Traveling to St. Petersburg

Traveling to St. Petersburg just got so much easier—here’s what to see

Discovering beautiful St. Petersburg has never been easier than it is today: Thanks to a new electronic visa issued on October 1, 2019, you can travel to Russia after just four days of applying for a free visa online and stay for up to eight days. Tempted? Read on to find out how to max out a trip to Russia’s Venice of the North with sightseeing and activities—and where to stay while you’re there.

Highbrow haunts

If there’s one cultural institution to see in your life, then the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg should be it. Get organized before tackling the enormous collection of art on display, home to art world heavyweights the likes of Rembrandt, da Vinci, Michelangelo, Picasso, and Van Gogh (to name a few!). For another highlight, walk just 10 minutes to reach the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood, famous for its dazzling domes and mosaics. In the evening, Mariinsky Theater is where you’ll see spectacular classical performances like The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, before heading back to your spacious stay.

Palace Square

Street culture

St. Petersburg boasts the country’s liveliest nightlife scene, with a hit list of cocktail bars, microbreweries, wine bars, and clubs. Luckily, there is one street that offers it all. Rubinstein Street, or Rubinshteyna, is the city’s most famous bar crawl. If you’re more of a foodie traveler, then St. Petersburg won’t disappoint either, especially considering its huge appreciation for cakes and pastries. Many of the city’s most popular dining hot-spots can also be found on Rubinstein, so it’s definitely worth a visit. And when you’re ready to go home: The Park Inn by Radisson Nevsky St. Petersburg is just a 20-minute walk away.

Canal Amidst Illuminated Buildings In City At Night

Canal cruising

St. Petersburg is affectionately named the Venice of the North for its grandiose canals and over 300 city bridges. If you’re visiting during the summer, then a canal cruise is a great way to get your bearings. Another thing St. Petersburg is famous for is its beautiful drawbridges, which are all the more stunning during the White Nights in June and July, when the sun never fully sets. Watch immense naval ships glide through the water during the early hours with subtle decorative lights giving the city a little time to itself.

Crossing of the Winter Canal and the Moika River in St. Petersburg

Underground treasures

In St. Petersburg, you’ll definitely want to use the subway. As one of the most beautiful subway systems in the world, the opulent décor means that stations could easily pass as lavish palace halls. The first subway line was constructed back in 1955 and is also one of the deepest in the world, and all eight stations on that line are rich in historic significance. If you had to pick one, then “Avtovo” is considered to be one of the most beautiful stations in the world, featuring grand marble columns and a massive mosaic mural.

Avtovo metro station

Escape the city

St. Petersburg has no shortage of unique parks. From the huge Botanical Garden of Peter the Great to Victory Park with its great stone busts, it’s easy to leave the city behind. The park on Yelagin Island has perfected the sense of escapism with its protected natural grounds, known today as the city’s central park of culture and recreation. Not only the top choice for lounging about on a sunny ray, roller skating or picnicking, Yelagin Island also features an array of exhibitions, festivals, concerts, and even a mini-zoo!

Giant water lilies in the Botanical Garden of Komarov Botanical Institute

A feel good stay

No trip is complete without the perfect hotel to rest your head. Between our four Park Inn by Radisson hotels in St. Petersburg, there’s something for everyone. From the super central Park Inn by Radisson Nevsky St. Petersburg on the city’s liveliest street, to the architecturally stunning Pribaltiyskaya property overlooking the Gulf of Finland, to the Park Inn by Radisson Pulkovskaya at Victory Square. And if you’re looking to catch an early flight, our bright and modern airport hotel offers comfort and convenience in one.

Park Inn by Radisson Nevsky, St Petersburg

Park Inn Pribaltiyskaya Facade

Park Inn Hotel Pulkovskaya

What are you waiting for? Start planning your St. Petersburg trip today and snap up a 50-euro Park Inn by Radisson voucher with our Tag2Win Instagram competition.