Attractions Nearby St. Petersburg, Day Trips and Excursions

(St. Petersburg, North-Western Federal District, Russia)

A number of magnificent imperial palaces and spreading estates lie close to St. Petersburg and these attractions are best explored on day trips from the city. Peterhof Palace and its glorious park within Petrodvorets is amongst the very best of all the attractions close to St. Petersburg, although do be aware that its popularity is widespread and therefore the queues can get extremely long during the holiday season.

Other popular day trips include the city of Gatchina, the town of Lomonosov and also Kronshtadt (Kotlin Island), a historic naval base containing one of the most impressive cathedrals within the whole of northern Russia. If you have time within your sightseeing schedule, head further north-west of St. Petersburg and visit the attractions within the town of Vyborg, or to the east, where Lake Ladoga stands next to Staraya Ladoga, believed by many to have been Russia's very first capital.

Petrodvorets (Peterhof Palace)

Situated around 29 km / 18 miles to the west of St. Petersburg and famous for being home to the Grand Cascade fountains, Petrodvorets is amongst the region's very grandest suburban palaces and once the home of Russia's famous leader, Peter the Great (1672 - 1725). Petrodvorets is often rated as the 'Russian Versailles' and overlooks the Gulf of Finland. The palace is now classed as a World Heritage Site and stands next to the medium-sized town of Peterhof.
Open hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:30 to 17:00. Closed last Tuesday of each month
Admission: charge

Gatchina

A traditional Russian city sited around 45 km / 28 miles from St. Petersburg, the city of Gatchina contains another important, historic palace, the Gatchina Palace (Gatchinskii Dvorets). With a strong medieval character and once a family residence of Alexander III, Gatchina Palace was gutted during the Second World War and only a relatively small part of the palace is today opened to members of the public. Other attractions in Gatchina include the Prioratskii Park and Palace, Birch Cottage and also the Venus Pavilion.

Kotlin Island (Kronshtadt)

Just one year after officially founding St. Petersburg and keen to expand his ever-growing empire, Peter the Great began work on the fortress of Kronshtadt, on Kotlin Island. Located around 29 km / 18 miles out in the nearby Gulf of Finland, Kronshtadt is best known for being home to the Naval Cathedral (Morskoy Sobor), which dates from the early 1900s and houses the interesting Central Naval Museum. Kronshtadt is a pleasant place to take a walk, especially around its waterfront Petrovsky Park.

Lomonosov (Oranienbaum)

An appealing town some 40 km / 25 miles to the west of central St. Petersburg, Lomonosov has a population approaching 40,000 people and is home to a number of popular attractions. The coastal palace of Oranienbaum is a definite highlight and was almost the cause of bankruptcy for its creator, Alexander Menshikov (1673 - 1729), the right-hand man of Peter the Great.

Pushkin (Tsarskoe Selo)

A grand imperial estate with many breathtaking attractions and often nicknamed as the 'Tsar's Village', the Tsarskoe Selo is around 24 km / 15 miles south of St. Petersburg and hard to miss, with its distinctive sky-blue and white facade. The Tsarskoe Selo stands within the town of Pushkin and dates back to the 17th century, with the Catherine Palace and its many historic attractions forming the main centrepiece, surrounded by the beautifully landscaped Catherine Park (Yekaterininsky Park). Also worth a look in this area is Alexander Palace and Pavlovsk Park.

Strelna

An old settlement situated part way between Peterhof and St. Petersburg, Strelna can be found approximately 6 km / 4 miles to the east of Petrodvorets. Strelna is a town visited by many tourists each year, who come to sightsee at the two magnificent palaces originally constructed for Peter the Great, the Palace of Congress and the Palace at Strelna, where the main attractions include period furnishings, portraits and an unusual camping bed that was once owned by Alexander III.

Zelenogorsk

Zelenogorsk has become a major resort town and features breathtaking scenery, with exceptional views across the Gulf of Finland. Around 50 km / 31 miles from St. Petersburg, attractions in Zelenogorsk are very much based around the town's lakes, woodlands and steep hills, where during the snowy winter months, many people come to ski and snowboard.