The best things to do in Saint Petersburg are spread across a flat, walkable centre, a river full of boats and a few places further out. This list has ten entries, chosen for first-time visitors who have a few days and want the main sights without wasting time on queues and wrong turns.
It mixes the big museums and churches with free outdoor places, an evening at the theatre and two ways to see the city from above and from the water. Each entry says where to go, what to look for and which practical fact matters most, so you can build a route by area instead of by guesswork.
At a Glance
| # | Place | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg | Best for a first visit | Palace Square; Admiralteyskaya or Nevsky Prospekt metro; paid; closed Mondays; check the official site, hermitagemuseum.org. |
| 2 | Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Saint Petersburg | Best for mosaics | Griboyedov Canal embankment; Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor metro; paid; closed Wednesdays. |
| 3 | Peter and Paul Fortress, Saint Petersburg | Best for city history | Petrogradskaya metro; the grounds can be walked freely, the cathedral and museums are paid; check the official site for hours. |
| 4 | Saint Isaac's Cathedral, Saint Petersburg | Best for city views | Saint Isaac's Square; Admiralteyskaya metro; paid; closed Wednesdays; check the official site. |
| 5 | Palace Square, Saint Petersburg | Best free introduction | Admiralteyskaya or Nevsky Prospekt metro; free; open all hours. |
| 6 | Nevsky Prospekt, Saint Petersburg | Best for a free walk | Admiralteyskaya, Gostiny Dvor or Mayakovskaya metro; free; open all hours. |
| 7 | Summer Garden, Saint Petersburg | Best for a green break | Gostiny Dvor or Nevsky Prospekt metro; usually free; closed in April for maintenance and on Tuesdays, according to the garden's own site. |
| 8 | Lions' Descent Pier, Saint Petersburg | Best for a boat trip | Admiralteyskaya metro; free to walk down, boats paid; boats run in the navigation season, usually spring to autumn. |
| 9 | Lakhta Center, Saint Petersburg | Best for a high view | North-west of the centre; allow a long ride from the metro; paid; observation deck open daily except Monday; official site lakhta.center. |
| 10 | Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg | Best for an evening out | Theatre Square; Sadovaya or Spasskaya metro, then a walk; paid; check the official site for the programme. |
How We Chose
Entries were chosen from official sources and reliable references, not from personal visits. The aim is a balanced first visit rather than a ranking.
- Currently open: every entry is a well-known place that operates for visitors; closing days and seasons are noted in the practical line and should be checked on the official site before you go.
- Variety: museums, churches, free outdoor places, the water and a view from above.
- Location: most entries lie within the central districts, close to a metro station.
- Sense of place: each entry explains something specific you can see or do, not generic praise.
1. State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg – Best for a first visit
The Hermitage was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and fills the Winter Palace, the former home of the tsars, and several neighbouring buildings along the Palace Embankment. The state rooms, with their gilded halls and grand staircase, are as much the attraction as the paintings.
The collection is enormous, so a first visit can only cover a part of it. Pick two or three galleries in advance and let the palace interiors do the rest.
Good to know: Palace Square; Admiralteyskaya or Nevsky Prospekt metro; paid; closed Mondays; check the official site, hermitagemuseum.org.
Tip: Go in the first hours after opening on a weekday, and start with the rooms you care about most.
2. Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Saint Petersburg – Best for mosaics
The church stands on the canal bank where Alexander II was fatally wounded in 1881, and it was built in the decades that followed in a Russian Revival style, with bright domes and patterned facades. Inside, mosaics cover almost every wall and ceiling.
It works as a memorial museum, not a parish church, and it is one of the most photographed buildings in the city.
Good to know: Griboyedov Canal embankment; Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor metro; paid; closed Wednesdays.
Tip: Photograph the domes from the Mikhailovsky Garden side for the best view of the whole outline.
