Central Saint Petersburg

The Center of Saint Petersburg is the area of main interest to the traveler, home to most attractions of the metropolis. It's bound by the Neva river and the Obvodny Canal, on a set of islands formed by numerous rivers and channels.

Background

Read or reread the works of the great Russian writers: "White Nights" by Dostoevsky first, "The Overcoat" by Gogol in second, then Tolstoy, Chekhov, Brodsky, Pushkin, Mayakovsky, Nabokov and several others — they found so much inspiration here.

In winter, use non-slip boots with thick socks to protect your ankles, and avoid the ice.

Get in

By train

The Moscow and Vitebsk railway stations are in the center; if you arrive by train, you can begin your sightseeing directly from the station. Baltic Railway Station is located just outside the center, but it makes sense to take the metro : Baltiiskaya or shuttle bus to the more interesting places (e.g. Palace Square). Finland Station is within walking distance from the Liteiny Bridge, to other parts of the center it's better to get into : Ploschad Lenina (Площадь Ленина) metro station. From Ladozhsky station it's better to take the subway :Ladozhskaya (Ладожская), because it is farther from the center, and the frequent traffic jams on Zanevsky Avenue.

59.92871730.3624331 Moscow railway station (Московский вокзал, Moskovskii vokzal, former Nicholaevsky, Oktyabrsky), Ploschad Vosstanya, Nevsky av.,85 (on Nevsky Prospekt and Uprising Square, : Ploshchad' Vosstaniya «Площадь Восстания», : Mayakovskaya 'Маяковская'; : 1М, 1Мб, 3, 3М, 3Мб, 4М, 4Мб, 5М, 5Мб, 7, 15, 22, 26, 27, 54, 65, 74, 76, 91, 141, 181, 191. : 1, 5, 7, 10, 11, 22), ☏ +7 812 457-4428. Erected in 1847-1851 under the project of architect Konstantin Ton, a "twin" of the Leningrad station built in Moscow. Also called Moscow station, with an easily recognizable Neo-Renaissance frontage is a terminal railway station. It is a terminus for the Moscow-Saint Petersburg Railway and other lines running from Central and South Russia, Siberia, Eastern Ukraine, and Crimea. The oldest preserved station in the city. Although large "Venetian" windows, two floors of Corinthian columns and a two-storey clocktower at the centre explicitly reference Italian Renaissance architecture, the building incorporates other features from a variety of periods and countries. Expanded in 1869-79 and 1912. Completely redeveloped in 1950-52 and 1967. A bronze bust of Peter the Great in the main vestibule was unveiled in 1993, replacing a bust of Lenin. The station is served by the Mayakovskaya and Vosstaniya Square stations of the Saint Petersburg Metro, with both stations linked to the station building by an underground corridor.

59.93156130.3605672 Ploschad Vosstanya subway station (Станция метро «Площадь Восстания», Uprising Square station), Ploschad Vosstanya (: Ploshchad' Vosstaniya «Площадь Восстания»). Daily 05:40-00:25. This is a station on the Kirovsko-Vyborgskaya Line of Saint Petersburg Metro. It is one of the system's original stations. Made by architects Boris Zhuravlev, Ivan Fomin and VV Gankevich, built in 1955. It is a deep underground pylon station at 58 m depth. The main surface vestibule sits on Vosstaniya Square, which gives its name to the station. Another exit (opened in 1960) opens directly into the Moskovsky Rail Terminal. Ploshchad Vosstaniya is connected to the station Mayakovskaya of the Nevsko-Vasileostrovskaya Line via a transfer corridor and a set of escalators.

Get around

59°55′48″N 30°19′44″E

Map of Saint Petersburg/Center

The area is served by autobuses, trolleybuses, trams and marshrutkas

Walk

You can get everywhere on foot, and simply strolling the elegant streets is a delight. Although the district is divided by canals, they're narrow and don't constrain progress: the streets crisscross them and you don't have to factor in bridge closures or the like. (Crossing their social and real-estate divisions is another matter, especially over the Fontanka, as the Bolsheviks would furiously point out.) Tourist boats potter along the canals in summer but there are no public water-buses. To the north and east however the district is bounded by the broad channel of the River Neva, where you do have to consider which bridge to use.

By metro

All five branches of the Saint Petersburg metro pass through the center, forming several hubs.

The most central stations are:

Admiralteyskaya (Адмиралтейская) - a new and most central station with access to Malaya Morskaya Street (Station "Admiralteskaya-2", and their connection, are still under construction), the nearest station to the Winter Palace, St. Isaac Square, and the Admiralty.
Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект)/ Gostiny Dvor (Гостиный двор) - at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and Sadovaya Street, next to the Kazan Cathedral, the Ostrovsky and Arts Squares, Gostiny Dvor and Apraksin Dvor. They can be particularly crowded.
Sennaya Ploschad (Сенная площадь)/Spasskaya (Спасская) /Sadovaya (Садовая)- the only site where three subway stations meet in St. Petersburg, near the Sennaya ("Haymarket") Square. The proper place to engage in Dostoevskian literary tourism, and explore some less fashionable, but no less interesting places, such as St. Nicholas Cathedral, the Mariinsky Theater and the channels nearby;

The stations in the outer part of the Center, beyond the Fontanka canal:

Ploschad Vosstanya (Площадь Восстания)/Mayakovskaya (Маяковская)- Uprising Square, on the intersection of Nevsky and Ligovsky prospects, adjacent to the Moscow Station. Major transport hub in St. Petersburg.
Vladimirskaya (Владимирская)/Dostoevskaya (Достоевская)- at the Vladimirskaya Square, where Vladimirsky and Zagorodny Prospekts converge. Close to the Five Corners and Dostoevsky Museum;
Chernyshevskaya (Чернышевская) - located in a quiet and pleasant area near the Tauride Gardens, the closest station to Smolny (about 2 km).
, Ploschad Aleksandra Nevskogo (Площадь Александра Невского-1) - at the end of Nevsky Prospekt near the Alexander Nevsky Monastery and the Alexander Nevsky bridge across the river;
Pushkinskaya and Zvenigorodskaya - in the middle of Zagorodny Prospekt at Vitebsk Station;
Ligovsky Prospekt (Лиговский проспект)- at the Ligovsky Avenue;
, Tekhnologichesky Institut 1 and 2 (Технологический институт)- in the area of Technology Institut;

Just outside the city center to the south of the Obvodny Canal:

Baltiyskaya (Балтийская)- at the Baltiysky Station, on the border of the city center;
Frunzenskaya(Фрунзенская) - at the intersection of Moskovsky Prospekt and Obvodny Canal - directly adjacent to the city center;
Obvodny Canal (Обводный канал)- at the intersection of Obvodny Canal and Ligovsky Prospekt.

See

See also: Saint Petersburg World Heritage Site

Palaces and museums

59.94130.31291 State Hermitage Museum (Государственный Эрмита́ж, gosudarstvenny ermitazh,Зимний дворец, zimniy dvorets, Winter Palace), Dvortsovaya Ploschad (Dvortsovaya Square). Palace Embankment, 38 (: Admiralteyskaya «Адмиралтейская» 0.6 km S). Tu-Su 10:30–18:00 (W till 21:00). A massive palace-museum showing the highlights of a collection of over 3,000,000 pieces of international art, primarily western European art. Hosted in the Winter Palace, the former main residence of the Russian tsars. The Hermitage is truly one of the world's great museums, with an imposing setting displaying priceless works by Rembrandt, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Rubens and more, including many pieces that were looted from Central and Eastern Europe by the Red Army during World War II. Getting a tour guide is recommended: the additional information they impart can be well worth the price, and they can readily take you directly to the items you want to see. Large bags aren't allowed in the museum, and a massive cloakroom downstairs (no charge, as usual in Russia) exists to assist with jackets and bags. Drinks or liquids are not allowed in the museum after an incident in 1985 when a protester vandalized Danaë, a Rembrandt painting, with sulfuric acid. In some rooms and in all temporary exhibits, photography is prohibited. However, at other times the museum can limit the admission rate because of the numbers already in the museum. In this case having purchased your tickets in advance won't save you as much time. There are also ticket machines just before you get to the cash desk which have much shorter lines. The museum has a cafe and large shop near the entrance, and numerous small shops throughout the galleries. Audio guides are available in English, and most signs in the gallery are in English and Russian. Tickets can be purchased online with accepted forms of payment. Scan the QR code at the stated turnstile for entry. Students of all nationalities get in for free with student photo ID. Entry fee is 500 руб to 700 руб, depending on the museum; free for students of all nationalities with student photo ID; free on the first Thursday of the month. Guide books: 300 руб.

- 59.938130.31722 The General Staff building of the Hermitage (Здание Главного штаба, Zdanie Glavnovo Shtaba), 2 Palace Square (: Admiralteyskaya «Адмиралтейская» 300 m S). Closed on Mondays. Designed by Carlo Rossi and built in 1819-1829, this is a building laid out in the shape of an arch, with an arch, in Palace Square. The building consists of two blocks, forming a 580-meter arc. There is a triumphal arch, dedicated to the victory in the War of 1812, decorated with a sculptural composition in the form of a chariot drawn by six horses. In the chariot is the winged goddess of Fame, holding a standard in his left hand, and a laurel branch in the right. The composition is made by sculptors Stepan Pimenov and Vasily Demuth-Malinovsky. Inside is a museum where paintings of many famous artists such as Van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir, Monet, and Cézanne each have a separate room. 500 руб.

59.93277830.3397223 Anichkov Palace (Аничков дворец, Санкт-Петербургский городской Дворец творчества юных), Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект), 38 (at the intersection of Nevsky Avenue and the Fontanka, : К187), ☏ +7 812 314-9555, gdtu37@mail.ru. Formerly owned by Antonio de Vieira, takes its name from the nearby Anichkov Bridge across the Fontanka. Designed for the Empress Elizabeth of Russia in a dazzling Baroque style, the palace came to be known as the most imposing private residence of the Elizabethan era. Built in 1754. There was extensive renovations and the palace got the newly-fashionable Neoclassical style, which was effected in 1778 and 1779. Simultaneously a regular park was laid out by an English garden architect, William Hould. After 1917, this was nationalized and designated the St. Petersburg City Museum. Since 1934, when it was converted into the Young Pioneer Palace, the palace has housed over hundred after-school clubs for more than 10,000 children. While a small museum inside is open to the public at selected times, the edifice is normally not accessible to tourists.

59.93868130.3323864 Russian Museum (Государственный Русский музей, Mikhailovskiy Palace, Михайловский дворец, former Ру́сский Музе́й Импера́тора Алекса́ндра III), Inzhenernaya Ul. 4 (at Pushkin's back : Nevskiy prospekt «Невский проспект» 0.4km S), ☏ +7 812 595 4248, info@rusmuseum.ru. W-M 10:00-18:00. An extensive collection of Russian paintings and sculpture, works by Andrei Rublev, Dionisius, Fedot Shubin, Dmitry Levitsky, Vladimir Borovikovsky, Karl Brullov, Fidelio Bruni, Orest Kiprensky, Alexander Ivanov, Ilya Repin, Arkhip Kuindzhi, Ivan Shishkin, Valentin Serov, Mikhail Vrubel, Pavel Antokolsky, Boris Kustodiev, Kazimir Malevich, Wassily Kandinsky, Pavel Filonov, Marc Chagall, Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin and many other artists. The main building, the Mikhailovskiy Palace houses the main exhibits, and the Russian Museum also oversees the permanent and temporary exhibits, tickets to each can be purchased separately or as a universal pass. From 450 руб, depending on museum.
- 59.9387230.328745 Benois Wing (Russian Museum Korpus Benua, Ко́рпус Бенуа́), Canal Griboedova (набережная канала Грибоедова), 2/2 (: Nevsky Prospekt «Невский проспект»). As the collection increased in 1914–1919, the Exhibition Pavilion of the Imperial Academy of Arts was built according to the project of Leonty Benois and S. O. Ovsyannikov.
- 59.94517630.3267996 Marble Palace (Мраморный дворец, Constantine Palace), Millionnaya ulitsa, 5А (Between the Field of Mars and Palace Quay,: Nevsky Prospekt «Невский проспект», to stop 'Суворовская площадь' take Bus: 46, 49. or Share taxi: К46, К76.), ☏ +7 812 312-9196. This is an architectural monument of the 1760s. There is the combination of sumptuous ornamentation with rigorously classicizing monumentality. The palace takes its name from its opulent decoration in a wide variety of polychrome marbles. A rough-grained Finnish granite on the ground floor is in subtle contrast to polished pink Karelian marble of the pilasters and white Urals marble of capitals and festoons. Panels of veined bluish gray Urals marble separate the floors, while Tallinn dolomite was employed for ornamental urns. In all, 32 disparate shades of marble were used to decorate the palace. The plan of the edifice is trapezoidal: each of its four facades, though strictly symmetrical, has a different design. The palace court is dominated by a sturdy equestrian statue of Alexander III of Russia, or Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov (10 Mar 1845–1 Nov 1894) who was Emperor of Russia, King of Poland and Grand Prince of Finland, the most famous work of sculptor Paolo Troubetzkoy; formerly it graced the obelisk's spot at Vosstanya Square, before the Moscow Railway Station. In 1843, Grand Duke Constantine Nikolayevich decided to redecorate the edifice, renaming it Constantine Palace. An adjacent church and other outbuildings were completely rebuilt, while the interior of the palace was refurbished in keeping with the eclectic tastes of its new owner. Only the main staircase and the Marble Hall survived that refacing and still retain the refined stucco work and elaborate marble pattern of Rinaldi's original decor. Former Lenin Museum, now, the palace accommodates permanent exhibitions of the Russian State Museum, notably "Foreign Artists in Russia (18th and 19th centuries)" and the "Peter Ludwig Museum at the Russian Museum", featuring canvases by Andy Warhol and other Pop Art idols.
- Mikhailovsky Palace, 4 Inzhenernaya Str. (Metro - Gostiny Dvor, Nevsky Prospekt), ☏ +7 812 595-4248.
- 59.94041730.3376397 Mikhailovsky Castle / St. Michael's Castle (Mikhailovsky Castle or the Engineers' Castle, Миха́йловский за́мок, Mikhailovsky zamok, Inzhenerny zamok), Sadovaya ulitsa (Садовая улица), 2 (: Gostinyy Dvor 0.7km S). Each one of its façades is different. Surrounded by a moat with drawbridge, built by Paul I who feared for his life - in fact he was murdered here inside, in his bedroom. Nowadays a branch of the Russian Museum, its Portrait Gallery, is housed here.
- 59.93574230.3207748 Stroganov Palace (Строгановский дворец), Nevsky Prospekt (Невский пр.), 17, ☏ +7 812 571-8238. W-Su 10:00-18:00 and M 10:00-17:00 (ticket office closes an hour earlier).. Now the palace is a branch of the Russian Museum. The palace was built to Bartolomeo Rastrelli's designs for Baron Sergei Grigoriyevich Stroganov in 1753-1754. The interiors were remodeled by Andrei Voronikhin at the turn of the 19th century. The main façade of the Stroganov palace faces Nevsky Prospect. Here, Rastrelli rejects the cour d'honneur in the French manner. By this time, Rastrelli has developed his own style based on exploring the impressive façade, which implies the presence of three risolites, the subordination to a single center, rejection of verticalization, and stretching the building horizontally. Rastrelli gives the building a single mass movement toward the center. He skillfully emphasizes this by subordinating the lateral risolites to the central, imposing group of columns of purely decorative, not architectonic, function, deliberately building up tension toward the center of the sculpted front. Rastrelli uses the giant order, the method of visual fusion of the second and third floor windows, typical for the Baroque, and the differentiated arrangement of columns closely adjacent to the wall in order to create a masterful effect and an impressive Baroque façade facing St. Petersburg's main thoroughfare. The facade carries an entrance arch supported by two Corinthian columns. The arch is crowned with a pediment bearing the Stroganov coat of arms. The spaces under the windows on the facade feature a man's profile. There are two practically anecdotal versions regarding this man's identity. According to one version, the man is the first owner of the palace, Baron Stroganov, whom Rastrelli wanted to surprise. However, many historians claim that the famous architect in fact left his own profile on the palace walls.

