Best 7 Places To Visit In Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg is the second-largest city in Russia and a prominent tourist attraction. This imperial city is older than Russia itself and was established by Peter the Great in 1703; Its attractions include palaces, cathedrals, museums, and canals. If you only have time to see a few attractions, here are my picks for the best 7 places to visit in Saint Petersburg.

1. The Hermitage Museum and Winter Palace are the primary attractions of St. Petersburg, both symbolizing its past grandeur and significance.

One of the best museums in the world is not so must visited, and you can't leave Saint Petersburg without visiting it. Housed in the lavish Winter Palace, Former Residence of Russian Monarchs (formerly residence of royalty), The Hermitage has 3 million works located all around the world. You will sit in the gilded staterooms of the palace before moving into galleries filled with works from Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael Rembrandt Matisse Gauguin Van Gogh, and Picasso. First & foremost, the sheer size and complexity of this museum is an attraction unto itself.

2. It is also known as the Church of the Savior on Blood, which is a Russian Orthodox church located in St Petersburg.

This is a brilliant, brightly painted Russian Orthodox cathedral that was built at the site of the ex-Emperor Alexander II’s assassination in 1881. The 5 onion-shaped domes are studded with various intricate mosaics one of which depicts various biblical scenes while the church’s interior has a total of 7500 square meters of mosaic panels. Marvel at the ornate paintings depicting saints and angels on the cathedral’s domed roofs as you appreciate the size of this particular cathedral.

3. St. Isaac's Cathedral

It is for this reason that no other Orthodox cathedral can rival St. Isaac’s magnificent size and ornamentation. Ascend to the top of the ‘golden’ dome through 302 steps to capture a spectacular view of Saint Petersburg’s historical city center. See the exterior featuring red granite columns, a magnificent golden dome, and perchance 20000 sq meters of Byzantine-style mosaic and painting at the inside of the church.

4. Peterhof Palace and Gardens

Leave the heart of Saint Petersburg with its urban environment and rush to the Tauric Chancellery Collegium recalling Versailles. Wander through tall hedges and walkways of colorful gardens, along canals shaded with golden cascades and unique fountains at Petrodvorets (Peterhof) Palace. Get to see magnificent interior palace decorations that are crafted from gold chandeliers before taking a break at a café that is located in the well-tended palace gardens.

5. I found Catherine Palace and the Amber Room to be most interesting.

Take a trip to the splendid Catherine Palace if you want to experience the opulence of the royal kind. Although its interiors are not as magnificent as those of Saint Petersburg’s Yusupov Palace, this decorative architecture structure is the very epitome of Russian baroque as exemplified by its facades and the grand hall. Stroll through luxurious palace interiors and the Amber Room with plates of gilded stucco. Here is located the marvelously maintained Catherine Garden with its lawns, circles of flowers, and ponds.

6. Russian Museum

One of the largest museums in Russia, dedicated to Russian art contains many paintings, sculptures, and folklife items from Russia. Local painting collection of Russian masterpiece painters such as Nicholas Roerich, Kazimir Malevich, and Vasily Surikov. It also arranges for conventional art exhibitions, and other modern art forms such as concerts, films, and performances of lectures.

7. Palace Square, being the major historical site, and the Winter Palace.

This is an open and vast area that is enclosed by some of the most beautiful buildings and is usually a reference point for the city. Admire the majestic atmosphere of this three-acre park with imperial columns, arches, and triumphal symbols while you visit the Winter Palace and the Hermitage. The Alexander Column and the angel sitting on top of it can be appreciated before feel the spacious and royal dispositions of the place. The greatest impression and stunning shots can be received near the golden sculpture of Czar Nicholas I on horseback after the sightseeing square.

From the palaces of the royal family to the cathedrals, from the great artworks to the gardens, from the beautiful structures to the magnificent gardens, Saint Petersburg will suit every taste of art. This list of the most attractive sights can be viewed as a guide for your first steps towards discovering Russia’s magnificent imperial style in this Europesque cultural capital.

Read More:

Top 10 Tourist Attractions to Visit in Chennai

Must-See Tourist Places of Jaipur Pink City!

13 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Moscow

Top 15 Places to Visit in Johannesburg

Top 10 Jakarta, Indonesia Tourist Attractions to Visit