Peter the Great’s “window to Europe” dazzles with Baroque palaces, onion-domed churches, and mirror-bright canals. Founded in 1703, Saint Petersburg spent two centuries as Russia’s imperial capital, attracting architects from Italy and France who left behind a city made for promenades and grand art. Today, its museums and theaters rival any in Europe, while everyday life still flows along the broad Neva and under filigreed bridges.

Fun fact: the sun barely sets during the White Nights (late May–early July), turning the city into a silver-lit stage for late boat rides and spontaneous concerts. In winter, the romance shifts to frosted embankments, cozy cafés, and museum days with no crowds. Either way, you’ll find soulful cooking, excellent bakeries, and one of the world’s great ballet and opera scenes.

Practical notes: many visitors now connect via hubs like Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, Belgrade, Abu Dhabi, or Yerevan. Foreign Visa/Mastercard/Amex often don’t work in Russia; bring ample cash and confirm your payment options with your hotel or host. Check current entry rules—many nationalities are eligible for an e‑visa—and verify museum closure days when planning your route.

Saint Petersburg

Painted in pastels and trimmed with gilding, Saint Petersburg is a living gallery where the Hermitage’s treasures spill into the streets: arcaded palaces on Palace Embankment, the needle of the Admiralty, and the soaring dome of St. Isaac’s. By day, explore imperial salons and Fabergé splendor; by night, glide under drawbridges on a canal cruise or settle into a velvet seat at the Mariinsky.

Highlights include the Winter Palace, Palace Square, Peter and Paul Fortress, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood’s jewel-box mosaics, and the Amber Room at Catherine Palace in Pushkin. Don’t miss New Holland Island’s creative scene or a stroll down Rubinstein Street—Saint Petersburg’s answer to a lively tapas lane, but with pelmeni, kvass, and excellent wine bars.

• Top sights: State Hermitage Museum, Russian Museum, St. Isaac’s Cathedral (dome climb), Peterhof Lower Park, Catherine Palace (Amber Room), Mariinsky Theatre, Fabergé Museum, canal cruise.
• Where to stay: For first-timers, base near Nevsky Prospekt, Palace Square, or St. Isaac’s Square for easy walks to major sights. Browse stays on VRBO or compare hotels on Hotels.com.
• Getting there: Look for connected flights (often via IST/DXB/BEG/DOH/AUH/EVN). Search fares on Omio or Kiwi.com. From Moscow, the Sapsan high-speed train takes ~3h45–4h; typical seats run ~3,000–8,000 RUB—see options on Omio Trains.

Day 1: Arrival, Nevsky Prospekt, and Canals at Dusk

Morning: In transit.

Afternoon: Arrive at Pulkovo (LED) and transfer 45–60 minutes to the center by taxi or bus + metro. Check in near St. Isaac’s or Palace Square—browse options on Hotels.com or VRBO. Stretch your legs on Nevsky Prospekt: step into Kazan Cathedral’s sweeping colonnade, then pop into Dom Knigi (the art nouveau Singer House) for a quick peek at its stained-glass stairways.

Evening: Take a 60–90 minute canal cruise from the Moika/Fontanka embankments (about 1,200–1,800 RUB; May–Oct has the best schedules). As the lights flicker on, bridges and palaces reflect in the water—this is the city’s postcard moment. Dinner near St. Isaac’s: try Teplo for home-style Russian classics (borsch, chicken cutlets, berry mors) or Severyanin near the Griboedov Canal for northern recipes like venison pelmeni and rye bread with mushroom spreads. Nightcap on Rubinstein Street: Craft Brew Cafe pours local ales and ciders; cocktail aficionados should try to snag a reservation at the renowned El Copitas (intimate, agave-forward menu, seasonal ingredients).

Day 2: Hermitage to Mariinsky—Art, Icons, and a Grand Performance

Morning: Fuel up at Bushe bakery (ubiquitous, excellent coffee and sourdough) or Du Nord 1834 (old-school patisserie; éclairs and flaky croissants). Spend the morning at the State Hermitage Museum: start in the Winter Palace for imperial chambers and Rembrandt halls, then cross to the General Staff Building for Impressionists and Moderns (Monet, Matisse, Picasso). Expect 3–4 hours; lines can be long, so arrive at opening.

Afternoon: Lunch on pies at Stolle (try salmon or cabbage, sliced to order) or grab light plates at BONCH Coffee & Kitchen near the canals. Visit the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood to see one of the world’s largest mosaic collections shimmering floor-to-dome. Stroll Mikhailovsky Garden and, if time allows, step into the Russian Museum’s Mikhailovsky Palace for a guided arc through centuries of Russian art (Repin, Levitan, Malevich).

Evening: If you can, book ballet or opera at the Mariinsky Theatre (typical tickets ~1,500–8,000 RUB; check repertoire weeks ahead). Dine before the show: Mansarda, a stylish rooftop with dramatic views of St. Isaac’s dome, serves modern Russian and grill favorites; or opt for Khachapuri i Vino for comforting Georgian classics (suluguni-filled khachapuri, mtsvadi skewers) and aromatic Saperavi wines. After the curtain, stroll across Theater Square for a quiet look at the illuminated facades.