59.93798130.3344399 Ethnographic Museum (Российского этнографического музея), Inzhenernaya Ulitsa (Инженерная ул.), 4/1 (Next to the Russian Museum : Gostinyy dvor 0.3km S), ☏ +7 812 570-5715, fax: +7 812 315-8642. Tu 10:00-21:00, W-Su 10:00-18:00, Day off M & the last F of the month. An interesting and educational display of the traditions and costumes of various ethnic groups found in the lands of the former Russian Empire, the vast territory between the Baltic Sea in the West and the Pacific Ocean in the East. The collection provides some marvelous insights into the history, culture and lifestyles of all those peoples, Russians, Ukrainians, Belorussians, peoples and tribes of the Caucasus, Central Asia and Siberia. Impressive collections of ancient Afghan armours and Chinese and Japanese traditional clothes and crafts. From 450 руб.

59.94830.37610 Tauride Palace (Tavrichesky dvorets, Таврический дворец), Ul. Shpalernaya (Шпалерная ул.), 47 (M Чернышевская), ☏ +7 812 326-6911. M-F from 10:00 to 16:00 only by prior arrangement (2-3 days earlier). Firstly commissioned by Prince Grigory Potemkin of Tauridia to his favourite architect, Ivan Starov. Empress Catherine the Great gave Potemkin the land and the title of Prince of Tauridia for his services in conquering ancient Tauridia (now the Crimean Peninsula). Catherine II later bought the Palace, to be used as her summer townhouse. Much later yet (1906), it was transformed into the seat of the first Russian parliament, the Imperial State Duma. Immediately after the February Revolution of 1917, Tauride Palace housed the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet. The abortive Russian Constituent Assembly held its meetings there in 1918. Since the 1990s, Tauride Palace has been home to the Interparliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States (IPA CIS). Take a Parliament tour in Tauride Palace: During the tour, guests will make a walk in three state rooms and other spaces of the Tauride Palace, learn the history of its inhabitants, visit the magnificent Duma Hall - the place of the State Duma of the Russian Empire, to see an exhibition on the history of Russian parliamentarism. Duration: 60 min. Only possible by prior arrangement with a passport. 3000 руб/group; for locals 2000 руб/group max 20 person.

59.9431130.3756111 Suvorov Museum (Музей Суворова), ul. Kirochnaya, 43 (metro Chernyshevskaya), ☏ +7 812 579-3914, fax: +7 812 274-2850, suvorovmuseum@mail.ru. Th-Tu 10:00-18:00, closes W. Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (1730-1800) was one of Russia's most outstanding generals, a military strategist and army commander during the reign of Empress Catherine the Great and Emperor Paul I. The museum features military memorabilia from Suvorov's times: weapons, banners, uniforms, models and large graphic recreations of historic battlefields. Two large mosaics decorate its façade. Both are based on historical events; the left-hand one features "Suvorov Crossing the Alps" and the right-hand one illustrates "Suvorov leaving home for the campaign of 1799".

59.9444730.3408612 Museum of the Defense of Leningrad (Музей обороны и блокады Ленинграда, музей обороны Ленинграда), Solyanoy Pereulok (Соляной пер.), 9 (: Chernyshevskaya «Чернышевская»)), ☏ +7 812 275-7208, +7 812 279-3021 (Guided tours). The museum is in a former Handicraft Museum (1901-1903, architect PP Trifanov), what is part of the museum buildings Solyanka quarter. Museum dedicated to the events of the Leningrad blockade. This has a branch museum: 'the national museum Road of Life' in Kokkorevo village. The collection include: samples of weapons and household items, campaign posters, documents, maps, newspapers period battle, documentary evidence of the conditions of life in the besieged Leningrad, paintings and sculptures participants battle. 150 руб.

59.9296930.2952213 Naval Museum (also Bourse, Здание Биржи, Военно-морской музей), Naberezhnaya Kryukova Kanala, 2,, ☏ +7 812 328-27-01, fax: +7 (812) 328-27-01, museum@mail.admiral.ru. W-Su 11:00-18:00. The Naval Museum, one of the largest in the world, contains historical displays of the Russian navy from its founding to the present day, including weaponry, models of ships, and even some original mastheads. Extensive World War II display, and also (not directly related to Naval history) a diorama box of the storming of the Winter Palace in 1917. 450 руб.

59.92750630.35359414 Russian State Arctic and Antarctic Museum (Музей Арктики и Антарктики), Ul. Marata (ул. Марата), 24 (: 'Площадь Восстания' /: 'Маяковская', : 'Владимирская'/: 'Достоевская', : 16, 25, 49 to stop 'Улица Марата'), ☏ +7 812 571-2549, fax: +7 812 764-6818, polarmuseum@yandex.ru. Tu–Sa 10:00–18:00, Ticket office -17:30; Su 10:00–17:00- Tickets -16:30. It was established in November 1930 as part of the Soviet Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, but was not opened until six years later. The museum is located in Avraam Melnikov's Neoclassical church from the 1820s and remains the largest museum dedicated to polar exploration in the world. 200 руб.

59.921130.3253415 Medical Military Academy Museum (При Военно-медицинской академии имеется музей), Lazaretny lane (Лазаретный переулок), 2 (m. «Пушкинская» or : 16), ☏ +7 812 3157287, medar@milmed.spb.ru. Painting, photo, models, costume, numismatics sculpture collections.

59.93083330.30944416 Mariinsky Palace (Мариинский дворец), Isaakiyevskaya ploshchad'(Исаакиевская площадь), 6 (: 10, 70 to stop 'Исаакиевская площадь'). Also known as Marie Palace. Built in 1839—44, by architect Andrei Shtakenshneider. In the 18th century, the plot belonged to Zakhar Tchernyshov and contained his mansion. In 1825-39, the Tchernyshov mansion housed a military school. Emperor Nicholas I conceived as a present to his daughter Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia on the occasion of her marriage. Although the reddish-brown facade is elaborately rusticated and features Corinthian columns arranged in a traditional Neoclassical mode, the whole design was inspired by the 17th-century French Baroque messuages. Other eclectic influences are apparent in the Renaissance details of exterior ornamentation and in the interior decoration, with each main room designed in a different historic style. Until 1917, housing the State Council of Imperial Russia, State Chancellory, and Soviet of Ministers. After the October Revolution, the palace housed various Soviet ministries and academies. Later served as a hospital. From 1945 became the residence of the Leningrad Soviet (Ленсовет), succeeded by the Saint Petersburg Legislative Assembly in 1994.

59.932730.344617 Belosselsky-Belozersky Palace (Дворец Белосельских-Белозерских; Palace of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna, Sergei Palace, Dmitry Palace), Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект), 41/42 (at the intersection of the Fontanka River and Nevsky Prospekt; to stop 'Литейный проспект' by : 181 or by : 1, 5, 7, 10, 11, 22). This is a Neo-Baroque palace. Built on Nevsky Prospekt in 1747 for Prince Mikhail Andreevitch Belosselsky. The original building far smaller than it is today, was designed in the French style with a large private garden and a launch onto the canal, stuccoed and painted in imitation of Parisian limestone. The present palace is said to look similar to the nearby Rastrelliesque Stroganov Palace which is further up the Nevsky Prospect, on the corner of Moika canal. After their major renovations in 1847-48, the palace — complete with piano nobile, concert hall, Van Loo paintings, and palace church — acquired a dazzling Rococo appearance. In 1883, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich bought and gave the palace its present red exterior. During the First World War, the palace was the base of the Anglo-Russian Hospital. In 1907, it was nationalised and went on to house a regional Soviet until 1991, when it was designated a municipal cultural centre. Now host chamber concerts for small audiences. It today also hosts a large wax work.

Faberge Museum, Fontanka River Embankment, 21, ☏ +7 812 333-26-55. Daily 10:00-20:45. Established by Viktor Vekselberg and his Link of Times foundation in order to repatriate lost cultural valuables to Russia. Contains more than 4,000 works of decorative applied and fine arts, including gold and silver items, paintings, porcelain and bronze. A highlight of the museum's collection is the group of nine Imperial Easter eggs created by Fabergé for the last two Russian Tsars. Vekselberg purchased the eggs from Malcolm Forbes in 2004 for $100 million. 500 руб; Guided tours 1000 руб.

Shadow Museum, Bolshaya Konyushennaya St, 5А, ☏ +7 812 333-26-55. Daily 11:00-22:00, last entry 21:00 Visits by guided tour only, every 30 minutes in Russian and English. A unique contemporary art museum in which modern art objects in the style of shadow art are represented. Adult 550 руб, student 450 руб.

Magic Museum, Nevsky Ave, 74-76, ☏ +7 800 550-82-04. Daily 10:00-21:00. Performances by illusionists and mind readers. Exhibits on magic history and methods. 550 руб-1000 руб.

Notable statues and monuments

59.93916730.31583318 Alexander Column (Алекса́ндровская коло́нна, Aleksandrovskaya kolonna) also known as Alexandrian Column Александри́йская коло́нна, Aleksandriyskaya kolonna), 2-y Admiralteyskiy ostrov, Dvortsovaya ploschad (2-й Адмиралтейский остров, Дворцовая площадь) (: Admiralteyskaya 400 m S). Dedicated to the Russian victory over Napoleonic France in the Patriotic War of 1812. This work holds second place, in importance, on the biography of architect Auguste Montferrand, after the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral. The Angel sculpture was executed by talented sculptor Boris Orlovsky. The Column was inaugurated in 1834. A distinctive feature of the Alexander Column is that it's a granite monolith height 25.6 m, standing only by gravity. The total height of the monument is 47.5 m, taller than similar monuments: the Vendome column in Paris (in honor of the victories of Napoleon), the ancient Trajan's column in Rome and Pompaeus Magnus's one in Alexandria. Alexander Column is the tallest solid granite monument in the world, and the third highest after the Grand Army Column in Boulogne-sur-Mer and Trafalgar column (Nelson's Column) in London.

59.94578130.32994219 Alexandr Suvorov Monument (Памятник Александру Суворову), Suvorovskaya ploshchad (Суворовская площадь) (opposite the Trinity Bridge). Suvorov Square is part of the former Tsaritsyn meadows.

59.9309730.3612620 'Hero-City of Leningrad obelisk @ Ploschad Vosstanya (Площади Восстания, Uprising Square), Ploschad Vosstanya (: Ploshchad' Vosstaniya «Площадь Восстания», : Mayakovskaya 'Маяковская'). The Soviet-era Hero-City of Leningrad obelisk (Обелиск «Городу-герою Ленинграду») at Ploschad Vosstanya is also the location of the Veterans Parade on every Victory Day (9 May), when the square is decorated with banners.

59.933130.336721 Monument to Catherine II @ Ploshchad Ostrovskogo (Ostrovsky Square, Yekaterinskiy sad, Katkin garden, площадь Островского), Ploshchad Ostrovskogo (площадь Островского) (: Gostinyy dvor 0.4 km N). On the south side of the Nevsky Prospekt. Its centerpiece is a famous monument to Catherine II, designed by the famous sculptor Michael Mikeshin. At the feet of the Empress shows nine sculptural portraits of nobles: generals Pyotr Rumyantsev, Grigory Potemkin, Alexander Suvorov, dignitaries Alexander Bezborodko, Ivan Betskoy, naval Basil Chichagov, Alexei Orlov and artists Gavriil Derzhavin and Yekaterina Dashkova. The monument is made of 600 blocks Serdobol granite, brought from the island of Valaam archipelago. The monument was dedicated in 1873.

