Let me guess. For many years you have been dreaming about visiting Russia since it remains to be one of the most mysterious countries in the world but you were always lazy to handle a visa? This is, perhaps, shock news for you. Now on, you can book a ticket to the northern capital of Russia, because since now and then you can visit Saint-Petersburg without the long procedure of visa application. You can obtain a regular single-entry business, tourist and humanitarian visas through the online application 4 days before the entry date, it's going to be valid for 30 days in the period of stay up to 8 days and it's absolutely free, although you need to check if you belong to one of the listed countries! In the meantime, ManyTours, as usual, has prepared for you the best attractions in the city. Don't forget to check out our best offers in Saint-Petersburg!

1. Nevsky Prospect

Upon arrival in St. Petersburg, you need to go to Nevsky Prospekt to feel like a real tourist and begin a sightseeing tour of St. Petersburg.

On this street, you will find souvenir shops, cafes, where prices significantly higher than prices in cafes in other areas of the city, as well as bookstores. One of them is located in the Singer House. This Art Nouveau building is an object of the cultural heritage of the Russian Federation. It consists of 6 floors and the attic, crowned by a tower with a glass globe.

You don't need to have any special activities when you are on Nevsky, you simply need to enjoy the atmosphere and be spontaneous enough to check the building that dropped your attention.

2. Eliseevsky shop

The building is located at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and Malaya Sadovaya Street. Construction was carried out in the first years of the last century. The architectural style is modern with eclectic elements. The stained-glass window of one of the sides looks like a huge showcase of several floors. The facade is decorated with sculptures embodying "Science", "Art", "Trade" and "Industry". Since 2012, after restoration work, the store is again opened for customers.

However, we must remind you that the prices in this beautiful store will be much higher than the average

3. Mariinsky Theatre

The main St. Petersburg opera stage, one of the iconic cultural places of the city. The theater appeared in the middle of the XIX century by decree of Alexander II, who wished to give it a name in honor of his wife Maria Alexandrovna. The master Alberto Cavos worked on the project. The Mariinsky productions are very popular among foreign tourists, many people come here with pleasure to listen to the real Russian opera.

4. Saint Isaac's Cathedral

St. Isaac's Cathedral, perhaps, is one of the most impressive buildings in St. Petersburg.

The cathedral was created in the XIX century. It took around 40 years to finish it. The facts about St. Isaac's Cathedral are astounding: its height is 101.5 m, about 100 kg of gold was spent on gilding the dome, 112 columns made of solid pieces of rocks are located outside. The interior of the cathedral is also impressive with its splendor.

Originally, Saint Isaac's Cathedral supposed to be a holy place but it remains to be just a museum that's worth to visit. We highly recommend you to go up to the colonnade of the cathedral and look at the city from above, reminding yourself that St. Petersburg is especially beautiful from a bird's eye view.

5. Peterhof

Former imperial country residence founded by Peter the Great at the beginning of the XVIII century. This grandiose palace and park ensemble are called the "Russian Versailles". Over the three centuries of existence, the look of Peterhof has changed quite a lot, and, especially, after the War of 1941-1945. it was restored literally from the wreckage. The complex has dozens of fountains, flower beds, walking alleys and pavilions that remind of the imperial era of Russian history.

6. State Hermitage Museum

The largest museum in Russia, which, along with the Spanish Prado, the Paris Louvre and the Vatican Museums, is included in the list of the most outstanding and valuable collections of art in the world. The expositions of the Hermitage occupy 6 buildings, about 3 million exhibits are stored here. The real pride of the museum is the building of the Winter Palace, where the residence of the royal family was located. This magnificent complex was built by Bartolomeo Rastrelli in the style of Elizabethan Baroque.

Bear in mind, that the museum is huge, so give it a day for exploring all collections.