Day 3: Peterhof Fountains and New Holland Island

Morning: Day trip to Peterhof (Petrodvorets). In summer (May–Oct), hydrofoils depart from the Admiralty/Palace Embankment; the ride takes ~35–45 minutes and costs roughly 1,700–2,200 RUB round trip. Off-season, take a suburban train or bus (~60–75 minutes). Start at the Lower Park: alleys of gilded fountains culminate in the Samson cascade; the Grand Palace shows off gilded halls and parquet floors.

Afternoon: Grab lunch at a park café (simple soups, pirozhki, salads) or pack a picnic if it’s sunny. Return to the city mid-afternoon and head to New Holland Island—an 18th‑century naval yard reimagined as a leafy urban park with galleries and design shops. Browse the circular Butylka building, then relax on the lawns or by the canal.

Evening: Dinner on or near New Holland: Kuznya House does seasonal Russian dishes with a wood-fired edge; for something casual, look for thin-crust pizzas and street food stands around the island. If you’d like Neva views, book Koryushka by the Peter and Paul Fortress—grilled fish, potato draniki, and northern berries are the specialties. Night owls can sample Saint Petersburg’s cocktail scene—consider returning to Rubinstein Street for wine bars and lively sidewalk tables.

Day 4: Catherine Palace and St. Isaac’s—Final Flourish

Morning: Head to Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo) for Catherine Palace. Take a suburban train from Vitebsky Station to Tsarskoye Selo (~30 minutes) and a short bus/taxi to the palace; or go by taxi (~45–60 minutes). The Amber Room—meticulously reconstructed—glows like honey; plan 2–3 hours with time for the landscaped park and Cameron Gallery. Note: the palace is popular and often uses timed entries; check closure days and arrive early.

Afternoon: Return to the center for a quick lunch: Pelmeniya offers a tour of dumplings (Siberian pelmeni, Georgian khinkali, cherry vareniki). Climb the St. Isaac’s Cathedral colonnade for a 360° panorama—palaces, the spire of Peter and Paul, the wide Neva. If time remains before your departure, the Yusupov Palace on the Moika reveals gilded salons and a small theater—plus exhibits about Rasputin’s final night.

Evening: Departure. Allow ~1–1.5 hours to reach Pulkovo Airport. Search flight options and connections on Omio or Kiwi.com; if you’re continuing by rail, check schedules on Omio Trains.

Where to Stay (Areas + Booking)

For first-time visitors, base near Nevsky Prospekt for walkability, Palace Square for sights, or St. Isaac’s Square for stately views. Canal-facing apartments are particularly atmospheric—watch boats glide by at twilight.

• Hotels: Compare central stays—business-class to historic grand dames—on Hotels.com.
• Apartments: Find canal-view flats or family-size units on VRBO.

Arrival & Transport Tips

• Flights: Connections often route via Istanbul, Dubai, Belgrade, Doha, Abu Dhabi, or Yerevan. Compare on Omio or Kiwi.com; typical Europe–LED journeys run 7–14 hours with a layover, from roughly $300–800 round trip depending on season.
• Trains: Moscow–Saint Petersburg Sapsan high-speed service takes ~3h45–4h and is frequent; expect ~3,000–8,000 RUB. Browse times on Omio Trains.
• Local transport: The metro is efficient; rides are inexpensive with a Podorozhnik card. Taxis and ride-hailing are widely used; plan 45–60 minutes to/from LED.
• Money & connectivity: Foreign bank cards often don’t work; carry cash and confirm payment options with your stay. Some Western apps and sites are restricted—download offline maps and keep museum hours saved.
• Seasonal notes: Hermitage is typically closed Mondays; Russian Museum and Catherine Palace often close on Tuesdays; fountains at Peterhof run roughly May–October. Always verify hours near your dates.

Extra Bites & Coffee (Any Day)

• Breakfast/coffee: Bushe (sourdough, curd cheesecakes, cappuccinos), Du Nord 1834 (Napoleon cake, almond croissants), BONCH (modern café plates, specialty coffee), classic Pyshechnaya on Bolshaya Konyushennaya (hot sugar-dusted doughnuts since the 1950s).
• Lunch ideas: Marketplace (quick, fresh canteen-style), Stolle (savory pies), Pelmeniya (dumplings from across the former empire), Ryba na Dache on Yelagin Island (nostalgic summer-villa vibe, fish cutlets, dill and cucumbers).
• Dinner picks: Teplo (comfort Russian), Severyanin (northern recipes), Mansarda (skyline views), Koryushka (Neva vistas near the Fortress), Khachapuri i Vino (Georgian hits and natural-leaning wines).
• Drinks: El Copitas (reservations advised; inventive agave cocktails), Craft Brew Cafe (local and international taps), wine bars along Rubinstein Street.

Saint Petersburg rewards unhurried wandering—across Palace Bridge at sunset, through the birch-lined parks of Pushkin, and along the quiet canals behind Nevsky Prospekt. Over four days you’ll touch the great canvases of the Hermitage, hear the orchestra swell at the Mariinsky, and taste the city’s warm, hearty kitchen from pelmeni to honey cake.

Come for the palaces; stay for the poetry between them. This 4-day itinerary balances blockbuster sights with neighborhood flavor so you leave with both the big picture and the little details that make the city unforgettable.