59.936430.302222 The Bronze Horseman (Медный всадник, mednii vsadnik), Senatskaya Ploschad former Decembriststov (beside St. Isaacs Cathedral, : "Sadovaya",: "Sennaya Ploshchad", : "Nevskiy Prospekt" or : "Gostiniy Dvor", then : 5, 22, : 3, 22, 27). 24/7. Statuesque symbol of the city, homage to Peter the Great, opened in 1782, the theme and title of one of the most important poems of the Russian language, written by Alexander Pushkin. Its pedestal is reputed to be the largest stone ever moved by human effort.

59.93722230.33166723 Statue of Alexander Pushkin (памятник А. С. Пушкину), centerpiece of the square (: Nevskiy prospekt «Невский проспект» 300 m SW; : Gostiniy Dvor «Гостиный двор»). The great poet soliloquizes eternally. Made by sculptor Anikushin & architect V.A. Petrov in 1957.

Parks and gardens

59.93972230.33277824 Mikhailovski Garden (Михайловский сад), Mikhailovsky Palace (adjacent to Church of Spilled Blood, share taxi: К100, or bus 49 to stop Inzhenernaya ulitsa (Инженерная улица)). It's more or less automatic to come here after visiting the Spilled Blood church. This garden is a combination of two landscape styles, geometric French on the edges, and naturalistic English in the center. In late spring and summer, classical music concerts are often held here.

59.94333330.33194425 Field of Mars (Мемориальный парк Ма́рсово по́лe, Marsovo Polye), 1-y Admiralteyskiy ostrov (1-й Адмиралтейский остров), Naberezhnaya Lebyazhyey kanavki, ~3 (: Nevskiy prospekt 900 m S). 24/7. Beautiful Baroque garden with several military monuments, bordering the Field of Mars to the north are the beautiful and historic Marble Palace (Mramorny Dvorets), Suvorova Square and Betskoi’s, Ficquelmont and Saltykov’s houses. To the west are the Barracks of the Pavlovsky Regiment. The Moyka River forms the boundary to the south. Free.

NOT EXISTING LISTING IMAGE Summer Garden (Летний сад / Letny sad), Naberezhnaya Lebyazh'yey Kanavki (o an island between the Neva, Fontanka, Moika, and the Swan Canal). Free.

59.9235130.3430626 Contemporary sculpture park at Saint Petersburg University (Парк современной скульптуры), Ul. Pravdy (ул. Правды ), 10-20 (M: Звенигородская).

59.9451430.3731127 Tauride Garden (Таврический сад, парк культуры и отдыха имени Первой пятилетки, Городской детский парк), Potemkinskaya ulitsa (Потемкинская улица), 4, ☏ +7 812 329-5534. This was laid out in 1783-1789 on the estate of the Palace from which it took its name. The Tauride Garden was landscaped in English Romantic style, with landscape, ponds and canals designed to imitate nature. Trees and shrubs were brought in especially from England. In 1866 the Tauride Garden was opened to the public, and has remained a favorite spot with city dwellers for walks ever since. Free.

Churches and religious buildings

59.9340530.30628 Saint Isaac's Cathedral (Isaakievskiy Sobor, Исаа́киевский Собо́р), St. Isaac's Square, 4, ☏ +7 812 315-9732. Th-Tu 11:00-19:00. It was built in 1818, in the style of transition from classical to modern, and is a major attraction in the city. This is the most significant creation of Auguste Montferrand. The plan is a huge square building with a four-columned portico crowned by a large dome and four small bell towers at the corners. Three sculptures, depicting each of the 12 apostles, stand on the pediment portico. The building is interesting in technical terms too - it was the first use of a metal dome unit, and also the first time electroplating was applied to sculptures. Some scientists believe that the dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral was the archetype of the dome of the White House in Washington, D.C. St. Isaac's Cathedral is a now museum-monument, open to visitors daily, except Wednesdays (ticket office closes at 18:00). For an additional fee you can visit the colonnade of the central dome (ticket office closes at 17:00). Photos and videos are charged separately. The view from the colonnade (observation deck) is one of the best views of the city, for those who are willing to climb 400 steps. 450 руб.

59.94016130.32859729 Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, Museum of Mosaics (Церковь Спаса на Крови, Tserkovʹ Spasa na Krovi, or Собор Воскресения Христова, Sobor Voskreseniya Khristova, Храм Спас-на-Крови), Canal Griboedova (набережная канала Грибоедова), 2a (between Nevsky Prospekt and the Neva, Nevsky Prospekt «Невский проспект», Gostiny Dvor «Гостиный двор»), ☏ +7 812 315-1636. Th-Tu 10:00-20:00. A traditional style Russian church built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881. Built in 1883-1907, in style of Romantic Nationalism. Architecturally, the Cathedral harks back to medieval Russian architecture in the spirit of romantic nationalism. It intentionally resembles the 17th-century Yaroslavl churches and the celebrated St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. The interior is elaborately decorated with over 7000 m² of mosaics. The walls and ceilings inside the Church are completely covered in intricately detailed mosaics — the main pictures being biblical scenes or figures — but with very fine patterned borders setting off each picture. Adults/students 250 руб/150 руб.

59.9488930.3940830 Smolny Complex (Смольный комплекс), ploshchad' Rastrelli (площадь Растрелли, 1), 1 (Share taxi: К15, К46). There is the Smolny Convent and the Smolny Institute, a yellow low building that was Russia's first educational establishment for women, created by decree under the personal patronage of Empress Catherine II, and continued to function until just before the 1917 revolution. A nice garden and iron-work grille around the institute date from the early 19th century. In 1917, the building was chosen by Vladimir Lenin as Bolshevik headquarters during the October Revolution. It was Lenin's residence for several months, until the national government was moved to the Moscow Kremlin. After 1991, the Smolny was used as the seat of the city mayor (governor after 1996) and city administration. Vladimir Putin worked there from 1991 to 1997.

59.9488230.3956931 Smolny Convent (Smolny Convent of the Resurrection, Voskresensky, Воскресенский девичий Смольный монастырь). Smolny Cathedral of the Resurrection (Smolny Cathedral), what is a gorgeous blue and white main church, considered to be one of the architectural masterpieces of architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. The Cathedral is the centerpiece of the convent, built by Rastrelli between 1748 and 1764. The projected bell-tower was to become the tallest building in St. Petersburg and, at the time, all of Russia. Elizabeth's death in 1762 prevented Rastrelli from completing this grand design. The new Empress strongly disapproved of the baroque style, and funding that had supported the construction of the convent rapidly ran out. Rastrelli was unable to build the huge bell-tower he had planned and unable to finish the interior of the cathedral. In 1835 by Vasily Stasov with the addition of a neo-classical interior to suit the changed architectural tastes at the time. The main altar was dedicated to the Resurrection and the two side altars were dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene and Righteous Elizabeth. Today, Smolny Cathedral is used primarily as a concert hall and the surrounding convent buildings house various offices and government institutions.

59.93422830.32459432 Our-Lady-of-Kazan Cathedral (Kazansky Sobor, Казанский собор, Каза́нский кафедра́льный собо́р, Собор Казанской иконы Божией Матери), Kazanskaya Ploschad (Казанская площадь), Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект), 25 and Canal Griboedova (: Nevsky Prospekt), ☏ +7 812 314-4663, sobor.go@mail.ru. M-F masses 10:00, 18:00, Su 07:00, 10:00, 18:00. Kazan Cathedral library M-Sa 11:00-16:00. One of the largest cathedrals in St. Petersburg. Impressive neoclassical exterior, richly decorated interior. The temple was built by Andrew Voronikhin in the years 1801-1811 and is the best of his creations. Paul I has set the task of the architect to build a cathedral, like the Vatican's St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. This is what the prototype he owes his great colonnade facing the Nevsky As planned Voronikhin same Colonnade was to be on the other side, but it was never implemented. By fate just built in 1811, the cathedral became a monument of Russian victories over Napoleonic France in the Patriotic War of 1812. Includes the tomb of Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, hero of the war of 1812. And in 1837, statues of Kutuzov and Barclay de Tolly, by Boris Orlovsky, were installed on the square in front of the temple. It is also interesting to note that on the north side of the cathedral (leaving on Nevsky) there is a bronze copy of the "Gate of Paradise" by Lorenzo Ghiberti in the Florentine Baptistery. A copy was made by caster Basil Ekimov. In 1930 the cathedral was closed, and in 1932 a unique museum of the history of religion and atheism was set up here. Now the museum moved into the building on Post Office Street, and once again this is a cathedral church. Free entry.

59.94330.35233 Cathedral of the Lord's Transfiguration of all the Guards (собор Преображения Господня всей гвардии), off Liteiny Prospekt, Preobrazhenskaya Sq. (Преображенская пл.), 1 (metro Chernyshevskaya), ☏ +7 812 579-6010, mail@preobragensky.ru. Ordered to be built by empress Elizabeth. Construction lasted from 1743 to 1754; designed by architect Mikhail Zemtsov. After the death of Mikhail Zemtsov, Pietro Antonio Trezzini headed construction. Trezzini slightly changed the project, changing the style to Baroque. Façades and the interior were restored between 1946 and 1948. From 1832-1833, a fence, formed by the barrels of Turkish cannons taken from Turkish fortresses, was built around the cathedral, commemorating the victory in the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829. Preserved on the barrels is the engraved coat of arms of the Ottoman Empire, and on some of the barrels can be seen the names given to the cannons.

59.92130.38834 Alexander Nevsky Monastery (Lavra Aleksandra Nevskogo), 1 Monastyrka River Embankment (metro Ploschad Aleksandra Nevskogo; at the Eastern end of Nevskiy Prospekt, next to the River Neva), ☏ +7 812 274-1702, +7 812 274-2433. Peter I founded it in 1710, supposing that that was the site of the Neva Battle in 1240, where Prince Alexander Nevsky defeated the Swedes (however, the battle actually took place about 19 km away from that site). The purpose of the foundation was to house the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky, patron of the newly-founded Russian capital; however, the massive silver sarcophagus of St. Alexander was relocated during Soviet times to the Hermitage, where it remains (without the relics) today. In 1797, the monastery was raised to the rank of lavra, making it only the third lavra in the Russian Church, along with Kiev Monastery of the Caves and the Trinity Monastery of Sergeyev Posad. Here is also the site of the 'Tikhvin Cemetery' which houses the tombs of some very famous Russians: Mikhail Lomonosov, Alexander Suvorov, Nikolay Karamzin, Modest Mussorgsky, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Mikhail Glinka, Natalia Goncharova and Alexander Borodin, along with others not so famous.

59.936730.323935 Lutheran Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (German church, Лютеранская церковь святого апостола Петра, Петеркирхе, Lutherische Kirche der Heiligen Peter und Paul), Nevsky Prospekt,(Невский пр.), 22—24, ☏ +7 812 312-0798. Masses Su 10:30; W (in German) 18:00 and (in Russian) 19:00. It is one of the oldest and largest Protestant churches in Russia. It was and still is called the German church as its members were mostly German-speaking.

59.935730.32936 Catholic Church of St. Catherine (Saint Catherine of Alexandria Roman Catholic Parish, Католическая церковь Святой Екатерины, Костёл святой Екатерины), Nevsky Prospekt (Невский пр.), 32—34. This is the oldest Catholic church in Russia, and the only church in Russia with the title of minor basilica. On October 7, 1783, the church was completed. Because the Empress at the time was Catherine II of Russia (also known as Catherine the Great), the church was named after St. Catherine of Alexandria. Under the Soviets, the activities of the church were repressed. For 30 years, the building was used only as storage space for the nearby "Museum of History of Religion and of Atheism" located in former Our Lady of Kazan Church. Since the 1980s the government used the building as offices and apartments. In 1992, city authorities decided to return the building to the Catholic Church. The restoration of the church was completed in 2008. The building is in the shape of a Latin cross. The transept of the church is crowned by a large cupola. The temple is 44 m in length, 25 m in width, and 42 m in height. The sanctuary has room for about 2,000 people. The main facade of the church has a monumental arched portal, which rests on self-supporting columns. Above the facade is a high parapet, with the figures of four evangelists and angels on top. Above the main entrance is an inscription from the Gospel of Matthew (in Latin): "My house shall be called the house of prayer" (Matthew 21:13) and the date the church was completed.

Bridges

59.93330.34337 Anichkov Bridge (Аничков мост, Anichkov Most), Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект) (at the Fontanka River). Built in 1841-42 and reconstructed in 1906-08, combines a simple form with some spectacular decorations. As well as its four famous horse sculptures (1849–50). The structure is mentioned in the works of Pushkin, Gogol, and Dostoevsky. The bridge was made of stone, and had three spans closed off with gently sloping arches. This simple, concise form corresponded well with the massive cast-iron fencing bordering Anichkov Bridge and mermaid cast-iron railings, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel for the Palace Bridge in Berlin. In 1906-08 the bridge had to be reconstructed and its arches reinforced. The Horse Tamers rank among the city's most recognizable landmarks. The theme derives from the colossal Roman marbles, often identified with the Dioscuri, prominently sited on the Quirinal Hill, Rome.

59.93166730.30888938 Blue Bridge (Синий мост, Siniy most), ~Isaakiyevskaya ploshchad' (: 10, 70 to stop 'Исаакиевская площадь'). This 97.3-m-wide bridge spans the Moika River and is the widest bridge in Saint Petersburg.

59.94875330.32740639 Trinity Bridge (Троицкий мост, Troitskiy Most) (M: Gorkovskaya 1.0 km NW). This is a bascule bridge across the Neva. It connects Kamennoostrovsky Prospect with Suvorovskaya Square. It was the third permanent bridge across the Neva, built between 1897 and 1903 by the French firm Société de Construction des Batignolles. It is 582 m long and 23.6 m wide. The bridge takes its name from the Old Trinity Cathedral which used to stand at its northern end. In the 20th century it was known as Equality Bridge (мост Ра́венства, 1918-1934) and Kirovsky Bridge (Ки́ровский мост, 1934-1999).

