What’s in a name

Okay, let’s start with a proper introduction. In our texts here, you will most commonly find the city referred to as St. Petersburg or St. Pete for short – in Russian, the equivalents are Санкт-Петербург (Sankt-Peterburg) or Петербург (Peterburg) and Питер (Piter). However, that’s not all the city is known as: Russia’s cultural capital, Northern Palmyra, the city of white nights, the Venice of the North… Having inspired many an artist, writer, and poet, the city has a plethora of loving metaphoric nicknames that highlight one dreamy aspect or another. 

Learn the story behind each one: The Five Names of St. Petersburg 

Must-knows

With all its dreamy titles, St. Petersburg has the reputation of Russia’s cultural mecca: this is the place where you come to dip your toes in the history of art – and history in general – explore all kinds of architectural styles just by walking the streets, discover ballet, opera, and theater, and lose yourself in bookstore after bookstore.

Behind all these poetics, of course, there is a list of must-sees, must-knows, and must-visits that are on every tourist’s agenda: 

• Palace Square, the Hermitage Museum, and Peter and Paul Fortress
• The Bronze Horseman and St. Isaac’s Cathedral
• Nevsky Prospect in its entirety
• A boat tour of the city’s canals and rivers
• Watching the drawbridges open during the white nights

Find more must-sees: A Quick Guide to St. Petersburg 

Playing associations

Some of the stereotypes about St. Petersburg – apart from the notion that everyone in the city is very cultured and polite (as well as a ballet aficionado) – can be gauged by the articles we’ve written about our beloved city over the years. 

For example, it’s known as the city of gloomy weather: windy, rainy, (in)famously humid, St. Pete truly doesn’t have the best of reputations in this regard. That’s why we talk about dressing for winter and spring, and always joke (or caution?) about checking the weather forecast in our weekly digests of the best events in the city. 

Unofficially, it’s also the city of foodies – and we’ve written about food extensively. You can’t go anywhere in St. Petersburg without ending up at a bakery or a coffee shop, for one, and we had enough material to write a guide on the city’s best cheesecakes, as well as regularly updated lists of best eats around ITMO campuses. Let’s just say you won’t ever be hungry here.

Another cliche? It’s the city of some of the weirdest fashion choices – and we aren’t even talking about shorts paired with a fur coat (because the weather is unpredictable, remember?). How do you fit in? Easy: purchase a tote bag, pick up a vintage jacket at a flea market, get a film camera as an accessory – and you are good to go. 

Find more practical shopping tips: How to Shop Like a Local in St. Petersburg 

Explore St. Petersburg with ITMO.NEWS

What if you are done with all the superficial stuff – and are ready to look past the stereotypes and venture off the beaten track? Well, this is where the fun really begins. 

Tired of seeing the same route and neighborhood every day? Check out our series Unexplored St. Petersburg, with background on some of the city’s most enticing areas and even little routes planned in each one of them. And for interesting spots around each ITMO campus, go here.

Want to learn what the city’s museums have to offer? Then the Top Five Exhibits series is for you. And for current exhibitions, it’s always handy to follow our weekly guide. 

What about new angles on the city? With One Perfect Day, you can see the international sides to St. Petersburg, while The City of Superlatives will take you to the locations united by one theme: being the smallest, oldest, biggest, etc. of their kind in the city. 

If you are ready to go the distance, it may be time to explore the city’s famed suburbs, with their palaces, beautiful gardens, pine forests, and stunning views on the Gulf of Finland. 

Finally, for the mother lode of all our St. Pete wisdom, visit the section Experience St. Petersburg on ITMO.NEWS.

Want to learn more about life in St. Petersburg? Turn to our guides on housing options for ITMO students and the city’s public transport.