St. Petersburg is one of the most spectacular cities in the world and of course in Russia. The beauty of this city lies in its opulent architecture and the history hidden around every corner, as well as its many world-class museums, such as the Hermitage Museum. There is so much to see in St Petersburg Russia that we recommend spending at least a couple of days in the city.
What are the essential things to do in St Petersburg?
Spectacular cathedrals, dreamy palaces, fortresses, museums and architecture that will leave you speechless. You’ll be short of days on your trip to St Petersburg to take in everything the city has to offer. Here is a brief summary of the city’s must-see sights.
1. Hermitage Museum
The Hermitage Museum is one of the reasons tourists travel to St Petersburg. In fact, as with other famous museums, it takes several days to take in all the rooms and exhibits. The museum is located in the Winter Palace and is spread over five buildings. Its collection includes more than 3 million works by famous artists such as Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Leonardo Da Vinci and many more.
The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 except Mondays, and general admission costs 700 rubles (€11). Tickets can also be purchased online. On the first Thursday of every month, admission to the museum is free. The guided tour is €45.
2. The Winter Palace
The Winter Palace is a must-see when travelling to St Petersburg Russia. This symbol of power in the Russian Empire was the official residence of the tsars between 1732 and 1917. The green-tinted façade is impressive, but the ostentatious rooms inside are even more striking for their visual richness, white columns and gilded finishes.
The palace is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, except Mondays, and entrance to the main rooms costs 500 roubles.
3. Mariinksy Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre was the imperial theatre of St Petersburg during the time of the tsars, and the most important operas and ballets in history were performed and premiered on its stage. Today the theatre is still active and the city company performs there. The building is easily recognisable by its mint green colour, but to see it from the inside you will have to get a ticket for one of its performances, which, fortunately, are not as expensive as you might imagine.
4. St. Isaac’s Cathedral
Of all the buildings to see in St. Petersburg, St. Isaac’s Cathedral is probably the most impressive for the richness of its construction materials and the dome that crowns it. At first glance, the most striking features are its white columns and golden dome, which at the time was one of the largest in the world, posing quite a challenge for the engineers of the time.
The entrance fee is 350 roubles, plus 200 if you want an audio guide. In summer you can climb the Colonnade for an additional 150 roubles. The opening hours are from 10.30 am to 6 pm and during the summer it is open until 10.30 pm.
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Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
What to see around St Petersburg Russia?
On top of the many things to do in St Petersburg, there are also many places worth visiting within a few kilometres of the city. Like any other tourist city, this one offers visitors different alternatives to visit the Petehoff Palace or the Tsarskoye Selo Palace, as we will tell you below.
1. Peterhof Palace
The palace was commissioned by Empress Catherine between 1714 and 1721 and was designed by prestigious interior designers, architects, landscape architects and gardeners. However, from 1721 onwards the palace and gardens continued to undergo changes and improvements following Peter I’s visit to Versailles. The tour of the complex includes the interiors of the palace, the gardens and fountains, and other small buildings such as the Orangery and the Church of St. Peter.
The palace is open daily from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm, and the gardens from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. Entrance to the palace costs 550 roubles and to the lower garden 500 roubles. Bus lines 200 and 210 can take you from the city.
2. Tsarskoye Selo
Tsarskoye Selo is located 24km from St. Petersburg, in the town of Pushkin. It is a complex of imperial buildings and gardens that were commissioned by Catherine I and her husband in the 18th century. Here you can visit Catherine’s palace, a landmark of Russian Baroque architecture, and Alexander’s palace.
The city can be reached by train, and from the station you can take 371 or 382 buses. The entrance fee to Catherine Palace is 700 roubles plus 120 roubles to see the gardens, which can be visited every day of the week.
3. Vyborg
The city of Vyborg is northwest of St. Petersburg on the Finnish border. It is highly recommended once you have finished your list of things to see in St. Petersburg. The city can be reached by train, which takes almost two hours. In Vyborg you can visit Mon Repos Park, Vyborg Castle and Olaf Tower and the Alvar Aalto Library.
What to do in St Petersburg in 2 days?
St Petersburg can be seen in two days, however, it is recommended to spend a couple of extra days to see the surrounding palaces and towns. This is a good route to follow to make the most of your trip to St Petersburg.
The first day can be spent visiting the Winter Palace and the Hermitage Museum. The museum can take a full day, but if you don’t have much time in the city, one morning is fine. After lunch you can head to the Church of the Saviour and Kazan Cathedral. If you have time to spare, we highly recommend a boat trip along the canals.