Other notable sights

59.93472230.32944440 Saint Petersburg City Duma & Observation Deck (Здание Думы), Nevsky Prospect, 31/ Ul.Dumskaya (Думская ул.), 34 (opposite Gostiny Dvor and Grand Hotel Europe). Established in 1785. The Neoclassical headquarters of the Duma were erected on the main city avenue, Nevsky Prospekt, between 1784 and 1787. The famous Italianate tower was added in 1799–1804. In 1847–52, the edifice was rebuilt in the Neo-Renaissance style. Two more floors were added to the building in 1913–14. A spacious central hall of the City Duma was frequently let to host high-profile social events. Its distinctive tower can still be seen the whole length of Nevsky Prospekt after the crossing with Fontanka River. Observation deck at 47 m height. Observation deck: 300-500 руб, depending on time.

59.93388930.33555641 The National Library of Russia (Imperial Public Library 1795-1917; Russian Public Library 1917-1925; State Public Library from 1925-1992 (since 1932 named after M.Saltykov-Shchedrin); abbr. NLR, Российская национальная библиотека), Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект), 37/18 (on the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and Sadovaya Street), ☏ +7 812 310-7137, fax: +7 812 310-6148, office@nlr.ru. Universal room, Manuscripts M-F 09.00-21.00, Sa Su 11.00-19.00. European Books (-1940), Library Science M-F 09.00-21.00, Sa 11.00-19.00, Su closed. Exhibition of Recent Acquisitions, Manuscripts M W-F 09.00-21.00, Sa Su 11.00-19.00. Prints M W F 13.00-21.00, Tu Th 09.00-17.00; Sa 11.00-19.00. Rare Books M-F 09.00-17.00. Computer Center M-F 09.00-21.00; Sa Su 11.00-19.00. Archive Tu Th 12.00-17.00; W F 10.00-15.00. Maps, Legal Information Center M W 13.00-21.00, Tu Th F 09.00-17.00, Sa 11.00-19.00. Xerocopy Service Counter M-F 10.00-16.00 & 16.30-20.00, Sa Su 11.00-15.30. Copy Desk for External Customers (separate entrance in Sadovaya str.) M-F 10.00-12.00, 13.00-17.00. Founded in 1795. Built by architect Yegor Sokolov specifically to be the Imperial Public Library. The library was opened in 1814 and since 1810 received a specimen copy of all domestic publications. It did not close even during the Leningrad blockade. The library is one of the largest in the world, its pool of more than 33 million books and documents. It has the largest collection of books in Russian in the world. There are such masterpieces as Ostrom Gospel 11th century (the oldest surviving book in Old English), fragments of the Codex Sinaiticus 4th century (in ancient Greek), Petersburg Code XI century (in Hebrew). Other units at Krylov House, Information Center, Bookshop M-Sa 10.00-20.00 (20, Sadovaya Street) & at New Building (165/2, Moskovsky Prospekt, hours=Newspapers M-F 09.00-21.00, Sa Su 11.00-19.00) & at The Building on the Fontanka Embankment (36, Fontanka Embankment; hours=Newspapers M-F 09.00-21.00, Computer Center M-F 13.00-21.00, Sa Su 11.00-19.00 ) at Liteyny Prospect's Asian & African Collection (49, Liteyny Prospect, hours=M-F 12.00-20.00) at Plekhanov House (1/33, 4th Krasnoarmeyskaya Street, hours=M-F 09.00-17.00)

59.93760130.30857642 The Admiralty (Зда́ние Гла́вного Адмиралте́йства), north end of Nevsky Prospekt, Dvortsovy Passage (Дворцовый проезд), 1; Admiralteyskiy Passage (Адмиралтейский проезд), 1; Admiralty Embankment (Адмиралтейская наб.), 2 (next to the Hermitage). Not open to visitors, but worth seeing from the outside. One of the oldest buildings in St. Petersburg, it was laid down November 5, 1704 and was built as a shipyard for ships of war and as a fortress to protect the nascent city. The shape of the Admiralty spread-eagled like the letter "U" facing the Neva. The central building is cut by a large arch, crowned by a monumental tower and spire, which ends with the famous ship, one of the symbols of St. Petersburg. The side wings of the building, facing the Neva, are decorated with statues of dolphins flagpoles. In its present form, it was constructed in 1806-1823 by the architect Andreyanov Zakharov, who fit perfectly, in the restructuring, the spire tower by Ivan Korobov from the former Admiralty building. Around the building there is the little Alexander Garden. The Admiralty building is an important dominant center of St. Petersburg. It is included in ensembles of three central areas of the city: the Palace, Senate and St. Isaac's. The three city-"rays" depart from the tower of the Admiralty: northern - Nevsky Prospekt, the central - Gorkhovaya Street, and south - Voznesensky Prospekt.

59.93527830.30138943 Former Senate and Synod Building (Здания Сената и Синода), Senate Square (Сенатская площадь) (: К252 to stop Senate Square). Built in style of the Empire, by Carl Rossi & A.E. Shtaubert, in 1829-1834. From 1925 until 2006 here was the Russian State Historical Archive. Now headquarters of the Constitutional Court of Russia.

59.9340130.3025744 Manege, former riding academy (Конногвардейский манеж), Konnogvardeyskiy bulvar, 2 (: 70, 100 or : 5, 22 to stop 'Улица Якубовича'), ☏ +7 812 312-2243. Built for the Imperial Horse Guards fronting on Saint Isaac's Square, in 1804-07 to Quarenghi's austere Neoclassical design. The Horse Guards Boulevard takes its name from the building. The Manege is a low, rectangular block with arched openings and lunettes. Look like a 'mimics a 5th-century BC Athenian temple with a portico of eight Doric columns bearing a pediment and bas reliefs'. The marble statues of the Dioscuri standing beside their horses were patterned by sculptor Paolo Triscornia after the Fontana dei Dioscuri in Rome. Until to the late 1970s, the Saint Petersburg Manege has housed the city's main exhibition hall.

59.9461230.3309245 Count Saltykov House, Saint-Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts (дом граф Салтыкова,Дом Гротена, Санкт-Петербургского государственного университета культуры и искусств, Gosudarstvennyy Universitet Kultury I Iskusstv), Dvortsovaya naberezhnaya (Дворцовая наб.), 4 (Suvorov square east side), ☏ +7 812 312-9521, pk@spbguki.ru.

59.9275130.30961246 Raskolnikov House (Дом Раскольникова), Grazhdanskaya Ulitsa, 19 (metro Sadovaya). Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (1821-1881) is one of Russia's most important writers. In his novel Crime and Punishment, Rodion Raskolnikov, a tormented young intellectual, walks from his home - this building is marked "Dom Raskolnikova" with a bronze plaque and a bust of the writer - hiding an axe beneath his coat, to kill and rob the elderly loathsome pawnbroker Alyona Ivanovna at her house by the Griboedov canal. This itinerary is famous, and commonly referred to as Murder Walk. The book is one of his most riveting works, capturing a distinctly Petersburgian atmosphere, without imperial palaces, classical architectural ensembles or promenades along aristocratic Nevsky Prospekt. Rather, Dostoevsky focused on Poor Folk, and The Insulted and the Humiliated (as two of his earlier works were titled) and on the crowded streets, dirty alleys, cheap taverns and dilapidated rooms around Sennaya Ploschad, an area where he would live for many years.

59.936730.3277847 House of the Jesuit Order (Дом ордена иезуитов), ulitsa Italyanskaya 1 and Naberezhnaya Kanala Griboedova, 8 (Итальянская улица, 1 и Набережная канала Грибоедова, 8) (: Nevsky Prospekt). An architectural monument, apartment house, built in 1801-1805 by the architect Luigi Rusca, one member of the Jesuit order.

59.9473630.3379648 Mozaichnyy Dvorik (Small Mosaic Academy of Arts) (Мозаика Малой Академии Искусств), ул. Чайковского, 2 (go in the yard from Fontanka & Neva corner; stop 'Улица Чайковского' on К76 or К100).

59.9475230.3576649 Egyptian House (Египетский дом), Zakharyevskaya ulitsa (ул. Захарьевская), 23 (Metro: Chernyshevskaya 'Чернышевская'). Apartment building, a magnificent example of Russian Art Nouveau. At the entrance - sculpture sun god Ra, above the columns - bas Egyptian scenes, decorated archway into the yard.

Do

Opera and ballet

59.92555630.2961111 Mariinsky Theater (Мариинский театр), Theater Square 1 (Театральная площадь 1) (: 2, 3, 6, 27, 71 & : K1, K6K, K169, K306 to stop 'Theater Square'), ☏ +7 812 326 4141. The Mariinsky Theater (formerly the Kirov, which is the name the troupe still uses when touring abroad) is world-class for both opera and ballet. There are English supertitles for operas sung in Russian; operas in other languages have Russian supertitles. Performances are offered in three halls: the main theater located in the historical building, Mariinsky-2 (the new scene that is located in a futuristic building across Kryukov canal) and the newly-built Mariinsky Concert Hall. Tickets can be purchased on the theater's website. Cavos rebuilt it as an opera and ballet house with the largest stage in the world. With a seating capacity of 1,625 and a U-shaped Italian-style auditorium, the theatre opened on 2 October 1860 with a performance of A Life for the Tsar. The new theatre was named Mariinsky after its imperial patroness, Empress Maria Alexandrovna. price=600-15000 руб.
59.93777830.3294442 Mikhailovskiy Theater (Михайловский театр), Ploshad Isskustv (Площади Искусств) 1 (Between the Russian Museum and the Grand Hotel Europe, : Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект), : К100), ☏ +7 812 595 4305, boxoffice@mikhailovsky.ru. Designed by Alexander Brullov to match the existing ensemble of then Mikhailovsky Square, now Arts Square, its curtain rose on 8 November 1833 for the first time. Officially, it's the St Petersburg Mussorgsky State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre — Mikhailovsky Theatre. The exterior is not as recognizable as the Mariinsky, but the interior is nearly as grand, and the theater hosts both Russian and foreign headliners in opera and ballet. 600-15000 руб.
59.9329830.292773 St. Petersburg Opera (Санкт-Петербург Опера), Galernaya Ul. 33 (Галерная улица 33) (west of the Bronze Horseman. - From : Sadovaya "Садовая", : Sennaya Ploschad "Сенная площадь" further to stop "Plocshad Truda" : 186, 124, 169. - From : Admiralteyskaya "Адмиралтейская", further to stop "Plocshad Truda" : 22, 3, 27; : 22, 5; : 180, 16), ☏ +7 812 312 3982, spbopera@comlink.spb.ru. An intimate theater (half-sized stage, and only about 150-200 audience seats) which puts on the major repertory operas at a lower price than the major theaters and has a fascinating foyer - one has to see it to believe it. 300-3000 руб.
59.92583330.2980564 Conservatory Theater (Санкт-Петербургская государственная консерватория имени Н. А. Римского-Корсакова), Theater Square 3 (Театральная площадь) (across the street from the Mariinsky Theater, : Sadovaya «Садовая», : Sennaya Ploschad «Сенная площадь» then - 15-20 min walk. direction to channel Griboyedov or : 1, 67, 124; /: Nevsky Prospekt/Gostiny Dvor «Невский Проспект»/«Гостиный Двор», then - : 3, 22, 27; : 180, 169, 306), ☏ +7 921 780-1123 (mobile), fax: +7 812 570-6088. While the hall is not lavish – quite sterile, really – a good option for seeing Russian and repertory operas cheaply, performed by faculty and students of the conservatory where Tchaikovsky (and many other famous figures from the Russian music world) studied. 300-3500 руб.
59.94221630.3162375 Hermitage Theater (Эрмитажный театр), Dvortsovaya embankment (Дворцовая набережная), 32/34 (across the Zimnyaya Kanavka (Зимняя канавка) river from the Hermitage Museum, : Admiralteyskaya «Адмиралтейская», : - 15-20 min walk. direction to channel Hermitage Museum or /: Nevsky Prospekt/Gostiny Dvor «Невский Проспект»/«Гостиный Двор», then - : 3, 22, 27), ☏ +7 812 408 10 84, info@hermitagetheater.com. 18:30-22:30. The Hermitage Theater, built as a private home theater of Russian Emperor, used to be Imperial Theatre during more than a century, nowadays is used for almost daily ballet performances, especially during the high-season. 3,500-8,500 руб.

