St. Petersburg Visitor Guide 2024: Everything you need to know

St Petersburg is a thriving cultural hub located on the Baltic Sea in Russia. Founded by Peter the Great, the port city has a fascinating history. It is a great tribute to the Tsarist era, boasting stunning architecture, impressive museums, and popular tourist attractions like the famous ‘Bronze Horseman’ statue. It’s the perfect introduction to Russia and everything the fabulous country has to offer. Whether you find yourself in St Petersburg alone or with travel buddies, you’re sure to have an excellent experience exploring this dynamic city.

8 Best Ways to Experience St. Petersburg in 2024

Whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth, St. Petersburg is sure to beguile. The Imperial capital of Russia remains one of this vast country’s most beautiful locations, and one of the world’s most enigmatic towns. If you find yourself wanting to discover more of what St. Petersburg has to offer, no one would blame you. And these tour companies can help you get a richer experience of the city.

Best art history tours —ARTeFACTUM Tours

As the former home of the powerful czars of Russia, St. Petersburg is an art lover’s dream. The Hermitage Museum alone is one of the world’s great cultural institutions. But there’s much more to the city’s art history than just the museum. ARTeFACTUM Tours can help you get to grips with more of the city’s artistic treasures. The company offers tours that range from a half day tour to a full-blown four-day Odyssey that will satisfy even the biggest art lover. If you’re a fan of culture and artistic achievement, this is the company you need to call. Contact them at privatetours.spb@gmail.com or 7 981 700-21-91.

Best Segway tour — Happy Way Segway

Segways may not have become the futuristic mode of transport they were once touted to be, but they remain popular in the tourism industry. Intuitive to drive, these two wheeled vehicles let you see more of an area while having fun in the process. Happy Way Segway offers multiple tours, including a night tour and a day tour that will explain more about the city’s history, including its myths and legends. Plus, these vehicles will let you cover more ground without getting tired so you can see areas other tourists may not make it to. Contact Happy Way at info@happyway.spb.ru or 7 960 271-13-21.

Best off the beaten path tour — Best Guides -Tours in St. Petersburg

If you want to see a different side to this major city, this is the company for you. Best Guides has a tour that is devoted to seeing those parts of the city that most tourists never get to see. Additionally, they can help you explore St. Petersburg’s famous winters. If you can handle the cold, the city is at its most beautiful at this time of year. Go for a troika ride and enjoy the city way the old Russian nobility used to. And if you’re traveling with kids, Best Guides also leads a family tour full of games that will keep the kids happy and occupied while you explore the city. Contact Best Guides at info@bestguides-spb.com or 7 921 906-09-67.

Best highlights tour —Tailored Tours of St.Petersburg

This company offers a variety of tours that can help you not only see some of the city’s main attractions but also understand their significance and history. If you’re short on time, they also offer fast passes into some of the city’s top attractions so you can skip the long lines. Tours can be on foot or by car, letting you see more of what the city has to offer. They offer single-day or multi-day tours, so you can really immerse yourself in the attractions of the city. Contact them at timkruglikov@gmail.com or 7 921 741-50-04.

Best Metro tour — Petersburgtrip

In most cities, the subway system is nothing more than a means to get around. However, that’s not necessarily the case in St. Petersburg. This Russian city is home to some of the world’s most beautiful Metro stations, and you can explore them on a tour with Petersburgtrip. Learn about the history and hidden secrets of the city’s metro stations as you travel from one to another on this quirky and fascinating tour. The company also offers a range of different tours, including a private tour that will pre-book some of the city’s top attractions for you so that all you need to do is show up. Contact Petersburgtrip at stpetetrip@gmail.com or 7 921 385-02-50.

Best shore excursions — City Break Tours St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg owes much of its historical significance to its port. To this day, it remains a popular cruise destination. City Break Tours can help you explore the city from the water, whether you arrived by cruise ship or by plane. The company offers boat tours as well as walking and car tours, so you can explore the city in any way you choose. Take a cruise through the port along with the city’s extensive network of canals, or head to shore for a walking tour and explore the top sites of St. Petersburg. Contact them at tours@stpetercitybreak.com or 7 964 333-33-66.

