Inhabitants: ~ 5,5 million | Size: 1,439 km2 (6,6 x Amsterdam) | Language: Russian | Currency: Russian rouble (₽) | Time zone: UTC + 3 | Interesting: also known as Petrograd and Leningrad, capital of Russia from 1712 to 1918
With Moscow being the (economical) capital of Russia, Saint-Petersburg is often referred to as the cultural capital. The city as we see today still unmistakably shows the reign of Peter the Great, who founded the city in 1703. Being influenced by his appreciation for European cities on his journey throughout Europe, the city is a mix of Russian, Italian and French architecture with even some Dutch elements. Saint Petersburg is not only very impressive from a historical, cultural and architectural point of view, but also a very pleasant city to visit.
After my stay in Saint Petersburg in March 2020, I have compiled a list of known and lesser known highlights which I recommend visiting if you ever have the chance.
CURIOSITY: The city changed its name a couple of times over the last century. After the original name (Sankt-Peterburg) given by its founder Peter I (also referred to as Peter the Great) was considered too German-sounding, the name was changed to Petrograd at the start of WWI. Only ten years later, the name was changed to Leningrad after the death of Lenin. Which was rather crude, considering it was Lenin’s government who moved the capital to Moscow. After a poll amongst its residents in 1991, the name was changed back to its original name, in English referred to as Saint Petersburg. Locals also call the city affectively ‘Piter’.
TOP 8 – ON THE BEATEN PATH
- Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood
- Hermitage Museum
- Mariinsky Theatre
- Saint Isaac’s Cathedral
- Walk across Nevsky Prospekt from Admiralty and explore the canals
- State Russian Museum
- KunstKamera or Museum of Ethnology and Anthropology
- White Nights
1. Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood
The colourful minarets of the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood which proudly rise above the surrounding buildings are in fact hard to miss. Equally as impressive as its name is its striking exterior and lush interior with more than 7000 m2 of mosaics. The church resembles the equally iconic Saint Basils Cathedral on the Red Square in Moscow, the latter however being constructed 300 years earlier.
The somewhat eery name dates back to the late 19th century when the church was built by Alexander III to commemorate his appraised father (Tsar Alexander II) who was assassinated on the canal that runs next to the church. The canal was narrowed to ensure that the memorial on the place of the attack forms part of the church’s interior. When entering the church, you can see the shrine on your right-hand side.
Despite its name, the church is in fact not being solely used as a sacred place of worship. After serving as a morgue in WWII and a warehouse after that, it took decades of restoration work to reinstate the church to its original grandeur (which is in fact longer than it took to build). It is now primarily used as a museum and can be visited as such. You can buy entry tickets online and in front of the church. Please note that the church is closed on Wednesday.
2. Hermitage Museum
Equally as iconic to Saint Petersburg is the Hermitage Museum founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great. Due to its sheer size, it is not only housed in the impressive Winter Palace, but also in five other buildings across the embankment and the Palace Square. Although only a small part of the more than 3 million art pieces in its collection are on display for tourists, you can still easily spend multiple visits here. It is in fact the second-biggest museum in the world, after the Louvre in Paris.
Fun fact: the Hermitage museum also houses a live ‘collection’: a population of cats. Initially placed to battle mice, the cats have become an attraction of their own and even have their own press secretary and three caretakers. To constrain the population, it is possible to adopt a cat from the Hermitage. Having a Hermitage cat is considered a great honour.
Buy tickets online to avoid lengthy lines in summer. Tip: the entrance is free on every third Thursday of the month. Please note that the museum is closed on Monday.
When walking to the entrance, take some time to appreciate the Palace Square in front of the Winter Palace. The Alexander Column in the middle is so heavy that it is not even anchored; the statue stabilizes on its own weight.
Oh, and do not waste your time searching for the famous Fabergé eggs, these are display in a separate museum.
If you have ‘some’ time left and are interested in the Hermitage, make sure to watch the five-hour-movie made by Axinya Gogs which was shot in a fascinating one take and gives more perspective on the art you can find in this museum.
3. Mariinsky Theatre
Housed in the theatre built in 1860, the Mariinsky Theatre is globally praised for its orchestra, opera singers and ballet dancers. Treat yourself to an evening out, irrespective of your existing fondness of classical music. The performance and location will take you back to imperial times when renowned ballerina Anna Pavlova was dancing on the same stage.
Please note that the building is undergoing long awaited renovation works. Look online for performances at the second (more modern) Mariinsky theatre and the current status of the renovation works.
Tickets can be bought online and at the theatre itself and as with many highlights in Saint Petersburg it is wise to book in advance during peak season.