Other theatre

59.931830.33626 Alexandrinsky Theatre or Russian State Pushkin Academy Drama Theater (Александринский театр, Российский государственный академический театр драмы им. А. С. Пушкина), Ostrovsky Square(площадь Островского), 6 ( and : Gostinyy Dvor (Гостиный двор)), ☏ +7 812 570-7794. 12:00-14:00 & 15:00-19:00.
Buff State Musical and Drama Theatre, Zanevsky Prospect, 26, ☏ +7 812 573 95 95. In a modern building. Offers rich program in drama performances, both classical and modern.
59.9260830.358617 Komedianty Theatre (Saint Petersburg State Dramatic Theatre 'The Comedians', Санкт-Петербургский государственный драматический театр «Комедианты»), Ligovsky Prospect (Лиговский проспект), 44 (: Ploshchad Vosstaniya (Площадь Восстания)), ☏ +7 812 572-1004, fax: +7 812 764-7016, komedianty.spb@gmail.com. Founded in 1989
59.93546230.3344548 Komissarjevsky Theatre (Академический драматический театр имени В. Ф. Комиссаржевской), Italyanskaya Street, 19 ( and : Gostinyy Dvor (Гостиный двор), and : Nevsky Prospekt "Невский проспект"), ☏ +7 812 315 53 55, fax: +7 812 571 08 53, teatr@teatrvfk.ru. W-M 11:00-15:00 & 16:00-19:00. The drama and comedy company was founded by actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya in 1901. In The Passage (магазин "Пассаж", Passazh), elite department store
59.9300930.348749 Lensoviet Academic Theatre (Санкт-Петербургский академический театр имении Ленсовета), Pr. Vladimirski (Владимирский пр.), 12 ( and : "Владимирская", and : Dostoevskaya "Достоевская", and : Mayakovskaya "Маяковская"), ☏ +7 812 713-2191, tickets@lensov-theatre.spb.ru. 11:00-19:00. In the former Korssakov family mansion. The resident company was founded as the Young Theatre in 1929, then renamed the New Theatre in 1933, and finally the Leningrad Soviet Theatre in 1939.
59.9371430.3476810 Liteiny Theatre (State Dramatic Theatre on Liteinyi Prospect, Государственный драматический Театр на Литейном), Liteinyi Prospect (Литейный проспект), 51 (: Mayakovskaya "Маяковская" 0.8km, : Gostinyy Dvor (Гостиный двор) 0.9km; : 15, : 8, 15, 3), ☏ +7 812 273-5335, pochta@naliteinom.ru. In 1993, the Liteinyi's theatre troupe toured America with a production of George Bernard Shaw's Great Catherine in Russian.
59.9361930.3329411 Theatre of Musical comedy (Санкт-Петербургский театр музыкальной комедии, Дом Лазаревых), Italianskaia ulitsa (Площадь Искусств, Итальянская улица), 13. (: Nevskiy prospekt «Невский проспект»), ☏ +7 812 570-5316. On 17 September 1929, two united operetta companies – Theatres of Musical comedy from Kharkov and Leningrad presented on its stage one of the first Soviet operetta. This building was constructed in 1799–1801, by E.Sokolov. A prominent St. Petersburg merchant I. Lazarev, gave one of numerous houses for Theatre. In 1842–1896 an Italian architect L. Vendramini the house was rebuilt. In 1896 Grand duke Nikolay Nikolaevich, grandson of Nikolay I, had bought the house and afterwards presented it to his favourite - well-known actress of Alexandrinsky Theatre M. Pototzkaya. In all probability in this period at will of Grand duke interiors of first floor were anew trimmed, and became splendid palace apartments. In 1910 year building was passed to treasury, and then was bought by private entrepreneur I. Piltzov, the inner apartments of the building were reconstructed for presenting theatre productions. Interiors of theatre, cozy and elegant, bear marks of very different architecture styles, that is why they are eclectic in astonishing way. Well-known in whole city three-flights stairs, reception-rooms, lobbies with quaint patterns of modelling, dissemination of painting and bronze are evidence of refinement of rococo style. In decoration of lobby placed over entrance to the theatre could be seen influence of style of Italian Renaissance. One lobby was specially rebuilt as a grotto, which was stylish tendency in the beginning of 20th century. Walls of this hall were faced with raw masonry, in which cracks were hidden electric light bulbs; and in small ponds placed in the corners of grotto water flowed. Sometimes in theatre came people who were not interested in theatre at all, they were just curious – they wanted to see the luxurious stairs and to visit grotto. In architecture of the hall – one of the most early and few in number Petersburg interiors of public purpose of the 1900s – it’s possible to see the influence of Russian late classicism, «streamlined neoclassicism». Hall differs from vivid theatre foyers by accented monumentality, plane angles of walls and discretion of architectural details; and elements of architecture borrowed from late classicism went well together with forms corresponding with engineer possibilities of that time.
59.91416730.30916712 Na Neve Theatre (Children's Theatre "Na Neve", Детский драматический театр «На Неве»), Sovetskiy Pereulok (Советский переулок), 5 ( Tekhnologichesky Institut (Технологический институт) 0.6km NE), ☏ +7 812 251-2006, naneve@cult.gugov.spb.ru. Opened in 1987.
59.9342330.3376713 Saint Petersburg Comedy Theatre (Nikolay Akimov Saint Petersburg Comedy Theatre, Санкт-Петербургский академический театр комедии им. Н. П. Акимова), Nevsky Prospect (Невский проспект), 56 ( and : Gostinyy Dvor), ☏ +7 812 312-4555. Cash desks 11:30-15:00 & 16:00-19:30.
59.92733330.33099414 Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater (Большой драматический театр имени Г. А. Товстоногова), Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki (наб. реки Фонтанки), 65 ( Spasskayav (Спасская)) Sennaya Ploschad (Сенная площадь) 0.6km W), ☏ +7 812 310-9242, +7 812 310-7687 (ticket desk), fax: +7 812 571-4577, bdt@bdt.spb.ru. Daily 11.00-15.00 & 16.00-19.00. Formerly known as Gorky Bolshoi Drama Theater (Russian: Большой Драматический Театр имени Горького) (1931–1992), often referred to as the Bolshoi Drama Theater and by the acronym BDT (Russian: БДТ), it is considered one of the best Russian theaters.
59.91888930.31305615 Youth Theatre on the Fontanka (Saint Petersburg State Youth Theatre on the Fontanka, Санкт-Петербургский государственный молодёжный театр на Фонтанке), Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki (Набережная реки Фонтанки), 114 (: Tekhnologichesky Institut 'Технологический институт', further by walk), ☏ +7 812 316-6564, zavlit@mtfontanka.spb.ru. Daily 12.00-15.00 & 15.40-20.00. It plays Russian classic plays in the winter seasons and hosts a rock concert in the summer. 200-1200 руб.
59.92944430.34305616 Zazerkalie theatre ("Looking Glass" Children's Musical Theatre, Детский музыкальный театр «Зазеркалье»), Rubinstein Street (улице Рубинштейна), 13 (: Vladimirskaya 'Владимирская', Dostoevskaya 'Достоевская'), ☏ +7 812 712-4393, fax: +7 812 712-4395. The theatre appeared in August 1987 and was named after the Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There". The Children’s experimental theatre “Zazerkalie” appeared in 1992.

Concerts

59.93601730.33172817 St. Petersburg Philharmonic Grand Hall (Bolshoi Zal, Санкт-Петербургская государственная филармония им. Д. Д. Шостаковича, Большой зал), Mikhailovskaya Ul. (Михайловская улица) 2 (entrance across from the Grand Hotel Europe, : Nevskiy prospekt), ☏ +7 812 710-4290, fax: +7 812 710-4085. Cash desks 11:00-15:00 & 16:00-20:00. The orchestra was established in 1802. The Bolshoi Zal (large hall) of this building is one of the best known music halls in Russia. The building that houses the Philharmonia was completed 1839. Architect: P. Jacot; and Facade design: C. Rossi. A world-class orchestra which records and tours abroad. The Small Hall (Maliy Saal) hosts excellent chamber music performances and recitals. 600-5000 руб.
59.9355330.3275118 St. Petersburg Philharmonic Small Hall (Malii Zal, Санкт-Петербургская государственная филармония им. Д. Д. Шостаковича, Малый зал), Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект), 30 (: Nevskiy prospekt), ☏ +7 812 571-8333, fax: +7 812 571-4237. Cash desks 11:00-15:00 & 16:00-19:00. The Small Hall (Maliy Saal) of the Philharmonic hosts excellent chamber music performances and recitals.
59.9242130.3369819 Jazz Philharmonic Hall (Джаз-филармоник холле, Эллингтон холле), Zagorodnyy prospekt (Загородный пр.), 27 (south of Nevsky Prospekt, use : Vladimirskaya 'Владимирская' or : 16), ☏ +7 812 764-8565, fax: +7 812 764-9843, fdm@jazz-hall.ru. Cash desks: daily 14:00-20:00. Offers a variety of jazz performances several times per week. 800-1200 руб.
59.93555630.36527820 Oktyabrskiy Concert Hall (БКЗ Октябрьский, Большой концертный зал «Октя́брьский»), Ligovskiy Prospekt (Лиговский проспект), 6 (: Ploshad Vosstaniya 'Площадь Восстания'), ☏ +7 812 275-1300. M-F 11:00-20:00, Sa Su 11:00-19:00. Pop and rock concerts in an auditorium. 600-12000 руб.

Circus

59.93856930.3411721 Circus Ciniselli (Цирк Чинизелли, Большой Санкт-Петербургский государственный цирк), Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki ( Набережная реки Фонтанки), 3 ( and : Gostinyy Dvor (Гостиный двор) 0.5km), ☏ +7 812 570-5198, fax: +7 812 570-5260, info@circus.spb.ru. Daily 11:00-15:00, 16:00-19:00. It was the first stone-built circus in Russia; it is situated beside the Fontanka. Opened on 26 December 1877, with a large stage (13m in diameter) and stables (housing 150 horses). The architect was Vasily Kenel. 600-2300 руб.

Film

59.9362330.3419422 Dom Kino (Киноцентр Дом Кино), Karavannaya Ulitsa (Караванная улица), 12 (: Gostinyy Dvor (Гостиный двор)), ☏ +7 812 314 5614, info@domkino.spb.ru. Sometimes shows films in their original language. 100-250 руб.
59.934130.3392923 Avrora Cinema, Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект), 60 (: Nevskiy prospekt), ☏ +7 812 942-80-20. Daily 11:00-20:00. 250-700 руб.

Canal boat tours

A tour of the canals by boat is a great way to see the city in the summer. The typical tour is through the Moika, out to the Neva to see the Peter and Paul Fortress and the Cruiser Aurora, then in through the Fontanka (sometimes as far as the Mariinsky Theater). Tours start at many points along the route and return to their starting point - hawkers for different boat companies abound - and the boats may or may not have a cafe and toilet on board. Almost all tours are in Russian. 400-600 руб seems to be the average price.

Anglotourismo Boat Tours, Fontanka Embankment 21, ☏ +7 921 989 47 22. Canal boat tours in English, departing from near the Anichkov Bridge (Nevksy Prospekt and Fontanka) in season (May 2 - Sep 30). 1000 руб.

Walking around with locals

The alternative way to explore St. Petersburg is to know it from inside, walking and talking with locals and trying local activities. Those people who have lived here for years would like to tell you a plenty of stories, open some secret places (as roofs or courtyards, etc.) and treat you as a friend. Tours by locals are offered by Sputnik, Petersburg Voyage, Discover Walks St Petersburg, and Ribin Igor.

Cultural centers and related tours

New Holland Island. An area with green space, outdoor theatre, yoga workshops, and small cafes. Very popular hangout on evenings and weekends.
59.9219530.3554424 Loft Project ETAGI, Ligovsky prospekt, 74 (Ligovsky Prospekt (Лиговский проспект); 16, 25, 49; 3, 26, 54, 65, 74, 76, 91, 141.). Culture centre in five-storey former bakery building with several exhibition spaces (combined surface around 0.5 ha). Contemporary art exhibitions, concerts, events (flea markets). Parts of Etagi loft are two art galleries, four exhibitions spaces, a cafe (with great interior and outside terrace), a hostel and a bookshop.
Fligel', Kreativnyy Klaster (Пространство Флигель), ulitsa Vosstaniya, 40. Colorful buildings with intricate artwork.
Creative spaces tour. Tour over cultural centers listed above run by Olga Polyakova, local activist in the creative industries. RUB3,500.

Buy

Nevsky Prospect (Невский проспект) is Saint Petersburg's Champs-Élysées, lined with department stores and fancy shops. A recommended shop for souvenir hunters is Nevsky Gifts on the corner of the road entering Palace Square.

59.9299330.326021 Apraksin Dvor (Апраксин двор), Sadovaya St.(ул. Садовая), 28-30 (Sennaya Ploschad (Сенная площадь) 400 m SW), ☏ +7 812 710-4673. The Apraksin Market (Apraksin Dvor) is perfect for people watching, but keep your purse and camera close since it is a favorite of both shoppers and pickpockets. You can find almost anything here.

59.9348330.334172 Dom Knigi («Дом книги», Дом компании «Зингер», «Дом книги», House of Books), Nevsky Prospekt 48 (at corner with Griboedov Canal, Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект) 600 m S; opposite the Kazan Cathedral). A six-story building, built in 1902-1904 on the project of Paul Suzor to be the Russian headquarters of Singer sewing machines American company. Art Nouveau is not typical of the Nevsky Prospect, however it blended well into the face of St. Petersburg. It is believed that the company wanted to build a multi-story building, like its skyscraper in New York City. However, the height regulations prohibit building structures up more than 23.5 m. The architect thus decided to build a graceful tower, crowned with a glass globe, which creates the illusion of elevation, while not overshadowing either the Kazan Cathedral or the Savior on Spilled Blood church. The sculptural decoration of the tower and the facade were created by Estonian sculptor Amandus Adamson, also worked on the design of the shop and school Eliseevsky Baron Stieglitz. Today it is the city's biggest and most important bookstore, a tourist attraction on its own right. A cafe operates on the second floor. It is recognized as an historical landmark, and has official status as an object of Russian cultural heritage. The building was designed by architect Pavel Suzor for the Russian branch of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. The Saint Petersburg building code did not allow structures taller than the Winter Palace, residence of the emperor. The architect found an elegant solution to the limit of 23.5 m: the six-story Art Nouveau building is crowned with a glass tower, which in turn is topped by a glass globe sculpture created by the Estonian artist Amandus Adamson. This tower creates the impression of a substantial elevation, but is subtle enough not to overshadow either the Kazan Cathedral or the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. In 1919, the building was given to the Petrograd State Publishing House. It became the city's largest book store, and was subsequently named "The House of Books" in 1938. The book store remained functioning during the Siege of Leningrad until November 1942. It reopened in 1948. The building now is home of the familiar House of Books and Café Singer.

59.934230.33773 Eliseyev Emporium (Elisseevskiy Store, Елисеевский магазин, Дом торгового товарищества «Братья Елисеевы»), Nevsky Prospekt, 56/Malaya Ulitsa, 8 (Невский проспект, 56 и Малая Садовая улица, 8) (on the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and Malaya Sadovaya str, : Gostinyy dvor «Гостиный двор» 100 m W). Built in 1902-1903 by the architect Gabriel Baranovsky in the style of early modern to colonial goods store Eliseev Brothers. Building facades are adorned with four statues of "Industry", "Trade", "Art" and "Science" by Estonian sculptor Amandus Adamson (who also worked on the sculptural decoration of Dom Knigi and Baron Stieglitz School). No less interesting design trade halls, located on the first floor. The second floor housed Comedy Theatre. Passage established relations with new trade and business partners, such as Escada, and other international department stores. One of the first upscale food markets in Russia, with a wide variety of international produce, opened in the basement. New restaurant opened on the upper level with the panoramic view of the Nevsky Prospect.

