The Perfect St. Petersburg Destination Guide
Russia has plenty of great cities like Moscow, Kazan, Sochi, Ekaterinburg, and so on — but one of its main stars is St. Petersburg. Known to Russians as the city of culture, cafes, and canals (so many that it rivals its Italian counterpart, Venice!), Saint Petersburg is a place that you shouldn’t miss.
Traveling to St. Petersburg
Before we dive into the city, let’s start with a few travel basics. St. Petersburg is best visited between April and September because the climate is generally warmer and the days are longer: if you visit afterwards, you might be caught in the famous Russian winter (where temperatures can drop to -10C/21F)!
SInce it’s a major city, getting to St. Petersburg is very easy: there are dozens of daily flights, as well as busses and trains. Flights from Moscow are less than 1.5 hours. There are thousands of accommodations and activities in St. Petersburg — we recommend using a trip planning website to find the best options.
The best areas to stay in St Petersburg are in the center and include anything along Nevsky prospect, Malaya Morskaya, or Fontanka.
The Cultural Capital of Russia
Let’s start with the first point: culture. Art, music, museums, theater, opera, cinema… you name it, and there’s at least a dozen places where you can find it in St. Petersburg.
For art lovers, there’s the world-famous Hermitage Museum: if you spent a minute looking at every single piece there, it would take you 11 years to complete the entire museum! There are over 15,000 pieces that range from Egyptian art to Italian paintings, furniture from the royal family of Russia, and everything in between.
Saint Petersburg’s cultural monuments can also be seen in its churches. The most well-known is the The Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, which looks like it could be a relative of Moscow’s St. Basil’s Cathedral. The ornament gold domes and gorgeous murals inside the churches lend it that special Russian touch that will leave you in awe.
Don’t forget The Mariinsky, a historical theater where you can still see plays and musicals; go inside the Aurora, a former navy ship that now houses the military museum; or get lost in the sprawling gardens of Peterhof Palace.
Long Summer Nights
The absolute best time to see St. Petersburg in all of its beauty is during the White Nights festival, which runs from the end of May to the end of July. During this time, the entire city comes out to play. Thanks to its position in the far north, the sun almost never sets during the summer solstice — and a walk along Nevsky prospect at 2am might feel like it’s 4pm! If you’re in St. Petersburg during the White Nights festivities, don’t miss the Scarlet Sails celebration. This was originally a night for students to celebrate their graduation, but has turned into a party for locals and travelers alike. The main event is a concert with the biggest stars in Russia, followed by a boat show of the famous red ship, a musical light show on the water, and ends with a magnificent display of fireworks.
The City of Cats
If you travel to St Petersburg and notice cats everywhere — you have a good eye! Cat’s are one of the unofficial symbols of the city thanks to their role in World War II. Back then, St. Petersburg was constantly bombarded, had a food blockade that lasted almost 900 days, and a huge rat problem. Thousands of cats were sent from all over Russia to help control the rats, and some even helped to guide citizens to underground tunnels during bombings. Today, you can still find these furry ambassadors all over the city: there’s a cat named Matroskin that “works” aboard a cruise ship; dozens of guard cats that patrol the Hermitage museum in search of intruders (rats); and even a cat cafe called Cats Republic, where you can hang out and drink coffee with over 40 local cats.
Fun fact: If you’re in the center, don’t forget to stop by the Elisey and Vasilisa Monument. This is a small statue dedicated to the cats of the city, and if you can throw a coin near the statue, you’ll have good luck!
Cafes & Canals
It’s impossible to walk along a street in St. Petersburg and not notice a cafe. It’s the perfect place to escape the dreary weather that often plagues the city — and try something new! Cafes and restaurants in St. Petersburg are always coming up with something new, weather it’s a trendy spot for foodies, a healthy lunch spot, or even a new fusion restaurant. If you want to dine like a real Russian, visit a stolovaya: these are cafeteria-style restaurants where you pick each dish you’d like to try, set it on your tray, and pay for everything at the end. The most popular chain is Столовая № 1 Копейка (Stolovaya # 1 Kopeika).
After your meal, take a walk along one of the hundred or so canals in the city and enjoy the view. You can also walk down to the bottom and get a boat tour. If you’re not sleepy after all of those (delicious) carbs, stay up until 1:25 am and watch the opening of the Palace Bridge — this is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, and often draws a crowd every evening.
That’s it for our Saint Petersburg guide! Weather you’re into art, culture, music, food, or anything else, Saint Petersburg has a little bit of everything. Are you ready to visit this cozy yet eclectic city? Perhaps it’s a new place on your bucket list? Let us know what you think!
