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What to do in Saint Petersburg in 2 days | Sights and tips

What to do in St Petersburg in two days? I am the Trans Mongolia Express started in Saint Petersburg. I have been here for two days and in those two days I have seen the most important sights in a fast train. Here I tell you my tips, how I could get the most out of this short period and what I was able to see!

Transportation in Saint Petersburg

Walking and the hop-on hop-off bus are the 2 easiest means of transport in Saint Petersburg. I always enjoy walking, but for the long stretches I take the hop-on hop-off bus.

Free walking tour

In Saint Petersburg there is a Free walking tour, as the name suggests, a tour through the city that you can join for free. The tour is free, but you can leave a tip for the guide afterwards. It is mainly students and locals who just enjoy showing the tourists their city in their spare time. The free walking tour starts in Saint Petersburg at the Bronze Horseman. The tour guides tell you about the history of Russia, Saint Petersburg and the buildings you pass, but also give tips about nice restaurants and beautiful sights.

Hop on hop off bus

I opted for the 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus with the panoramic boat, this ticket costs 34 euros and is valid for 24 hours. There are 2 bus routes and 1 canal cruise. Ideal, you can get on and off wherever and whenever you want!

Saint Petersburg Landmarks

Nevsky Prospect

Nevsky Prospekt is the most beautiful, widest and with its 4 km also the longest street in Saint Petersburg. It is very busy and there are beautiful buildings on both sides of the street. It is a good starting point for the other sights. There are especially many modern shops and many bus stops. You will also find many restaurants and cafes here. This is the bustling heart of the city.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

This is probably one of the most striking buildings in Saint Petersburg. Lots of decoration, beautiful colors, really beautiful! It is a Russian Orthodox church built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated. As a memorial, the son of Alexander II has launched a competition for the design of the church, which was won by Alfred Parland and Ignati Malishev. Construction started in 1883 and lasted 25 years.

A ticket costs about a tenner and it is definitely worth taking a look inside!

Hermitage of Saint Petersburg

The Hermitage is one of the largest and most comprehensive art and cultural history museums in the world. The palace was a present from Tsar Peter the Great to Catherine the Great to be able to display her art collection. There are about 3 million objects, of which only 5% are shown. The palace is now green, but the original color is pink.

Unfortunately I did not go in here as it is closed on Mondays. You have a ticket for approximately 5,50 euros. Different tickets are available for different rooms and areas of the Hermitage.

Bronze Horseman

The Bronze Horseman stands on Senate Square in Saint Petersburg. The Russian Emperor Peter the Great is depicted as a Roman hero. It's a local tradition for honeymooners and graduates to take a picture with the Bronze Horseman, so it's always busy!

Peter and Paul's Fortress

This fortress is the most notorious prison for political prisoners in Russia. There are terrible stories about the conditions inside the prison walls, but in reality it was not much worse than in other prisons.

For 300 years a cannon has been fired here every day at 12 noon, which is special to experience.

The fortress is currently a museum and a ticket costs 19 euros.

St. Isaac's Cathedral

St. Isaac's Cathedral used to be the largest cathedral in Russia. Construction on the cathedral started in 1818 and it took them 40 years to finish it. The best view of Saint Petersburg is from the top of this cathedral. There are 2 viewpoints. The highest has a 360 degree view. You have to do something for this view, which is to walk up 262 steps. But this workout is absolutely worth it!

You can enter the cathedral for free, but if you want to go all the way up it costs about 3 euros per person.

summer garden

The Summer Garden is the most beautiful and oldest park in Saint Petersburg. There are many rare flowers, large oak trees, about 250 marble statues and 50 fountains and pavilions. Exhibitions take place in the Koffiehuis and Theehuis. The Summer Garden is almost as old as Saint Petersburg itself!

Galeria Shopping Mall in Saint Petersburg

This mall is very big, but neatly maintained. There are several floors with 300 shops and 30 dining options. There are really Russian shops, but also shops of more famous brands. Well suited for a few hours of shopping on a rainy day.

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Moniek

Moniek, 32 years old and I love to travel! I still have so much on my bucket list, Barcelona, ​​Indonesia, Peru, USA, Iceland, you name it! Hopefully one day we can tick everything off.

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