59.9333230.33124 Gostiny Dvor (Гостиный Двор), Nevsky Prospekt (Невский пр.),35 (at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and Sadovaya Street,: Gostinyy dvor «Гостиный Двор»), ☏ +7 812 710-5408, 2119@gostiny.spb.ru. Daily 10:00-23:00. This is a vast bazaar, the city's oldest shopping centre, and one of the first shopping arcades in the world. Dating to the mid-18th century. The name means "Merchant Yard", as its old role was to provide both shops and housing to merchants from far away. It sells almost everything from PlayStations to Saint Petersburg Vodka. On the north side is a decent store for second-hand photo equipment selling cameras and lenses (Nikon, Canon, Sigma etc.). The prices of goods are the highest in St.Petersburg. Sprawling for over one kilometer and embracing the area of 53,000 m², the indoor complex of more than 100 shops took twenty-eight years to construct. Building works commenced in 1757 to an elaborate design by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, but that subsequently was discarded in favour of a less expensive and more functional Neoclassical design submitted by Jean-Baptiste Vallin de la Mothe (1729–1800). The next century, Gostiny Dvor was continuously augmented, resulting in ten indoor streets and as many as 178 shops by the 20th century. By that time, the Gostiny Dvor had lost its popularity to the more fashionable Passage and New Passage on the Nevsky Prospekt nearby. During the post-World War II reconstructions, its inner walls were demolished and a huge shopping mall came into being. This massive 18th-century structure got a face-lift and entered the 21st century as one of the most fashionable shopping centres in Eastern Europe. A nearby station of Saint Petersburg Metro takes its name from Gostiny Dvor.

59.934730.334175 The Passage (Passazh, Универмаг «Пассаж»), Nevsky Prospekt (Невский пр.),48 (: Nevsky Prospekt «Невский проспект»; : 3, 7, 22, 27. : 1, 5, 7, 10, 22), ☏ +7 812 312-2210, passage@passage.spb.ru. M-Sa 10:00-21:00, Su 11:00-21:00. This is an elite department store, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1998. Parenthetically, the Passage premises have long been associated with the entertainment industry and still remains home to the Komissarzhevskaya Theatre.The name came from a vast gallery between Nevsky Avenue and Italianskaya Street which provided the main passage through the mall. The gallery was covered over by an arching glass and steel roof, thus giving it a claim to being one of the world's first shopping malls. The three-storey building opened on May 9, 1848. It was one of the first structures in Russia to employ gas for lighting. Another innovation was an underground floor, where an electric station would be installed in 1900. Although the store specialized in jewellery, expensive clothes and other luxury goods, crowds of common people flocked to see the most fashionable shop of the Russian Empire. Count Essen-Stenbock-Fermor - the developer - conceived of the Passage as more than a mere shopping mall, but also as a cultural and social centre for the people of St Petersburg. The edifice contained coffee-houses, confectioneries, panorama installations, an anatomical museum, a wax museum, and even a small zoo. To draw even more consumers to the store, the Soleille, one of the largest cinemas in the Russian capital, was opened in the complex in 1908. In 1933, the municipal authorities declared the Passage a "model department store", the only one in Leningrad (former St Petersburg) and one of only three such stores in the Soviet Union. The renovated "palace of Soviet trade" (as the media touted it) opened in 1934 and offered about 30,000 types of goods, all manufactured in the USSR. The Children's World section became especially popular with the inhabitants of Leningrad. - Now privately owned by employees and shareholders.

Eat

Russian chain restaurants such as Teremok (Теремок), Kroshka Kartoshka (Крошка Картошка), and Dodo Pizza are common in Saint Petersburg. Булочные Ф. Вольчека is a chain of many bakeries with slices of cake for under RUB100 and ice cream for RUB60.

Budget

Byuro, ulitsa Zhukovskogo, 29 (close to Mayakovskaya), ☏ +7 921 940 3008. Only burgers are on the menu, including salmon and chicken burgers. They will give you disposable latex gloves to avoid messy hands, although bad for the environment. Burgers: 600 руб.

Jiva Burgers, Griboyedov channel embankment, 49, ☏ +7 921 940 3008. Vegetarian and vegan burgers.

Marketplace, Nevskiy Ave 24 (Metro: Nevsky Prospect). A local chain and upscale canteen with fresh grilled meat, salads, and pasta made to order. From 4050 руб.

59.9306330.318111 Mickey & Monkeys, Ulitsa Gorokhovaya 27, ☏ +7 911 920-23-86. Mostly breakfast and milkshakes.

Мясорубка Angus, Liteyniy Ave, 31, ☏ +7 812 272 7788. Large burgers, mozzarella sticks, and beer.<

59.9333830.315152 Pizza Hut (Пицца Хат), Gorokhovaya ul.,16 ( Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект)), ☏ +7 812 315-9486. Daily 11:00-23:00. Chain restaurant.

Mid-range

59.9431930.322233 1,001 Nights (Тысяча и одна ночь), Millionnaya ulitsa (ул. Миллионная), 21. noon-23:00 daily, live music & belly dancing F-Su 20:00-23:00. This would be but an ordinary undistinguished Uzbek restaurant, were it not within one block of the Winter Palace. Given location, the place is spectacular in that it maintains decent service and very good food. 300-500 руб.

Acquarel, Dobrolyubova Avenue, 14A, at the Exchange Bridge, attic floor (next to the Birzhevoy bridge), ☏ +7 931 532-65-88. Right on the water, this restaurant offers Italian food alongside a French/Asian fusion menu. Friendly people, delightful atmosphere, and a wonderful view, Acquarel is a wonderful and delicious dinner option or even a great place to relax and get a drink in their lounge chairs.

59.9244630.328634 Бакинский дворик (Бакинский дворик), Gorohovaya (Гороховая ул.), 52 (close to Isaakievsky cathedral, Sennaya Ploschad (Сенная площадь)), ☏ +7 812 713-5747, ooo-dvit@mail.ru. 24 hours. Good-quality Caucasian cuisine in a vivid interior. Excellent shashlyki and manty. 3 courses: 1000 руб.

59.94084330.3156095 Cagliostro Restaurant (Ресторан Калиостро), Bolshaya Morskaya, 38 (: Admiralteyskaya «Адмиралтейская» 0.5 km), ☏ +7 911 7447759, cagliostro.rest@gmail.com. Daily 12:00-22:00. Good and quality Russian and European food. Moderate prices. Beautiful atmosphere. 1500 руб (three courses, no alcohol).

59.9307930.354096 Cat, 22 Ul. Stremyannaya ( Mayakovskaya (Маяковская)), ☏ +7 812 571-33-77. Kafe Cat is a tucked into a rather unassuming location, just off Nevsky. This little restaurant serves what might be the best Georgian food in St. Petersburg. There is an English menu and the staff is friendly. 1500 руб for 2, 3 courses + beer.

59.9336530.313827 Clean Plate Society (Общество чистых тарелок), Gorokhovaya ulitsa (Гороховая ул.),13, ☏ +7 812 934 97 64, gorohovaya13@gmail.com. Cafe by Kirill Ivanov and budding chef-mogul Alexander Berkovksy. "Obschestvo Chistykh Tarelok", or "Clean Plates Society" in English, is named after a children's fairy tale alleging that Lenin told children that those who finish all the food on their plate would become members of the Clean Plates Society. Quality burgers, cream soups and vegetarian dishes with worldwide influences. Recommended for hipster-watching in St. Petersburg.

59.9302230.303158 Idiot (Ресторан «ИДИОТ»), naberezhnaya Reki Moyki, 82 ( Sadovaya (Садовая)), ☏ +7 812 315-1675. Named after the Dostoevsky novel, and offering a wide variety of very tasty vegan, vegetarian, and seafood dishes at prices higher than what you'd expect. All served in a very cozy and attractive cellar stocked with books, expats, and intellectuals.

59.93830.326189 Mama Roma, Malaya Konyushennaya, 4/2 ( Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект)). A chain of Italian restaurants; free wifi. Outdoor terrace is open heated until at least end of Sep; terrace perfect with toddler: spacious enough for baby strollers; has children-safe wide couches.

59.9299930.3550910 My Zhe Na Ty (Мы же на ты), Ulitsa Marata (Ул. Марата), 10 (very close to Moskovsky vokzal, Ploschad Vosstanya (Площадь Восстания)/ Mayakovskaya (Маяковская)), ☏ +7 812 456-44-74. daily 10:00-23:00. Here you can take your breakfast or lunch in a room layout that resembles a library.

59.93830.3261811 RockStar Cafe, Bolshaya Morskaya 6 ( Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект)). 12:00 until the last customer. Heavy metal and hard rock bar and grill. This cafe plays hard rock music and serves great drinks and food. The menu includes burgers, nachos, and traditional Russian cuisine. 400-800 руб.

SCHASTYE (СЧАСТЬЕ), M. Morskaya, 24 (close to Isaakiyevsky cathedral), ☏ +7 812 680 24 44. Su-Th 09:00-01:00, F Sa 09:00-06:00. Breakfast, dinner, English menu. French and Italian cuisine in interpretation by chief Dmitriy Reshetnikov, its always original and nobody can stay indifferent after this dishes. Serves desserts by chief-bakery Ekaterina Kiselkova. Cookies, chocolate, candys or different homemade dessert in original packing can be a good present or compliment

59.9336830.3113312 Tokyo City, Bolshaya Morskaya ulitsa, 31 ( Admiralteyskaya (Адмиралтейская)), ☏ +7 812 677-10-00. Su-Th 11:00-01:00, F Sa 11:00-03:00. Despite the name, serves Russian food, too, not just Japanese, in a dining room with chandeliers and such.

59.9388130.323113 Traveling Sack for a Pregnant Spy (Саквояж для беременной шпионки), Bolshaya Konyushennaya ulitsa (ул. Б. Конюшенная), 17 (close to Kazansky cathedral), ☏ +7 812 570-0637. M-F 11:00-01:00, kitchen closes at 23:30; Sa Su 12:00-02:00. A very fun Russian restaurant, that would be worth visiting as a gallery of weird spy-kitsch, but the food is also decent. No wifi. Average bill per person, no alcohol: 800 руб.

59.9320730.3056314 WöD, Bol'shaya Morskaya 45 (close to Isaakiyevsky cathedral), ☏ +7 812 570 1974. M-Th Su 09:00-24:00, F Sa 13:00-01:00. It is losing its charm and excellent service. Still, quite charming good value for money, although drinks are quite expensive. Fireplace in winter and courtyard with umbrellas and flowers in summer. Most staff speak English, those who don't are still helpful at navigating the English menu. Lunch set menu from 13:00. Equally good for breakfast (M-F from 09:00) with omelettes, pancakes, a weekly rotation of porridges and fritters. Free wifi (ask waiter for instructions); children's playroom; outdoor terrace open until at least 5ths of Oct (but no gas heaters). Same owners as a nearby Zoom Cafe. Dinner: average bill per person: RUB1000 руб (three courses, no alcohol). Breakfasts: omlet 110 руб, porridges 80 руб, tea 90 руб.

59.9312830.3182415 Zoom, Ul. Gorokhovaya. 22 (close to Isaakiyevsky cathedral), ☏ +7 812 448-5001. Until 24:00; last order until 22:30. Same owners as Tepló, but much more intimate;not a victim of top TripAdvisor positions. 1000 руб (three courses, no alcohol).

Splurge

59.9353630.3360716 Baku (Баку), Sadovaya ulitsa (Садовая ул.), 12/23; Ital'yanskaya ulitsa cnr (на углу Садовой и Итальянской улиц) ( Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект)), ☏ +7 921 910-76-25, fax: +7 812 571-91-23, baku-spb@mail.ru. 12:00-02:00. One of the city's more impressive interiors, modeled after the palaces of the Shirvan Shahs (imagine eating in Sheki's Khan-Saray). Opened in 2006, has received rave reviews from all quarters since, offering some of the best dishes you can taste in Saint Petersburg. A great place to try out Azeri cuisine with great meat dishes. From 1300 руб.

59.9358430.3305117 Grand Hotel Europe Restaurant, Mikhaylovskaya ulitsa, 1/7, ☏ +7 812 329-6000. About this price includes a full caviar spread and sushi bar in addition to the normal brunch fare (carving station, omelette station, salads, fruit, baked goods, desserts, the options are nearly endless). There is also bottomless champagne glasses (and the champagne is quite good) and a huge frozen ice sculpture that is tapped where you can refill your glass with iced vodka as many times as you'd like. The jazz is very good and the pace is relaxed and enjoyable.

59.9453830.3616418 Art-Cafe Sunduk (Сундук), Furshtatskaya ulitsa (ул. Фурштатская), 42 ( Chernyshevskaya (Чернышевская)). M-F 10:00-24:00 Sa Su 11:00-24:00. A great, small, cozy, and very stylish brick-walled Russian restaurant, with excellent food, and good enough service. Live entertainment comes often, and is often surprisingly good—imagine sitting down and only then seeing a solo jazz guitarist sit down to play some beautiful music. It's been open for more than a decade, and there's a reason why it's a fixture of the local restaurant scene around Furshtatskaya. 850 руб.

Literary Cafe, Nevsky Ave, 18, ☏ +7 812 312 6057. A historic restaurant for Pushkin lovers.

Rasputin Cafe, Embankment River Moyka, 37, ☏ +7 812 571 7591. Rasputin memorabilia on the walls. Sausage on smoked ribs, duck dumplings, Danish smørrebrods, Asian woks, and German sausages.

59.9338530.3226519 Terrassa, a Ginza Project restaurant (Терасса), Kazanskaya ploshchad', 3 (highest floor of shopping center behind Kazansky cathedral, Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект)). Offers magnificent view to Kazansky cathedral from terrace. Pastries are well worth the price. Averages: soups 330-380 руб; salads 400-700 руб; pizza 500 руб; mains 1000 руб; tiramisù 320 руб.

