St Petersburg Attractions
find out what to see & PHOTOGRAPH
in RUSSIA'S NORTHERN CAPITAL
Our guide to St Petersburg attractions in Russia will help you navigate through the best sights of the city and learn more about each of them.
St Petersburg attractions are a combination of matchless architectural ensembles, great historical and cultural monuments, picturesque parks and gardens, stunning cathedrals, churches, and sculptural compositions, as well as numerous rivers and canals framed by beautiful granite embankments and patterned railings of bridges.
This entire put together makes the Northern Capital of Russia, the most beautiful European-like city in the country, a unique, elegant, and magnificent place, well worth exploring once in life.
Royal palaces, Orthodox cathedrals, Russian churches, narrow streets, wide avenues, graceful canals, and rivers surrounded by 18th and 19th-century buildings, reflect different architectural styles and have delighted millions of visitors for three centuries up to now, including us - two locals living here.☺
You should know that many famous people who contributed to the history and culture of Russia, have also visited today's most wonderful attractions in Saint Petersburg: tsars and princes, artists and poets, writers and adventurers. Thus, when walking along the streets of Saint Petersburg anyone can breathe the historical and cultural atmosphere in which people such as Lomonosov, Derzhavin, Pushkin, Gogol, and Dostoevsky did when they were writing their masterpieces. And, if you come, you too will surely experience such a great cultural and poetical mood.
complete list of the best ST PETERSBURG ATTRACTIONS
Below you can find a list of tourist attractions organized into different main categories. Each category contains information about each of the most important St Petersburg Attractions currently open to the public. We hope our picking list of the city's attractions will help you decide which of them will make it to your sightseeing list.☺
To get you started just click on the links below or scroll down the page.
top ST PETERSBURG ATTRACTIONS
From the famous Hermitage State Museum to the summer residences of the Russian Tsars, from the majestic architecture of cathedrals and churches like St. Isaac and Kazan Cathedral or the Church on the Spilled Blood, one of the most pictured churches in the imperial city, discover St. Petersburg's most visited and interesting tourist attractions.
MUSEUMS
From over 100 museums, ranging from the vast Hermitage Museum, one of the world's most famous galleries, to several museums of art, science, history, and politics, including small apartments devoted to Russia's greatest writers, St. Petersburg really offers exciting and diverse expositions for everyone.
PALACES
St. Petersburg boasts a huge number of stunning and imposing neo-classic palaces where Tsars and famous aristocratic families lived in the past. From the most popular Winter Palace to Mikhailovskiy, Stroganoff or Yusupov Palace, and many others, there are plenty of royal rooms to explore and great stories to hear.
CHURCHES
Most of the great and well known orthodox churches in St. Petersburg are located in the heart of the city, while others, those small parish churches, are spread out and hidden randomly everywhere. They come in different sizes, shapes, and architectural styles, but they all are spectacularly beautiful. All Russian churches have been renovated and some have become even places of worship today.
CATHEDRALS
St. Petersburg's Orthodox Cathedrals are also extraordinarily different and spectacularly beautiful. Their architectural styles and decoration are astounding, if not the most fascinating in the world. Each cathedral was built to show the Russian Empire's wealth and power to the fullest - in fact no expense was spared in their construction or decoration.
THEATErS AND CONCERT HALLS
It is not only palaces and churches, or monuments and several exhibitions that make-up St Petersburg's gigantic treasure-house of art and architectural gems, but there are also many interesting city's public buildings to explore, such as the famous Mariinsky Theater, the Alexandrinsky Theater, and the Mikhailovsky Theater. Throughout the year inside of these famous buildings both, Russians and visitors enjoy rich traditions of musical theatre, drama, and classical music, renowned throughout the world.
MONUMENTS
St. Petersburg is home to dozens of splendid and elegant monuments and statues, which are a very important historical addition to St Petersburg attractions. Each Russian monument is devoted to the city's most prominent public figures (poets, scientists, military leaders), as well as they celebrate the remarkable and suffering historical events that have marked and formed this beautiful Russian city.
PARKS AND GARDENS
St. Petersburg is one of the greenest major cities in Russia. The city offers large areas of green space, including beautiful historic gardens and extensive leisure parks where everyone can take a nice stroll or relax for free, apart from a few exceptions. From the famous Summer Garden to the Field of Mars, find out the most interesting parks and gardens of the city.
