Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides sky outdoor Harbor cityscape scene City urban area landmark Town skyline metropolis tower metropolitan area evening tourism tourist attraction town square cloud bird's eye view panorama horizon building several
Jetsetter Guides

Your Ultimate Guide to St. Petersburg, Russia

Russia often isn’t the first destination travelers think of when planning a trip across the pond; but gather all the facts about country’s culture capital—St. Petersburg—and you might reconsider. Peter the Great’s city is a jaw-dropping study in imperial architecture and unmistakable European influence (there are enough bridges and canals to rival Venice). Back from her own trip to the Baltic gem, JS correspondent Chelsea Stuart gives us the low-down on where to eat, sleep, and drink in SPB.

A Brooklyn-based writer and editor, Chelsea's work has appeared in Matador Network, The Huffington Post, the TripAdvisor blog, and more. When not planning her next trip, you'll usually find her drinking way too much iced coffee (always iced—she’s from New England) or bingeing a Netflix original series.

See recent posts by Chelsea Stuart

Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides food dish tableware cuisine platter cut bread recipe vegetarian food slice sliced snack food
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides food plate dish meat fruit full breakfast turkey ham breakfast cold cut recipe galantine pâté brunch fresh
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides plate food dish tableware meal breakfast dessert flavor cuisine dairy product vegetarian food commodity recipe soup
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides table plate food dish meal cuisine wooden vegetarian food breakfast brunch vegetable tableware recipe several
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides indoor table chair interior design restaurant ceiling café coffeehouse Bar area furniture
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides table food piece breakfast sandwich slice dish fast food bun vegetarian food baked goods finger food salmon burger choux pastry slider bread vetkoek danish pastry hamburger veggie burger sliced vegetable
1

EAT

Buterbrodsky Bar

A simultaneous play on the Russian word for sandwich (buterbrod) and an homage to SPB poet Josef Brodsky, Buterbrodsky Bar is one of the most stylish restaurants in the Vasilyevsky Island neighborhood. The intimate café wears shabby-chic well, with plaster walls, exposed brick, antique mirrors, and fireplaces piled high with books. On the menu, you’ll find dainty open-faced sandwiches in the Danish smørrebrød tradition along with typical Russian soups and salads. Don’t miss out on a flight of nastoykas (liqueurs); Buterbrodsky is well-known for its homemade, small-batch fruity spirits.

Social Club

St. Petersburg isn’t hurting for stylish hangouts, and the Social Club is just one venue that proves such. A former Soviet-era kommunalka (communal apartment) on Rubinstein Street—the city’s gastronomic center—the spot is now a chic café, bar, and meeting place with velvet sofas, geometric light fixtures, and Art Nouveau details. On the menu? European-inspired seasonal dishes like pumpkin and citrus bruschetta, cacio e pepe, and duck breast with parsnip cream and prunes.

Geografiya

Another hip addition to Rubinstein Street’s well-developed restaurant scene, Geografiya features an eclectic menu with plates from every corner of the globe. Whether you’re in the mood for tapas, tartars, or Singaporean noodles, they’ve got you covered. Looking to get the party started at dinner? Drop by on Friday or Saturday when a DJ spins from 9 p.m. on.

Katyusha

If you’re looking for the St. Petersburg of the Soviet era—albeit a little kitschier—you’ll find it just off of Nevsky Prospekt, the city’s main thoroughfare. Katyusha is a time capsule of a restaurant, with a menu that is Russian to its core (think herring under a fur coat and rassolnik soup with beef), waitresses in traditional garb, and decor that does its part. Tabletops are adorned with lace doilies, patterned ceramics are hung on the walls, lampshades are silky and tasseled, and post-meal tea is served in a traditional Samovar-style kettle.

Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides Luxury Travel indoor bed window floor room wall hotel Bedroom Suite interior design ceiling real estate window treatment window covering interior designer curtain estate decorated tan
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides Luxury Travel property building classical architecture column estate structure Courtyard palace real estate facade arcade window mansion colonnade furniture
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides Secret Getaways Trip Ideas Winter indoor wall floor room living room window interior design bed frame home Bedroom furniture ceiling bed Living Suite estate window treatment real estate window covering interior designer bedding bed sheet decorated several
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides Luxury Travel ceiling function hall Lobby estate interior design daylighting column hall decorated
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides Luxury Travel indoor floor room Living window living room interior design Suite ceiling furniture home window treatment interior designer flooring Bedroom decorated
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides Luxury Travel wall indoor room Living floor living room ceiling interior design chair home furniture Suite real estate Lobby decorated area several
2

SLEEP

Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg

There’s a lot to love about the Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg, but we’ll start with its prime location on Nevsky Prospekt (the city’s main thoroughfare), within easy walking distance of the State Hermitage Museum, Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, and the shops and restaurants on Rubinstein Street. Throw three 19th-century facades, opulent interiors, and four restaurants and bars into the mix, and it makes for an ideal SPB base. For visiting culture vultures, the hotel also offers an “Art à la Carte” package which includes accommodations and admission to your choice of select institutions like the State Russian Museum and Mariinsky Theatre.

Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg

If you’re looking for the royal treatment, you might consider the Four Seasons. The 19th-century imperial Russian palace has been restored to its 1820s origins, replete with heritage interiors and unrivaled hospitality courtesy of Les Clef d’Or concierges. If you’re really looking to live like a tsar during your time in St. Petersburg, splurge on a residential-style suite with views of Saint Isaac’s Cathedral and Alexandrovsky Garden.

The State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel

This over-the-top hotel may have just opened in 2013, but since its ambitious debut it’s been giving St. Petersburg’s most iconic grand dames a run for their money. Taking cues from its storied partner, the State Hermitage Museum (which is about a mile away), the neoclassical stay introduced a soaring atrium, replica bronze sculptures and canvases, and opulent period interiors worthy of the tsars. In fact, rooms reflect the imperial style of the Winter Palace’s original chambers right down to Greek marble, handmade Italian furnishings, and gilded plaster ceilings.

Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides Travel Tips landmark palace tourist attraction classical architecture facade building metropolis tourism City château plaza
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides Travel Tips outdoor sky tree landmark Town City tourist attraction plaza town square way estate palace stately home tourism evening building facade metropolis mansion cityscape landscape sidewalk stone
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides black and white still life photography light photography darkness monochrome photography macro photography stock photography water flower monochrome plant computer wallpaper
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides outdoor sky building City college mixed use campus real estate facade university estate corporate headquarters tree mansion window government building
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides indoor lighting computer wallpaper space stock photography several
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides sky water outdoor scene waterway landmark Boat City tourist attraction River tourism cityscape Harbor metropolis metropolitan area evening Sea building Canal skyline
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides indoor landmark building theatre ceiling opera house tourist attraction symmetry dome historic site daylighting basilica performing arts center
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides performing arts Entertainment opera dancer dance water theatre ballet phenomenon stage concert dance event scene theatrical scenery choreographer performance reflection darkness choreography musical theatre modern dance computer wallpaper sky performance art line
3

SEE + DO

The State Hermitage Museum

The State Hermitage Museum came from less-than-humble beginnings, having been founded by Empress Catherine the Great in 1764 after she inherited an impressive collection of fine art. Now one of the largest art museums in the world, the emblematic Neva River complex—which includes the Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage, New Hermitage, and Hermitage Theater—houses upwards of three million pieces from Egyptian antiquities to modern Rembrandt and Matisse canvases.

