Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg, Russia

The Winter Palace and the Neva River at golden hour in Saint Petersburg.

Go for the palaces, canals and long white-night summer evenings, and be ready for crowds at the big museums.

The place

Saint Petersburg sits where the Neva River flows into the Gulf of Finland, close to the eastern end of the Baltic Sea. With about 5.7 million people it is Russia's second city after Moscow, and it is governed as a federal city in its own right. It stands only about 3 metres above sea level, so the rivers and canals run close to street level, and the city feels low and open in a way few European capitals do.

The historic centre is compact enough to walk over a few days, although the avenues are wider and longer than they look on a map. Canals cut across the grid, so you cross bridges constantly, and many of the bridges lift to let ships pass. The grandest buildings are palaces and churches painted in pale yellow, green and blue, with white columns and gilded domes. Many now hold museums, and the Winter Palace, home to the Hermitage, is the obvious starting point for most visitors.

Summer brings long light and busy embankments, especially in June when the nights barely darken. Winter is short on daylight and bitterly cold, but the museums are quieter and the interiors feel warm. Late April and October offer mild weather and more space at the big sights.

Its story

Saint Petersburg began as a deliberate project. Tsar Peter the Great founded it in 1703 on the site of a Swedish fortress he had captured during the Great Northern War, and he named it after the apostle Saint Peter. The Neva delta had been thinly settled before that, by Finnic peoples and by Swedish-era colonists, and Peter wanted a Baltic port that could trade with the rest of Europe. The existing main port at Arkhangelsk, on the White Sea, closed to shipping through the winter, which made it a poor choice for that ambition.

The city grew quickly around the fortress, the shipyards and a grid of canals, built with labour levied across the empire and with craftsmen brought from abroad. Over the following decades it became the seat of the court and the centre of imperial government, and the Winter Palace served as the Romanovs' winter residence. Architects from Italy, France and Germany, among others, shaped its classical plan and its palaces.

The capital was not always here. Power moved back to Moscow for a period in the early decades of the century, and after the revolution the government moved there for good. Under Soviet rule the city was renamed Petrograd and then Leningrad, and it became a major centre of industry and the arts. It endured a long siege in the Second World War, and after the Soviet Union dissolved it took back the name Saint Petersburg.

What to see

Culture

Saint Petersburg has many museums, and a large number of them are in former palaces and private houses that once belonged to writers, composers and painters. The apartments of Pushkin, Dostoyevsky and Akhmatova are open to visitors, and the city's literary and musical life is taken seriously. Russian is the everyday language, so a few polite phrases go a long way, and many people in the centre speak some English. Hospitality is often more reserved on first meeting than it becomes later, so a friendly greeting and a smile are appreciated in shops and museums. Public transport and the metro are busy, so keep bags close and move aside for people getting off. Orthodox churches still hold services, and people pray in them, so keep your voice low and do not wander into the area in front of the iconostasis during a service. Dress modestly and cover your shoulders and head when entering a working church, and ask before photographing anyone inside one.

What to wear

Traditional Russian dress has its roots in peasant clothing. Women's festive wear included the sarafan, a sleeveless dress worn over a linen blouse, and the kokoshnik, a decorated headdress often covered in embroidery or beads. Linen, wool and silk were common, with brightly coloured embroidery in red, blue and white, and fur trim in the colder months. At the imperial court, dress followed European fashion, and the grand balls of the Romanov era featured silk, brocade and jewelled ornaments. Those styles are now seen at museums and in period displays rather than on the street.

Day to day, Saint Petersburg dresses well. People wear dark coats, leather boots, jeans and knitwear through the cold months, and a sleek, understated look is common. Black, grey and navy are everywhere. Trainers and smart shoes are both normal in the centre.

For a visit, dress in warm layers and a waterproof outer jacket, since the weather changes quickly off the Gulf of Finland. Bring comfortable shoes with good grip for cobbled streets, bridges and long museum days. Cover your shoulders and knees when entering an Orthodox church, and carry a light scarf to use as a head covering.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. June to August brings long daylight and warm days, with June's white nights the brightest feature of the year. Late April is mild and quieter, while July and August, the hottest and wettest months, bring the most rain. Winter is dark and cold but the museums are calm and the interiors warm.

How long. 3–4

Getting there. Fly into Pulkovo Airport, then take the express bus 39E to Moskovskaya metro station, which connects to the metro for the centre. A Yandex taxi from the arrivals desk is the simplest option for the centre. Long-distance trains arrive at the main stations in the city centre.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources