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Things to do in St. Petersburg

Things to do in  St Petersburg

Welcome to St Petersburg

Since being founded by Tsar Peter the Great and built on a desolate swamp, St. Petersburg—the former capital of the Russian Empire—has become a national symbol of historical heritage, vibrant cultural life, and sheer beauty. The city’s canals and grand architecture, drawn with bright colors and white light, show why so many of Russia’s famous artists and poets have sprung from the so-called Venice of the North. Taking a city tour with a local guide is a sure way to best explore the city’s highlights and deeply understand their history. Tours explore the magnificent Baroque-style Winter Palace (formerly home to Empress Catherine the Great, and now part of the State Hermitage Museum), the Peter and Paul Fortress on the Neva River, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Peterhof Palace, the Fabergé Museum, and more. You could spend years admiring the State Hermitage Museum’s astounding collection of fine art, comprised of works by everyone from Raphael to Rembrandt to Renoir—tackle its 2.7 million pieces on a guided tour. For even more culture, enjoy a Russian folk show at Nikolayevsky Palace. And you can’t miss the Church of the Saviour on the Spilled Blood, which—with its dramatic name and many towers—has become an emblem of this majestic Russian city.

Top 15 attractions in St Petersburg

#1
Catherine Palace and Park

Catherine Palace and Park

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Once the summer residence of the Russian tsars and now a museum, Catherine Palace was named after Catherine I, who had it built in 1717. The structure was later rebuilt into an elaborately decorated Rococo-style palace in 1756 by Bartolomeo Rastrelli under the direction of Empress Elizabeth, meant to rival the Palace of Versailles in France. Today, the palace is famous for its baroque style and neoclassical interior that exemplifies Russian wealth and extravagance. Its main attractions are the Grand Hall, the opulent Amber Room, which is lined with gilded amber wall panels and ornate furniture, and the 1,400-acre (566-hectare) Catherine Park with its masterful landscaping.More
#2
Grand Maket Russia

Grand Maket Russia

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Grand Maket Russia, or Гранд Макет, is a private museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is a model museum, meaning that it represents collective images of Russia on a scale of 1:87. It is quite big, at 800 m², or 8611 square feet, making it the largest model museum in Russia and the second largest in the world. The museum opened on June 8 2012, in a two-story building built in 1953, at the initiative of St. Petersburg businessman, Sergey Morozov. It represents everyday life in Russia: from work, leisure, sports, study, military service, travel, and more. It also features different modes of transportation with movement, light and sound effects: from trains to cars, trucks, trams and buses. The display is interactive, and visitors can push buttons to activate different effects.More
#3
Peter and Paul Cathedral (Petropavlovskiy Sobor)

Peter and Paul Cathedral (Petropavlovskiy Sobor)

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The oldest cathedral in St. Petersburg and among the tallest orthodox cathedrals on the planet, the baroque Peter and Paul Cathedral sits on the grounds of Peter and Paul Fortress. The building is home to the St. Petersburg Men’s Choir and serves as the final resting place for many of Russia’s pre-revolutionary rulers.More
#4
Military Historical Artillery Museum

Military Historical Artillery Museum

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Housed in an imposing horseshoe-shaped brick building, the Military Historical Artillery Museum is an impressive structure. The central courtyard is flanked by armoured tanks, and the Russian flag rises proudly from the roof. Inside, the museum houses one of the largest collections of military equipment in the world.More
#5
Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines

Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines

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Whether you’re a gaming enthusiast or just nostalgic for arcades of old, this quirky museum is the place to travel back in time and indulge your inner child. Filled with more than 40 restored arcade machines from the 1970's and 80's, the museum is fully interactive with many working games to play on.More
#6
St. Isaac’s Cathedral (Isaakievskiy Sobor)

St. Isaac’s Cathedral (Isaakievskiy Sobor)

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Gold-domed St. Isaac’s Cathedral is one of St. Petersburg’s most recognizable, and most popular, attractions. The 19th-century Orthodox cathedral combines Renaissance, Neoclassical, and Baroque elements, so looks different from many other Russian churches. Rarely used for worship, it now contains an art museum.More
#7
Ekzoopark

Ekzoopark

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To see tropical animals in St. Petersburg, a city better known for its subzero winters, visit Ekzoopark. A family-friendly destination regardless of the weather, the indoor park is home to more than 400 species (some endangered) from habitats such as deserts, rain forests, and savannas.More
#8
St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral (St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Epiphany)

St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral (St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Epiphany)

