5 Magnificent Views Of St. Petersburg, Russia From Above

1. Climb up the colonnaded walkway of St Isaac’s Cathedral

Best View for: Saint Petersburg’s Layout and Architecture.

As the largest and most significant monument to the Orthodox religion in the city, St Isaac’s Cathedral stands as a national icon for it continues to captivate its visitors and passers-by in admiring its imperial grandeur, neoclassical facades and golden-gilded dome. Although it was recently planned to be handed over to the church authorities, it is still open to the public. The best months to view are between May to early June when the skies are clear and before crowds start shuffling in during the White Nights period. Alternatively, you can also visit inside the Cathedral to delve into its history and art. Climb up 300 steps of this cathedral’s spiral stairway and you will step into one of the most breathtaking spectacles in the city.

St. Isaac's Cathedral's colonnaded walkway

Address: St Isaac’s Square, 4, Saint Petersburg, 190000

Price: 150 RUB (3 USD) from 10:30am to 5:30pm; 300 RUB (5.30 USD) from 6pm to 10:30pm between May to October; and 400 RUB (6.80 USD) from 10:30pm to 4:30am during the White Nights between June to August.

Opening Hours between November 1 to April 30: 10:30am - 5:30pm; Closed on the third Wednesday of the month

Opening Hours between May 1 to October 31: 10:30am - 10:30pm; Closed on Wednesdays during White Nights

Opening Hours between June 1 to August 20: 10:30am - 4:30am; Closed on Wednesdays

Access: 8 minute walk from Admiralteyskaya metro station

Contact: +78123159732

Website: St. Isaac’s Cathedral

2. Visit the rooftop at Loft Project Etagi

1/2 Loft Project Etagi

2/2 Loft Project Etagi

Best View for: St. Petersburg’s skyline.

As the name of this artistic centre suggests, the building holds one of the most spacious exhibition galleries that specialises in loft designs in Saint Petersburg. Prior to its establishment, it was a bakery until 2007. Located on one of the most bustling streets of the city, Loft Project Floors Etagi offers contemporary art exhibitions, lectures, discussion seminars, and film screenings. It also advocates collaborative and social change through a European art association.

To gain access to the rooftop, there is a narrow staircase from inside the main exhibition gallery. When you buy the ticket from the main entrance, request access to the roof. The rooftop is open year-round, regardless of the season.

Loft Project Etagi

Address: Ligovsky pr., 74 Saint Petersburg 191040

Price: 200 RUB (3.20 USD)

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9am - 11pm. Closed on public holidays.

Access: 7 minutes walk from Ploshchad Vosstaniya Metro Station

Contact: +78124585005

Near by Food: Green Room Cafe

Website: Loft Project Etagi

3. Revel in the atmosphere of the Hermitage Museum

Best View for: St Petersburg’s Landmarks such as the Neva River, Vasilievsky Island and the Palace Square.

The Hermitage is currently one of the world’s oldest and largest museums, which contains over 3 million works of art such as classical paintings, antiquities and sculptures. It comprises six historic buildings, including the infamous Winter Palace, the main residence for the Imperial Russian family. Not only will you admire the royal grandeur and celestial opulence of its interiors, the systematic organisation of its artworks, but also take the bird’s eye view of St. Petersburg’s iconic landmarks such as the Neva River, Vasilievsky Island and the Palace Square. To get a glimpse of this picturesque scene of the Palace Square, go up to the second or third floor of the gallery rooms comprising French artwork between the 19th and 20th centuries. The Neva River and Vasilievsky Island can be spotted from the Palace Interiors Gallery, where you will also face the throne of the Romanov Dynasty.

Queues to the Hermitage can be insanely long, especially during the Christmas and summer periods, therefore we recommend buying tickets from their official website prior to visiting the museum.You will skip those dreaded waiting lines! But if you are patient, we also recommend you visit on the first Thursday of any month when the Hermitage provides free access to all visitors.

The Hermitage Museum

Address: Palace Square, 2, Saint Petersburg 190000

Price: (Online) 18 USD for a 1-Day Access to the Museum or 23 USD for 2-Day Access. Additional charges may apply for transaction fees. (Ticket Offices) 600 RUB to all buildings of the Hermitage. It is free for students who show their student cards from any country and free on the first Thursday of the month and on December 7th.

Opening Hours: 10:30am - 6pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. 10:30am - 9pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. Closed on Mondays, January 1 and May 9.

Access: 10 minute walk from the nearest metro station, Admiratelskaya

Contact: +78127109079

Website: The Hermitage

4. Organise a rooftop tour with a local guide

Best View for: St Petersburg’s main streets.

If you are an adventurer, with a dark side of an adrenaline junkie, then you will love this activity! A local guide elevates you to walk up on the roofs with him/her and teaches St. Petersburg’s history, which covers how the city was founded and how the main streets like Nevsky Prospekt, the longest shopping avenue was built. There are a few guides to choose from, but we recommend to book a tour with BeAbo, as the Guardian had endorsed it, for their English-spoken guides.

BeAbo

Address: Kronverkskaya str., 25. 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia.

Price: 42 USD (single or couple) to 167 USD (maximum of 8 people)

Opening Hours: 24/7 (please call or e-mail to arrange a meeting time at the office)

Duration: approximately 1.5 hours

Access: Meeting points vary from time to time

Phone Contacts: (Office) +78124497788, (Mobile) +78129848488 and (UK + Overseas) +442030512871

E-mail Contact: info@b-abo.com

Website: BeAbo

5. Drink or dine in style at Bellevue Brasserie (from USD 110)

Best View for: St. Petersburg’s Skyline too, St. Isaac’s Cathedral and Alexander Column.

Situated at the top of Kempinski Hotel Moika 22, Bellevue Brasserie is open for everyone and especially suited for either fine-dining enthusiasts, businessmen who need to unwind from their hard day’s work or visitors who need to sit back from a long walk around the city. The restaurant promises a 360-degree view, surrounded by contemporary decor with a bright ambience as the natural light strikes to all corners during the day and a romantic feel at night. With professional and high-quality staff serving Russian and French cuisines, the prices of dishes range from a diverse array of choices such as the Signature Dish Kamchatka crab and the Russian pancakes (blini) with caviar. An alcohol beverage can cost from a minimum of 10 USD and a non-alcohol drink around 7 USD. Whatever suits your fancy, the experience at Bellevue Brasserie is commendable for its scenic views of the whole city.

St. Petersburg is more than meets the eye

While taking unfiltered snapshots of this eccentric metropolis, you will sometimes forget that you are at the land of Tsars. Each of the five vantage points affirms how both old and new, neoclassical and modern architecture, can fuse together as one convivial entity. With that said, the closer you look at St. Petersburg from above, the more you find that it truly stands as a diverse city.