What to see in St. Petersburg 2019 | The Ultimate Guide

What to see in St. Petersburg? This question is asked by people with different preferences and opportunities: those who know nothing about this city and those who come here not for the first time.

My name is Alexey and I live in St. Petersburg for more than 3 years. For all this time, I couldn’t even see 10% of all the attractions of the city, despite the fact that I study it with pleasure, both in my spare time and at work – I organize excursions for foreign visitors to the city and I just need to know all the possibilities that it offers to tourists.

In this article, I will try to maximally fully and at the same time briefly tell you about all the most interesting places in St. Petersburg – both famous all over the world, and unexpected and surprising objects off the beaten path, for which I have a special passion.

There are 3.5 million exhibits in the Hermitage

And you can study them for several years.  And most tourists come for 3-7 days, so I structured all the places depending on their distance from the center. That is, at the beginning we will look at what you can visit with minimal travel time, then distant objects within the city, and only then famous country summer residences and Kronstadt.

I will also explain their key differences, because tourists often have to choose only 1-2 from all the palaces to visit, and the difference isn’t always obvious. There will be only my tourist practice in this article, in the context of real examples of foreigners visiting the city – adjusted for traffic jams, unfavourable days for visiting museums and statistics of real reviews from tourists. Also, for fans of alternative tours and Non-Clichéd places to visit, I made a separate list of absolutely unexpected activities, specific only to St. Petersburg.

Well, let’s get started

The main attractions around St. Isaac’s Square

The main location of hotels in St. Petersburg is along Nevsky Prospect, and especially there are many of them around St. Isaac’s Square. Therefore, most tourist routes start here.

Saint Isaac’s Cathedral

The majestic St. Isaac’s Cathedral is a must-see for any visitors to St. Petersburg. I recommend visiting it with an excursion program because the history of this museum is a tragic one and deserves a separate film. The colonnade of the cathedral is the highest observation deck in the historic part of the city – 43 meters, which is known worldwide for unique architectural phenomenon – St. Petersburg Historic Skyline. All buildings in the historic center of St. Petersburg don’t exceed 23 meters of the cornice, so the panorama of the city allows you to see dozens of majestic domes and spires, thanks to which the Cultural capital of Russia is known.

The average length of the visit: 30 minutes Cathedral + 30 minutes Colonnade

Tips:

• If you plan to see the cathedral yourself – buy tickets in electronic devices near the box office. Unlike cash registers, there is no queue for them.
• Please note that to climb the colonnade you have to overcome 562 steps. In addition, in 2019 it is planned to close the colonnade for restoration. The exact dates aren’t known.

If you look at the Cathedral from the side of St. Isaac’s Square, behind it is the Alexander Park. A small lovely park with fountains located near the Admiralty building – its spire will show you the direction of your further walk.

Palace Square

After Alexander Park, we are waiting for the main square of the city. Palace Square is the central architectural ensemble of the city. There are many objects here:

Alexander Column

The Alexander Column is a symbol of the victory of the Russian army of 1812 against the French army of Napoleon in the era of Alexander the First. The work of the French architect Montferrand, who built St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the column stands under its own weight. It has no footing, so for the first time after installing of the column, St. Petersburg residents didn’t appear on Palace Square, as they were afraid that the column could fall, then Montferrand walked around the column every day with his dog and it helped. In the early 2000s, a skating rink was staged around the column, but in 2008 some of the fence decoration elements around the column were stolen, they were double-headed eagles, peaks, besides, a lot of damage to the fence was found, so this tradition was cancelled.

Arch of the General Staff building

The Triumphal Arch is an independent architectural object dedicated to the French invasion of Russia in 1812. According to the architect – Karl Rossi, it combines the two wings of the General Staff building and completes the composition of the entire architectural ensemble of the square.

By the way, the interesting thing is that the wings of the General Staff are only an attempt to give the square a symmetrical appearance while preserving the buildings that already existed at this place as much as possible.

