Poryadok Slov is a bookshop at Fontanka 15, next door to the Sheremetev Palace. Since 2010 it has been the city's main intellectual venue: philosophy, cultural studies, film criticism and rare independent editions you won't find on chain shelves.
📚 Inside
Three rooms: philosophy and cultural theory, film and visual arts, literature (poetry, prose, drama). A separate section groups independent presses — Ivan Limbakh Press, NLO, Common Place.
🎤 Events
Regular talks with philosophers, film critics and directors. Schedule at wordorder.ru. Entry is often free but requires registration.
🎥 Screenings
The shop runs regular film screenings and discussions — often titles that never reach cinemas.
🚕 Getting there
Gostiny Dvor metro, ten minutes along the Fontanka.
🛏 Where to stay
Apartments near the Sheremetev and Anichkov are bookable on Tutkakdoma.
If this is your first time in St Petersburg, bear two things in mind. Distances between the main sights are short, but autumn daylight is brief and rain arrives on no schedule. Plan your route around the lit half of the day, allow half an hour of buffer between stops, and bring a thermos and gloves for the evening. Bookshop cafes usually close at 10 p.m.; on weekend evenings the window tables go first.
On the ground, walking is easiest between adjacent blocks, with short taxi hops when it gets dark or wet. If you are travelling as a group or with children, arrange the evening transfer back to your flat ahead of time — late-night fares spike. Flats in the centre go fast at weekends: book a week ahead for Nevsky, the Petrograd Side or Vasilievsky.
St Petersburg rewards half-day visits rather than one long marathon. Pick a theme — a single museum, a district, a walk — and give it time. After the active part, a warm cafe, a bookshop or a swimming pool is as much part of the ritual as the sights themselves, especially in November.
Verified against wordorder.ru on 22 October 2026.
Cover photo: AndyVolykhov, CC BY-SA 4.0, Викисклад
