Thursday, November 2

Exhibition: Magic Tales by Zlosi

On display, you will see a modern take on a traditional Russian headdress typically worn by women – the kokoshnik. The second in a series of exhibitions re-envisioning folklore and its ties to modernity, this one transports its visitors to a magical world created by the works of St. Petersburg artist Serafima Zlobina. This might be a great chance for you to extend the spooky Halloween feeling if you didn’t get enough of it over the weekend. 

Friday, November 3

Exhibition: The finest works of skillful hands...

From contemporary interpretations to actual historical pieces; from Russia to France – these are the journeys you’ll take to get from the first exhibition to this one. The Hermitage presents its finest collection of 19th-century French sculpture, including some first-time exhibits. In describing the exhibition, the museum calls the presented statuettes “a mirror …  reflecting both the tastes of the period and the demands of society” – and, as such, they present one of the rare means of time travel available to us. 

Saturday, November 4

Krendel Fest in Vyborg

  • November 4
  • Vyborg 
  • Free (+ travel fees)

Why not use the long weekend to visit one of St. Pete’s most idiosyncratic daytrip destinations, the medieval Vyborg, famous for its architecture as much as its krendels (pretzels). Apart from eating krendels to your heart’s content, you will get to watch an archery and knight tournament held in the town’s castle (100 rubles entrance fee) and soak in the atmosphere of its winding, narrow streets. A roundabout trip will cost around 660 rubles, you can check the tickets for suburban trains here – and a guide on riding them here. Tip: we recommend catching a Lastochka, instead of a regular electrichka, to save about an hour of travel time each way. 

Sunday, November 5

St. Petersburg Market and Resident’s Day at Sevkabel Port

Maybe you are already picking your New Year presents (who says it’s ever too early for that?) or maybe you just love the market vibes at Sevkabel Port – these events will be right up your street. 

First, there’s the regular St. Petersburg Market, this time photo-themed (as in, there will be some photos on display and many photo areas), with goods from all sorts of local creators. Then, there’s the resident’s day, with a special market that'll familiarize you with all the businesses (cafes, sports clubs, exhibition halls, and shops) that operate in this trendy public space. It’s your perfect excuse to spend another weekend day by the sea! 

Monday, November 6

Night of the Arts

  • November 4
  • St. Petersburg
  • Free (some events have an entrance fee)

You can choose one or several exhibitions participating in the Night of the Arts project. One of them is the Youth Photography Exhibition we wrote about earlier – this is your extra sign to go and take a look. Another is an exhibition of sculpture inspired by legends of the Yamal region, opened at the new exhibition hall of the Museum of Urban Sculpture (100 rubles for students). Several of the city’s libraries also have ongoing exhibitions – you can choose to see pictures of St. Petersburg by a local artist, the country’s Soviet history as seen through pins, or an exhibition to mark Unity Day. 

Tuesday, November 7

TheatreHD: Christian Thielemann & Elīna Garanča

Starting your work week on a musical note, why not hear Symphony No. 9 by Austrian composer Anton Bruckner and Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53 by Johannes Brahms as performed by some of Europe’s best musicians, conducted by Christian Thielemann, and with a solo by Elīna Garanča. 

Wednesday, November 8

Concert: Classical, jazz and musical 

NB! This show has been rescheduled to January 12, 2024. All purchased tickets will remain valid.

And let’s continue on this musical note – now with a live concert to be held at St. Petersburg Philharmonia. Part of the seasonal ticket “Concerts in Tail-Coats and Jeans” (and also available separately), this concert will take you on a tour of the most popular musical genres and movements of the 20th century, from Impressionism to jazz. Unlike most concerts, this one will have its own host, Alexander Malich, who will spruce up the pauses between pieces with historical anecdotes about their creators. That’s why we recommend taking a Russian-speaking friend with you for a full experience – and it’s also fun to visit a concert together.