Saint Petersburg

No reviews yetCity St.-Petersburg, Russia

State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, St.-Petersburg, Russia

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Saint Petersburg, St.-Petersburg, Russia

About Saint Petersburg

Peter the Great founded Saint Petersburg in 1703 on the marshy delta of the Neva River, determined to build a European capital that would face the sea. Within a century it had become one of the grandest cities on the continent, a showcase of baroque and neoclassical palaces laid out along canals and broad avenues, and its historic center is listed by UNESCO. Today it is Russia's second-largest city, home to more than five million people.

The Hermitage, in the Winter Palace, holds one of the world's greatest art collections, and the Russian Museum tells the story of the country's own art. Golden domes rise over St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Peter and Paul Fortress, and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood glows with mosaics. Nevsky Prospect is the main artery, and the Mariinsky Theatre stages ballet and opera.

In early summer the White Nights keep the sky bright almost all night, and the bridges over the Neva open in the small hours. The fountain parks of Peterhof and the palaces of Tsarskoye Selo make classic excursions.

Best seasonLate May to July for the White Nights; September for golden autumn; winters are cold and dark.

Ideal stayFour days for the museums, palaces, canals and a day at Peterhof or Tsarskoye Selo.

ArrivingPulkovo Airport lies about 20 km south of the center; high-speed trains connect with Moscow.

Saint Petersburg Has So Much to Discover: 12 Highlights

Museums 3

State Hermitage Museum

Founded by Catherine the Great, the Hermitage fills the green-and-white Winter Palace and neighboring buildings with an immense co...

State Russian Museum

Housed in the elegant Mikhailovsky Palace, this museum holds one of the largest collections of Russian art, from medieval icons th...

Faberge Museum

In the restored Shuvalov Palace on the Fontanka River, this private museum displays a dazzling collection of works by the jewelers...

Temples and Shrines 3

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

Built between 1883 and 1907 on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was fatally wounded in 1881, this church with colorful onion do...

St. Isaac's Cathedral

Completed in 1858, this monumental cathedral is crowned by a huge gilded dome visible across the city. The interior is lavish with...

Kazan Cathedral Saint Petersburg

With its sweeping semicircular colonnade inspired by St. Peter's in Rome, this cathedral completed in 1811 is a landmark of Nevsky...

History 1

Peter and Paul Fortress

Founded in 1703 on Hare Island, this star-shaped fortress marks the birth of the city. Inside, the slender golden spire of the Pet...

Neighborhoods 1

Nevsky Prospect

Running from the Admiralty to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, this famous avenue is lined with palaces, churches, theaters and sho...

Landmarks 2

Peterhof Palace

On the shore of the Gulf of Finland west of the city, Peter the Great's summer residence is famous for its Grand Cascade, where gi...

Catherine Palace

In Tsarskoye Selo, in the town of Pushkin south of the center, this long baroque palace painted sky blue with white columns and gi...

Entertainment 1

Mariinsky Theatre

One of the world's most celebrated theaters for ballet and opera, the Mariinsky stages classic productions in its historic pale-gr...

Viewpoints 1

Palace Bridge

Linking the Winter Palace with Vasilyevsky Island, this drawbridge across the Neva is famous for opening late at night during the...

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Photo credits

Photo: xiquinhosilva, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Photo: Godot13, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Andrey Korchagin from St. Petersburg, Russia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

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