The General Staff building is an ensemble of previously detached buildings standing under the same roof and in some places under the glass atriums. This becomes apparent during a visit to the Impressionists exhibition which is located in its eastern wing. Moreover, the wings have a different size, if you look closely.

Hermitage

And of course the Main Museum of Russia and the best in Europe. This is the opinion of the TripAdvisor website visitors.

The average duration of the visit: 3-4 hours + 1 hour to the General Staff building

Tips:

• To avoid the queue – buy tickets in the General Staff building or on the Internet
• Impressionist exhibition in the General Staff building is not included in the ticket to the Hermitage
• The entrance to the General Staff building is to the left of the Arch if you stand with your back to the Alexander Column
• On Wednesday and Friday, the museum works until 9 p.m.
• Monday is a day off
• Outerwear and large bags are left in the wardrobe, as well as water/drinks
• When planning a visit, make sure that it isn’t a free entrance day, otherwise, an unpleasant surprise will await you
• There are long queues during the school holidays
• Summer is always overcrowded – it complicates all. Postpone your visit to the museum until the autumn, or follow the rest of the tips to avoid complexity.
• Consider that it is very tiring – too much art
• Look at the museum’s plan in advance and at the entrance take a brochure with the plan, otherwise, you will get lost
• There are many pickpockets who are already waiting for you inside. Take care of things and money.
• In the General Staff building, you can use a virtual reality helmet to take a virtual walk through the Winter Palace during the revolution – not a bad thing

Pushkin Museum

If you cross the Moika River through the Pevchesky bridge, then at 50 meters you will see a small building with a yellow facade.

Alexander Pushkin rented his last apartment here, in which he died after a duel. There are audio guides. I highly recommend the museum to understand the role of the poet in the history of Russia and the reasons for its national glory.

Peter and Paul Fortress

After the Palace Square, you can go to explore Nevsky Prospect or the Peter and Paul Fortress. If you are super young and full of energy, you can walk one and a half kilometres to Hare Island along two picturesque bridges. In another case, you should call a taxi. Uber works and it will cost about 3-4 dollars.

The fortress is the historical center of the city, it is believed that Peter the Great more than three hundred years ago ordered to build it in this place and so St. Petersburg appeared. But I’m not sure.

The average length of the visit:

• 30 min – Cathedral
• 0,5 hour – Prison
• 30 minutes – the walls of the fortress
• 45 min. – Excursion to the Bell Tower

Tips:

• At 12 o’clock, a midday shot from a cannon is made from the walls – if you don’t get on a tour of the bastion walls at that time, then don’t be afraid
• All tickets are sold separately – decide in advance what you want to visit
• The observation deck on the bell tower in the spire of the Cathedral has a height of 42 meters. Getting on a tour in English is very unlikely, as I understand it, but it’s worth a look

Then there are two choices. Take a taxi in the direction of Nevsky Prospect or walk to the Summer Garden.

Summer Garden

This is a very beautiful garden with fountains and sculptures. Back in the days when the Central District of St. Petersburg was owned by the Swedish major, his park had already been set up at the site of the Summer Garden. Peter, I liked this place and the park very much. Moreover, during the construction of the Winter Palace, Peter lived in the Summer Residence built in this garden. This oldest building in the city is a museum now.

The average length of the visit: 30 minutes

Tips:

• You can feed the squirrels
• You can visit the House of Peter the Great

Field of Mars

There is a monument to the great Russian commander who crossed the Alps – Alexander Suvorov. In the middle of the field is an Eternal Flame and gravestones above the mass graves of victims of the revolution.

The average length of the visit: 20 minutes

Saint Michael’s Castle

Former residence of Paul I grandson of Catherine the Great, who was afraid to live in the Winter Palace and repeat the fate of his father – Peter III, who was killed during a palace plot, organized by Paul’s mother Catherine II.

Having lived exactly 40 days in his new fortress residence, Paul was killed in the assassination attempt. Now the castle belongs to the ensemble of the Russian Museum, where you can see not only the exhibition halls with masterpieces of Russian art but also the restored historical interiors of the palace.

