Things to Do in St Petersburg
What to know before a trip to St Petersburg, Russia, including an important note on current travel conditions.
Right, St Petersburg. Canals, palaces, an art collection that would take days to see properly, a city built from marshland into a grand European capital within a single reign. Before anything else on this page: current international travel advisories for Russia are significant and change, worth checking your government's latest guidance closely before finalising any trip here, considerably more so than for most destinations on this site. What follows is written for informational purposes about the city's history and sites.
The Hermitage Museum
St Petersburg's Winter Palace now houses an enormous art museum known as the Hermitage, one of the largest and oldest museums in the world, with millions of items in its collection, a staggering scale of holdings, spanning ancient artefacts through major European painting collections, housed across several connected palace buildings along the Neva River embankment.
The museum's sheer scale means a single visit only scratches the surface, worth understanding this before you go, entire wings could occupy a full day each, worth prioritising specific collections rather than attempting to see everything.
Hours Check current opening days and times
Peter the Great's Founding
St Petersburg was founded in 1703 by Russian emperor Peter the Great, intending it as a new capital, the city takes its name directly from him, built from marshland into a grand European capital, a deliberate, ambitious project intended to give Russia a modern, Western-facing window onto Europe, worth understanding this founding vision as context for the city's distinctly European architectural character, considerably different from Moscow's older, more traditionally Russian layout.
The Peter and Paul Fortress, the city's original foundation point, marks where this whole project began, worth visiting for direct context on the city's origins.
Address Peter and Paul Fortress, St Petersburg
The Canal Network
St Petersburg's canals and bridges have earned it a nickname comparing it to Venice, over 300 bridges cross the city's rivers and canals, an echo of that Italian original, a defining feature of the city's layout, worth appreciating how directly this canal network shaped both the practical movement through the city and its overall aesthetic character.
Boat tours along the canals, when available, offer a different perspective on the city's architecture, worth checking current tour operator availability if you do visit.
Best time to visit St Petersburg
May through September gives the most comfortable weather, including the White Nights period in June when the sky barely darkens, though current travel advisory guidance should take priority over seasonal planning for this particular destination.
Given the significant, actively changing nature of current international guidance regarding travel to Russia, checking your government's latest advisory is essential before any other trip planning here.
Getting around St Petersburg
The metro is the practical way to get around St Petersburg for those who do travel.
Frequently asked questions
- Is St Petersburg worth visiting?
- The Hermitage Museum, the city's founding history, and its canal network are all significant historically and architecturally, though current travel advisories should be checked closely and given priority in any travel decision.
- How many days do you need in St Petersburg?
- Three to four days would cover the Hermitage, the Peter and Paul Fortress, and the canal network for those who do travel.
- Is St Petersburg expensive?
- Costs can vary considerably given current conditions and currency situations, worth researching current, reliable pricing information close to any travel dates.
- What is St Petersburg famous for?
- The Hermitage Museum, one of the largest art museums in the world, being founded by Peter the Great in 1703, and its extensive canal network.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