7. Palace Square

The main square of St. Petersburg, located in front of the State Hermitage Museum. Its dimensions are almost twice the capital's Red Square. An architectural ensemble with perfect geometric proportions was built in the XVIII-XIX centuries. In the middle of the square is a monumental Alexander Column, which is dedicated to the victory of the Russian Empire over Napoleon's army. The column was erected by the decree of Nicholas I.

8. Kunstkamera

The museum, created by decree of Peter I, where for more than 300 years samples of mutations, deformities, gene disorders, pathologies and man-made "outrages" of nature and the human body have been collected. In the early years of the museum, real dwarfs, giants and other people with "abnormalities" lived here. All three centuries of existence, interest in the collection has always been very high.

9. State Russian Museum

The largest museum of Russian fine art in the world. It was opened at the end of the XIX century during the reign of Nicholas II. The collection was made up of the transferred exhibits of the Hermitage, the Alexander Palace, the Academy of Arts, as well as from the private collections of some Russian aristocrats. In the museum, you can see the canvases of Bryullov, Repin, Aivazovsky and other masters.

10. Peter and Paul Fortress

The protective structure and the historical center of St. Petersburg at the beginning of the XVIII century, from which the construction of the city began. The fortress was never used for its intended purpose. Originally, it served as a prison. The architectural ensemble consists of fortress walls, bastions, front gates, and administrative buildings. Peter and Paul Cathedral on the territory of the fort has long been the main temple of the capital. It is built in the style of the classic "Russian Baroque".

11. Church of the Savior on Blood

This church is often confused with St. Basil's Cathedral, the one located in Moscow. Of course, we can say that they are similar, but still, they are very different.

The temple erected by Alexander III at the site of the assassination of the Tsar-reformer Alexander II. The height of the structure is 81 meters, which corresponds to the date of the tragic event - 1881. The cathedral was ready by 1907. Regular services were not held here, only services were organized in memory of Alexander II. During the years of the Soviet power, the temple was used as a morgue and warehouse. After the 1997 repair, a museum was opened in the building.

12. The spit of Vasilyevsky Island

The place where Vasilievsky Island divides the Neva river into two parts. There are many buildings of different eras and architectural styles, which makes this place a real open-air museum. Of particular interest are the rostral columns of red-brown color, decorated with ship's noses. The structures functioned as beacons for ships until the end of the XIX century.

13. Palace Bridge

The drawbridge over the Neva River, a symbol of St. Petersburg. The construction connects Vasilyevsky Island with the central part of the city. The bridge was built in 1916, but its famous curly lattices appeared only twenty years later. The bridge was reconstructed three times: in 1967, 1977 and 1997. The weight of the cast-iron construction is 700 tons. Some elements of the drawbridge mechanism for more than a hundred years.

14. Rubinstein Street

is the main restaurant street in St. Petersburg, and possibly in all of Russia. There are forty houses and more than fifty cafes, bars and restaurants for every taste. Rubinstein has already become an independent brand and a meme at the same time. Over the past two years, the street seems to have reached saturation limits, by this summer there are almost no free places for new establishments.

15. Loft Project Floors

Loft Project Floors is a multifunctional art space on five floors, the first exhibition project of its kind in St. Petersburg.

A post-industrial culture that turns industrial giants into rusty dust-covered dinosaurs has spawned a new urban trend - the conversion of factories into fashionable, multi-functional creative spaces. Then the short word "loft" ("attic") was born, that is, an industrial space that has lost its original function. New York became the pioneer of loft culture, whose bohemians fell in love with the gloomy interiors of abandoned factories and turned them into galleries of art. The godmother of all the lofts is the famous Andy Warhol Factory. Now, this trend is gaining popularity in Russia too.

So, if you consider visiting Russia once, don't hesitate and start it from Saint-Petersburg. Although, your trip will need some more preparation as the city and country itself to have a great History that will make your trip meaningful. However, if you feel that you are lazy enough to explore, go and check the ManyTours website. We always have a lot to offer for your best trip ever!