10 Best Things to Do in St. Petersburg

Looking for what to do in St. Petersburg? Founded by Peter the Great as a “window to the West,” Russia’s imperial capital is a breathtaking masterpiece of urban planning, artistic ambition, and architectural grandeur. Often hailed as the “Venice of the North” for its graceful network of rivers and canals, the city is a living museum of 18th and 19th-century opulence, where pastel-colored palaces, gold-domed cathedrals, and world-renowned cultural institutions line grand boulevards and elegant embankments. With its rich history as the seat of the tsars, its pivotal role in Russian arts and literature, and its vibrant contemporary energy, St. Petersburg offers a profoundly romantic and intellectually stimulating travel experience unlike any other in Europe.

From exploring the staggering collections of the Hermitage and the fairytale mosaics of its iconic churches to venturing into the magnificent palace complexes in the surrounding countryside and experiencing world-class ballet, a visit here is a journey through layers of history and beauty. To help you discover the very soul of this majestic city, here are the 10 best things to do in St. Petersburg to help you plan the perfect trip.

1. Explore the Hermitage Museum & Winter Palace

The State Hermitage Museum is not merely an art gallery; it is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious museums, a treasure house of human creativity housed within a series of magnificent buildings, the most famous of which is the Winter Palace. This turquoise, white, and gold Baroque masterpiece was the official residence of the Russian tsars. Walking through its grand enfilade of state rooms—the Jordan Staircase, the Malachite Room, the Great Throne Room—is an awe-inspiring experience in itself, a glimpse into the extravagant world of the Romanov dynasty.

The collections are staggering in both scale and quality, encompassing over three million items. You can stand before masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, and Impressionist giants, as well as vast collections of Egyptian antiquities, Classical sculpture, and decorative arts. To fully appreciate the Hermitage requires multiple visits, but even a single day spent wandering its galleries offers an unforgettable immersion into art and imperial history.

2. Visit the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

With its kaleidoscopic onion domes and intricate facade, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (Khram Spasa na Krovi) is St. Petersburg’s most visually striking landmark. Built on the exact spot where Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded in 1881, the church is a memorial in the style of medieval Russian architecture, intentionally contrasting with the city’s predominant Baroque and Neoclassical styles. While the exterior is magnificent, the interior is truly transcendent.

Every square inch of the walls and ceilings is covered with breathtaking mosaics—over 7,500 square meters in total—depicting biblical narratives and ornate patterns with shimmering detail. The craftsmanship and sheer scale of this artistic achievement are overwhelming. This church is not an active place of worship but a museum of mosaic art, allowing visitors to quietly marvel at one of the world’s most unique and beautiful ecclesiastical spaces.

3. Walk along Nevsky Prospekt

Nevsky Prospekt is the vibrant, beating heart of St. Petersburg, a nearly 4.5-kilometer-long avenue that has been the city’s main thoroughfare for centuries. A stroll here is a journey through the city’s social and architectural history. You’ll pass grand landmarks like the Kazan Cathedral with its sweeping colonnade, the elegant Art Nouveau Singer House (now a famous bookstore), and the Anichkov Bridge with its dramatic horse-tamer statues.

The avenue is lined with historic palaces, department stores, theaters, churches, and an endless array of cafes, restaurants, and shops. It is constantly buzzing with life, from street performers and artists to locals and tourists rushing about. Walking its entire length from the Admiralty to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra monastery provides an unparalleled sense of the city’s scale, energy, and layered beauty.

4. Tour Peterhof Palace & Gardens

Located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, Peterhof (Petrodvorets) is Peter the Great’s breathtaking response to Versailles. This immense palace and park complex is a celebration of water, grandeur, and imperial power. The undisputed highlight is the Grand Cascade, a stunning sequence of gilded statues, fountains, and waterfalls that descends from the rear of the Grand Palace to the sea canal. At 11 a.m. sharp, music plays and the fountains are turned on—a spectacular daily ritual.

The Upper and Lower Gardens are dotted with smaller, whimsical palaces like Monplaisir and dozens of surprise fountains. The scale and artistry of the landscaping, combined with the opulent interiors of the Grand Palace, make Peterhof an essential day trip. Arriving via a scenic hydrofoil from the city center adds to the regal experience.

