Option one: I like having a plan
For some occasions, having a route to follow is what makes the walk relaxing – a little effort beforehand saves you from worrying about the next step.
First, you can pick one of the many historical districts, such as the Petrogradskaya Side, Moskovsky District, or Kolomna. As a rule, the farther you venture from the very center of the city, the more intricate the area’s history becomes. Each neighborhood tells its own distinct story and offers plenty of sights, from buildings to museums and cafes. In fact, you could easily spend the whole day exploring just one of these neighborhoods.
Unexplored St. Petersburg: Kolomna
Unexplored St. Petersburg: Narvskaya Zastava
Unexplored St. Petersburg: Petrovsky Island
Explore St. Petersburg Like a Local: Vasilyevsky Island
Explore Saint Petersburg Like a Local: Moskovsky Prospect
Alternatively, you can focus on exploring one architectural style at a time. Choose what appeals to you more today – bulky shapes, elaborate decoration, or botanical motifs – and create a route that connects various examples of this architecture throughout the city. Unlike Moscow, where styles are more scattered, St. Petersburg's architecture is layered in a way that creates a consistent aesthetic.
St. Petersburg’s Architectural Gems: Eclecticism
St. Petersburg’s Architectural Gems: Baroque
St. Petersburg’s Architectural Gems: Art Nouveau
St. Petersburg’s Architectural Gems: Classicism
Another popular pastime are audio tours. While there are many paid tours available, you can also find several that are offered free of charge. As most of them are in Russian, consider these 10,000 steps a way to improve your listening skills! Some unique ways to discover St. Petersburg are through love letters, personal stories from locals, and literary performances based on the life of Fyodor Dostoevsky.
And when you find yourself tired from walking, don’t feel that you must end your journey: hopping on public transport can provide its own adventure and scenic views along the way.
Credit: Vitali Adutskevich (@vadutskevich) on Unsplash
Option two: Feeling spontaneous
In fact, you don’t always need a defined route to become an explorer of the city. From my experience, with curiosity and luck, the city will reveal its gems hidden from prying eyes. Try to pay attention to details during your usual commute: you never know where it might take you. Turn a corner at the right time and you’ll find a connecting courtyard that will lead you to another street, look up – and you might just discover an intricately crafted stucco figure of a fairy tale animal or a stunning stained-glass window that you had never noticed before.
Explore St. Petersburg Through Details
Be Your Own Tour Guide: Online Tools for Exploring St. Petersburg
Incorporating a game element in your walks can brighten things up further. Fortunately, there’s already a special card game designed for this purpose! Each card in the digidi deck presents different tasks; some challenge your attention by encouraging you to find street art or beautiful windows. Others are more self-reflective and ask you to describe your feelings about your surroundings.
Here’s another way to take your exploration to the next level: leave your smartphone at home and venture out into the neighborhood to complete everyday tasks. You’ll be surprised by how different it is to navigate the city without a digital assistant. I promise you’ll discover sights and shops you’ve never noticed before, and you might even find yourself striking up conversations with locals – truly refreshing these days!
Overall, treat the city as your friend, and it will reward you by revealing exciting stories about itself!
