For the city in Florida, see Saint Petersburg (Florida) Saint Petersburg (Russian: Са́нкт-Петербу́рг Sankt-Peterburg), known as Petrograd (Петроград) in 1914-1924 and Leningrad (Ленинград) in 1924-1991, is the second largest city of Russia, with 5.6 million inhabitants (2021), the fourth most populous city in Europe, the world's northernmost city of at least a million residents, and the former capital of the Russian Empire. Founded in 1703, it is not ancient, but its historical cityscape is remarkably well-preserved.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Saint Petersburg was built by Peter the Great in 1703 on the Neva River, on the land he had just conquered from the Swedish Empire, outside the area then populated by the Russian people. Pre-planned almost from the very beginning, the city, called by Peter "my window on Europe", was designed to look European rather than Russian, was designed by many European architects. As the capital of the Russian Empire from the early 18th century to the early 20th century, the city grew steadily, saw many crucial events of the Russian history, and was a major cultural center.
Except during the winter, the 9 low bridges in St. Petersburg are drawn during the night to allow for the passage of boat traffic. Therefore, if you don't make it to the side of the river where you are staying before the bridges are drawn and there are no high bridges to cross, you will be stuck until the bridges are lowered. There are "breaks" when some of the bridges are lowered in the middle of the night for approximately 30 minutes to briefly allow everyone to get home. The bridge schedule is particularly noteworthy for those staying on Vasilyevsky Island, which is unreachable at certain times of the night.
The historic center of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments are UNESCO world heritage, so definitely worth your while. As the center of the Russian world for 200 years of the Romanov Dynasty, the city reaped the rewards of Peter the Great's impossibly grandiose and tyrannical vision, and the Empire's extreme inequality. The wealth of the wealthy in Imperial Russia was almost unfathomably extreme, and led to the extreme opulence of the palaces and ecclesiastical buildings throughout the city center, as well as the suburban palaces at Peterhof, Gatchina, Strelna, Pushkin, and Pavlovsk.
The Telegram Messenger groups InterNational Events, SPb Couchsurfing, Say Yes Saint Petersburg, Train Your Brain, World Language Cafe, Mafia English Events, and English Meetup Saint Petersburg all contain almost daily events for meeting locals or other foreigners, excursions, or practicing languages. No trip to St. Petersburg is complete without seeing an opera or ballet performance. The Mariinsky is perhaps the most well-known institution for opera and ballet, but it is by no means the only theater in the city. Tickets are sold on each theater's website, at each theatre's box office, and throughout the city at kiosks and shops called Teatralnaya Kassa.
Tasty local offerings for street food/fast food include shawarma (шаверма) and pyshki (пышки). Shawarma is a decidedly Saint Petersburg phenomenon (you won't find much of it in other Russian cities), served mostly by Azeris, and is everywhere—in cafes and on the street. Pyshki are Russian doughnuts, wonderful with coffee, and are strongly associated with Saint Petersburg. Russian chain restaurants such as Teremok (Теремок), Kroshka Kartoshka (Крошка Картошка), and Dodo Pizza are common in Saint Petersburg. Булочные Ф. Вольчека is a chain of many bakeries with slices of cake or small tubs of ice cream for under RUB100. For restaurant dining, offerings are diverse.
Bars in Saint Petersburg generally have the best beer selection of any city in Russia. The main Baltika (Балтика) brewery is in Saint Petersburg, although there is political controversy surrounding the beer after the company was effectively seized by the government in 2023. Saint Petersburgers know how to party. There is a wide and excellent selection of great clubs that will satisfy all tourists looking to spend the night out. The city hosts clubs of all music.
As with most other major cities, do not get into altercations with drunks. If traveling at night, it is recommended to stay on the main sidewalks and avoid any dark alleys or yards. Gypsy cabs are not recommended under any circumstances, especially those that linger near bars where expatriates and tourists congregate. The average street policeman cannot speak any foreign language, but if you look like a tourist, you could be a target for bribes. Don't panic! Always ask for a receipt and the names of the officers. Guards at metro stations require random passengers to show carry items and inspect their backpacks.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Jul, Saint Petersburg typically sees ~26°C daytime highs and 10 rainy days.
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