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10 Things to do in St. Petersburg for under $20

06 January 2014

Walk down Nevsky Prospekt

Taking a walk down any of St. Petersburg’s streets in the city center will be an awarding experience. But, if you had to just pick one, then Nevsky Prospekt is a must see. As the main street of the city, Nevsky is the location of the much of the city’s most amazing architecture and sites. If you like Art Nouveau buildings or Russian Orthodox churches, then this is the best place to see it all on one street.

Island Hopping

The city spans many islands, each with its own character and things to see. Yelagin Island is popular for its quiet and relaxing parks, tree lined paths and open green spaces along the water. Divo Ostrov on the other hand is known for its exciting and well located amusement park, complete with Ferris wheel, roller coasters and more.

Bridge Raising

With all those islands around the city, it was very important for the city to build bridges to connect them all. Like most of the city’s structures, each bridge has its own unique traits and personality worth seeing. But make sure you don’t stay out too late, because for most of the year, the bridges are raised at night to allow boat traffic to pass through the city’s many canals. This in itself is a site to behold and offers some of the most iconic views of St. Petersburg.

White Nights

St. Petersburg is one of the world’s most northern capitals. That means that in the summer, the days literally never end! All the way into the wee hours of the “night”, you can find people enjoying the city’s beautiful streets and nightlife in what appears to be nearly broad daylight.

Pyshki

Also called “Russian Doughnuts”, Pyshki are a favorite treat for Russians and a must try for any visitor. These greasy delicious creations  are available almost everywhere in the city and are super cheap! A whole plate will run you less than about 100 RUB. If you’re looking for the most authentic Pyshki experience, then the best place to try them is at the “Pyshichnaya” on Bolshaya Konyushenaya ulitsa, near the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.

Canal Tour

Built to be the “Venice of the North”, the city is crisscrossed by many canals. If you visit in the summer and are looking for a quick and cheap way to see most of the city’s most famous sites and cruise down the Neva river, then a canal boat tour is right for you. You can find a tour boat along any of the canals in the city center and usually only cost less than 500 RUB.

Visit the city’s world class museums 

St. Petersburg is home to some of Russia’s and the world’s oldest and most  amazing museums of art and culture. By far the most famous is the Hermitage Museum located in the old Winter Palace of the Tsar. Not only was it the site of numerous world changing events, but it is also one of the city’s most beautiful and recognizable pieces of architecture. The museum is open most days of the week and only costs about 400 RUB. You could also visit it on the first Thursday of each month for FREE!

Pushkin

St. Petersburg is surrounded by numerous smaller towns known as the Prigorod. Each has its own Palace and sites to see, but one of the greatest of them all is the town of Pushkin and it’s amazing Catharine Palace and gardens. The trip from St. Petersburg only takes 30 minutes and tickets to the town are as cheap as 80 RUB there and back.

Blini

A Russian staple, Blini are also known as “Russian Pancakes”, but they more resemble French Crepes. These sweet thin pancakes are usually filled with jam, crème, fruits and other fillings and are quite cheap.

Walk along the Neva embankment

The city’s most dominant feature, the Neva River runs through nearly the whole city and a walk along its embankment offers amazing sites of cathedrals, palaces, forts and ships from the Baltic.

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