Saint Petersburg: The Complete Travel Guide
Saint Petersburg is Russia’s most European city: the Hermitage, the tsars’ palaces, canals lined with pastel façades and June white nights like nothing else. Here’s how to get there, how many days to spend, where to stay, what to see, and all my guides to the city sorted by topic.
In 30 seconds
Saint Petersburg in numbers
- 4-6 daysto see the essentials and the palaces. With 3 you’ll stay in the centre.
- White Nightsfrom late May to mid-July: the sun barely sets.
- No direct flightsfrom the EU: connect in Istanbul, Belgrade, Yerevan or Dubai.
- 3 h 45 minby high-speed train to Moscow, the most common combination.
- 1 airportPulkovo, 17 km from the centre: about 40 minutes by bus and metro.
- Visa and Mastercardissued abroad don’t work: bring cash or a MIR card.
Getting there
How to get to Saint Petersburg
Since 2022 there have been no direct flights between the European Union and Russia, so to fly in you need to connect in a third country: Istanbul (Turkish Airlines and Pegasus, with daily flights to Pulkovo), Belgrade (Air Serbia), Yerevan (Aeroflot, FlyOne) or Dubai. In my experience, Istanbul is the fastest and cheapest option. It’s all explained in my guide to flights to Russia.
The city has a single international airport, Pulkovo (LED), 17 km south, linked to the centre by bus 39 and the metro in about 40 minutes. And it has one advantage over Moscow: it’s close to the Schengen area. The border with Finland is still closed, but from Tallinn it’s about 5-6 hours by bus, and from Riga 8-10. It’s all in my borders guide.
When and how long
Best time to go and how many days to spend
Saint Petersburg has something no other European capital has: the White Nights. Between late May and mid-July the sun never fully sets, terraces stay open until the small hours, there are festivals and temperatures of 18 to 22 °C. It is, hands down, the best time to go. The rest of the summer is still very good (the Peterhof fountains are in full flow) and September is the most balanced month. From November to March it’s properly cold and in December it gets light at 10 am and dark at 4 pm, but the Hermitage and the Mariinsky in a snowy city are a different experience altogether. The months I’d avoid are April and October, the greyest.
My advice: at least 4 full days, ideally 5 or 6. With 3 days you’ll fit in the Hermitage, the cathedrals, the Fortress and Nevsky Prospekt, but you’ll miss the palaces outside the city. With 4 you add Peterhof; with 5 or 6, the Catherine Palace, the Fabergé Museum and a trip to Veliky Novgorod.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Saint Petersburg
For a first trip, stay in the historic centre: unlike Moscow it’s compact, and everything that matters is a 15-20 minute walk away. The handiest areas are Admiralteysky (between the Hermitage and St Isaac’s), around Kazan Cathedral and Nevsky Prospekt, the more bohemian Sennaya, and Liteyny. If you’re on a budget, the areas around Vladimirskaya, Ploshchad Vosstaniya (Moskovsky station) or Petrogradskaya are 10-15 minutes from the Hermitage by metro.
Western booking platforms no longer operate in Russia. I explain which websites work with a foreign card in my guide to hotels and apartments in Russia.
What to see
What to see and do in Saint Petersburg
The centre: Palace Square, Nevsky Prospekt and the canals
It all starts on Palace Square, with the Winter Palace, the General Staff Building and the Alexander Column. From there runs Nevsky Prospekt, 4.5 km of baroque and Art Nouveau façades with Kazan Cathedral, the Singer House and the Eliseev Emporium. And then there’s the water: 64 rivers and canals and 800 bridges. A canal cruise is one of the best ways to see the city, and between April and November the drawbridges open at night.
- Palace Square
- A walk along Nevsky Prospekt
- River and canal cruises
- The drawbridges: opening times
- New Holland Island
Cathedrals, churches and the Fortress
The most photographed is the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, with 7,000 m² of mosaics inside. St Isaac’s Cathedral has one of the largest domes in the world and its colonnade is one of the best viewpoints in the centre. Across the Neva, the Peter and Paul Fortress is where the city was born in 1703 and holds the tombs of the Romanovs.
- The must-see cathedrals and churches
- The Savior on Spilled Blood
- St Isaac’s Cathedral: tickets
- The Peter and Paul Fortress
Museums and palaces
The Hermitage is probably the greatest museum in the world: more than three million works in six buildings, from Egyptian art to Matisse, and a proper visit takes 5 or 6 hours. Next come the Fabergé Museum, with nine imperial eggs, and the Yusupov Palace, where Rasputin was murdered in 1916.
- Saint Petersburg’s museums: which to visit
- The Hermitage: complete guide and tickets
- The Fabergé Museum
- The Yusupov Palace and Rasputin’s death
Viewpoints and guided tours
The most spectacular view is from the Lakhta Center, Europe’s tallest skyscraper (462 metres), with the Gulf of Finland at your feet. And if you’d rather have the city explained in English, there are guided tours you can pay for with a foreign card, including Hermitage tours and night-time drawbridge tours.
Shows and experiences
A night at the Mariinsky, the company that premiered The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, is worth the trip on its own (season from September to July). Russian folklore makes a good evening out if you’re travelling with kids, and don’t leave without trying a banya, the traditional steam bath.
Food and shopping
Where to eat and what to buy in Saint Petersburg
Besides the Russian classics (blini, pirozhki, solyanka, medovik), Saint Petersburg is the best city in the country for Baltic fish and reasonably priced caviar. The surprise, as in Moscow, is Georgian and Uzbek food. During the White Nights it’s worth booking, and that’s done on Yandex Maps, Telegram or by phone, not through Western platforms.
For shopping, everything revolves around Nevsky Prospekt: the Gostiny Dvor department store and, opposite, the Eliseev Emporium, the most beautiful food shop in Europe. Souvenir stalls cluster along the Griboedov Canal, next to the Savior on Spilled Blood; the further you get from the church, the better the prices.
Getting around
Public transport in Saint Petersburg
The metro is one of the deepest in the world (the escalators can take three minutes) and stations like Avtovo or Admiralteyskaya are underground museums. It runs from 5:45 am to 12:30 am. To pay, the Podorozhnik card works on the metro, buses, trams and city boats. For taxis, Yandex Go.
Day trips
Day trips from Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg has the best surroundings in Russia. The imperial palaces of Peterhof and Pushkin take half a day each, and Veliky Novgorod a full day. And if you have more time, Moscow is 3 hours 45 minutes away by high-speed train.
Peterhof
Catherine Palace
Veliky NovgorodBefore you land
What to sort out before you go
- Visae-Visa for up to 30 daysYou apply online, it costs USD 52 and it’s valid for entry through Pulkovo and the land borders with Estonia and Latvia.
- MoneyYour cards won’t workCash to change into roubles or a MIR card set up before you leave.
- InternetAn eSIM before you goYou’re online as soon as you land, with no passport paperwork.
- MandatoryMedical insuranceIt’s required for the visa and must be valid in Russia.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Saint Petersburg
How many days are enough for Saint Petersburg?
I recommend at least 4 full days to see the essentials (the Hermitage, the Savior on Spilled Blood, St Isaac’s, the Fortress, Nevsky Prospekt, a canal cruise and Peterhof). With 5 or 6 days you can add the Catherine Palace, Pavlovsk, the Fabergé Museum and Veliky Novgorod. If you’re combining it with Moscow, 4 days in each city and a day on the train between them is about right.
When is the best time to visit Saint Petersburg?
The White Nights, from late May to mid-July: the sun barely sets, there are festivals and the city stays up until dawn. July and August are still good for the palaces and the Peterhof fountains, and September is the most balanced month. Winter is very authentic, but the days are very short. The months I’d avoid are April and October.
Are there direct flights to Saint Petersburg from Europe?
No. Since 2022 the airspace between the European Union and Russia has been closed, so you need to connect in a third country. The fastest and cheapest option is usually Istanbul, with daily flights to Pulkovo; others are Belgrade, Yerevan and Dubai. You can also enter overland from Tallinn or Riga.
Do Visa and Mastercard work in Saint Petersburg?
No. Visa and Mastercard cards issued outside Russia have not worked since 2022: not in shops, not at ATMs, not for ordering a taxi or paying online. You need cash to change into roubles or a Russian MIR card, which foreigners can get.
Is Saint Petersburg safe?
For tourists, Saint Petersburg is a very safe city: crime against visitors is uncommon and there’s a visible security presence in tourist areas. The precautions are the same as in any big European capital, such as watching your wallet on the metro at rush hour, and it’s wise to follow the rules on photographing military or government sites.
What visa do I need to visit Saint Petersburg?
For most Europeans, the e-Visa: you apply online, it costs USD 52, it arrives within 4 days and it allows stays of up to 30 days, entering through Pulkovo or the land crossings with Estonia and Latvia. For longer stays you need a regular visa. Either way, medical insurance valid in Russia is mandatory.
What’s the difference between Saint Petersburg and Moscow?
Moscow is the political capital: monumental, Soviet, huge and full of energy. Saint Petersburg is the former imperial capital: European, compact, with canals and palaces, and a calmer atmosphere. If you only have time for one and you’re after beauty and palaces, pick Saint Petersburg; ideally, with 9 days or more, combine the two.
Still have questions?
Ask someone who’s just been
On the Russiable forum there are travellers who’ve been to Saint Petersburg recently. And if you’re still unsure about your route, compare all of Russia’s destinations here.