What to see in St. Petersburg in one day. 3 fascinating places

President of Pro-Vision, author of the Vinogradov.story community

How to spend an unforgettable day in St. Petersburg?

Unlike Moscow, with which it is easy to maintain a neutral relationship, you either fall in love with St. Petersburg at once and for life, or you want to leave as soon as possible and never come back. Fortunately, the first scenario is more likely: its very atmosphere – a little bit mysterious, a little bit resorty, a little bit rambunctious in a good sense, and incredibly appealing – is what makes the city charming. We tell you what you should see in St. Petersburg if you have only one day.

Rooftops of St. Petersburg

In the middle of the XIX century there was a tsar’s decree: buildings higher than 23 m in the center should not be built. It largely determined the architectural “flatness” of St. Petersburg’s roofs, forming, in particular, the very “Neva perspective”, repeatedly sung by poets and musicians.

It is also very convenient to walk on the flat roofs of St. Petersburg. You can do it legally and quite safely: excursions are conducted by professional accredited guides. It is a special happiness to meet scarlet northern sunsets or dawns on the roof. Summer still has plenty of them left in store.

Three districts with old buildings

St. Petersburg was built up rapidly, but it was also rebuilt many times. As a result, the houses of the Petrine era can be found only near the Admiralty, and even then if you are very lucky. The old stock is also concentrated in the Central, Petrograd and Vasileostrovsky districts of the city.

St. Petersburg acquired its modern features in the second half of the 19th century, which brought down on the capital both profitable houses and northern art nouveau, and legendary parades – no match for Moscow entrances. Today it would be more accurate to call many of them “non-parade parades”. However, there are also those where the efforts of local historians and concerned neighbors have managed to preserve or restore the original broom tiles, and tiled Dutch stoves, and even the first pre-revolutionary elevator cabins.

You can get into them both quite by accident, during careless wandering around the city, and on purpose – by paying symbolic 100-200 rubles to the concierge or the HOA. I am glad that this money is used to restore the historical appearance of the legendary buildings.

Kronstadt

Everyone who comes to St. Petersburg and admires the magnificent palace interiors should remember that behind the luxurious facade of imperial Russia there is a completely different history – fortification. The forts of Kronstadt, an island city in the Gulf of Finland, are a monument of military architecture of world significance. The westernmost of them, Fort Reef, was included in the UNESCO heritage list and until recently remained a closed military facility. Because of this, it has been well preserved. Now it has been opened for visitors, so that everyone could appreciate the art of military engineers and look, albeit from afar, at the “seal ridge” and the 300-year-old Tolbukhin lighthouse.

Being on the territory of the fort, you feel different emotions: you admire the length of underground galleries and you are transported back a couple of centuries, looking at the circular corridors in the tower-shaped casemate. And then you’re abruptly transported to modern times, returning to St. Petersburg by a picturesque dam, a modern tunnel under the bay or by a comfortable boat.

If you’ve been dreaming of visiting Moscow for a long time, you’ll find this guide on what to see in the capital in one day useful. Read it at the link below. You will have something to compare with St. Petersburg.