 'Seven Bridges,' is a unique viewing point located at the intersection of the Griboyedov and Kryukov Can...

  4. 94 Monument Geroicheskim Zashchitnikam Leningrada, Gosudarstvennyy Muzey Istorii Sankt-Peterburga
    Historical places Popular

    Monument Geroicheskim Zashchitnikam Leningrada, Gosudarstvennyy Muzey Istorii Sankt-Peterburga

    The Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad is a monumental complex located on Victory Square, commemorating the 9...

  5. 95 The Menshikov Palace
    Museums Popular

    The Menshikov Palace

    The Menshikov Palace is the first stone building in St. Petersburg, constructed between 1710 and 1727 for Prince Alexand...

  6. 96 Russian Ethnographic Museum
    Museums Popular

    Russian Ethnographic Museum

    The Russian Ethnographic Museum houses one of the world's most extensive collections documenting the cultural heritage o...

  7. 97 Teatr Yunykh Zriteley Im. A.a. Bryantseva
    Venues Popular

    Teatr Yunykh Zriteley Im. A.a. Bryantseva

    The Bryantsev Theater for Young Spectators (TYuZ) is one of the oldest professional children's theaters in Russia, found...

  8. 98 Palace of Culture. Lensoveta
    Places of interest Popular

    Palace of Culture. Lensoveta

    The Palace of Culture named after Lensoveta is a major performance venue located in the Petrogradsky District of St. Pet...

  9. 99 Botanic Garden of Saint Petersburg State Forestry University
    Parks Popular

    Botanic Garden of Saint Petersburg State Forestry University

    The Botanic Garden of Saint Petersburg State Forestry University is a historic arboretum originally established in the e...

  10. 100 Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines
    Museums Popular

    Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines

    The Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines features a collection of over 50 vintage coin-operated games produced in the USSR f...

  11. 101 Aviatorov Park
    Parks Popular

    Aviatorov Park

    Aviatorov Park is a modern public green space located in the Moskovsky District of St. Petersburg, established on the si...

  12. 102 Bridge of Four Lions
    Places of interest Popular

    Bridge of Four Lions

    The Bridge of Four Lions is a historic pedestrian suspension bridge crossing the Griboyedov Canal in St. Petersburg, Rus...

  13. 103 Uspenskoye Podvor'ye Optinoy Pustyni
    Temples Popular

    Uspenskoye Podvor'ye Optinoy Pustyni

    Uspenskoye Podvor'ye Optinoy Pustyni serves as the St. Petersburg representation of the Optina Pustyn Monastery, a major...

  14. 104 Palace bridge
    Places of interest Popular

    Palace bridge

    The Palace Bridge is a cast-iron bascule bridge spanning the Neva River, connecting the central Admiralty district to Va...

  15. 105 Berthold center
    Places of interest Popular

    Berthold center

    Berthold Centre is a multi-functional creative cluster located in the historic heart of St. Petersburg, occupying a reno...

  16. 106 Sad Druzhby
    Places of interest Popular

    Sad Druzhby

    Sad Druzhby, or the Garden of Friendship, is a compact Chinese-style public space located on Liteyny Avenue in St. Peter...

  17. 107 Komissarzhevskaya Theatre
    Venues Popular

    Komissarzhevskaya Theatre

    The Komissarzhevskaya Theatre, officially the V.F. Komissarzhevskaya Academic Drama Theatre, is a historic venue located...

  18. 108 Transfiguration Cathedral
    Temples Popular

    Transfiguration Cathedral

    The Transfiguration Cathedral is a prominent five-domed Orthodox church commissioned by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in 17...

  19. 109 Labyrinthum
    Playgrounds Popular

    Labyrinthum

    Labyrinthum is an interactive, science-themed educational center located within the Raduga shopping mall in Saint Peters...

  20. 110 Dostoevsky Museum
    Museums Popular

    Dostoevsky Museum

    The Dostoevsky Museum is located in the final apartment where Fyodor Dostoevsky resided before his death in 1881. The mu...

  21. 111 Sobor Vladimirskoy Ikony Bozhiyey Materi
    Temples Popular

    Sobor Vladimirskoy Ikony Bozhiyey Materi

    The Cathedral of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is a prominent example of Elizabethan Baroque architecture, dist...

  22. 112 Griffins on Bank Bridge
    Historical places Popular

    Griffins on Bank Bridge

    Bank Bridge is a pedestrian crossing over the Griboyedov Canal in St. Petersburg, famous for its four cast-iron sculptur...

  23. 113 Italian Bridge
    Places of interest Popular

    Italian Bridge

    The Italian Bridge is a single-span metal footbridge crossing the Griboyedov Canal in the Central District of St. Peters...

  24. 114 Central Exhibition Hall
    Venues Popular

    Central Exhibition Hall

    The Central Exhibition Hall, known as the Manege, is a premier contemporary art venue housed in a former military riding...

  25. 115 Nicholas Palace / Nikolaevsky palace
    Places of interest Popular

    Nicholas Palace / Nikolaevsky palace

    The Nikolaevsky Palace is a Neo-Renaissance structure commissioned by Tsar Nicholas I for his son, Grand Duke Nicholas N...

  26. 116 The Bank Bridge
    Places of interest Popular

    The Bank Bridge

    The Bank Bridge is a pedestrian suspension bridge crossing the Griboyedov Canal in St. Petersburg, noted for its four ca...

  27. 117 Vselennaya Vody
    Places of interest Popular

    Vselennaya Vody

    Vselennaya Vody, or the Universe of Water, is a multimedia museum complex located in the historic 19th-century water tow...

  28. 118 Ioannovskiy Stavropigial'nyy Zhenskiy Monastyr'
    Temples Popular

    Ioannovskiy Stavropigial'nyy Zhenskiy Monastyr'

    The Ioannovskiy Stavropigial'nyy Zhenskiy Monastyr' is a prominent Russian Orthodox convent located on the Karpovka Rive...

  29. 119 Мультимедийный исторический парк "Россия - Моя история"
    Museums Popular

    Мультимедийный исторический парк "Россия - Моя история"

    The Multimedia Historical Park 'Russia – My History' is a digital museum complex in St. Petersburg that utilizes touch-s...

  30. 120 Биржевой сквер
    Parks Popular

    Биржевой сквер

    Birzhevoy Square (Birzhevoy skver) is located on the eastern tip of Vasilyevsky Island at the confluence of the Bolshaya...

Explore by category

Jump straight to what you're into.

St Petersburg on the map

Top attractions plotted across the city.

Open full map
Open full map

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.