4. Saint Isaac’s Cathedral
Everything about the Saint Isaacs Cathedral screams grandeur. From the shiny golden dome which is covered in more than 100 kg of golden sheets to its columns which were made of one single piece of red granite and its rich interior.
If you look carefully you will notice that the golden dome is shinier than the other golden domes in the city. This has been achieved with the aid of chemistry in the gilding process. The gold was applied to the copper sheets via the so-called gold/mercury amalgam method. This means that the gold adhered to the dome’s surface by heating the mixture, allowing the mercury to vapour into the atmosphere. Although this method resulted in a stunning and durable golden layer, it is said that the poisonous mercury fumes killed over 60 workmen in the process.
It is recommendable to climb the 300 stairs to the viewpoint on top of the cathedral, which will give you a beautiful view over the city. Tickets are sold at the entrance of the cathedral.
Malaya Konyushennaya Ulitsa 
View on the Church of the Saviour of the Spilled Blood 
One of the many canals around Nevsky Prospekt 
Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street 
Kazan cathedral 
Malaya Konyushennaya Ulitsa 
Hermitage bridge 
The massive General Staff Building 
Ancient department store: S. Esders and K. Scheyfals Trading House 
The buildings in Saint Petersburg are often very colourful 
The buildings in Saint Petersburg are often very colourful 
Nevsky Prospekt by night 
Nevsky Prospekt by night
5. Walk across Nevsky Prospekt from Admiralty and explore the canals
Opposite of Saint Isaacs Cathedral and the Winter Palace is the Admiralty building with its recognizable slim spire. Ever since its construction, as ordered by Peter the Great, the Admiralty always served a naval purpose. From shipyard, to the home of the Sea Ministry and the naval headquarters, the building now serves as the Dzerzhinsky Higher Naval College.
The Admiralty marks the beginning of three main streets, Nevsky Prospekt being the most famous of the three. It runs for 4 kilometres from the Admiralty to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery. Take your time to walk a fair share of the length of this street to admire the variety of buildings, squares, churches and shops. I particularly enjoyed this street at the end of the day when all types of musicians found a place on the streets and people sat down on benches to meet up or read a book. Take a detour every once in a while, to explore the area around the various canals that cross Nevsky Prospekt.
6. State Russian Museum
Right across the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood is Mikhailovsky Garden which will take you to the State Russian Museum. If art is your forte, I am sure you will appreciate the collections displayed in this museum. Where the Hermitage offers collections of art from all over the world, the State Russian Museum displays the largest collection of Russian art from the 10th all the way up to the 21st century.
When walking around the city, look around to notice a recurring theme of yellow symmetrical buildings which are built in the neoclassical empire style. The palace which houses the State Russian Museum is a good example hereof, as well as the General Staff building opposite of the Winter Palace. These buildings all came out of the hands of an Italian architect named Carlo Rossi, who left a very recognizable mark on the city.
7. KunstKamera or Museum of Ethnology and Anthropology
Across the Neva from the Admiralty is the Museum of Ethnology and Anthropology. Yup, another museum with yet again a different collection. Also founded by the influential Peter the Great, the museum houses collections of 300 years of natural and human curiosities and rarities as well as collections on native people. Be warned that the collection amongst others includes preserved human and animal foetuses, malformed stillborns and the (publicly) beheaded head of Willem Monks. Next to these curiosities, take some time to also admire the collections dedicated to cultures and traditions of people from all over the world.
The name of the museum is derived from the Dutch word “kunst-kamer”, which translates to art-chamber. A part of the exhibits shown were imported from Amsterdam at the time. Like with many museums in Saint Petersburg, note that the museum is closed on Monday.
8. White Nights
If you are planning to visit Saint Petersburg during winter or early spring, like I did, I am sure you will be delighted with the lack of tourists and long lines to enter famous highlights. The cold drooly weather can make strolling on the streets in this period less appealing though.
This is one of the reasons most people visit the city during the summer months. Of those summer months, the so-called White Nights (Beliye Nochi) are by far the most famous. As a result of its proximity to the arctic circle, the sun in Saint Petersburg during this period never fully sets. The peak of the White Nights is in June, celebrated with various festivals and night-time events. The main event is the Scarlet Sails festival which is generally organised around the 20th of June. If you visit Saint Petersburg during this time, be sure to go out to the embankment of the Neva to watch the fireworks, enjoy the many music concerts and watch the show on the water.
