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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. 181 Усадебный сад Г.Р. Державина
    Parks Popular

    Усадебный сад Г.Р. Державина

    The Derzhavin Estate Garden is a meticulously restored 18th-century landscape park situated on the banks of the Fontanka...

  2. 182 Палевский сквер
    Parks Popular

    Палевский сквер

    Palevsky Skver is a residential-style public park located in the Nevsky District of St. Petersburg, integrated into the...

  3. 183 Tauride Palace
    Historical places Popular

    Tauride Palace

    Tauride Palace is an 18th-century Neoclassical residence originally built by Catherine the Great for Prince Grigory Pote...

  4. 184 Tsentral'nyy Muzey Zheleznodorozhnogo Transporta Rf
    Museums Popular

    Tsentral'nyy Muzey Zheleznodorozhnogo Transporta Rf

    The Central Museum of Railway Transport of the Russian Federation in St. Petersburg houses one of the world's most exten...

  5. 185 Here Raccoon
    Zoos Popular

    Here Raccoon

    Here Raccoon is an interactive contact zoo located in central St. Petersburg that allows visitors to enter enclosures to...

  6. 186 Svinoye Rylo
    Museums Popular

    Svinoye Rylo

    Svinoye Rylo is an independent underground art gallery and studio space operated by the 'Kolhui' artistic collective. Lo...

  7. 187 Vysotnyy Gorod
    Amusement parks Popular

    Vysotnyy Gorod

    Vysotnyy Gorod is an indoor and outdoor rope adventure park located within the Piterland Mall complex in St. Petersburg....

  8. 188 Solovetsky Stone
    Places of interest Popular

    Solovetsky Stone

    The Solovetsky Stone in St. Petersburg is a memorial dedicated to victims of political repression in the Soviet Union. I...

  9. 189 Dvorets Kul'tury Zheleznodorozhnikov
    Places of interest Popular

    Dvorets Kul'tury Zheleznodorozhnikov

    The Dvorets Kul'tury Zheleznodorozhnikov, or Palace of Culture of Railway Workers, is a prominent cultural institution l...

  10. 190 Suvorov Museum
    Museums Known locally

    Suvorov Museum

    The Suvorov Museum in St. Petersburg is the world's first memorial museum dedicated to the 18th-century Russian Generali...

  11. 191 Bazilika Svyatoy Yekateriny Aleksandriyskoy
    Temples Known locally

    Bazilika Svyatoy Yekateriny Aleksandriyskoy

    The Basilica of St. Catherine of Alexandria is the oldest Catholic parish in Russia, founded by decree of Empress Anna I...

  12. 192 Museum of Emotions
    Museums Known locally

    Museum of Emotions

    The Museum of Emotions in St. Petersburg is an interactive, experiential art space designed to guide visitors through a...

  13. 193 Submarine D-2 "Narodovolets"
    Museums Known locally

    Submarine D-2 "Narodovolets"

    The D-2 Narodovolets is a preserved Dekabrist-class submarine turned museum, permanently dry-docked on Vasilevsky Island...

  14. 194 Вяземский сад
    Parks Known locally

    Вяземский сад

    Vyazemsky Garden is a historic public park situated on the Aptekarsky Island in the Petrogradsky District. It occupies t...

  15. 195 Monument to Peter the Great
    Historical places Known locally

    Monument to Peter the Great

    The Monument to Peter the Great, known as 'The Bronze Horseman', is a bronze equestrian statue located on Senate Square...

  16. 196 Angry Birds Activity Park
    Amusement parks Known locally

    Angry Birds Activity Park

    Angry Birds Activity Park is an indoor amusement facility located inside the Europolis shopping mall in Saint Petersburg...

  17. 197 Obukhov bridge
    Places of interest Known locally

    Obukhov bridge

    The Obukhov Bridge is a historic masonry arch bridge spanning the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg, Russia. Constructed...

  18. 198 Atlanty
    Places of interest Known locally

    Atlanty

    The Atlanty (Atlantes) portico is a monumental architectural feature integrated into the facade of the New Hermitage bui...

  19. 199 Культурно-досуговый центр "Московский"
    Places of interest Known locally

    Культурно-досуговый центр "Московский"

    The Cultural and Leisure Center Moskovskiy is a major community arts venue located on Moskovsky Prospect in Saint Peters...

  20. 200 Gorky House of Scientists
    Places of interest Known locally

    Gorky House of Scientists

    The Gorky House of Scientists occupies the former Grand Duke Vladimir Palace, a masterpiece of eclectic architecture des...

  21. 201 Summer Palace of Peter the Great
    Historical places Known locally

    Summer Palace of Peter the Great

    The Summer Palace of Peter the Great is an early 18th-century residence built between 1710 and 1714 for Tsar Peter I. De...

  22. 202 Sampsoniyevskiy Bridge
    Places of interest Known locally

    Sampsoniyevskiy Bridge

    The Sampsoniyevskiy Bridge is a three-span steel bridge crossing the Bolshaya Nevka River in St. Petersburg, connecting...

  23. 203 San-Galli Garden
    Parks Known locally

    San-Galli Garden

    San-Galli Garden is a small, public green space located on the former grounds of the 19th-century San-Galli villa. The g...

  24. 204 Aleksandrovskiy Park
    Parks Known locally

    Aleksandrovskiy Park

    Aleksandrovskiy Park is the first public park in St. Petersburg, established in 1845 on the site of former fortification...

  25. 205 Hermitage Bridge
    Places of interest Known locally

    Hermitage Bridge

    The Hermitage Bridge is the oldest stone bridge in St. Petersburg, crossing the Winter Canal to connect the Winter Palac...

  26. 206 Skver Malyye Gavantsy
    Parks Known locally

    Skver Malyye Gavantsy

    Skver Malyye Gavantsy is a compact, residential-style public park located on Vasilevsky Island in St. Petersburg. The sq...

  27. 207 Art Center "Pushkinskaya-10"
    Places of interest Known locally

    Art Center "Pushkinskaya-10"

    Art Center Pushkinskaya-10 is a historic independent art commune and cultural complex established in 1989 within a forme...

  28. 208 Mariinsky Palace
    Historical places Known locally

    Mariinsky Palace

    The Mariinsky Palace is the final neoclassical imperial palace constructed in St. Petersburg, completed in 1844 by archi...

  29. 209 Kamennoostrovskiy Teatr
    Venues Known locally

    Kamennoostrovskiy Teatr

    The Kamennoostrovskiy Theatre is the only surviving wooden theatre building from the early 19th-century classicism era i...

  30. 210 Novodevichiy Monastyr'
    Temples Known locally

    Novodevichiy Monastyr'

    Novodevichy Convent in St. Petersburg is a functioning Russian Orthodox women's monastery located on Moskovsky Prospekt....

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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.