What To Do In St Petersburg In Winter?

Winter holidays are usually different from summer trips. Some of the sights are closed, the beautiful fountains in the parks do not function and there are no boat trips on the canals. Anyway, this should not hold you from visiting, if you are planning to come in winter. There is a million of alternative activities that will make your stay unforgettable.

• Visit museums and palaces. This is really the best time ever to explore them thoroughly. They are open regularly, but way less crowded, compared to summer. Besides, you will stay indoors in a warm place.
• Walk around parks and take wonderful photos. If you are lucky enough to catch a period of snow, go out with your camera! You will see breathtaking landscapes in innumerous parks of St Petersburg and its suburbs. You will also see the contrast between the winter and the summer nature in the city.
• Take a ride on Russian Troyka. This will be a very authentic experience! You ride in a sleigh with three horses, bells ringing and snow clouds bursting from under the hoofs. When you take a selfie in such surrounding, you can be sure none of your friends has the same!
• Go skiing, skating or “vatrushkaing”. There are quite a few places around St Petersburg where all these winter entertainments are available. The most fun of all is probably sliding down from a snowy hill on a “vatrushka” (“a pie”) – a round rubber toboggan.
• Go to a theatre or a concert. In summer time most theatres are on holidays, but winter is their time! Go see a good ballet or an opera, a classical or a jazz concert – here you can find all kinds of shows.
• Warm up in a local café. There are billions of good coffee places in St Petersburg, offering hot tea and coffee, cocoa and mulled wine. Sitting by the window with a cup of something warming and watching the snow feels very different from summer chill-outs.
• Visit a water amusement park. No, this is not a mistake. There are a few water parks in St Petersburg, which are kind of islands of eternal summer. If you cannot imagine your holidays without swimming and bathing – this is your place to be!

This is not a full list of winter activities, as there are too many. It is always possible to select something according to your preferences and interests. In St Petersburg you will never go bored!