The average length of the visit: 1 hour

Tips:

• There are few tourists here, unlike the Hermitage and Peterhof
• Beautiful interiors – view of the Field of Mars
• Super interesting Paul’s fate – audio guide or tour must be taken

Loft Project Golitsyn Dvor

Like the Mikhailovsky Castle, the Golitsyn Dvor is located on the Fontanka embankment, only on the other side. Until 1760, the southern boundary of the city ran along the river. Therefore, initially, the Counts Golitsyns’ country residence was in this building.

There are dozens of craft bars, theme restaurants, handmade accessories stores on 4 floors of the once unoccupied building. The place is youthful, fun and super busy.

Perhaps there are no places similar to each other. Golitsyn Dvor is a very vivid example of modern youth creative space. You can visit it as a landmark, to buy souvenirs or have lunch during your walk.

The average length of the visit: 25 minutes + lunchtime
Tips:

• Eat and watch handmade souvenirs in Zanza
• There are many craft bars with author liqueurs and cocktails
• Interesting place for young people
• On Saturday, Sunday, the loft is crowded with visitors
• Tsifrograd is a very stylish time-cafe
• Many places are closed for the winter

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

Arts square

Another green island in the center of the city. There is a monument to Alexander Pushkin in the center of the square. The Russian Museum, the Philharmonic and the Mikhailovsky Theater stand around. Grand Hotel Europe is located near the square. Its amazing interiors are striking in their beauty, you can come to the hotel for an excursion.

The average length of the visit: 15 minutes

Tips:

• You can visit the Russian Museum and see the largest collection of Russian art in the world or go to the Ethnographic Museum, where you will find household items and costumes of different nations. Both museums have beautiful interiors.
• There are many photos of interiors and expositions on Google maps – an easy way to understand whether you need it or not

Russian Museum

The world’s largest works of the Russian art collection of all genres and movements.

The average length of the visit: 2 hours

Tips:

• Please note that there are two buildings: in the Benois Wing – modern art and in the Mikhailovsky Palace – the main exhibition of Russian art
• It is better to visit the museum with a guide, so as not to get lost and understand the essence

Church of the Savior on Blood

The most visited place in St. Petersburg with amazing architecture and history. Enjoy it.

The average length of the visit: 30 minutes

Tips:

• Wednesday – day off
• Until 5 pm tickets are cheaper
• Inside you will see 7,000 sqm of beautiful Russian mosaic
• The cathedral has a long and interesting history – better read about it in advance or book a tour

Sights of Nevsky Prospect

Singer House

Thanks to Art Nouveau architecture and the tower-lamp, the house, which was built in 1904, became an icon of Nevsky Prospect. For many years it has been home to the famous bookstore, about which both tourists and residents of the city speak very well.

The average length of the visit: 30 minutes

Tips:

• The main attraction of the Singer House is a huge bookstore where you can buy souvenirs
• On the ground floor, there is a music store – entrance from Nevsky Prospect
• Visit the Zinger cafe on the second floor with an amazing overlooking Kazan Cathedral
• There are guided tours around the building, you can visit the observation deck on the roof
• There are photo sessions on the roof

Kazan Cathedral

Kazan Cathedral is located directly opposite the Singer House. There are some guided tours, but this direction is poorly developed, because first of all, it is the current cathedral. It has impressive architecture and interiors.

The average length of the visit: 15 minutes

Tips:

• Photo and video inside are prohibited
• Tours are not developed but can be ordered if you really need
• Usually, during the sightseeing tours the guide tells the story of the cathedral in front of the entrance, and after that, the tourists sightsee the temple inside
• Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov is buried inside with the keys and banners of European cities taken during the Russo-French War of 1812
• The entrance is free

Stroganov Palace

The Stroganov Palace is another luxury residence located on Nevsky Prospect. This building is a museum, there are preserved historical interiors and pieces of art owned by the Stroganov family in the past.