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A trio of golden crosses tops this blue-and-white Baroque Orthodox cathedral in Saint Petersburg. It actually contains two churches: Saint Nicholas Church on the ground floor, with Epiphany Church above. It’s also an important site for the Russian navy, and there are memorials here dedicated to the crews of sunken Soviet submarines.More
#9
Yusupov Palace (Yusupovsky Dvorets)

Yusupov Palace (Yusupovsky Dvorets)

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Rising up from the banks of the Moyka River, the distinctive canary-yellow façade of Yusupov Palace (Yusupovsky Dvorets harbors a rich history. One of four palaces belonging to the aristocratic Yusupov family, it’s known for its remarkably preserved interiors and as the site where Grigory Rasputin was murdered in 1916.More
#10
Nevsky Prospekt

Nevsky Prospekt

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Russia’s most famous street—the Champs-Élysées of St. Petersburg—runs for 3 miles (5 kilometers) through the city’s historic center from the Admiralty Building to Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Some of the city’s most impressive buildings line the street, including the Kazan Cathedral, Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood, and the Grand Europe Hotel.More
#11
The State Museum of the Political History of Russia

The State Museum of the Political History of Russia

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The State Museum of the Political History of Russia covers a lot of ground, with exhibitions featuring everything from the Russian Revolution to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the evolution of modern-day Russia. Each gallery offers a wealth of information, and multimedia and interactive displays bring history to life.More
#12
Monument to Catherine II (Pamyatnik Ekaterina II)

Monument to Catherine II (Pamyatnik Ekaterina II)

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Catherine the Great was loved by the people of Russia, and her reign is often referred to as the golden age of Russia. Alexander II wanted to honor the empress and had the Monument to Catherine II (Pamyatnik Ekaterina II) built. The sculpting began in 1862 and wasn't completed until 1873. The statue shows Catherine the Great wearing an ermine coat. She carries a laurel wreath in her left hand and a specter in her right hand. Around her neck she wears the order of St. Andrew.There are nine other statues towards the base of the monument, and they represent the sphere of influence of the Empress, including Prince Griogory Potemkin and Field Marshall Alexander Suvorov. The only other female statue aside from Catherine is Princess Catherine Dashkov who was the founder of the Russian Academy of Science. The statue of Catherine the Great was replaced by a statue of Lenin after the 1917 Revolution, but it was put back again after the end of the Soviet regime.More
#13
Fabergé Museum

Fabergé Museum

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Housed in the suitably opulent Shuvalov Palace, the Fabergé Museum is a tribute to legendary Russian jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé. The St. Petersburg highlight showcases Russia’s treasured series of Fabergé eggs alongside a dazzling collection of Russian art, jewelry, and artifacts.More
#14
State Russian Museum (Russkiy Muzey)

State Russian Museum (Russkiy Muzey)

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Art enthusiasts visiting St. Petersburg likely already have the State Russian Museum at the top of their itinerary. This is the world’s largest museum of Russian fine art, as well as Russia’s first state-owned art museum, with more than 400,000 works of art on display.More
#15
Bronze Horseman

Bronze Horseman

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The Bronze Horseman is a statue of Peter the Great on a horse. Catherine the Great had the statue built in the late 1700s to honor Peter the Great as the founder of the city of St. Petersburg. She commissioned the French sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falconet who had spent a long time studying the movements of horsemen on reared mounts. The horse stands on a rock meant to represent a cliff. This huge block of granite weighs more than 1,600 tons and took more than nine months to transport from the Gulf of Finland.Visitors can still see an inscription on the stone that says "to Peter the First from Catherine the Second” in Latin on one side and in Russian on the other side. The statue faces west to represent Peter “leading Russia forward” because he drew inspiration from countries in the west. Legend has it that St Petersburg can never be taken by enemy forces as long as the statue remains standing in Senatskaya Square. You will often see newlyweds having their wedding photos taken in front of the statue.More

Trip ideas

Top Parks and Gardens in St. Petersburg

Top Parks and Gardens in St. Petersburg


All about St Petersburg

When to visit

St. Petersburg fires on all cylinders winter and spring, when its weather hits the sweet spot of comfortably hot and dry. Outdoor events come thick and fast December through June, from holiday-season boat parades and the Firestone Grand Prix in March, to April’s Mainsail Art Festival, and Pride in June. Crowds thin when late summer brings muggy heat and a hurricane risk.

St Petersburg information

Number of Attractions

59

Number of Tours

0

Currency

RUB
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