Best night tour – I Love Travel St.Petersburg

St. Petersburg can feel like a different city at night. And given its northern latitude, depending what time of year you visit, nights can be very long or very short. If you want to see the city lit up and at its most atmospheric, this company can help. They offer night tours that will take you to all the most photogenic locations in the city. You can take a walking tour through the illuminated streets at night, or see the lights of the city with a boat tour of the harbor. Additionally, they can make your trip easier by picking you up directly from your hotel or cruise ship to explore the city. Contact them at info@itravelspb.com or 7 812 931-87-27.

Best car tour —Spbmania

If you want to see as much of the city as possible while remaining comfortable, a car tour can make things easier. Spbmania offers car tours of the city that will take you to all the major attractions and help you understand their significance. If you want to stretch your legs, they also offer walking tours. Either way, this company makes it easy to understand more about St. Petersburg. With a wide range of tours based around different interests, they are sure to have something you’ll like. Take your significant other on a romantic tour of the city, or explore the history of Faberge. See the major museums of St. Petersburg, or celebrate the life of Russia’s national poet Pushkin. Whatever you like to do, this company can provide it. Contact them at spbmania@mail.ru or 7 812 960-29-69.

A weekend in St Petersburg

If you only have a weekend in St Petersburg, you’ll want to pack it full of activities. There’s so much to see and do in this city, so pack your walking shoes and get ready to hit the streets. Make the most of every moment by avoiding inconveniences like a late check-in. Instead, store your bags with a luggage storage service in St Petersburg so you can get out in the city as soon as you arrive.

If you’re looking for ideas to fill your itinerary, these are some of the must-do attractions:

• Peterhof - This royal palace is surrounded by stunning gardens that are definitely worth a visit. Located right on the waterfront, you’ll be impressed by the views.
• Saint Hermitage Museum - Saint Hermitage Museum is one of the five largest museums in the world and you will be impressed by the sheer size of its collection. With a range of educational exhibitions and fine art museums, it’s definitely a must-see.
• Winter Palace - Just the name sounds romantic, but wait until you see the actual building! Another great museum with lots of impressive art.

St Petersburg Lockers

St Petersburg is a popular tourist destination so it’s well set up to cater to visitors. One of its convenient facilities is suitcase storage in St Petersburg that offers tourists a place to keep their belongings if faced with an early check-in, late check-out, or some other situation where you don’t have a place to drop your luggage. You can even hire a locker if you’ve indulged in too much retail therapy and don’t want to waste time heading back to your accommodation! Whatever the case, storage services make travel around St Petersburg so much easier. 

Off the beaten path in St Petersburg

Looking to see a different side of St Petersburg? Head away from the main tourist circuit to seek out these hidden gems. We promise it will be worth it!

• Izmailovksy Garden - While this site doesn’t make a lot of must-visit lists, it definitely should. Take a stroll around the place and admire the different ways the city has paid tribute to citizens who survived wars and poverty under the Soviet Union.
• The Poland Garden - Located behind the Catholic Cathedral, this garden is the perfect place for some fresh air. Make sure to find the picturesque bridge for the perfect photo.
• Brusnitsyn Mansion - This extravagant building dates back to 1884. It is worth visiting for its eclectic style and extensive history. 

What to do alone in St Petersburg

St Petersburg is a great destination for solo travelers. It’s relatively safe, has an array of interesting attractions, and there’s also plenty of places to meet people if you are so inclined. Just remember to make the most of local facilities like bag storage in St Petersburg to remove any hassles from your trip.

We’ve put together a list of some attractions that are suited to solo travelers.

• Nevsky Avenue - This well-known street is worth a wander. It’s the main street in the city, offering lots of opportunities for admiring the architecture and doing some people watching.
• Russian Museum - Sometimes visiting a museum on your own is a better way to reflect and engage with the content. You’ll certainly find yourself lost in the exhibitions at the Russian Museum.
• Savior of the Spilled Blood - This church dates back to the 1880s and displays classic orthodox design. Head to the site to admire the colors and traditional architecture. 

The best souvenirs in St Petersburg

There’s no shortage of options when it comes to souvenir shopping in St Petersburg. Find something for yourself or friends back home by strolling down Nevsky Avenue and making stops at any one of the typical souvenir stores. The Matryoshka dolls are a great purchase if you are looking for something cultural. For the food lover in your life, consider Russian caviar or local chocolates. Precious stones and beautiful jewelry can be found at the Exclusive Amber Collection, while the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory has some unique pieces that make perfect mementos.