5. Visit Catherine Palace in Pushkin

In the nearby town of Pushkin (formerly Tsarskoye Selo), the Catherine Palace is a Rococo masterpiece of staggering beauty, best known for its legendary Amber Room. The palace’s dazzling light-blue facade stretches for nearly 300 meters. Inside, a procession of lavishly decorated state rooms unfolds, culminating in the Amber Room—an entire chamber painstakingly recreated with wall panels of amber, gold leaf, and mirrors, a project often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”

The surrounding Catherine Park is equally magnificent, blending formal French gardens with picturesque English landscapes, serene ponds, and charming pavilions like the Cameron Gallery. A visit to Catherine Palace offers a more intimate, though no less opulent, counterpart to the grandeur of Peterhof, showcasing the refined tastes of Empress Elizabeth and Catherine the Great.

6. Explore St. Isaac’s Cathedral

Dominating the city’s skyline with its massive gold-plated dome, St. Isaac’s Cathedral is one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in the world and a monumental feat of 19th-century engineering. The interior is a breathtaking display of wealth and artistry, featuring malachite and lapis lazuli columns, intricate mosaics, and magnificent paintings. The scale of the central space beneath the dome is humbling.

For the best views in St. Petersburg, climb the 262 steps to the colonnade encircling the dome’s base. From this open-air perch, you gain a 360-degree panoramic perspective of the city’s historic center, the Neva River, and the distant Gulf of Finland. The cathedral is both a place of worship and a museum, representing the zenith of Imperial Russian architectural ambition.

7. Cruise the Canals & Neva River

p>To see St. Petersburg from its most romantic perspective, you must take to the water. A boat cruise through the city’s canals and along the wide Neva River reveals why it’s called the “Venice of the North.” You’ll glide under elegant bridges, past the pastel-colored facades of palaces, and alongside the formidable granite embankments.

Evening and night cruises are especially magical during the White Nights in summer, when the city is bathed in a soft, twilight glow and its bridges are dramatically illuminated. A cruise offers unique vantage points of landmarks like the Winter Palace, the Peter and Paul Fortress, and the Spit of Vasilievsky Island that are impossible to appreciate fully from land.

8. Visit the Mariinsky Theatre

Attending a performance at the historic Mariinsky Theatre (formerly the Kirov) is a pinnacle of cultural life in St. Petersburg. This world-famous institution has been the home of Russian ballet and opera for over two centuries, premiering masterpieces by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov. The theater itself is a jewel-box of gilt and red velvet, exuding old-world glamour.

Today, the Mariinsky complex has expanded to include the ultramodern Mariinsky II building next door, but the original stage retains its legendary acoustics and atmosphere. Seeing a ballet like Swan Lake or The Nutcracker performed by one of the world’s finest companies in its birthplace is an unforgettable experience that connects you directly to the city’s profound artistic soul.

9. Explore the Peter and Paul Fortress

Founded on Hare Island in 1703, the Peter and Paul Fortress marks the birthplace of St. Petersburg. While initially built for defense, it soon became a political prison and is now a fascinating historical complex. Its centerpiece is the Peter and Paul Cathedral, with its distinctive needle-thin golden spire. Inside lie the ornate tombs of nearly all the Russian tsars and tsarinas, from Peter the Great to the last Romanov family.

You can also explore the former prison cells, walk along the fortress walls for views of the Neva, and visit various smaller museums. At noon, a cannon is fired from the Naryshkin Bastion, a tradition dating back to Peter’s time. The fortress provides a more solemn but crucial counterpoint to the city’s palaces, telling the story of its founding, its power, and its darker chapters.

10. Enjoy St. Petersburg’s cafés, cuisine & elegant nightlife

St. Petersburg’s dining scene reflects its history as an imperial capital open to European influences. Traditional Russian cuisine is a must—try blini (thin pancakes) with caviar, hearty borscht (beet soup), pelmeni (dumplings), and beef stroganoff. The city is also famous for its elegant literary cafés, where writers like Pushkin and Dostoevsky once gathered; visiting places like Literaturnoye Kafe is a step back in time.

For nightlife, explore the trendy bars and restaurants of the New Holland Island development or the vibrant Petrograd Side. From sipping tea in a grand hotel to enjoying contemporary cuisine in a repurposed factory, St. Petersburg offers a sophisticated and varied gastronomic journey that complements its cultural riches perfectly.