3. Peter and Paul Fortress, Saint Petersburg – Best for city history
The fortress was founded in 1703 on Hare Island and is where the city began. Its cathedral, with the tall golden spire that is a landmark across the river, holds the tombs of most Russian emperors since Peter the Great.
The grounds are open to walk around, with views of the Neva and the Palace Embankment from the walls. A cannon is fired from one of the bastions every day at noon.
Good to know: Petrogradskaya metro; the grounds can be walked freely, the cathedral and museums are paid; check the official site for hours.
Tip: Cross the Ioannovsky Bridge on foot from the Petrogradskaya side to see the fortress walls rise ahead of you.
4. Saint Isaac's Cathedral, Saint Petersburg – Best for city views
Saint Isaac's was built between 1818 and 1858 to a design by Auguste de Montferrand, and its gilded dome dominates the skyline of the centre. Inside, the walls are lined with marble, malachite and mosaics.
The colonnade around the base of the dome is a separate viewing walkway, with a 360-degree panorama of the Admiralty, the Neva and the rooftops. Visitors pay for the colonnade and the interior separately.
Good to know: Saint Isaac's Square; Admiralteyskaya metro; paid; closed Wednesdays; check the official site.
Tip: Go up the colonnade late in the afternoon on a clear day, when the light falls on the roofs.
5. Palace Square, Saint Petersburg – Best free introduction
This vast square is framed by the green and white Winter Palace on one side and the curved yellow General Staff Building, with its triumphal arch, on the other. In the middle stands the Alexander Column, erected in 1834 and held in place by its own weight.
It is free to enter at any time, and it is where the Hermitage queue, the street musicians and the bus tours meet.
Good to know: Admiralteyskaya or Nevsky Prospekt metro; free; open all hours.
Tip: Walk through the arch of the General Staff Building to see the view of the square open up suddenly.
6. Nevsky Prospekt, Saint Petersburg – Best for a free walk
Nevsky Prospekt is the main avenue of the city, running for about four and a half kilometres from the Admiralty towards the Alexander Nevsky Lavra and Moskovsky Railway Station. Along the way it passes the Kazan Cathedral, the Singer House, Gostiny Dvor and the bridge over the Fontanka with its horse sculptures.
It is a long, straight walk, best done in sections, with cafes and bookshops at almost every block.
Good to know: Admiralteyskaya, Gostiny Dvor or Mayakovskaya metro; free; open all hours.
Tip: Walk on the south side in the morning to catch the sun on the facades.
7. Summer Garden, Saint Petersburg – Best for a green break
Peter the Great founded the Summer Garden in 1704, and it still keeps the formal layout of straight avenues, lime trees and marble statues that he wanted. The statues are covered in wooden boxes for the winter and uncovered when the season starts.
Inside the garden stand the small Summer Palace of Peter the Great and the coffee house. The garden is usually free to enter, but check the official notices for paid days.
Good to know: Gostiny Dvor or Nevsky Prospekt metro; usually free; closed in April for maintenance and on Tuesdays, according to the garden's own site.
Tip: Enter by the gate on the Fontanka side to avoid the busiest path.
8. Lions' Descent Pier, Saint Petersburg – Best for a boat trip
The granite staircase of the Lions' Descent, guarded by two stone lions, was built between 1820 and 1824 to a design by Carlo Rossi. From here, boats go along the Neva and the canals, to Peterhof and, in summer evenings, to see the bridges raised.
The view back at the Admiralty and the Winter Palace from the water is one of the best in the city.
Good to know: Admiralteyskaya metro; free to walk down, boats paid; boats run in the navigation season, usually spring to autumn.
Tip: Compare the route and the pier on the ticket; several piers nearby sound alike.
9. Lakhta Center, Saint Petersburg – Best for a high view
Lakhta Center is the tallest skyscraper in Europe, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland north-west of the centre. Its observation deck, between the 83rd and 86th floors, is the highest in Europe, with a 360-degree view of the city, the Gulf and the bay.