There is also a restaurant and a chocolate souvenir shop. Visitors say that chocolate is so-so, but the restaurant is praised.

You can appreciate the interiors and cuisine of the restaurant by photo and reviews in Google maps. Here is the link.

The average length of the visit: 1 hour

Tips:

• Not crowded even in high season
• Chocolate – beautiful, but not very tasty

Lutheran Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

Petrekirche is a functioning Lutheran church located on Nevsky Prospect. Inside you can sometimes listen to a concert of organ music, as well as go on a tour of the catacombs.

The average length of the visit: 30 minutes

Catholic Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria

Do you think that there are too many churches on Nevsky Prospect? Catholic Church of St Catherine is not the last of them.

Petersburg artists traditionally sell their paintings in the square in front of the church. In my opinion, they are worthy to watch them closer before visiting the Basilica.

The average length of the visit: 15 minutes

Dumskaya tower

At first glance, a strange object. It has quite an interesting story, but the most important thing is the opportunity to climb to the top for free and see the whole city.

The average length of the visit: 30 minutes

Tips:

• The museum of cash registers is located inside and it isn’t the most interesting exhibition in the city. But during the tour of the museum, you can go upstairs. Booking on the tour takes place in the Russian clone of Facebook here is the link. And of course, you will need Russian friends or a guide.

Saint Catherine’s Armenian Church

From the Petrekirche, we return back towards the Singer House and walk a little further to the Armenian Church, located in the courtyards of Nevsky Prospect.

100% must visit for Armenian, but also ordinary tourists should look into.

The average length of the visit: 15 minutes

Tips:

• Turning from Nevsky Prospect to the courtyard in the direction of the church, pay attention to the small window on the right – this is a small shop that operates at the church. You can buy real Armenian lavash and nut jam for cash here.
• Free entry

Eliseyev Emporium

This is one of the most beautiful, expensive and quality shops in the city. It is striking in its beauty, it is impossible not to notice it. The store, or rather its goods, became symbols of St. Petersburg. You can come and see the interior of the food hall, buy something, as well as drink coffee with pastries that represent the cuisine of different countries.

If you cannot decide on the choice of cake, because the range is really huge, you can order Coffee Gurme, then you will get several types of confectionery at once and you can try everything. In this store, you can find everything from Dutch and French cheeses to mussels. There are also two restaurants inside where you can order caviar tasting and have a good time.

The average length of the visit: 30 minutes

Tips:

• Prices in the Eliseyev Emporium are on average higher than in other stores in the city
• You can buy souvenirs in the store

Catherine garden

The garden is located opposite the Eliseyev Emporium. In the center of the square is a monument to Catherine the Great, surrounded by her favourites. Among the male figures surrounding Catherine the Second, there is a female figure, Princess Dashkova, a friend of Catherine, with whom she had a rather close relationship. Due to the presence of Dashkova on the monument, this garden became a meeting place for homosexual couples.

The average length of the visit: 15 minutes

Tips:

• From the side of Nevsky Prospect, the garden closes in the evening, but there is an entrance from the theatre – it is often open at night

Alexandrinsky Theatre

Drama theatre with a modern repertoire. It is better to buy tickets in advance. You can do this on the theatre website.

Basin House

The bright Basin apartment house, made in the Neo-Russian style, inspired Alexander III  to grow a beard.

Make Russia trendy again

The house is to the right of the Alexandrinsky Theater Now the theatre workers live in it, but it has a very interesting history. The building at least deserves to get into your Instagram.

Anichkov Palace

The oldest building on Nevsky Prospect, which was built as an imperial palace for Elizabeth. Now it is the center of children’s creativity. You can stroll around its courtyard.

The average length of the visit: 10 minutes

Anichkov Bridge

One of the symbols of Nevsky Prospect – Anichkov Bridge is decorated with a sculptural composition dedicated to the theme of the conquest of nature by man. And judging by the efforts of the riders – the architect Klodt considered this impossible.