Drink

Bars

Apotheke Bar (Аптека Бар), Ulitsa Lomonosova, 1, ☏ +7 952 353-99-88. Literally, "pharmacy bar". Popular bar specializing in cocktails.

59.9258430.352421 Bristol Pub, ul. Marata (Улица Марата), 36/38 (Tram 16, 25, 49 to stop Улица Марата). Very home-atmosphere and friendly.

Chroniki, ul. Nekrasova 26 (Metro: Mayakovskaya; Ploshchad Vosstaniya). Anachronistically harmonizes the drinking cultures of a modern Scandinavian bar and a classic Leningrad “ryumochnaya” (the traditional Soviet-era watering hole). This is not a rowdy club for dancing to Eurodance all night, but rather a classic bar perfect for intellectual debates of a more cultured public. The stylish interior is very modern yet cozy, simple yet edgy, with white tiled walls, brass windowsills, gilded antique Soviet chandeliers. There is a massive wooden table for larger groups as well as a tall standing (or leaning, if you’ve already had a few) table perfect for slamming down your shot glass, or grabbing a quick bite to eat before running off on errands or to your next bar-hopping destination. The beautiful and uniquely stylish wooden bar counter. This is one of very few reasonably priced and cool bars in St. Petersburg located above basement-level, allowing its customers to gaze at passersby as well as take in the beauty of the classic St. Petersburg architecture on Nekrasova street. The black-and-white photos on the wall include images of a strict 1970s Leningrad barmaid as well as her jovial clients - a nostalgic reminder that in this beautiful northern city, its inhabitants were always capable of drinking and always loved drinking. The preferred order at Chroniki is, as per tradition at a Leningrad ryumochnaya, hard alcohol (there are many vodka varieties, from the legendary Stoli for RUB90 to Finnish, Swedish and Danish brands) and the bartenders also recommend Crimean port wine “Massandra”, locally brewed craft beer, and a house-special cocktail “Free Ingria,” inspired by the eternal confrontation between St. Petersburg and Moscow. The snack selection includes sandwiches (one for RUB100 , two for RUB150, five for RUB350), distinctive “Northern tapas” served with a choice of boiled tongue, salmon, chicken, vegetables or, of course, herring (the traditional Russian chaser for vodka). The weeknights are more chilled out for quiet but steady drinking and on the weekends, friends of the owners are invited to DJ and merry revelry almost always inevitably ensues.

Daiquiri Bar, Bolshaya Konyushennaya St, 1, ☏ +7 812 943-81-14. An upscale cocktail bar with very unique drinks. Cocktails: From 500 руб.

Dead Poets, Zhukovskogo 12, ☏ +7 812 449 4656, info@dpoets.ru. Su-Th 14:00-02:00; F Sa 14:00-20:00. A quiet cocktail bar. Cocktails: 350-600 руб; Bottle of wine: 1600-9500 руб.

59.9214130.318862 Dickens Pub, Fontanka Canal, 108 (near Sadovaya (Садовая) & , Tekhnologichesky Institut 1 and 2 (Технологический институт) metro stations, just off Moskovsky-Fontanka bridge), ☏ +7 812 380 7888. Dickens Pub offers good service, great food, and a wide range of English and other international beers, with over 15 on tap. There are also many superior whiskeys too! Dickens Pub is a good place to eat. Be prepared for a party - especially on Fridays & Saturdays!

El Copitas, Kolokol'naya Ulitsa, 2, ☏ +7 812 941-71-68. Popular Mexican bar hidden in a basement. Specializes in tequila and mezcal. Rated one of the best 50 bars in the world.

Hat Bar, ul. Belinskogo 9 (Metro: Gostiny Dvor), ☏ +7 812 314 5371. 19:00-03:00. Crowded bar with live jazz music.

Imbibe Bar, ул. Жуковского, д.6, ☏ +7 812 988-67-48. A popular cocktail bar.

London Pub (ЛОНДОН ПАБ), Prospekt Rimskogo-Korsakova, 1, ☏ +7 812 572-60-79. London-themed bar popular with English speakers and ex-pats, with English and Irish beer available. Cocktails: RUB550-650.

O'Hooligans, Bolshaya Konyushennaya St, 14, ☏ +7 812 964-80-40. Popular Irish pub.

Paulaner (Пауланер), Goncharnaya Ulitsa, 4 / Nevsky Ave, 89, ☏ +7 812 406-73-13. 12:00-23:00. Bavarian-themed bar/restaurant popular with expats. Beer: RUB500.

Poison Rock`n`Roll Karaoke Bar, Рубинштейна, 13, ☏ +7 921 366 62 06. A karaoke bar that only plays English-language songs. Popular with foreigners. Gets crowded only after 02:00. Cocktails: RUB550-650.

Punk Brew, Rubinshteina St. 9/3 (Just off Nevsky Prospekt), ☏ +7 911 929-78-77. Burgers and pizza along with bottled and draft beer.

Sky & Wine (Небо и вино), Pereulok Pirogova, 18, ☏ +7 812 565-75-73. A bar on the roof of an apartment building with an amazing view of St. Issac's Cathedral, one of the best views in the city. A must do. More than 100 types of wine from all over the world. Italian and St. Petersburg cuisine. Cocktails: RUB550-650.

Stirka 40°, Kazanskaya 26, ☏ +7 812 314 5371. Combination bar and laundromat. Have a beer while washing your clothes! Operated by a famous local designer that also operates the Produkty Fontanka 17 club.

59.9364630.322923 Tower Pub, Nevsky Prospekt 22 (Very close to the metro station Nevsky Prospekt), ☏ +7 812 315 1431. 24 hours. The Tower Pub is a great place to rest, have a quick drink or stay for the whole evening. The bartenders are really nice, do speak English and are in for a chat (on a quiet night). It's located in the basement of a large building but the atmosphere is really nice. No live music.

Union Bar, Liteyniy Ave, 55. Very popular and crowded bar with live music almost every night

Xander Bar @ Four Seasons Hotel, Voznesenskiy prospekt 1 (Metro: Admiralteyskaya), ☏ +7 812 339 8000. Old-world luxury atmosphere. Smart casual attire. Cocktails: 550-650 руб.

Nightclubs

59.9195130.350284 Griboedov (Грибоедов), Voronezhskaya ulitsa 2 ( Ligovsky Prospekt (Лиговский проспект)), ☏ +7 812 164 4355. Open daily except Tuesday; 12:00-06:00. A suitably spaced out place for a club whose name can also be interpreted as "the mushroom eater" or a famous Russian's poet surname, the acts here are famously offbeat, especially on weekdays when you're as likely to find a poetry reading as live reggae or a DJ spinning psychedelic trance. This club is hidden in an underground bomb shelter with a new performance space/bar/restaurant atop the bunker's hill.

59.933730.344565 Mishka DJ bar/cafe, Fontanka 40 ( Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект); Ploschad Vosstanya (Площадь Восстания)/ Mayakovskaya (Маяковская)). A popular DJ bar/cafe for local scenesters, as well as 20-something tourists and ex-pats, on the most central intersection (Nevsky prospekt and Fontanka). Due to strict dress code don't try to enter with a backpack and be ready to hear that the party tonight is "invitation only". It means the security did not like your look. The place was opened by St. Petersburg avant-garde musician and heartthrob Kirill Ivanov and friends in the beginning of 2011, at the end of 2011 Mishka has already achieved the title of St. Petersburg's Best Bar according to TimeOut magazine. During daytime, Mishka more of a cafe (with free WiFi), where you can relax, read and/or chat and enjoy a selection of sandwiches and fresh salads. In fact, it's one of the few places that serves in line with the Western understanding of "salad" - a huge bowl of fresh greens with a choice of other fresh ingredients to add, rather than the traditional Russian understanding of salad which is usually a lot of mayonnaise with other ingredients and often without any greens at all. There are two spaces - the entrance space is the "club" side, generally the rowdier side and the place to get boozed up and drunkenly dance the night away, and the second space is more relaxed, more brightly lit and a comfortable place to grab a bite to eat (even at 4am!) and sit and chat with your friends without shouting over the music from the entrance space. At night, there is usually a DJ playing (even on weeknights!) whatever hipsters are listening to these days (rather than typical Russian clubs that only play worn-out house and 90s pop) and the bar can get very crowded on weekend nights. Try one of the dozens of specialty shots to get your night started in the right spirit... or to end your night, if you're on a bender.

59.9390330.327376 Mod Club (Мод), Kanal Griboedova 7 (in the courtyard) (next to Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood; Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект)), ☏ +7 812 712 0734. 18:00-06:00. Cavernous live music hall with old brick walls and loft outdoor bar, separate room with wrap-around bar and small DJ stand, chill-out room with small concerts and a terrace bar for dancing under the White Nights skies. Pizza is sold in the back. Very diverse music program: from reggae to punk/metal, but mostly rock. Friendly atmosphere. The crowd is made up of students, musicians, artists and expats. The space also includes MOD Gallery with local art on display. Design of the club is worth checking out as well. Menus in English, English-speaking bartenders, inexpensive beer. Entry: 150 руб on weekends.

59.9358730.343067 Cafe-bar "Produkty", Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki 17 ( Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект); Ploschad Vosstanya (Площадь Восстания)/ Mayakovskaya (Маяковская)). Literally, 'Groceries'. Opened in the fall of 2011 by designer Lisa Izvozchikova, owner of Stirka bar. The space is modest in size, but being one of the rare cafe-bars in St. Petersburg located above basement-level, boasts views of the Fontanka and features local DJs as well as more "amateur" music lovers spinning their favorite tunes, sipping cocktails and occasionally dancing and even singing along if the mood strikes them. Produkty features a carefully thought-out range of alcohol - all the makings of any classic cocktail as well as a delicious and dry cider "St. Anton", grog, milkshakes with berries, a homemade hot ginger tea, as well as freshly squeezed orange juice. The food is mainly vegetarian, and the offerings include couscous and sandwiches. All the furniture was brought from Berlin: the leatherette-upholstered bar, massive leather armchairs, round bar stools from the 1970s, chairs taken from GDR kindergartens and schools, typewriters and a Wurlitzer jukebox that only accepts Deutschmark (don't worry! you can buy the necessary Deutschmark tokens at the bar). The classic hipster-reference to East Germany is not completely lost when it comes to describing the style and clientele of Produkty..

Sleep

Budget (Hostels)

Attic Hostel, ефимова 3А (Sennaya Ploschad), ☏ +7 953 148-02-78.

59.93325430.3220731 Cuba Hostel, Kazanskaya Ulitsa, 5, 3 (just off Nevsky Prospekt, near the Church of Our Lady of Kazan), ☏ +7 812 921-71-15, cubahostel@gmail.com. A nice hostel, with modern and inventive decoration. Although it's advertised as a party hostel and situated over an English pub, noise isn't a problem. Dorm bed: From 699 руб; Visa invitation: 1400 руб.

Friends Hostels (8 locations + scattered apartments), ☏ +7 812 331-7799, mail@friendsplace.ru. Named after the famous TV show, the hostel chain Friends has spotless dorms, great location and extremely helpful staff. Visa invitation: 415 руб; Registration: 250 руб..
- 59.9343930.326662 Friends By The House of Books (Друзья на Грибоедова), Griboyedov Channel Embankment, 19 ( Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект)), ☏ +7 812 339-2205, fax: +7 812 448 6808, griboedov@friendsplace.ru. Dorm bed: From 400 руб; Private room: 1600-1800 руб.
- 59.9303330.324513 Friends Hostel, on Bankovsky (Друзья на Банковском), Bankovsky pereulok (Банковский пер.), 3 (Minibuses K-3 and K-213, M: Sadovaya), ☏ +7 812 310 4950, fax: +7 812 310 4955. phone daily 09:00-21:00. Bike renting. Walking and bike tours. Dorm bed: 400-600 руб; Private room: 1200-1500 руб.
- 59.9318430.35694 Friends Hostel, Nevsky (Friends on Nevsky, Друзья на Невском), (Невский пр.), 106, ☏ +7 812 272 7178, fax: +7 812 448 6808, nevsky@friendsplace.ru. 1200-1500 руб.
- 59.933630.360445 Friends on Vosstaniya or Friends of the Rebellion (Друзья на Восстания), Vosstaniya street (ул. Восстания), 11 (M: Plosch. Vosstaniya), ☏ +7 812 401 6155, fax: +7 812 401 6154, v11@friendsplace.ru. Dorm bed: 1072 руб; Private room: 1300-1500 руб.

59.9218630.356426 Gamak Hostel, Nevsky Prospect 103, ☏ +7 911 035-93-73, gamakhostel@gmail.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. Dorm bed: 919 руб; Double/Twin: 2000 руб.

Guten Duck St. Petersburg, Lermontovskiy Prospekt, 43/1 (12-minute walk from St. Petersburg-Baltiysky train station).

Mishan / Mishanya Hostel, Nevsky Ave, 147, ☏ +7 911 926-20-76. Kitchen. Very clean.

Peter Hostel, Italyanskaya St, 12. Dorm bed: RUB400-700, Double: RUB1500-3500, depending on season.

Simple Hostel, 2 central locations: Gorokhovaya 4 and Nevksy Prospekt 78 (Metro Sennaya ploshchad' 0.7km S), ☏ +7 812 385-25-28. Clean and comfortable, large common rooms, full kitchen, and friendly girls on staff. Dorm bed: From 919 руб.

59.9320130.312577 Soul Kitchen, naberezhnaya Reki Moyki, 62/2 app 9 (Metro Sennaya ploshchad' 0.7km S), ☏ +7 965 816-34-70, soulkitchenhostel@gmail.com. Free laundry and full kitchen facilities. Breakfast included. Dorm bed: 980-1450 руб; Double: 2800-3000 руб; Visa Support 1000 руб.