Visits are by guided or audio tour only, and tickets are sold only on the official site.
Good to know: North-west of the centre; allow a long ride from the metro; paid; observation deck open daily except Monday; official site lakhta.center.
Tip: Book for a clear day; the view is the whole point.
10. Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg – Best for an evening out
The Mariinsky is one of the leading opera and ballet houses in Russia, in a pale green building on Theatre Square. Ballet and opera run through most of the year, and the season has fewer performances in high summer.
A good evening here is a very different experience from the daytime museums, with the foyer, the blue and gold auditorium and the audience in evening dress.
Good to know: Theatre Square; Sadovaya or Spasskaya metro, then a walk; paid; check the official site for the programme.
Tip: Book well ahead for ballet; popular performances sell out.
Russia Vibes Tips
- Plan by area: Palace Square, the Hermitage, Saint Isaac's and the Lions' Descent are within a short walk of each other, so group them on one day and keep the fortress and Lakhta Center for another.
- Closing days differ from place to place, so build your route with a flexible order; when one museum is shut, swap in the garden, the fortress grounds or a boat.
- In early summer the nights stay light, so the evening is a good time for a boat trip or a walk along Nevsky Prospekt, but the crowds peak at the same time.
- Metro stations in the centre are deep, with long escalators, so allow a few extra minutes for every journey.
- Take a warm layer in every season; the Neva wind is cold even in summer, especially on the water and on the colonnade.
- Keep one afternoon free for a slow walk, such as the canals around the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood; the best moments are often between the main sights.
Explore Nearby Best Things to Do, Saint Petersburg
Sights near Best Things to Do, Saint Petersburg
Bronze Horseman, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: 20–40 minutesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kazan Cathedral, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: 30–60 minutesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: 3–4 hours for the main buildingMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Cruiser Aurora, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: 1–1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Yusupov Palace, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: 1.5–2 hours for a standard palace route; approximately 2.5–3 hours for a comprehensive visit including the Rasputin exhibition.Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
New Holland Island, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: 1.5–2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Browse more: All Guides · All Guides in Saint Petersburg · All Other · All Saint Petersburg
FAQ
How many days do I need in Saint Petersburg?
Three to four days cover the main sights on this list at a comfortable pace. With two days, choose the Hermitage, Palace Square, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood and a boat trip, and leave Lakhta Center and the theatre for a longer stay.
Which of these sights are free?
Palace Square and Nevsky Prospekt are free at any time, and the Summer Garden is usually free as well. The grounds of the Peter and Paul Fortress can be walked without a ticket. Museums, cathedrals and the Lakhta Center deck are paid; check the official sites.
Do I need to book tickets in advance?
For the Hermitage, popular theatre performances and the Lakhta Center deck, booking ahead is wise, and the Lakhta Center sells tickets only on its official site. For the others, you can usually buy on the day, but check the official site.
Is the Winter Palace separate from the Hermitage?
No. The Winter Palace is the main building of the Hermitage complex. Which neighbouring buildings your ticket covers can change, so check the official site before you buy.
Can I do a boat trip in winter?
Not on the regular excursion boats, which stop when the river freezes. The navigation season runs from spring to autumn, so plan your boat trip for those months.
When is the best time to visit?
Early summer is popular for the light nights, and autumn and spring are quieter. Winter is cold but beautiful, with fewer visitors and some outdoor sights closed. Check the season for the boats and the Summer Garden.
Is a guide necessary?
Not for the free outdoor places. For the Hermitage and the fortress, a guide or an audio tour helps you make sense of the scale, and some sights, such as the Lakhta Center deck, are visited only on a tour.
Can I pay with a foreign bank card?
Whether a foreign card works varies, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict the use of Russian payment services, so check this yourself before you travel. Keep an alternative way of paying for tickets and transport.
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Last updated: October 16, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.
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