In parallel with the embankment of the Fontanka River, Liteyny Prospect passes. There were metal factories in the time of Peter the Great. Therefore, two horses coming from Liteiny Avenue towards Anichkov Palace are shod, and the other two are not.

Fabergé Museum

If you do not cross the Anichkov Bridge, turn left, then you can see the Faberge Museum in front of the pier. This is one of the few private museums of St. Petersburg with an incredibly rich collection.
It is owned by Viktor Vekselberg – the same man involved in a scandal with Trump and his lawyer.

The average length of the visit: 1,5 hour with audioguide

Tips:

• If you didn’t buy Microsoft’s stock in 95, it’s better to visit without a guide, as a tour with a guide for a group of up to 15 people costs 15 000 rubles, while a visit with an audioguide in all major European languages costs 700 rubles. This situation is due to the fact that the museum is private.
• The museum is worth a visit – there are so many small beautiful jewellery exhibits

Rubinstein Bars

Bar street in the city with a lot of historic buildings appeared by chance. All basements of Rubinstein Street are occupied by bars.

In general, this topic needs a separate article. And from my experience, I can advise.

• Commode
• Beergeek
• Tesla
• Bekitser

The average length of the visit: 30-350 minutes

Tips:

• On the second floor of the first house on Rubinstein Street is one of my favourite bars – Commode. It works on the self-cost principle. It’s almost like a time cafe – you pay about 3 $ per hour and buy all the drinks from the menu at a cost price (it’s really cheap).
• The bar has huge ceilings, different themed halls: with a grand piano, for playing board games and with a searchlight for watching films. Interiors with the atmosphere of the past and a balcony overlooking Nevsky Prospect – that’s what I really like in this place.

Speakeasy Bar Gintonik

Needless to say, how many people pass by the gate with a bell button that shows a small bottle of gin every day?

Next to my favourite Shawarma, there is a cocktail speakeasy bar Gintonik. They play hip-hop, sometimes live music here. The collection of the bar includes more than 120 types of gin from around the world, including its own production.

Enjoy the minimalism of their website.

The average length of the visit: 30 minutes

Tips:

• You need to go through the arch – to do this, click on the button with the image of a bottle of gin. Entering the archway, walk 20 meters, turn right – the second door on the left will be the entrance to the bar.
• The bar has a wardrobe where you can leave the outerwear.
• There is no kitchen in the bar.

Vosstaniya Square

This is the station square near the Moscow railway station. There is a monolithic column of 360 tons of weight in the centre of the square. It is dedicated to the greatness of Russian weapons during the Second World War.

The average length of the visit : 15 minutes
Tips:
Be careful, there are a lot of pickpockets and scammers in this area.

Gallery – Shopping Mall

One of the largest shopping malls in the city center, where you can do shopping. On the top floor, there is a food court and a restaurant with a panoramic view of Ligovsky Prospekt and Ploshchad Vosstaniya.

The average length of the visit: 2 hours

That concludes the sights of Nevsky Prospect, but you can go down to the subway, which is also a very interesting place. Here is the metro station Ploschad Vosstaniya, which with the Kirovsky Zavod and Avtovo are the most beautiful stations of the St. Petersburg metro. And from Avtovo station every 15 minutes, a bus to Petergof leaves. So, let’s go to the royal suburbs.

Country Palaces – Romanovs Summer Residences

The imperial family had three summer residences: Peterhof in the west, Pushkin and Pavlovsk in the South. All of them are museums and include a palace and a park.

Country royal residences are similar to each other in luxury interiors and endless parks. If you want to describe their main differences in one phrase, it will be like this:

• Peterhof – fountains near the bay
• Catherine Palace in Pushkin – amber room with long lines
• Pavlovsk Palace – a huge landscape park

It is better to plan three separate days to travel to each residence, but you are able to see everything at once.

During one trip you can see:

Catherine Palace – Pavlovsk Palace

There is a restaurant Podvorie, where you can have lunch during a break between walks through the parks. In the menu – traditional Russian dishes. The restaurant has positive reviews.