Sweet Village Hostel, Ligovskiy prospekt, 87, ☏ +7 812 418 3334. Dorm bed: 400-850 руб; Double:2500 руб.

White Hostel, Liteyniy Ave, 28.

Mid-range

59.9261330.341988 5th Corner Hotel (Отель Пятый Угол), Zagorodniy avenue 13 (metro: Vladimirskaya or Dostoevskaya, trainterminal: Moskovskiy Vokzal), ☏ +7 812 380 8181, fax: +7 812 380 8181, booking@5ugol.ru. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Business hotel in a restored building from the 19th century. Al the rooms are decorated in warm autumn tones and equipped with AC, TV, and mini-bar. From RUB2,500.

59.9342530.312939 Comfort Hotel, Bolshaya Morskaya Ul.25 (M Адмиралтейская, 2 blocks off Nevsky Prospekt between the Moika and Admiralty), ☏ +7 812 570 6700, info@comfort-hotel.org. Hotel with 18 rooms and attentive service. Breakfast buffet included. English-speaking staff. 3200-10000 руб.

59.927530.3147610 Hotel Delta Nevy, Bolshaya Morskaya st.50 (M: within 2 minutes walk: Sennaya, Sadovaya, and Spasskaya.), ☏ +7 812 571-91-99. Check-in: 14.00, check-out: 12.00. A small, beautifully designed hotel. The hotel is Western owned and managed, ensuring that services are up to the highest international standard. Continental breakfast, visa support, airport transfers.

59.927530.3147611 Dom Dostoevskogo (Отель "Дом Достоевского"), naberezhnaya Griboyedova Kanala (набережная канала Грибоедова), 61/1 (M: within 2 minutes walk: Sennaya, Sadovaya, and Spasskaya.), ☏ +7 921 947-7656, fax: +7 812 314 8231, info@ddspb.ru. Check-in: 14.00, check-out: 12.00. A small and comfortable mini-hotel in the centre, in the same building where the famous Russian writer Dostoevsky used to live. 10 cozy rooms. 2900-4500 руб.

59.9441730.3247412 Ermitage Hotel (Мини-отель Эрмитаж), Millionnaya st.11 (метро Невский проспект 1km S), ☏ +7 812 571-5497, info@ermitage.spb.ru. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. A small four-star hotel with genuine St. Petersburg spirit in the historical centre. Offers 4 double rooms that allow usage of a fully equipped study and a magnificent hall with fireplace - and with the whole staff of the hotel at your disposal. 4600-10800 руб.

Herzen House, Bolshaya Morskaya ulitsa, 25, ☏ +7 812 315-55-50, info@herzen-hotel.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. 20 rooms of different types, TV, bathroom, phone, air-conditioning in each room. 24-hours English speaking reception. Excellent breakfast (buffet) included. From 3100 руб.

59.9381430.3624613 Kamerdiner Hotel (Камердинер-отель), Ozernoi Pereulok (Озерной переулок), 6 (Metro: Ploschad Vosstaniya, from the Moscow Railway Station: walk along Ulitsa Vosstaniya from Nevsky and take first right after small park), ☏ +7 812 273-0113, +7 812 272-5027, info@kamerdiner.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Small cosy hotel. Seven rooms in lavishly restored former mansion looking onto monastery, very friendly service and attentive staff. Continental breakfast, satellite TV, fridge, safe, air-conditioning, 24-hour security, visa support, theatre bookings, guided tours, airport transfer. 5200-6500 руб.

59.9248630.2799214 Matisov Domik (Мини-отель «Матисов Домик»), Matisov Island, Priazhka river emb. (наб. Реки Пряжки), 3/1 (метро «Сенная площадь» — minibus #К1 or from метро «Гостиный двор» — bus #22 or from метро «Приморская» — bus #6, #6К from метро «Нарвская» — #2; near the Mariinsky Theatre), ☏ +7 812 495-0242, hotel@matisov.com. A small, cosy hotel. Excellent service. Large, clean rooms and satellite TV. 3800-6800 руб.

59.9247630.386615 Hotel Moscow (Гостиница «Москва»), Ploshchad' Aleksandra Nevskogo, 2 (Metro Ploschad' Alexandra Nevskogo Площадь Александра Невского,), ☏ +7 812 667-82-63, welcome@hotel-moscow.ru. Incredibly gargantuan concrete monolith that continues to carry forward the Soviet traditions of former monopoly operator, Intourist. Ugly and Soviet in style, but the location right above a metro station is excellent and the price can be right, especially if booked in a package. Single: 4300 руб; Double: 4500-6000 руб.

59.9302230.3658916 Nevsky Bereg Hotel, 93 Nevsky prospect (Moscow Railway Station 0.2km West; Metro: Ploschad Vosstania), ☏ +7 812 717-1888, reservation@nevskybereg.ru. 3-star hotel. 3000-3600 руб.

59.931630.3542817 Nevsky Forum Hotel, Nevsky pr., 69 (0.8km East Moscow Railway Station, M Маяковская 0.1km), ☏ +7 812 333-0222, fax: +7 812 571-6443, info@forumhotel.ru. 24-hours receptions. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. 29 rooms different categories. All with bathroom with bathtub or shower, sat TV, telephone, air conditioning, mini-bar, electronic safe-box, hair-dryer. Room-service, business & conference facilities, transport & excursion service, visa support & registration service, laundry. From 5000 руб.

59.937730.3235118 Nevsky Grand Aster Hotel, Bolshaya Konyushennaya ulitsa, 10 (M метро Невский проспект 0.6km SW; Just around the corner from Nevsky Prospect, 5 minutes from the subway and a 10 minute walk from the Hermitage Museum.), ☏ +7 812 703-3860, fax: +7 812 703-3860, nevskyhotelaster@hon.ru. Air conditioning in every room. Rooms are very small, but functional. Staff speak English well, and breakfast is included (available 07:00-11:00). Shortcomings: no fridges in rooms; steep staircase at the entrance is difficult for a stroller. From RUB3,000.

59.9426330.3262119 Moyka 5, naberezhnaya Reki Moyki (наб. Реки Мойки), 5 (метро Невский проспект 1.0 km S, near the Hermitage Museum and Palace Square), ☏ +7 812-6010636, info@moyka5hotel.com. 3 star hotel. Buffet breakfast. While the cheapest rooms are a bargain, you get what you pay for. Get a room with a jacuzzi and sauna.

59.9355330.3119820 Old Vienna (Старая Вена), Malaya Morskaya ulitsa, 13/ Gorohovaya 8 ( Малая Морская ул., д. 13 / Гороховая ул., д. 8) (Metro: Адмиралтейская), ☏ +7 812 317-07-18, vena@old-spb.ru. Check-in: 13.00, check-out: 12.00. A both stylish and "home-cozy" mini-hotel of business class level, located in the centre. All 14 rooms with: air con, bathroom, sat TV, telephone, mini-bar, hair-dryer, DVD. Breakfast (buffet) included in the price.

Rachmaninov, Kazanskaya 5 (Next to the Kazan Cathedral, in the city centre), ☏ +7 812 571-78-97, fax: +7 (812) 571-76-18, office@hotelracmaninov.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Art-hotel. 24-hr reception Single 4300-6300 руб; Double: 5000-9600 руб.

Riverside Mini Hotel (РиверСайд сеть мини-отелей и апартаментов), 3 locations in the center: Nevsky Ave, 22, ☏ +7 911 707-77-00. Rooms are small but clean. Kitchen and toilet in the common area. 3000 руб-3500 руб.

59.940330.3792821 Vera, Suvorovsky prosp. (Суворовский проспект ) 25/16 (close to Grand Hotel Emerald) (M Площадь Восстания 1.1km S), ☏ +7 812 702-7206, toll-free: +1-866-969-2939, fax: +7 812 271-2893, info@hotelvera.ru. Check-in: 14.00. Up-to-date and cozy rooms; 4th to 6th floors of an old building. Staff speak English by default, not Russian, which is quite rare. 6th floor features mansard windows. Some rooms have poor sound isolation from the corridor (e.g. 514, 604). Free internet over wire, cable supplied. Breakfast: no frills; no hot plates but fresh fruits; no espresso, only American coffee. From RUB2,500.

Splurge

59.918930.299622 Alexander House (Александр Хаус - частный гостевой дом), naberezhnaya Kryukova Kanala, 27 («Сенная площадь» и «Садовая», close to the Mariinsky (Kirov) Theatre), ☏ +7 812 334-3540, fax: +7 812 575-38-79, info@a-house.ru. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. A 4-star hotel. Designer interiors and a homey atmosphere, 19 rooms, individually furnished and designed. From RUB12,000.
Angleterre, Morskaya 24 (adjacent to St Isaac’s Cathedral), ☏ +7 812 494-56-66, fax: +7 812 322-5001. Next door to the Astoria, owned and run by the same company, marketed as the business class wing of the luxury hotel. From 8000 руб.
59.9328930.3090823 Astoria (гостиницы «Астория»), Bolshaya Morskaya ulitsa, 39 (m Адмиралтейская, on Saint Isaac's Square, next to Saint Isaac's Cathedral and across from the historic Imperial German Embassy; : 3, 22, 27 to stop 'Исаакиевская площадь' opp. the bldg.), ☏ +7 812 494 5757, fax: +7 812 494 5059, reservations.astoria@roccofortecollection.com. This is a five-star hotel opened in December 1912. It has 213 bedrooms, including 52 suites. Hotel Astoria, along with its neighboring sister hotel, Hotel Angleterre, is managed by The Rocco Forte Collection. It was designed by Russo-Swedish architect Fyodor Lidval, who developed a style based on art nouveau and also influenced by neo-classicism, and was constructed by a German firm. Double rooms from 13000 руб to tsar suite 250000 руб.

59.91853930.28466324 Cort Inn St. Petersburg, Griboyedov channel embankment, 166, ☏ +7 812 610-50-00.

Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace, Вознесенский пр-кт, 1 (Admiralty), ☏ +7 812 339-80-00. A 5-star hotel. Built within a 19th century royal palace guarded by 2 lion statues. From 14800 руб.

59.9355930.3713625 Grand Hotel Emerald, Suvorovsky pr. (Суворовский проспект), 18 (few-minute walk from Moskovsky Railway Station and Nevsky Prospekt), ☏ +7 812 740-5000, fax: +7 812 740-5006, res@grandhotelemerald.com. A 5-star hotel. Hosts several restaurants, spa, Top Gym fitness centre and conference facilities.

59.9354630.3303526 Grand Hotel Europe (Гранд Отель Европа), Mikhailovskaya st.(Михайловская улица), 1/7 (M метро Невский проспект 0.1 km, in the centre of town on Nevsky Prospekt), ☏ +7 812 329-6000, fax: +7 812 329-6001, res@grandhoteleurope.com. A 5-star hotel. Very historic and picturesque, one of great hotels of the 19th-century Europe, it opened its doors to the public on January 28, 1875. If these walls could only speak - Ivan Turgenev, Claude Debussy, H.G. Wells, Igor Stravinsky, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton and many others have already stayed here. One of the most famous icons of the city. Hosts functions and has several restaurants. Many rooms have great views over the city. From 17500 руб.

59.9360230.3097327 Petr Hotel, Admiralteyskiy prospekt (Адмиралтейский просп.), 8 (Metro: Admiralteyskiy, across from the Hermitage), ☏ +7 812 315-24-01. For rather elegant tastes. RUB 10490.

59.9347230.3113728 Petro Palace, Malaya Morskaya ulitsa, 14 (M Адмиралтейская). Has a spa, swimming pool and gym (but only free for guests before 11:00) and the rooms maids are very efficient - appearing to clean rooms several times a day. It is next to several excellent restaurants, coffee bars and a small shop. 11000-15000 руб.

59.9324930.3464529 Cosmos Radisson Royal Hotel, Nevsky avenue, 49/2, ☏ +7 812 322-50-00, fax: +7 812 322-5001. A 5-star hotel. The hotel boasts a fitness centre, sauna and massage parlour.

59.93130.36230 Hotel Oktyabrskaya (Гостиница «Октябрьская»), Ligovskiy (Лиговский проспект), 10 (opposite Moscow Railway Station), ☏ +7 812 578-1515, fax: +7 812 315-7501, reservation@oktober.spb.ru. A four-star hotel in a historic building. Built in 1851 by the architect A.P. Gemilian, the four-storey "Znamenskaya hotel", was subsequently called the "North", "Great Northern", and after the revolution was "October." It was reconstructed several times. The hotel consists of two buildings: “Oktiabrskiy” (Ligovskiy av., 10 - 373 rooms) and “Ligovskiy” (Ligovskiy av., 41/83 - 111 rooms). There are no two rooms absolutely the same in the hotel. All rooms are unique and differ from each other by nuances of layout and decoration.

59.9462630.348431 Radisson Sonya Hotel, Liteiny prospect 5/19 (at Mikhailovsky Military Academy, m Чернышевская), ☏ + 7 812 406 00 00, fax: +7 812 406 0002, sonya.sales@radissonblu.com. Difficult to find a place to eat nearby if you arrive after midnight on weekday. 17000-57000 руб.

59.9348930.3088332 SO St. Petersburg, Voznesensky Prospect (Вознесенский проспект), 6 (m Адмиралтейская, next to St. Isaac's Cathedral), ☏ +7 812 610-6161, fax: +7 812 610-6160. Ultramodern and chic hotel. Hosts Bliss Spa and mix restaurant by Alain Ducasse.

Taleon Imperial Hotel, Nevsky Prospect 15 (Admiralty), ☏ +7 812 324-99-11, club@taleon.ru. A 5-star hotel in a former palace. Includes a spa and sauna. From 10000 руб.

Connect

The following internet cafes offer computers with internet, gaming, and WiFi as noted.

59.9324130.352391 CafeMax, Nevsky Prospekt 90 (M Маяковская). 24 hours. Large, well-lighted, and clean. Also offers copying, printing, scanning, and faxing services. 120 руб/hour for internet computer. Free WiFi with food purchase..

This district travel guide to Center is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.