The main Russian port on the Baltic Sea, St. Petersburg was founded on water in 1703 by the will of Emperor Peter the Great, who became a Bronze Rider. Imperial capital for 2 centuries, the city remains the country's cultural centre with flagships such as the Mariinsky Theatre, a temple of opera and dance, the Russian Museum (Orthodox icons, works by Kandinsky...) and the immense Hermitage Museum. Like a northern Venice, bordered by the Neva River and the Obvodny Canal, bathed by the Fontanka and Moika rivers, the centre of St Petersburg is built around the Nevsky Prospekt, a wide and chic shopping avenue, lined with historic monuments. Also a lot of charm and remarkable monuments on Vasilievsky Island. The initial nucleus of the city, Petrograd is home to the famous Peter and Paul Fortress. You can also admire the bulbous and richly decorated church of Saint Sauveur-sur-le-sang versed and that of Saint-Nicolas-des-Marins. Much less lavish is the northern suburb of the Soviet era where the Finnish Railway Station is located. Finally, we must see the district located south of St. Petersburg with its industrial and Stalinist architecture. Great! Great! The Narva Arc de Triomphe, the Chesme church and the Poulkovo observatory are located there. The Soviet authorities had planned to move the city centre south. This was not done. St. Petersburg sumptuous under the snow when the Fontanka freezes, attracts many visitors, in summer, during its Nights blanches. The sun does not set and the celebrations follow the shows.

The must-see places in Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)

Suggested addresses Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)

When to go to Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)?

The high tourist season is from mid-May to the end of August with a peak between mid-June and mid-July, during the Nuits blanches. Hotels are full and prices are rising. The rest of the year can be considered as the low season, with the exception of the first 10 days of January when the Russians celebrate Christmas and New Year with their families. Winter temperatures are far from the Siberian cold, but the climate of St. Petersburg remains marked by the humidity of the Baltic Sea. The sidewalks are then transformed into an ice rink or a.... children's pool. Clothes close to your body, a good windproof jacket, waterproof shoes... and you're ready to walk through the city in the snow. Here as elsewhere there is no more climate. Snow is sometimes slow to come and the sun can sulk in summer. A quick look at the local weather can help avoid disappointments. The people of Petersburg have a joke that reflects the region's very changing climate: "If you don't like today's weather, wait 15 minutes. "»

  • Weather forecast
  • Budget
  • Procedures
  • Health
  • Discovery
Weather at the moment
Weather all year round

The humid continental climate of St. Petersburg, with strong thermal contrasts between winter and summer, makes life difficult for the people of Petersburg. Fortunately, summers are relatively hot with an average temperature of between 15 and 25°C, while in winter the average temperature is between -4 and -8°C, with temperatures felt well below, due in particular to a freezing wind. It snows a lot in winter, it rains a lot the rest of the time..

January
-13°C
-7°C
February
-12°C
-5°C
March
-8°C
0°C
April
0°C
8°C
May
6°C
15°C
June
11°C
20°C
July
13°C
21°C
August
13°C
20°C
Sept.
9°C
15°C
October
4°C
9°C
Nov.
-2°C
2°C
Dec.
-8°C
-3°C
Budget

The monetary unit is the ruble (RUB), subdivided into 100 kopeks. You can change or withdraw euros without any problem. Despite its attractions and success, Piter remains a much more affordable city than Moscow and both the cost of living and the price of the ruble are significantly better for portfolios in euros, Swiss francs or Canadian dollars. Be careful, prices increase during the Nuits blanches.

Procedures

You need a visa to travel to Russia. The visa implies a formal invitation, which will be faxed to you by your hotel or the person who invites you to Moscow. You can also get it from an agency via the Internet. On the basis of this invitation, you will be entitled to a tourist visa for a maximum period of three months. You will also need to provide proof of an insurance contract covering you abroad. The insurance provided by the credit card or contracted when purchasing the flight ticket is sufficient. In the case of an organized trip, we take care of the formalities for you.

Health

Don't worry, St. Petersburg is a healthy city. It is advisable to leave with your up-to-date vaccinations (DT-polio, hepatitis A and B), but it is not mandatory to go through customs. For people who will spend several days in the wild, especially when crossing birch forests, it is advisable to be vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis. Forget about tap water, which is really of poor quality in St. Petersburg. Do as the Russians do, drink sparkling mineral water from the Caucasus mountains or drink tea

How to go to Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)? Our advice & tips

  • Organised trips
  • Going alone
  • Moving around

The package tour is a good option for discovering St. Petersburg. Generally, the proposed stays take place over a week. Good timing to see the most important thing and get to know the city. With this formula, you don't have to worry about your visa and you are sure to see a maximum of things in a minimum of time without wasting time looking for your subway station!