Peterhof – Pushkin

Subjectively, although Pavlovsk is also good, and Peterhof is a bit distant from Pushkin and Pavlovsk. In my opinion, visitors to Peterhof and Pushkin will see the most interesting sights.

Minuses:

• 40-50 minutes one way by car with a personal driver or 1.5 hours by public transport with change.
• I would go on my own without an organized excursion, only if I was young and could spend the whole day walking around the Pavlovsky Garden.
• Standing in line at the Catherine Palace is very tiring.
• In most cases, you should book an individual tour with a personal guide, driver and skip-the-line tickets.

Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo

The average length of the visit: 1 hour – the palace, 1 hour – the park, +2 hours round trip

Tips:

• It is better to go with a guide, as in the summer there are long lines at the ticket office of the palace, you will have to stand for 3-4 hours.
• In the summer, you can feed the ducks, visit the Grotto pavilion, where the musicians sing (damn sweet), besides you can take a boat ride on the pond.

Peterhof

The average length of the visit: 1 hour – the palace, 1,5 hour – the park

Tips:

• It is better to go with a guide, as in the summer there are long lines at the palace’s ticket office, you will have to stand about 3-4 hours, and first at the ticket office in the park, then at the palace. Russian and foreign tourists are allowed on a special separate schedule.
• If you decide to go by public transport, I recommend diversifying the road. To Petergof go from the metro Avtovo – the most beautiful metro station, then by bus. And back on Meteor to the pier at the Hermitage. More expensive, but faster and more interesting.
• In the summer you can go fishing in the park. For 100 € you can catch sturgeon from Petrovsky pond which is located near the Marly Palace. Caught fish can be prepared for you here if you don’t have other plans.

Pavlovsk

The average length of the visit: 2 hours – the palace, 1,5 hour – the park

Tips:

• One of the largest parks in the vicinity of St. Petersburg, is an English park. This is a solid forest where you can spend 4 hours.
• In this park, the imperial family hunted. Now there are many squirrels living in the forest, you can take nuts to feed them. There are also ducks here, for them you can take bread.
• In summer, in good weather, you can have a picnic in the forest
• In winter, the park rides on cross-country skiing
• In summer, the entrance to the park is paid, in the winter – free

Here we complete the acquaintance with the palaces and move on to Kronstadt, another pearl of St. Petersburg suburb.

Kronstadt

Although Kronstadt is a city inside the city – you will have to go here as long as in Peterhof. If you are lucky to go to St. Petersburg longer than for three days – visit this place with a unique history.

If you are quite experienced and active travellers and know how to use Uber in unfamiliar places, you should do it, because tours to Kronstadt are not very developed. The tour agency Petersburg Expert is the only ones who make interesting tours there. Others will show you too tourist places.

The average length of the visit: 5 hours + 2 round trip

Tips:

• Kronstadt Naval Cathedral – admission is free, you can climb under the dome with Russian guided tour for 400 rubles per person. It is very spectacular – from there you can see the whole island with lighthouses and ships, as well as a dam along which the road to St. Petersburg passes.
• In Petrovsky Park there is a pier where you need to buy a ticket for a boat at the box office. Together with the formed group, you will go on a tour of the forts.
• There are two types of excursions: with disembarkation and without, the cost is different. Tour with disembarking is more expensive.
• The disembarking is allowed only on one fort, where after the tour you will be given some time for walking. Then you will return to the mainland.

Museum of Bathyscaphes

The docks in the city are not functioning, but there is the famous Petrovsky dock, which is drained. Next to it right on the pier in the open air is a museum of bathyscaphes and torpedoes. There are also sea mines and elements of the ships hull with shells stuck in them from the Second World War.

Some bathyscaphes are available for sightseeing, so you can come here with children

In addition, there is a Warship museum nearby. In the spring of 2019, the entrance here was free.

An unsightly brick building with a 300-year history called Golandskaya kuhnya is next door. You can have lunch here.