You can devote the second day to seeing the rest of the city’s landmarks, such as the fortress of St. Paul and St. Peter, St. Isaac’s Cathedral and the Russian State Museum. There are also boat trips to see the city’s drawbridges, whose mechanisms are very interesting.
Where to stay in St Petersburg Russia?
St Petersburg is a very large city, so there are many accommodation options. The best neighbourhoods to stay in due to their proximity to the centre are Tsentralny, Admiralteisky and Vasileostrovksy. Here are some of the best places to stay close to all the sights to see in St Petersburg Russia.
- Corinthia hotel: a hotel located in the Tsentralny district. It includes all kinds of amenities and prices are around 500€ per night. It is one of the most luxurious hotels in the city.
- Veles Hotel: this hotel is a bit further away from the centre and as a consequence the prices are more affordable. Around €40 per night. They offer breakfast and airport transfer.
- Hostels and B&Bs: with much more affordable prices you can stay in hostels such as Strawberry Duck St. Petersburg, Netizen Saint Petersburg Centre or BookCase Hostel. It is also easy to find accommodation on Airbnb.
Best restaurants in St Petersburg Russia
Russian cuisine may go unnoticed in general, but we can assure you that its stews will surprise you. Stews, casseroles and meat-based dishes such as Solianka soup, bosh, or beef Stroganof. Here is a list of our favourite restaurants in the city.
- Restaurant Pelmenya: This restaurant specialises in Palmeni, a traditional Russian dish similar to dumplings. It comes in all flavours and costs around €12 per head.
- Teremok: this is the most famous Russian fast food chain in the country and can be found in all the main cities. They serve all kinds of typical Russian dishes such as borsch soup and Russian dumplings. And the best thing is the price, which is no more than €5 per person.
- Marketplace: a very famous place to eat in St. Petersburg. It is a buffet that serves Russian good quality food and at a very good price. The setting is also very pleasant and inviting. The menu costs 8€.
How to get to St Petersburg Russia?
The quickest way to get to St Petersburg is by plane, however, if you are travelling from Eastern European countries, the train is the easiest way. From Spain there are direct flights to St Petersburg airport from all major cities.
The closest airport to St. Petersburg is Pulkov Airport. From there you can get to the city centre in several ways:
- Transfer: this is the most convenient system. A car awaits you on arrival and takes you directly to the hotel. This service can be arranged through the hotel.
- Bus: this is the cheapest way to get to the centre. The bus lines are N39, K39, N13, K113 and K3, and the bus stop at both terminals is in front of the arrivals hall.
- Taxi: This system is not recommended. There are many unlicensed taxis in the city that overcharge. The standard fare from the airport to the centre should not exceed 1000 roubles.
The best way to get there from Moscow is by high-speed train, which takes about 4 hours and costs €40. The best way to get around the city is by public transport: metro, bus and tram. A ticket costs 55 roubles and the metro stations are decorated in a way that’s worth seeing.
Travel tips for a trip to St. Petersburg Russia
- Russia’s currency is the rouble.
- Change your money in advance, as currency exchanges at airports are very expensive.
- Cover yourself for medical emergencies: travel with insurance.
- The best time to visit St Petersburg is from May to September. During these months temperatures are more pleasant and there’s more street life.
- You can also visit during the winter months, but take plenty of warm clothes as temperatures don’t go above freezing.
- To travel to Russia from Spain you will need to get a visa from the embassy.
- The city is safe, but as with any tourist destination, it’s best to be careful with your belongings.
How to organise your trip to St. Petersburg?
Sign up or download the Passporter App and discover all its useful features.
- Get inspiration from the experiences of other travellers.
- Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
- Add the spots you are most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
- Organise your itinerary by days and according to their location (you can take inspiration from the routes presented in the post).
- Check the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make the necessary modifications and you are ready for your trip.
- Finally, share your experience. Upload photos of every place you’ve visited to the app and recommend to other travellers all there is to see in St Petersburg, Russia.
If you have any doubts about how to plan your itinerary, you can read our post: How to create your travel itinerary with Passporter.
FAQs
The choice depends on the personal taste of the tourist. Catherine Palace is more spectacular on the inside, while Peterhof Palace has more striking architecture on the outside. Both have gardens to stroll through. Peterhof’s fountains only operate between May and September, so if you’re travelling during the other months, it’s best to go to Catherine Palace.
In Spain, the visa is processed at the Russian Visa Centre, at your embassy. It is recommended tt apply at least a month and a half in advance as the process takes a long time. The cost is 58€ and you will need to have an up-to-date passport.
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