Top 10 - City Guide by HOROSHO

TOP 10

Genuine treasures of the city

10 most popular places

We have picked the 10 most popular places, the so-called brands of the city for you to see and explore in Saint Petersburg. These are genuine treasures of the city which you have definitely seen many times on photos, souvenirs and heard of from your friends. Travelers who have visited them at least once will return here more and more times in the future to attend current exhibitions and festivals.

The Hermitage Museum

Hermitage is the former residence of the Russian emperors, the biggest museum in Russia, the main point of interest in St. Petersburg. With over three million works of art and treasures housed in six connected buildings along the Neva River, the museum can't fail to impress. The museum's art collection covers all of the greatest European movements. You will also be impressed with the buildings and the different rooms, ornately covered in drapes, luxurious marble, and pops of color.
Address: Palace Square, 2
Public Transport: "Admiralteiskaya" netro station
Opening hours: Tu, We, Sa, Su 10.30 am - 6.00 pm, Th Fr
10.30 am - 9.00 pm
Website | Book a PRIVATE tour | Book a GROUP tour

Peter and Paul Fortress

It is the first-class fortified structure of the XVIII century, one of the main sights in St. Petersburg. Peter and Paul Cathedral, which is located on the territory of the fortress – is one of the main symbols of the city, the necropolis of the Royal Romanov Family. Here you will find the fascinating walking route “Nevskaya Panorama”, the famous prison of the Trubetskoy Bastion, different museums, exhibitions, midday shot from the walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress. There is a great restaurant located on the island out of which you can get a good view onto the city and try the traditional St. Petersburg’s dish – fried European smelt. From a yard located near the restaurant you will have the chance to take a great picture with the Old Saints Petersburg Stock Exchange and Rostral Columns, located on the split of Vasilyevskiy Island, in the background. You could also go for a walk on the sandy beach just outside the walls of the fortress. Every summer this beach becomes a place for the annual sand-sculpting festival, while in winter it hosts the Ice and Snow Sculpture festival.
Address: 3, Petropavlovskaya Fortress
Public Transport: "Gorkovskaya" metro station
Opening hours: 6am - 9 pm, daily
Website | Book a private tour

The Catherine Palace

The Catherine Palace, also known as the Summer Palace at Tsarskoe Selo (Pushkin), is part of a gorgeous complex of parks, guest houses, and the blue-and-gold palace itself. Visitors often feel astounded at how Russia's royalty once lived. Every inch of the Catherine Palace speaks of luxury. The interior of the Catherine Palace is open to visitors... lots of visitors. Peak tourist season may not be the best time to see the Catherine Palace, but even if you must go when crowds are high, this is one of St. Petersburg's most amazing must-see sights.
Address: 7, Sadovaya Street, Pushkin
Public Transport: Bus from "Moskovskaya" metro station
Opening hours: 10 am - 6 pm, day-off - Tuesday & in summer last Monday of the month
Website | Book a private tour

How to get to Pushkin city by public transport

1) From Vitebsky railway terminal or Kupchino railway station of St Petersburg:
Suburban train to Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin) railway station, then bus 371 or 382 or minibus (marshrutka) K-371 or K-377 or K-382, to the Catherine Palace and Park

2) From "Moskovskaya" metro station of St Petersburg:

-Minibus (marshrutka) K-342 or K-545 to the Catherine Palace and Park;

-Or, bus 187, or minibus (marshrutka) K-287 or K-347, to Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin) railway station, then bus 371 or 382, or minibus (marshrutka) K-371 or K-377 or K-382, to the Catherine Palace and Park

Peterhof

It is a former summer residence of Russian Tsars, on which territory a wonderful park with a unique fountain system and outstanding palaces are located. Peterhof became very popular as “the capital of fountains”. Grand Palace is a real masterpiece of the whole ensemble. Visit here will be also interesting for kids because there are a lot of fun fountains, which delight children. Fountains work from the end of April (depending on the weather) until mid-September.
Address: Razvodnaya ul., 2, Peterhof
Opening hours: Upper Garden & Lower Park: daily, 9 am to 6 pm depending on the park. Grand Peterhof Palace: Tuesday to Sunday 10:30 am - 6 pm (ticket office closes an hour before). Visit the museum's website to see the working schedule of other small museums (pavilions)
Website | Book a private tour

