Catch up on culture

With the city slowly awakening from its slumber, it’s high time to pay a visit to all the exhibitions you may have missed or had no time to visit before. Here are a few to add to your art exploration calendar: 

If you already know these locations like the back of your hand, you might want to spice up your cultural life by venturing out into the “wilds” of the city’s quirkiest museums, of which you can find more here.

Day tripping 

St. Petersburg never ceases to amaze its residents and tourists alike with all kinds of places to explore, even if it feels like you’ve seen it all; it is not for nothing that we have a multi-part series called Unexplored St. Petersburg, which, by the way, may serve as a superb go-to plan for your days off. Also, remember to check out our One Perfect Day series if you’re in for some travel-without-traveling challenge.  

For those in their exploring era, we’ve got not one, but several itineraries for their outs-and-abouts. In addition to the must-see places like to Kronstadt, Pavlovsk, Pushkin, Vyborg, or Pskov, you might want to explore other nearby destinations, plan a hike or another adventure (learn more about eco-paths and -trails), or embrace the great outdoors (it is just gorgeous in wintertime).

Enjoy winter like a local

If you’ve completed your holiday bucket list, there’s another thing that can keep you busy all winter long and ensure you enjoy the cold season – and that’s winter sports! There’s a plethora of winter activities for all tastes and levels in the city and its neighboring areas. Check out our newbie's guide to winter in St. Pete and a roundup of winter destinations for active holidays; or, if you’re not ready to dip your toes into the Russian winter, take this time to get into a new sport (for ideas, see here and here).

Immerse yourself in other worlds

2023 was quite a year for the movie industry, to say nothing of gaming, which was objectively booming. So, why not turn your winter break into an adventure, if only a virtual one?

Once you’re done with all your holiday movies – we have a couple of our personal favorites, too – broaden your horizons by exploring our to-watch list, starring early Russian cinema, top Russian TV series, in-depth documentaries about Russia, movies and documentaries about science, and some inspirational movies to keep your spirits up. 

As for games, the choice is enormous… The game of the year, Baldur’s Gate 3, alone is sure to give you sleepless nights, if it hasn’t already. But in case you aren’t ready for such a commitment just yet, we have other options, too: our favorite retro games, co-op games to play with your friends or family in two parts (part 1 and part 2), and even the top Nintendo Switch games.

For all fellow board game fanatics, our picks include: Russian board games for a fun yet educational experience, as well as games you can play with others virtually.