Unusial sights

Rooftop tours

Rooftop tours – one of the typical local entertainment, which has become popular due to the unique architecture of the St. Petersburg.  ALLTHEROOFS Company has the most interesting offers for foreigners

The average length of the visit: 1 hour

Tips:

• Tour includes 1 or 2 roofs
• You can see drawbridges from the roof
• Wear comfortable shoes for a walk
• Don’t agree for prepayment
• Don’t forget to charge your camera – Petersburg is incredibly beautiful

Approximate prices:

1100 rubles per person for a group excursion and about 2500 for an individual for two persons.

Don’t expect a group trip in low season.

Grand staircase and courtyards

Another phenomenon of St. Petersburg.
Trips to front doors of historical houses are very common. All entrances are in a different state, and therefore even more unique.

The average length of the visit: 1,5 minutes

Tips:

• You can book a tour on the website https://www.sputnik8.com

or from a local travel agency such as PetersburgExpert.

• If you want to understand what is being said, go to the Gorodskoy House. You will see a classic courtyard with an unusual finish. In addition, on weekdays, you can go to the main entrance for free and see real St. Petersburg front doors.

Annenkirche

This is the burnt-out Lutheran church, where exhibitions and concerts are held. Annakirche – active Lutheran parish. One of the most atmospheric places of St. Petersburg.

The church is open to the public

• Wednesday – Sunday: 12 p.m – 8 p.m.
• Monday Tuesday: day-off

Sunday Services:

• 9:30 a.m. – English
• 11 a.m., 3 p.m – Russian

The average length of the visit: 45 minutes

Tips:

• The pastor is a media person with a stand-up charisma. And the church is very popular in social media thanks to exhibitions and performances.

Aerolift

The balloon that rises above the city to a height of 150 meters.

More information on the official website.

The average length of the visit: 10-15 minutes

Tips:

• Cost – 2000 rubles per person
• Height – 150 meters in windless weather. The stronger the wind, the lower the lifting.
• The basket is closed with a net, which will prevent you from enjoying the panorama of Petersburg. This requires security.
• In windy weather, the service is not available

Vitebsky railway station

The oldest railway station in Russia, which still operates. You can rate its beauty by photos, to learn the rich history you will need to book a tour.

The average length of the visit: 15 minutes

Tips:

• Unfortunately, excursions to Vitebsky railway station are held only in Russian

Belfry of the Smolny Cathedral

Smolny Cathedral is one of the oldest cathedrals in St. Petersburg, which was built over 87 years. Despite the fact that it is located at a considerable distance from the historical center – it is worth a visit.

The average length of the visit: 5 minutes

Tips:

• The temple is functioning and it is possible to enter it for free
• 277 steps to the highest observation deck in the city at the level of 50 meters are waiting for you
• Entrance to the stairs – to the right of the entrance to the cathedral, the recommended donation of 200 rubles for adults and 50 – children
• A binocular is installed on the viewing platform, a 20-minute audio tour in Russian sounds in the background

Drawbridges – Bolsheokhtinsky Bridge

Popular wisdom: You need to watch at the drawbridges from the shore where your hotel is located

And although with the building of a cable-stayed bridge, this phrase has slightly lost its relevance – you can take a taxi to detour through it to the other side for more than an hour, which is not always convenient and affordable.

If you want to join the mystery of drawbridges you do not have many variants:

• The shore at the Trinity Bridge, near the Hermitage
• The motor ship that sails in front of each of the 7 bridges during their drawing
• Roofs of residential buildings in a company with ALLTHEROOFS
• A tour along the embankment by bus or car with stops at the bridges. And here I recommend you to catch the Smolny Cathedral between the wings of the Bolsheokhtinsky bridge in the lenses of your GoPro.

The average length of the visit: 1 hour

New Holland Island

A unique monument of industrial architecture – now it is an exhibition and entertainment space which is popular with young people and not only.

The average length of the visit: 1 hour

Tips:

• There is a great outdoor skating rink in winter
• All-the-year-round craft foodcourt in a former prison building
• The most interesting modern exhibitions and events are organized here.

