St. Petersburg

Travel Guide
St. Petersburg featuring a park, night scenes and a fountain

St. Petersburg Travel Guide Video

Cruise along canals, tour architectural masterpieces and enjoy festivals under a midnight sun in Russia’s second-largest city.

See grand buildings, stately boulevards, golden spires, windings canals and opulent art in St. Petersburg, one of Russia’s most impressive cities. The former capital of the Russian Empire was founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1703 to show off the country’s imperial might. Today, it is Russia's cultural capital and a burgeoning tourist center of galleries, museums, palaces and cathedrals.

In the historic center, visit the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, built on the exact spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated. Beneath its multicolored domes is a richly decorated building with thousands of square feet of mosaics. Explore St. Isaac’s Cathedral, one of Russia’s largest churches. At the Peter and Paul Fortress, see the tombs of the Romanovs, the imperial dynasty that ruled Russia for 300 years.

St. Petersburg has much to offer art lovers. Inside the colossal baroque Winter Palace, find the Hermitage. One of Russia's largest museums, it holds more than 3 million works of art and historic artifacts. For more art and culture, examine paintings by native artists at the Russian Museum. Learn about folklore and traditions by visiting the Russian Ethnography Museum.

Also known as "Venice of the North," St. Petersburg is built on a number of islands and crisscrossed by canals and rivers. For a different city perspective, cruise the waterways on a boat.

Enjoy a unique experience with a visit to St. Petersburg in June for the White Nights. During these midsummer evenings the sun barely sets and the city hosts several festivals. See opera, ballet and musical performances at the White Nights Festival. Revel in the Scarlet Sails, a huge celebration with fireworks, concerts and a water show.

Reach St. Petersburg by flying into Pulkovo Airport. Get around by public transportation or rental car. Enjoy the city’s history, culture and attractions, and save some time to venture farther afield. St. Petersburg is within easy reach of the sumptuous estates of the Romanov Tsars including Peterhof Palace and Pavlovsk Palace.

Where to stay in St. Petersburg

Kazan Cathedral which includes a church or cathedral and heritage architecture

St. Petersburg City Centre

4.5/5(373 area reviews)

Interesting museums, cozy cafes and churches are just a few top things to explore in St. Petersburg City Centre. A visit to Alexandrinsky Theatre or Anichkov Palace might round out your trip, and you can jump aboard the metro at Gostiny Dvor Station or Dostoyevskaya Station to get around town.

St. Petersburg City Centre
Grand Market Russia Interactive Museum

Moskovskiy

4/5(19 area reviews)

Moskovskiy is well-liked for its breweries and churches. If you're hoping to get in some sightseeing, Victory Square and Heroic Defenders of Leningrad Monument are top spots, and you can jump on the metro at Zvyozdnaya Station or Moskovskaya Station to get around.

Moskovskiy
Alexander Nevsky Lavra featuring a park and heritage architecture as well as a small group of people

Tsentralny

4.5/5(25 area reviews)

Consider a visit to Faberge Museum and take some time to enjoy the interesting museums during your time in Tsentralny. If you want to see more of the city, jump on the metro at Mayakovskaya Station or Dostoyevskaya Station.

Tsentralny
Nevskiy Prospekt which includes night scenes and a city

Nevsky Prospekt

4.5/5(190 area reviews)

Museums, theaters, and churches highlight some notable features of Nevsky Prospekt. Make a stop by Faberge Museum or Fontanka River Embankment while you're visiting, and jump aboard the metro at Mayakovskaya Station or Gostiny Dvor Station to get around town.

Nevsky Prospekt
Kunstkamera featuring a river or creek and heritage architecture

Vasileostrovsky District

If you're spending time in Vasileostrovsky District, check out sights like C-189 Submarine Museum or Erarta Museum and Galleries of Contemporary Art and hop on the metro to see more the city at Primorskaya Station or Vasileostrovskaya Station.

Vasileostrovsky District
Kunstkamera featuring a river or creek and heritage architecture

District No. 7

4.5/5(10 area reviews)

While you're in District No. 7, take in top sights like C-189 Submarine Museum and jump on the metro at Vasileostrovskaya Station to see more of the city.

District No. 7

Popular places to visit

Reviews of St. Petersburg

4.8
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
364
" "5 - Excellent 82.3529411764706%
4 - Good
64
" "4 - Good 14.479638009049774%
3 - Okay
12
" "3 - Okay 2.7149321266968327%
2 - Disappointing
2
" "2 - Disappointing 0.45248868778280543%
1 - Terrible
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" "1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

It' not as cold and wet as i expected!

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

very clean, polite people, good atmosphere

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

I love this City! I lived there 36 years ❤️

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Петербург самый красивый город в России. Огромное количество достопримечательности и истории в этом городе. Несмотря на погоду, Питер - это любовь!

5/5 - Excellent

Rosie

The city is lovely during the holiday season, and fully decorated with beautiful lights. There is so much to do, stores and eateries stay open until late at night. It is super safe to walk around, and you will see families and children out and about.

5/5 - Excellent

Leslie

An amazing city to visit in Winter! So decorated! So much culture! Go to the ballet if you have a chance! Swan Lake was amazing!

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