September
The most upbeat and energetic month of the season! It’s still quite warm outside and the start of the academic year is awash with activities.
Add magic to your everyday life and make a wish at one or several of the city’s lucky sites. No matter how tough the semester gets, you’ll now have the city backing you up! Plus, it makes for quite a scenic route.
The Unexpectedly Superstitious Side of St. Petersburg
Explode your socials. Early fall is stunning in St. Petersburg: even on a rainy day, the city is decked in color with the trees now turning yellow, orange, burgundy, and everything in between! Make use of this backdrop and take new photos for your socials. Follow our guide:
Scenic Fall Spots in and Around St. Petersburg
Ace the habits. The very start of the academic year is the time to settle into habits that will carry you throughout it. If you’ve always wanted to study at a historical library surrounded by decades of wisdom, we know just the spot – and it’s steps away from ITMO’s Lomonosova campus:
The National Library of Russia: The Hogwarts of St. Petersburg
Romanticize this fall to the max. In St. Petersburg, you can easily pretend that you'revisiting Hogsmeade or stepping into another location of the Wizarding World:
Top Spots for Harry Potter Lovers in St. Petersburg
Join our Bike Ride with the Rector! The bi-annual event brings us all together, students and faculty alike, for a picturesque ride on Krestovsky Island and beyond. Save the date: this year, it’s happening on September 8.
October
It’s getting gloomier and classes get busier, but the weather is still comfortable enough for a lengthy stroll around the city. And luckily, we have quite a few reasons for celebrations big and small.
Feed that sweet tooth. Kick off October with Cinnamon Bun Day, a holiday originating in Sweden and Finland. In St. Petersburg, you can enjoy this pastry Swedish-style or in other variations:
Cinnamon Bun Guide to St. Petersburg
Embrace spooky season. The city offers quite a few themed activities, too, in varying levels of spookiness: from museums to historic cemeteries.
- Skeletons and Scientific Wonders: 5 Exhibits To See in the Kunstkamera
- St. Petersburg's Spookiest Landmarks
- Sculpture, Architecture, and History: Exploring St. Petersburg’s Historic Cemeteries
Treat yourself. The weather in October can get a little troublesome, so you might like to substitute your soul- and bone-chilling adventures with a different kind of route and trace our map of unusual eateries in the city:
A Tram, a Garage, a Monastery: Unexpected Food Locations in St. Petersburg
November
Mid-semester and at the very end of fall, when the days are already noticeably shorter, November doesn’t have the best reputation. That’s why our must-dos are basically an assortment of pick-me-ups, with no need to brave the weather.
Stay warm and treat your tastebuds at the same time – what could be better? We have two ideas that tick both boxes:
Follow our Spicy Food Guide to St. Petersburg
Try traditional Russian warming drinks: sbiten and vzvar
How about a trip into summer? No need for a time machine: take the metro to one of St. Pete’s greenhouses and step into greenery in mid-November:
Unexplored St. Petersburg: Gardens & Greenhouses
Add some color and whimsy to an otherwise gray-hued month by expanding your itinerary with a few niche museums:
Unexplored St. Petersburg: Unusual Museums You Should Absolutely Visit
Moonlight as a cinephile. Whether it’s a premier or a rerun, the city’s cinemas know how to deliver. Whether you choose a historic theater or an off-the-beaten track location, you are guaranteed to comfortably forget about the outside world for a few well-deserved hours.
Where To Watch Movies in English (and Not Only) in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is the home of ITMO University: a leading Russian university with globally competitive programs in IT, AI, physics, engineering, infochemistry, biotech, and more.
Title image credit: Vitali Adutskevich on Unsplash
