Urban Historian
Author and journalist at Piter Pass. Shares travel tips, attraction guides, and insider knowledge about Saint Petersburg to help visitors make the most of their trip.
Catherine Palace in Pushkin: how to see the Amber Room without the queue
Catherine Palace in Pushkin is the main summer residence of the Russian emperors and the home of the Amber Room. Here is how to book online, skip the queue, and spend a day in Tsarskoye Selo: Alexander Park, the Lyceum and the Fyodorovsky Gorodok.
Free things to do in St Petersburg, November 9–15: 23 events
23 free events for November 9–15: talks, screenings, open mics, clubs and TV filmings.
What's on in St Petersburg and Leningrad Region, November 9–15: 45 events
45 events for November 9–15: plays, matches, stand-up, talks, workshops, clubs and day trips.
Churches of many faiths on Nevsky Prospekt: Armenian, Catholic and Lutheran churches and Kazan Cathedral in one walk
Along less than a kilometre of Nevsky Prospekt stand an Armenian church, a Catholic basilica, Kazan Cathedral and the Lutheran Petrikirche, with Swedish and Finnish churches and the former Dutch church a short walk away. A two-to-three-hour route, opening hours and visiting rules from the churches' own websites, and organ concerts on 31 October and 3 November. Checked on 19 October 2026.
Vasilievsky Island by neighbourhood: what to see, where to eat, how not to get lost
Vasilievsky is an island at the heart of St Petersburg, conceived by Peter as the city centre. 29 lines, Stock Exchange, Kunstkamera, Academy of Fine Arts, Smolensk cemetery. How to navigate and what to see by neighbourhood.
St Petersburg in December: what is open and what has already closed
Six hours of daylight, fountains off since mid-October, no scheduled bridge openings after 30 November — but rinks, Christmas markets and full illumination.
Jaani Kirik: organ concerts in an Estonian church
Jaani Kirik is a 19th-century Estonian Lutheran church on Dekabristov, converted into an organ hall. Regular concerts, acoustics on a par with the Capella but with a cathedral resonance.
Exhibitions in St. Petersburg: Where to Go, What It Costs, Free Entry Days
A guide to St. Petersburg's main exhibition venues — from the Hermitage and Manege to Sevkabel Port and New Holland. Prices, concessions, free days and how to keep up with the temporary show calendar.
'Third Nature' Exhibition at Lakhta Centre: What to See and How to Get There
The atrium of Lakhta Centre now hosts 'Third Nature' by international studio SPLACES — technological art exploring the intersection of nature and algorithms. Entry to the atrium is free; the exhibition runs until 30 April 2027.
A new light-and-sound installation, "Nidum", opens at Lakhta Center
A new nest-shaped light-and-sound installation called "Nidum" has appeared on the Lakhta Center observation deck. Here is what it is and how to plan a visit.
The Russian Museum shows drawings by Andrei Voronikhin, architect of Kazan Cathedral
The Russian Museum is showing watercolours and drawings by Andrei Voronikhin, the architect behind Kazan Cathedral — a rare look at his original designs on paper.
Railway Museum turns 9 with a family programme on October 30
The Railway Museum's 9th birthday on October 30 lands right in the middle of autumn school holidays, with a staging of 'The Flying Ship' as the centrepiece.