Loading...

St. Petersburg

TRAVEL GUIDE

St. Petersburg

TRAVEL GUIDE

Commissioned by Tsar Peter the Great (1672–1725) as "a window looking into Europe," St. Petersburg is a planned city whose elegance is reminiscent of Europe's most alluring capitals. Little wonder it's the darling of fashion photographers and travel essayists today: built on more than a hundred islands in the Neva Delta linked by canals and arched bridges, it was called the "Venice of the North" by Goethe, and its stately embankments are reminiscent of those in Paris. A city of golden spires and gilded domes, of pastel palaces and candlelit cathedrals, this city conceived by a visionary emperor is filled with pleasures and tantalizing treasures.

With its strict geometric lines and perfectly planned architecture, so unlike the Russian cities that came before it, St. Petersburg is a... Read More

Commissioned by Tsar Peter the Great (1672–1725) as "a window looking into Europe," St. Petersburg is a planned city whose elegance is reminiscent of Europe's most alluring capitals. Little wonder it's the darling of fashion photographers and travel essayists today: built on more than a hundred islands in the Neva Delta linked by canals and arched bridges, it was called the "Venice of the North" by Goethe, and its stately embankments are reminiscent of those in Paris. A city of golden spires and gilded domes, of pastel palaces and candlelit cathedrals, this city conceived by a visionary emperor is filled with pleasures and tantalizing treasures.

With its strict geometric lines and perfectly planned architecture, so unlike the Russian cities that came before it, St. Petersburg is almost too European to be Russian. And yet it's too Russian to be European. The city is a powerful combination of both East and West, springing from the will and passion of its founder to guide a resistant Russia into the greater fold of Europe, and consequently into the mainstream of history. That he accomplished, and more.

With a population of nearly 5 million, St. Petersburg is the fourth largest city in Europe after Paris, Moscow, and London. Without as many of the fashionably modern buildings that a business center like Moscow acquires, the city has managed to preserve much more of its history. Here, you can imagine yourself back in the time of the tsars and Dostoyevsky. Although it's a close race, it's safe to say that most visitors prefer St. Petersburg's culture, history, and beauty to Moscow's glamour and power.

That said, St. Petersburg has begun to play a more active role in politics in recent years, as if it were the country's northern capital. It may be because of the affection the city holds in the heart of the country's political elite, many of whom are natives of the city. New high-speed trains now travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg, a new international airport and metro stations have just opened, and some crumbling parts of the city are undergoing reconstruction. St. Petersburg revels in its historic beauty but also embraces the new.

Recommended Fodor’s Video

Neighborhoods

The Admiralteisky is the area just west of the City Center. At its center is the famous golden-yellow Admiralteistvo, or Admiralty building
See More
The best place to get acquainted with St. Petersburg is the elegant ploshchad Dvortsovaya, or Palace Square. Its scale alone can hardly fail
See More
This region lies to the northeast of Vladimirskaya and includes the Smolny cathedral. The Kirov Islands (north of the city), the Southern Suburbs
See More
St. Petersburg was born in the battles of the Northern Wars with Sweden, and it was in this area, on Hare Island (Zayachy Ostrov), that it all
See More

Hotels

Fodor's Choice
Fodor's Choice
Fodor's Choice
Fodor's Choice
Fodor's Choice

Quickly find St. Petersburg Hotels and compare prices.

Powered by Clicktripz

Find the perfect tours and activities in St. Petersburg.

Powered by GetYourGuide

Language

Russian

Nearby Airports

LED

Electrical Outlets

220v/50 cycles; electrical plugs have two round prongs

Currency

Russian Ruble

Local Weather

{{monthAverage.f_high}}° {{monthAverage.c_high}}° {{monthAverage.f_low}}° {{monthAverage.c_low}}°
{{monthAverage.month}}
Historic Weather: Powered by Dark Sky
Weather info provided is using averaged daily data within the given month of the previous year.

Language

Russian

Electrical Outlets

220v/50 cycles; electrical plugs have two round prongs

Currency

Russian Ruble

Nearby Airports

LED

Local Weather

{{monthAverage.f_high}}° {{monthAverage.c_high}}° {{monthAverage.f_low}}° {{monthAverage.c_low}}°
{{monthAverage.month}}
Historic Weather: Powered by Dark Sky
Weather info provided is using averaged daily data within the given month of the previous year.

St. Petersburg's weather is the most pleasant from early May through August. May ushers in the White Nights, when night brings only a couple...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in St. Petersburg with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All

Local Weather

{{monthAverage.f_high}}° {{monthAverage.c_high}}° {{monthAverage.f_low}}° {{monthAverage.c_low}}°
{{monthAverage.month}}
Historic Weather: Powered by Dark Sky
Weather info provided is using averaged daily data within the given month of the previous year.

St. Petersburg's weather is the most pleasant from early May through August. May ushers in the White Nights, when night brings only a couple...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in St. Petersburg with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All

Local Weather

{{monthAverage.f_high}}° {{monthAverage.c_high}}° {{monthAverage.f_low}}° {{monthAverage.c_low}}°
{{monthAverage.month}}
Historic Weather: Powered by Dark Sky
Weather info provided is using averaged daily data within the given month of the previous year.

St. Petersburg's weather is the most pleasant from early May through August. May ushers in the White Nights, when night brings only a couple...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in St. Petersburg with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All