TOP 8 – OFF THE BEATEN PATH
- Anti-café or time-club
- Metro stations
- Parks
- Antiques shop
- Try the local cuisine
- Museum of Soviet Arcade Games
- Nelson’s Court
- Opening of draw bridges
1. Anti-café or time-club
A concept which is well-known in Russia and the former Soviet Union, but not so common in other parts of the world is a so-called anti-café (антикафе). In an anti-café you do not pay for the drinks and snacks you consume, but for the time spent. Saint Petersburg houses several anti-cafés, which are generally very cosy (living room like) rooms in which you can work, play board games and socialise. There is a bar where you can get coffee, tea and some local snacks. If you have the time, check online for events as concerts or poetry nights for an evening well-spent.
The most famous anti-café is Ziferblat, which has branches throughout Russia and beyond. Look for one in your neighbourhood, as there are plenty, ranging from very secret places such as Friends to more public places such as Freedom. I particularly enjoyed the unpolished atmosphere in Ziferburg on the Fontanka River Embankment.
Bust of Lenin at Kirovsky Zavod station 
Crystal pillars at Avtovo station 
A statute of the poet at Pushkinskaya station
2. Metro stations
Although the metro stations in Moscow are more famous, you should not overlook the underground paradises which you can find in Saint Petersburg. Exploring the underground is not only very affordable but also convenient. As you only pay one fee for the entire ride, you can easily get out walk underground and transfer to a different line. Trains leave every couple of minutes so do not be afraid of having to wait a long time for your transfer.
I particularly enjoyed hearing some background information about the various stations from a local guide. I am not a big fan of going on large organised tourist tours in which they tell you a story which you can also find in every travel booklet so I am always looking for a more personal and local experience. In Russia you can find some very good local experiences on AirBnB and Coachsurfing.
Please be careful whilst wearing a backpack in the metro. Make sure your travel companion keeps an eye on the backpack or wear it on the front to avoid pickpocketing.
3. Parks
If you visit Saint Petersburg during the late spring and summer months, be sure to spend some time in the many parks this city has to offer. With over 200 parks, there are plenty of opportunities, ranging from a green Botanical Garden to the popular Catherine the Great park and Summer Garden on Nevsky Prospekt.
If it fits in your itinerary, travel to Peterhof’s Grand Palace. The former residence of the imperial family is as impressive on the inside as it is on the outside, with a large array of gardens to stroll through. The gardens house a whopping 176 fountains. Peterhof is located about an hour west of Saint Petersburg.
4. Antiques shop
Being the cultural capital of Russia, there are ample beautiful no-nonsense art and antique shops in Saint Petersburg. What better souvenir than an original piece from the Soviet era, or even predating the revolution of 1917 when the Russian tsars still ruled Russia.
5. Try the local cuisine
There are many ways to explore the Russian cuisine, with equally different price schemes. From eating the world’s most expensive caviar, to cheap wodka shots… Saint Petersburg provides it all.
Many restaurants offer the opportunity to enjoy some pancakes (blinchiki) with sour cream or caviar, borsch from beets, cabbage and carrots, beef stroganoff, dumplings or other known local delicacies. If you are really interested in getting a true taste of the Russian cuisine, arrange with a local guide to eat with a local family.
If you are in the Nevsky Prospekt area, do not miss out on a traditional Sovjet treat at Pyshechnaya 1958. They serve very tasty doughnut like pastries (pyshki) in a Sovjet-style café (pyshechnaya). Order yourself a plate and some of the coffee with condensed milk served from a large aluminium pot. As napkins were a luxury at the time, the tables are equipped with newspaper-like sheets to eat the doughnuts with.
When you are close to the Rubinshteyna street, go and try one of the unique Russian cocktails at the Orthodox Bar.
Filled bread rolls 
A wide array of caviar
6. Museum of Soviet Arcade Games
Want to release your inner geek? Go to the Museum of Soviet Arcade Games to find a wide array of arcade machines dating back to the Soviet times in an industrial interior. Great way to spend your afternoon to take a break from all the museums.
Did you know that the computer game Tetris was created by a Russian programmer (Alexey Pajitnov) in 1984 before it gained worldwide fame via Ninendo’s game boy in 1989.
7. Nelson’s Court
Nelson’s Court is the creation of artist Nelson Iskandaryan who converted the grey yard into a colourful display of random junk objects. The yard is located on the island north of the Summer Garden and can easily be reached by metro, or by foot.
8. Opening of the draw bridges
From April up to October, the 13 drawbridges that cross the Neva river in Saint Petersburg open at night to allow the big (cargo) ships to pass the city. The concept of draw bridges was actually copied from the many drawbridges that were installed in the Netherlands at the time.
Apart from the events during the White Nights, do not expect a big show around the drawing of the bridges. It is however a special experience to see the movements in the city at night.
You can watch from the embankment but there are also tours which can be booked to watch the process from a boat.