Abandoned mansions tours

In St. Petersburg, almost every house is a mansion. It is not surprising that some of them are dilapidated and not used. This creates an unusual atmosphere here. Here are some places where tours are often held:

• House of Scientists
• Brusnitsyn Mansion
• North Crown (Severnaya korona)
• Red Triangle factory building (Krasny treygolnik)
• Demidov manor house

The average length of the visit: 1 hour

Tips:

• There are few offers for English speakers, it is better to use the services of a local guide or to ask for help from Russian friends
• Surely such entertainment is not for everyone. But I personally really like it and I strongly advise

Loft Project Floors (Etagi)

Loft-style space located on five floors in the building of the former Bakery. Food court, exhibition center, hotel, art galleries and of course the flat roof height of 27 meters.

Perhaps 1200 sq. m. with a view of the majestic Petersburg made this place so popular

The average length of the visit: 1 hour

Tips:

• Roof ticket 100 rubles for the whole day
• Very popular youth place

Krestovsky Stadium – Gazprom Arena

The most expensive stadium in Russia built for 50 billion rubles. The futuristic construction designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa perfectly fit into the eclectic architecture of the city.

Tips:

• The stadium guided tours, but rarely and only in Russian. It’s easier to buy a ticket for a match if you like at least some sport.

Lakhta Center

The tallest building in Europe. In the future, a restaurant with a panoramic site will be opened here.

Tips:

• Located far from the city center
• A visit to Lakhta Center can be combined with a visit to the 300th Anniversary Park
• The tower can be seen from anywhere in the city, so you can not go there

300th Anniversary Park

Pretty young park on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, with magnificent views of the Lakhta Center and the Stadium.

The average length of the visit: 1 hour

Tips:

• Located far from the city center
• It is better to go by taxi, the cost of the trip is $ 10. Make sure that there are no traffic jams on Google maps.

Cruiser Aurora

The legendary ship, known for the fact that his team supported the revolution of 1917 with a shot from the ship’s guns. Now it is a museum inside. The ship is on the eternal berth.

The average length of the visit: 30 minutes

Tips:

• You can watch the cruiser outside during a city tour or go on an excursion inside the submarine

Icebreaker Krassin

Can’t have too many ships. The Arctic icebreaker Leonid Krasin is cooler than Chuck Norris and older Angels Merkel. Looking at his track record, I want to remove the blockbuster about the exploits of this legendary ship and its team. Or at least take a tour.

Here is the site of the museum:
http://www.krassin.ru/en/

The average length of the visit: 45 minutes

Kuznechny market

Historic grocery market in the city center. This is not a tourist place that will make you feel local.

The average length of the visit: 20 minutes

Tips:

• It features good quality products
• You will find a huge range of fruits and vegetables
• You can also taste honey and pickles, various types of cheeses, sour cream, cottage cheese and even red caviar
• A variety of farm products are sold on the market

Kirov Park

The Central Park of Culture and Rest named after S. M Kirov is very large. It is located on Yelagin Island. There are a lot of activities and entertainment.

Opening time

• Summer season: 6 a.m. — 12 a.m.
• Winter season: 6 a.m. — 11 p.m.

The average length of the visit: 1.5 hour

Tips:

• The park has two skating rinks: paid and free. There is also a place for cross-country skiing.
• In the summer, you can go boating on the pond
• Rent a bike or rollers

Udelny market – Top flea market of St. Petersburg

On the site of the historical market, second-hand and antiquarian objects of various value are still being sold. In 2016, the British The Guardian included this place in the recommended list for visiting foreign tourists.

Petersburg artist Olga leads an unofficial Instagram account of the market and you can see what is happening there.

Opening time

Saturday – Sunday

7 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The average length of the visit: 1.5 hour

Tips:

• Quite far from the historical center
• Recommended to fans of flea markets
• The prices are ridiculous, you can bargain
• They say that sometimes you can find very worthwhile things