Mariinsky Theatre

The illustrious, imperial-style Mariinsky Theatre has quite a history, having premiered its fair share of Pyotr Tchaikovsky operas and hosted legendary prima ballerinas like Anna Pavlova. Take a seat under the cherub-frescoed ceiling for an opera, ballet, or orchestral concert you won’t soon forget.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood & St. Isaac’s Cathedral

One of the most recognizable and architecturally astounding sights on St. Petersburg’s skyline, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is more than just an IG photo-op. Hugging the Griboedov Canal, the medieval church is a marvel of mosaic icons and ornate domes worthy of an hour or two spent inside. Another Russian Orthodox cathedral, St. Isaacs’s neoclassical design is more traditional with a central dome (plated with pure gold), four smaller domes, and Corinthian columns. Climb the 300 steps to the cathedral’s colonnade and you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the city.

Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art

Discover both established and up-and-coming Russian artists from regions like Perm, Krasnodar, Ufa, Novosibirsk, and more at Erarta, the largest private museum of contemporary art in Russia. Inside the Stalinist-style building, a permanent collection of more 2,800 pieces is displayed and eight experimental “U-Space” installations (rooms meant to elicit emotions) can be booked for private 15-minute sessions. In the “My House—My Fortress?” space, visitors get a sense of what is was like to live in communal Soviet-era flats, while in “Childhood,” a room full of gargantuan furniture makes it easy to reminisce on your younger years.

Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides Luxury Travel floor indoor chair interior design table dining room furniture restaurant
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides table glass Drink cup alcoholic beverage beverage food cocktail martini produce distilled beverage cosmopolitan pink lady alcohol half fruit drink
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides indoor purple floor room Entertainment ceiling interior design function hall restaurant magenta stage music venue disco furniture
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides purple violet light graffiti darkness art dark
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides indoor bottle distilled beverage glass bottle liqueur Drink drinkware alcohol wine light fixture still life photography interior design candelabrum Bar lamp
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides person Entertainment stage crowd scene performance concert group rock concert event nightclub lighting musician fun singing performance art club music venue disco people musical ensemble night midnight performing arts audience rave Music neon darkness light concert band
4

DRINK

Corinthia Lobby Bar

There’s no bad time to nurse a drink at Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg’s lobby bar, but on Friday and Saturday nights, libations are accompanied by live jazz. Pull a chair up to the marble-topped bar for a strong Nevsky Punch, Moscow Mule, or vodka straight up.

Khroniki Bar

You can get a good vodka nearly anywhere in St. Petersburg— Khroniki included—but if you’re doing it right, you’ll go for the spot’s specialty: Leningrad-era wine. Beyond 20th-century spirits, the bar is unmistakably Soviet, with gilded antique chandeliers, white tiled walls, and wooden bar tables (sans stools, of course). You won't find a rowdy crowd here, but it's more than ideal for quiet conversations among friends.

Griboedov Club

Griboedov isn’t a St. Petersburg secret by any means, but the cult club has been a part of the underground scene since it started hosting alt rock gigs in a subterranean bomb shelter in 1996. Today, the divey joint delivers a house party atmosphere with DJs, daily performances by local musicians, and retro Soviet disco nights.

Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides indoor tourist attraction building
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides indoor Architecture interior design home living room window outdoor structure ceiling house decorated arch
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides indoor Living interior design furniture restaurant
Arts + Culture Hotels Jetsetter Guides mirror indoor reflection interior design glass window round
5

GET THERE

Turkish Airlines

Sometimes, flying first class is an unnecessary expense, but if you’re jetting from JFK (or another U.S. hub) to Russia, then you’re in it for the long-haul. Go for business class on Turkish Airlines and you’ll be treated to welcome drinks, pre-dinner mezes, chef-prepared meals, a dessert cart, and a flat-lay seat fit for sleeping. With a stopover in Istanbul, you’ll also get to enjoy the Turkish Lounge—with stations and stations of Turkish delicacies (don’t skip the simit—a Turkish bagel), a movie theater, sleeping rooms, and showers—before finishing the final leg of your journey to St. Petersburg.

What to Pack

For info on these editor-selected items, click to visit the seller’s site. Things you buy may earn us a commission.

Want more?

Comments

comments

All products are independently selected by our writers and editors. If you buy something through our links, Jetsetter may earn an affiliate commission.