IMPERIAL ESTATES NEAR ST PETERSBURG
A trip to St Petersburg is not complete without a visit to at least one of the worldwide famous St Petersburg attractions such as the Imperial Palaces and Complex Parks situated in the city's suburbs. Just 30 Km away from the city you can admire the wealth and heritage of the Tsar's residences, which is made of splendid neoclassical buildings, large gardens and parks filled with unique architectural monuments and works of sculptures, fountains, lakes, trees, flowers, and much more.
main ISLANDS
Dubbed as - the Venice of the North - St. Petersburg is a city built on hundreds of islands across the delta of the Neva River, some of which have a unique nature and an interesting history that is well worth visiting. From Zayachy Ostrov (Hare Island), where the famous Peter and Paul Fortress were built to Vasilievsky Island, and many others, the list is endless.
MAIN BRIDGES
Considering that the imperial city is built on over 100 islands, the bridges, like the rivers and canals, are an essential part of St. Petersburg's architectural make-up. There are over 500 bridges, but only a few are worth mentioning as not all are architectural and technological masterpieces, so interesting to see. However, the not-to-miss bridges are those who rise up late at night from May till July.
RIVERS AND CANALS
The majestic rivers and canals of St. Petersburg easily rival those of Amsterdam and Venice. Along with its many bridges, those historic rivers and canals are essential features of the imperial city, as well as an essential part of any sightseeing itinerary. Together with its amazing palaces, parks, and monuments, they create a unique poetical image of Saint Petersburg Russia, which almost everyone falls in love with.
TIPS and RECOMMENDATIONS
Visiting the city of St Petersburg takes time and energy because there are a lot of things to see and do every time of the year. Just to cover only the main St Petersburg attractions, those in the central part of the city and in the suburbs, you need at least 3 full days; while to explore the whole Russian city and its hidden little gems you'll need more than a week.
- For your information, many of the main St Petersburg attractions are located in the central part of the city, so finding a hotel on Nevsky Prospekt or nearby would be a good idea.
- You're likely to be doing a lot of walking, sometimes on cobblestones, so make sure your footwear is comfortable. Save the stilettos for dinners and nights out. Also, bring an umbrella with you regardless of the time of the year you are coming. Don't forget that Sankt Petersburg is a rainy city.
- If you're short on time or you want to make the most of your Russian stay we highly recommend booking a Private Tour Guide. By doing this, you will learn more, save time and stress, plus you won’t miss out on the most interesting landmarks.
- If you prefer to visit all the St Petersburg attractions on your own, then we highly recommend planning your trip to St Petersburg Russia well in advance. Visiting the imperial city alone is doable but the first time can be a bit daunting or overwhelming as there is a lot to cover and knowing from what to start can be a hard task. However, if you are a solo traveler who wishes to plan things by yourself then buy a pocket travel guide like this one. ☺
- Generally speaking admission tickets to the St Petersburg attractions are not expensive apart from the Hermitage Museum, which is the most popular city attraction after Tsarskoye Selo and Peterhof. Usually, the ticket price varies from one place to another, and each season the price goes up. That said expect to pay something from 300 to 1000Rubles, which is about 5.00€/6USD and 15€/16USD.
- Remember that when you hire a tour guide, tickets will be provided to you by the guide. You'll be buying special entrance
tickets with the time and date of your incoming visit already stamped on it. However, please note that the ticket price will be a bit more expensive than the regular ones because you will skip the line.
- Keep also in mind that from May to September is high season here, so we recommend buying your tickets in advance but only for the top sights. If you don't, you may end up spending hours in the queue.
- Also, be aware but not paranoid about pickpockets and muggers around the main city's attractions. Just use the same precautions as you would anywhere in the world. To minimize any potential loss we suggest that you wear a money belt. We never travel without one, and you shouldn't too. ☺
- Lastly, if you want to get the most out of your trip to St Petersburg Russia, make sure you book a tour guide or at least plan your visit and sightseeing ahead of time. Do a little research on the places you wish to visit. Just visit a few great places and when you return, you can see the rest.
- Feel free to get in touch with us if you would like more help in organizing your Russian vacation. We can organize day trips and customized individual tours both in St Petersburg and Moscow, as well as other important Russian cities.
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