Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is the second most important Russian city, after Moscow: the residence of the tsars, it boasts an immense artistic heritage and one of the most important museums in the world. It is a city rich in architectural terms, despite its young age, as well as a recommended destination for those who love art. Over the years, after several wars, it has changed its name, going from Leningrad, to Petrograd, until reaching the current Saint Petersburg.
Cultured, open, lively and refined, Saint Petersburg, the ancient capital of all the Russias, is a kind of dream laid on the mouth of the Neva, the river that, before plunging into the Baltic, flows under its thousand bridges, nourishes the endless network of canals that make it resemble Venice, and offers a unique spectacle when, in early spring, it carries to the sea the immense ice blocks arriving from Lake Ladoga.
A spectacular city in every respect, whose historic center is part of the long list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. It has erased the marks of the Second World War, when then Leningrad resisted the Nazi siege for three years, offering today an immense living room, animated by elegant streets and airy boulevards; by palaces ranging from baroque to Art Nouveau, often bearing the signature of Italian architects. If you don’t know what to do in Saint Petersburg and what to visit, we offer you a brief guide to give you some ideas.
10 things to do and see in Saint Petersburg: places of interest
1 What to see in Saint Petersburg in one day
From museums like the Hermitage, which in terms of the number and level of masterpieces held can easily compete with the Louvre or the Uffizi. From shops, galleries, venues, and restaurants that make it a sought-after and fashionable destination.
A walk along the Nevsky Prospect, the most vibrant and elegant street in the center, allows you to experience so much beauty and wealth firsthand, contributed to by the side streets with their markets, cultural initiatives, boutiques, and shopping arcades. The list of monuments to visit is very long, starting with the Hermitage itself, perhaps the most important museum in the world, initially established by Catherine II, Empress of all the Russias, and then constantly expanded and enriched with works from every era, making it a citadel of art that, according to experts, requires a full six years to visit completely.
Saint Petersburg, what to do and what to visit
Among the many places of interest in Saint Petersburg we propose only a few that you cannot omit from the list “Saint Petersburg, what to visit”.
2 Hermitage and Winter Palace
The Hermitage of Saint Petersburg is one of the most important museums in the world, housing over three million works of art from various historical periods. Originally the residence of the tsars, this building was later transformed into a museum. When visiting the Hermitage, you can view the most important and largest collection of paintings in the world: from Caravaggio to Van Gogh, and even Kandinsky. The Winter Palace, the most famous building in the city and the tsars’ winter residence, is part of the museum complex.
3 Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
You cannot decide what to visit in Saint Petersburg without thinking about the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. This cathedral was built between the late 1800s and the early 1900s right on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in an attack. The Church owes its name precisely to this event. Its onion domes, enamel decorations, and the evocative ceramics and stained glass are marvelous.
4 Nevsky Prospect
Nevsky Prospect: this is the most famous street in all of Russia. The center develops right around this avenue, very busy during the day despite the harsh winter temperatures and the heart of the nightlife of Saint Petersburg.
There are really many things to see in Saint Petersburg. In Saint Petersburg, there are numerous places of interest and it would be impossible to list them all. We recommend using the Saint Petersburg metro for your travel from one area to another, in order to optimize the time and be able to visit as many sites as possible.
5 Places of interest in Saint Petersburg
Apart from the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, which reflects its fantastic dome play in the Neva; the Cathedral of St. Nicholas and that of St. Isaac; the Alexander Column; the Monument to Peter the Great, who founded it in 1703, in Dekabristov Square; the Mariinsky Theatre Palace; the Russian State Museum and the Russian Ethnographic Museum; the Peter and Paul Fortress, and many others.