Discover our selection of travel agencies for this destination

You can organize your stay alone. Don't forget to make your visa on time. Low cost airlines offer direct flights to St. Petersburg. You can book your hotel from home, but on site the choice is wide. Going alone is the right option to enjoy the Nuits blanches at your own pace, depending on the encounters. You can also land in Moscow, visit the city for two days and take the high-speed train that links St. Petersburg in 5 hours.

In St. Petersburg, the metro is a must. It operates from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. The stations in the centre are worth a visit for their Stalinist decoration, especially that of Avtovo. Some are very deep because of the water underground. You don't see the end of the escalator! They are very far apart and you will refine your trips thanks to the bus, tramway or trolleybus. In addition, there are the stars on the Neva and the canals. You can also use a (affordable) taxi.




Prepare for your trip Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)

Transportation
Accommodations
Stays
Services / On site

Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург) travel inspiration

7 days
Average budget
  • When to go?
    Printemps, Eté
  • With whom?
    Solo, Couple, Famille, Amis, Groupe
  • Themes :
    Culture / Patrimoine

A cultural getaway to discover the two capitals
Quotatrip
All tours
9 days
Large budget
  • When to go?
    Printemps, Eté
  • With whom?
    Solo, Couple, Famille, Amis, Groupe
  • Themes :
    Culture / Patrimoine

Forerunner of Transsiberian or tsar's last trip

Pictures Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)

Submit pictures

Discover Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)

Practical information
When to travel?

The high tourist season is from mid-May to the end of August with a peak between mid-June and mid-July, during the Nu...
Read more about it

Weather forecast

The humid continental climate of St. Petersburg, with strong thermal contrasts between winter and summer, makes life...
Read more about it

Budget

The monetary unit is the ruble (RUB), subdivided into 100 kopeks. You can change or withdraw euros without any proble...
Read more about it

Formalities

You need a visa to travel to Russia. The visa implies a formal invitation, which will be faxed to you by your hotel o...
Read more about it

Health

Don't worry, St. Petersburg is a healthy city. It is advisable to leave with your up-to-date vaccinations (DT-polio,...
Read more about it

How to travel by yourself?

You can organize your stay alone. Don't forget to make your visa on time. Low cost airlines offer direct flights to S...
Read more about it

How to get organized?

The package tour is a good option for discovering St. Petersburg. Generally, the proposed stays take place over a wee...
Read more about it

Getting around

In St. Petersburg, the metro is a must. It operates from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. The stations in the centre are worth a...
Read more about it

Featured articles Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)

Top 10 des hôtels les plus romantiques du monde

Top 10 of the world's most romantic hotels

Are you looking for the ideal place to spend a tender moment with your half? Valentine's Day is coming up and you want to surprise him/her? Petit Futé offers you its selection of the most romantic hotels in the world...No. 10 - Trezzini Palace hotel - St. PetersburgThis luxurious hotel is located in a historic palace in the old city of St. Petersburg. Its decoration, very "imperial", is typical of the great Russian palaces. A spa is at ...

Read more about it
Les 11 villes russes qui accueillent les matchs de la Coupe du monde de football

The 11 Russian cities that host the World Cup football matches

Every four years, the FIFA World Cup promises to bring great emotions to football fans. Support or not, this competition is also an opportunity to update your knowledge of geography by discovering, this year, the Russian cities that host the matches. With a territory of 17 million km2 spread over two continents, Russia is the largest country in the world. For logistical reasons, it was therefore necessary to choose among its many ...

Read more about it
Les incontournables de Saint-Pétersbourg

St. Petersburg's must-see attractions

Second largest city after Moscow, St. Petersburg is certainly the most beautiful of all Russian cities. Created in the 18th century by Peter the Great, it embodies the imperial spirit of the time, which was later magnified by Elisabeth Petrovna and Catherine II. Palaces, sumptuous buildings, bulbous cathedrals, museums, theatres, statues, colonnades, a magnificent river and so many canals... Everything here is nothing but splendour and ...

Read more about it
More articles
To discover on Petit Futé
Review