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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
St. Petersburg Cruise Port

St. Petersburg Cruise Port

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The Port of St. Petersburg is the largest port in northwest Russia, serving as one of the world's most popular cruise destinations and the primary gateway between the Baltic Sea and Russia. Ships docking at the St. Petersburg Cruise Port do so in the heart of the city, at Vasilyevsky Island.More
#2
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
#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
C-189 Submarine Museum

C-189 Submarine Museum

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A diesel-electric attack submarine from the early Cold War era, the C-189 was built in 1954 and used in the Soviet navy until 1990. Nowadays, visitors can get onboard and explore the docked submarine-turned-museum.More
#5
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
#6
The Republic of Cats Museum and Café

The Republic of Cats Museum and Café

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Cats have long played a part in St Petersburg’s history, beloved by Peter the Great and credited with keeping rats (and disease) at bay during the long siege of WWII. The State Hermitage Museum famously has its own resident cats, but the ultimate destinations for cat lovers visiting the city are the Republic of Cats Museum and Cafés.More
#7
Mikhailovsky Castle (St. Michael's Castle)

Mikhailovsky Castle (St. Michael's Castle)

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The late 18th-century Mikhailovsky Castle was designed to appease Emperor Paul I’s fear of being assassinated—an impenetrable fortress, protected by fortified ramparts, drawbridges, secret tunnels, and a moat. The Emperor’s paranoia was well-placed; in an ironic twist of fate, the Tsar was murdered in his sleep barely a month after moving in.More
#8
Gatchina Palace

Gatchina Palace

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Among stiff competition, the elegant Neo-classical crescent of Gatchina Palace is one of St. Petersburg’s loveliest palaces, built for Count Gregory Orlov, a favorite (read: lover?) of Catherine the Great, in 1782 by the maestro Antonio Rinaldi, who was responsible for many churches and Imperial palaces around the city. After Orlov’s death, Gatchina was home to four generations of the Romanov Tsars before being requisitioned by the state in 1917. All but destroyed in World War II, the doors of the palace only reopened when refurbishment started in 1985; it is so breathtakingly huge that restoration still goes on today.Today a visit to this most romantic of palaces encompasses a treasure trove of Romanov riches — what style these guys lived in — in a series of ever-more opulent rooms; the standout collections among the art, coins and armory being the moving black-and-white photographs charting the life of the Romanov family, more than 30,000 rare Russian books and priceless 16th-century Sèvres porcelain.The palace is surrounded by landscaped gardens that could take all day to explore. They are ornamented by winding pathways through birch trees, bridges hopping across to islands in the lakes, fountains, orangeries, aviaries and a variety of wood and stone follies — including the Priory Palace, which was given to the Romanovs by the Maltese Knights of St John in 1799 — as well as greenhouses nurturing tropical plants and botanical gardens neatly divided into parterres.More
#9
St. Petersburg Palace Square (Dvortsovaya Ploshchad)

St. Petersburg Palace Square (Dvortsovaya Ploshchad)

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Royalty, revolutions, and reformers have swept through Palace Square in St Petersburg, a grand plaza at the foot of the magnificent Winter Palace. Alexander Column dominates the center of Palace Square, which is wrapped by government buildings and remains a favorite gathering place for city-wide celebrations and holidays.More
#10
State Hermitage Museum

State Hermitage Museum

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The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg is the largest art and cultural museum in the world, with more than 3 million items in its collection—only a fraction of which are on display in its 360 rooms. The main museum complex comprises six historic buildings on the Palace Embankment and includes exhibitions of works of art from the 13th to 20th centuries, as well as Egyptian and classical antiquities and prehistoric art.More
#11
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
#12
Winter Palace of Peter the Great at the Hermitage

Winter Palace of Peter the Great at the Hermitage

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While the magnificent Winter Palace is now home to the immense State Hermitage Museum, part of the original royal residence—known as the Winter Palace of Peter the Great (Peter I)—has been preserved, allowing visitors a glimpse of the emperor’s grand living quarters and personal items.More
#13
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
#14
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
#15
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

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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