Location: St. Petersburg
Top Things to do in St. Petersburg
Top Restaurants in St. Petersburg
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What to do and see in St. Petersburg, Northwestern District: The Best Things to do Good for a Rainy Day
The second largest city in Russia, St. Petersburg is the country’s cultural heart. View splendid architectural gems like the Winter Palace and the Kazan Cathedral, and give yourself plenty of time to browse the world-renowned art collection of the Hermitage. Sprawling across the Neva River delta, St. Petersburg offers enough art, nightlife, fine dining and cultural destinations for many repeat visits.
Restaurants in St. Petersburg
1. Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 21,605 reviews
Built to memorialize Alexander II following his assassination in 1881, this magnificent church with Italian pink marble floors and numerous mosaics was modeled after 16th and 17th century churches, contrasting sharply with the prevailing architectural styles.
Reviewed By EileenMtShasta - Mount Shasta, United States
We went with Alla Tours while on a 24-hour stopover on our Norwegian Getaway Baltic cruise in August 2019. It was so crowded that we could hardly walk around! But, so gorgeously decorated inside, floor to ceiling filled with paintings, carvings, and very colorful mosaics! It is not a working church but just a tourist site.
2. The Naval Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Kronstadt
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,680 reviews
Reviewed By kazaNina2015 - St. Petersburg, Russia
Kronstadt is rarely visited by tourists ( unfortunately) as it’s a significant part of Russian history and perfect place to feel local atmosphere especially in summer , recommended
3. Chapel of St. Xenia of St. Petersburg
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 454 reviews
Reviewed By Marie-na4515
The Church if canonized St. Xenia is superb. The cemetery visitors and people with prayer that come here makes this a great place to visit.
4. Monastery of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Maritime Men's Deserts
5. Museum of Lighthouse Service
6. The State Hermitage Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 26,562 reviews
One of the most famous art museums in the world, this museum is housed in the Winter Palace, and contains over 2.7 million exhibits including some of the world's greatest works of art.
Reviewed By MKSSA - Chantilly, United States
All it takes is a look outside the Winter Palace and you're hooked. What lovely buildings there are in St. Petersburg, and this one is enchanting. We were on a tour so saw the highlights of the museum. That's probably the best way to go, as the museum is large and can be overwhelming. Though the Hermitage is a famous art gallery, I was really there for the Winter Palace, with its gorgeous, luxurious interiors and history of Peter the Great and his family. It is truly beautiful. Be aware this place is packed with people. Arrive early in the day just before it opens.
7. The State Museum St. Isaac’s Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10,275 reviews
This gold-domed, ornate, 19th-century cathedral is the third largest domed cathedral in the world, and offers visitors a 300-step climb to a spectacular view of the city.
Reviewed By Saint-Petersburg2019
To see the St.Isaac's cathedral for visitors of Saint-Petersburg, especially for foreigners, is a must to my opinion. Not only it gives impression of the architecture of the 19th century, it allows to trace the historical development of Russia over the years of the cathedral existence. The construction of such a huge edifice (the fourth cathedral in the honour of St. Isaac) is a miracle by itself since it is difficult even to imagine how such monolith columns and granite rocks could have been installed with the help of only simplest devices (like blocks, etc) which existed in the days of the cathedral construction. History of the cathedral bearing traces of the II World war on its walls and columns is a special page worth being acquainted with. Those who would like to learn more about Russian Orthodox church and see the clergy representatives in their luxurious clothes in a meter's distance could visit the cathedral during the service at 4:00 p.m. which is a special impressive event to watch. Finally the cathedral gives a unique chance to see the city from the birds flight height, from the colonnade. It is a fascinating magnificent view to admire and take photos. Since several years this has become possible for people in a wheel-chair too. I brought my friends from the USA for an excursion to the cathedral a year ago, and they are still under a vivid and unforgettable impression. So if one has enough time being in our city I would strongly recommend to come and explore the St.-Isaac's cathedral, either on his/her own, or within the tourist group.
8. Catherine Palace and Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8,614 reviews
Filled with 18th-century paintings and ornate rooms, this white and gold palace is surrounded by a 1400-acre park complete with fountains, bridges, the Agate Pavilion bathhouse and the Great Pond. The Palace also has a famous Amber Room, stolen by Nazi troops during WWII, but now recreated by Russian craftsmen.
Reviewed By Margo7850p
The Catherine Palace is named after Catherine I, the wife of Peter the Great. Originally a modest two-storey building commissioned by Peter for Catherine in 1717, the Catherine Palace owes its awesome grandeur to their daughter, Empress Elizabeth, who chose Tsarskoye Selo as her chief summer residence. Starting in 1743, the building was reconstructed by four different architects. The building was to be built to compete with Versailles. The resultant palace, completed in 1756, is nearly 1km in circumference, with elaborately decorated blue-and-white facades featuring gilded atlantes. The interiors of the Catherine Palace are no less spectacular. Another place worth seeing. A beautiful palace and park complex.
9. State Russian Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,219 reviews
Countless masterpieces, ranging from 12th-century icons to 20th-century paintings, are displayed at this important art museum housed in the splendid and historically significant Mikhailovsky Palace.
Reviewed By 844JohnM844 - Houston, United States
This Art Museum is a manageable Art Museum Dedicated to Russian Classical Art. Everyone wants to go to the Hermitage - which is a meandering museum which really takes three days, otherwise it is a whirlwind trot trying to keep up with the tour guide. On the other hand this museum is very well laid out and affords the visitor a true Russian experience. You can take in the whole museum in several hours at a manageable pace. It is housed in a beautiful palace, that is much more pleasing than the Hermitage. It has cafes and restrooms which are easily accessible. (Hint, any cultural event that you want to experience in Russia at leisure should occur in the morning. About 11 am the international tour buses begin showing up. We got there at 10 am and there was no wait. When we left at 1 pm the line was so long that they were admitting people in groups of 30 an estimated wait time of 30 - 45 minutes. This is going to be true for any of the major Russian museums or cultural events. Get there in the morning. Tour guides like there groups to have leisurely breakfast, ;have to get them loaded on the bus and then make it through the streets of St. Petersburg and they all get there about the same time)
10. Kazan Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,143 reviews
Built in the early 1800s to duplicate the Vatican's Basilica of St. Peter, this huge cathedral served as a monument to Russia's victory over Napoleon in the War of 1812 and today houses the Museum of Religion.
Reviewed By Pranavito - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
It is a lovely, imposing structure from the outside, but a bit bare and not decorative from the interior but I guess the comparison with the Cathedral of the Spilt Blood is unfair. Kazan is an active church, you could see a line of people waiting to kiss one of the icons and many of them sitting around in prayer and lighting candles. The ambience is spiritual and surely worth a visit, to get a peek into the daily life of ordinary Russians.
