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.

When to go 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 White Nights. The hotels are full and prices rise. The rest of the year can be considered as the low season, except for the first 10 days of January when Russians celebrate Christmas and New Year with their families. Winter temperatures are far from the Siberian frosts, but the climate in St. Petersburg is still marked by the Baltic humidity. The sidewalks are then transformed into a skating rink or... paddling pool. Close-fitting clothes, a good windbreaker, waterproof shoes... and you are ready to walk around the city under the snow. Here, as elsewhere, there is no climate. The snow sometimes waits and the sun can sulk in summer. A quick look at the local weather forecast can help you avoid disappointment. Petersburgers have a joke that reflects the very changeable climate of the region: "If you do not like the weather today, wait 15 minutes."

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How to go Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)

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How to go alone

You can organize your stay alone. Don't forget to apply for your visa in time. Low cost airlines offer direct flights to Saint Petersburg. You can book your hotel from home, but there is a wide choice on the spot. Going alone is the best option to enjoy the White Nights at your own pace, according to the people you meet. You can also land in Moscow, visit the city for two days and take the high-speed train that connects St. Petersburg in 5 hours.

How to go on a tour

Organized tours are a good option to discover St. Petersburg. Generally, the proposed stays take place over a week. Good timing to see the most important things and to get familiar with 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 metro station!

How to get around

In St. Petersburg the metro is a must. It runs from 6 am to 1 am. The stations in the center are worth a visit for their Stalinist decoration, especially the one in Avtovo. Some of them are very deep because of the water in the basement. You can't see the end of the escalator! They are very spaced out and you will refine your movements thanks to the bus, the streetcar or the trolleybus. In addition, there are boats on the Neva and the canals. You can also take a cab (affordable).



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The so-called "Venice of the North", which was conceived as a much-desired "Window on Europe" by Peter the Great, is a leading cultural destination. The name of the city is a tribute to the founder of the church and the guardian of the keys to paradise who was to open this bridgehead between Russia and Europe. As you travel through its interlacing canals spanned by charming little bridges or along its majestic avenues, you will come across the collections of the Hermitage or the Russian Museum, where you will be delighted by its architectural purity. Culture, alive and well, will be embodied by an unforgettable evening at the Mariinsky. Whether in its "traditional" theatre or at the Mariinsky-2, which redefines the standards of ballet, opera and acoustics in the 21st century.

Pictures and images Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)

Forteresse Pierre-et-Paul, la Porte de la Néva. Stéphan SZEREMETA
Musée russe. Stéphan SZEREMETA
Parade du 9 mai commémorant la Libération de 1945. Author's Image
Distributeur de lait. Author's Image

The 12 keywords Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)

1. Baroque

It may come as a surprise, but Saint Petersburg is one of the capitals of the Baroque style! It owes it in particular to the Italian Rastrelli. He arrived in 1716 (at the age of 16) in the luggage of his father, a sculptor, and spent his whole life there, shaping Russian Baroque. Summer and Winter Palaces, Smolny, Peterhof Palace and Tsarkoye Selo Palace all bear his imprint.

2. Cyrillic

The Russian alphabet can be frightening, yet it only takes 2-3 hours to learn it. Once you have learned the letter P which is an "r", the letter Y which is "or", or the letter C which is "s", you should start to find your Latin. It will then be easy to find your way: in Russian, all the letters are pronounced. Well, almost..

3. Window on Europe

Peter the Great wanted to modernize his country, make it a maritime power and reopen the country to Europe after centuries of living back to back. He conceives the revolutionary project of creating a Western capital. He will choose the site himself on the Gulf of Finland, which he will define in his own words as a "Window on Europe".

4. Mariinsky

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Saint Petersburg is a stronghold of lyric art. It is the history of the whole city which seems to merge with that of Russian opera and ballet, so closely linked are they. A single name is enough to designate its flagship. The Mariinsky has been the leading theatre and performance stage, ballet and opera company since 1783.

5. Capricious weather

Known for its rain and heavy clouds, Piter has more than 70 days of sunshine a year. Highly variable, this is what best defines the local weather! It is not uncommon for snow to fall in late spring, followed by rain and a warm sting in the evening. Therefore, bring warm clothing and an umbrella, even in summer.

6. White Nights

SPB is the northernmost metropolis in the world. This latitude gives rise to a particular phenomenon: from May to early July, the sun does not set because it only disappears at 6° below the horizon. After a long winter, the city is filled with joy. Festivals and streets are never empty and nobody seems to want to go to bed anymore.

7. Palace

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With more than 100 palaces, the city offers a fairy-tale setting reflecting an overwhelming splendour. Summer residence, winter residence, summer or winter garden, ceremonial bedroom, large living room, small living room, Chinese boudoir, Turkish boudoir, bathhouse, music pavilion... Every room, every building is a whim and a wonder.

8. Nevsky Prospect

The backbone of the city, the Nevsky Perspective stretches 4.5 km from the banks of the Neva River to Moscow railway station. Conceived by Peter the Great, this emblematic avenue concentrates shops, banks and the city's cultural and nightlife hotspots. Walking along it is one of the favourite activities of both visitors and locals alike.

9. Piter

Hay from St. Petersburg, Petrograd or Leningrad, for its inhabitants it will always be "Piter". Unless you talk to foreigners, few St. Petersburgers will refer to their city by its official name. They have given it this little name with affection and pride. And from then on, they personify it with tenderness. "Ah, Piter! »

10. Bridges

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There are no less than 342 of them! Simple passages, tripod architecture or richly decorated walkways, they will brighten up your strolls along the canals. Those connecting the main islands open and close at fixed times and every local has the timetables in mind. To be caught in default induces to wait all night before returning to your hotel..

11. Revolution

This is where the story turns. First of all, on January 22nd 1905, when 100,000 workers gathered in front of the Hermitage were shot at by the imperial troops. Then on the night of November 7, 1917 when Lenin had the Winter Palace shot at from the cruiser Aurora. They entered the palace at gunpoint... Bolshevism was on the rise.

12. Romanov

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Piter is the city of the Romanovs. Peter the Great, one of the first czars of the dynasty, created it. All his successors lived there until Nicholas II. Catherine II, an emblematic figure of the city, was a fine politician and a man-eater. She didn't hesitate to have Orlov, her faithful lover, murdered and imprisoned for life..

You are from here, if...

You instinctively call the town by its diminutive name "Piter". This emotive name has been used since the 18th century and is a familiar contraction of the town's name in VO: Sankt-Piter-Burgh.

You take full advantage of the sunny days and absorb every ray to nourish your body with the vitamin D you sorely need. Rain does not frighten you and never changes your plans. In fact, even though you don't set foot in the country and never go to sea, your rubber boots and oilskin are not far away.

For you, Finland and Estonia are not EU countries, but getaways in the Piter region. You often drop in at the weekend for shopping or just to get some fresh air.

You never forget the bridge-raising times, especially at weekends if you are partying on the Vasilievsky or Petrogradskaya islands, which are then totally cut off from the city centre from the middle of the night until the early hours of the morning .

Card Saint-Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург)

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