How to get to Peterhof by public transport

From "Avtovo" metro station

Minibuses: K-224, K-300, K-424. Municipal buses: №200, №210

From Baltiysky Railway station to New (Noviy) Peterhof station

Take the train to New (Noviy) Peterhof station. Once in Noviy Peterhof, take buses № 356 or №351-A

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

PublicIts beauty is known around the world and this marvelous building is something that simply can’t be missed. Make your way around five domes while documenting it through your lens. The classic Russian Orthodox exterior and interior is decorated with more than 7000 square meters of mosaics and took 24 years to build. The official name is Church of the Resurrection of Christ, but it got its colloquial name from the assassination attempt on Tsar Alexander II in 1881.
Address: 2, Naberezhnaya Kanala Griboedova
Public transport: "Nevsky Prospekt/Gostiny Dvor" metro stations
Opening hours: Daily (except Wednesday) 10.30 am to 6 pm. Last admission is at 5.30 pm. Evening openings May 1 - September 30 from 6 pm to 10.30 pm.
Website | Book a private tour

St. Isaac's Cathedral

Fully restored inside and out, St. Isaac’s is one of the world’s largest and most ornate cathedrals. The interior is adorned with gold trim, mosaics, and paintings. Designed by Auguste de Montferrand and built between 1818 and 1858 the church was named in tribute to Peter the Great who was born on the day of St. Isaac of Dalmatia. If it is a clear day we recommend climbing to the dome’s top; the panoramic view is absolutely worth the effort of climbing 262 steps. One of its parts still functions as a church and a place of worship, however, this does not impact the dress code because it is located in the farthest small part of the cathedral.

Address: Isaakievskaya pl. 4
Public transport: "Admiralteiskaya" metro station
Opening hours: Daily (except Wednesday) 10:30 - 22:30. Closed Wed. Colonnade open daily 10:30 - 22:30.
Website | Book a private tour

Kazan Cathedral

This cathedral, which was modelled on St. Peter's in Rome, is one of the city's most majestic. It was built from 1801 to 1811 to house the miracle-working Icon Our Lady of Kazan. The dome is 80-metres high and the colonnade facing Nevsky has 96 columns. Be warned, it's an active Orthodox church. The cathedral is considered an outstanding monument of Russian architecture, which became a landmark of the beginning of the golden period of Russian architecture.

Address: Kazanskaya pl. 2
Public transport: "Nevskiy prospect" metro station
Opening hours: Daily 06:30 - 20:00.

State Russian Museum

While the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow is undoubtedly the finest collection of Russian art in the world thanks to its beautiful premises and rich collection of 20th-century work, it is matched up to the October Revolution almost painting for painting by the State Russian Museum. Occupying the magnificent Mikhailovsky Palace, the Russian Museum's main collection is a treasury of Russian visual from throughout the ages, with highlights including medieval icons, atmospheric late-19th century genre paintings, and several modernist masterpieces.
Address: Engineering st., 4
Public transport: "Nevskiy prospect" metro station
Opening hours: Monday 10:00 – 20:00, Tuesday Day off,
Wednesday, Friday, Weekend 10:00 – 18:00,
Thursday 13:00 – 21:00
Website | Book a private tour

Yusupov Palace

Yusupov Palace, located on the banks of the Moika River, was home to the monum entally wealthy Yusupov Family and is most famous as the basement where Grigori Rasputin was murdered on 16 December 1916.
The Palace has maintained it’s original aristocratic interior (one of only a few buildings in St Petersburg to do so) – including a full-production Palace Theater that is a third of the size of a traditional theater, perfect for intimate private performances; and a recreation in wax of how the assassination of Rasputin happened.
Address: Moika River Embankment, 94
Public transport: "Admiralteyskaya" metro station
Opening hours: Daily 11:00 – 18:00
Website | Book a private tour

Faberge Museum

The Fabergé Museum in the Shuvalov Palace is home to the world’s largest collection of works by Carl Faberge and was founded to preserve, study, and promote Russia’s cultural heritage. The museum’s collection includes nine of the famous Imperial Easter Eggs which are regarded not only as of the finest jeweled works of art but also unique historical artifacts.
Address: Nab. R. Fontanka, 21
Public transport: "Gostiny Dvor" metro station
Opening hours: Daily 10:00 – 20:30
Website | Book a private tour

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