There are several grand imperial palaces and estates surrounding St Petersburg. Peterhof and the palace-park ensembles at Tsarskoe Selo and Pavlovsk are the best and a visit to St Petersburg is not complete without a trip to at least one of them. Be warned that at the height of summer the endless tourist crowds can be frustrating. Moreover, while Peterhof is the most impressive palace, it’s overpriced for foreigners. Tsarskoe Selo is the best value-for-money day trip.
If you have more time, there are several other options, including the charming old Finnish town of Vyborg, the sleepy village of Staraya Ladoga and the monastery town of Tikhvin. For something completely different, head to the relaxing pine forest-backed beaches near Repino.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Around St Petersburg.
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Rising stoutly from an islet in Vyborg Bay, this castle was built by the Swedes in 1293 when they first captured Karelia from Novgorod. Most of it now consists of 16th-century alterations. The castle contains several exhibition halls, including a mildly diverting small museum on local history, but the main attraction is climbing the many steps of whitewashed St Olaf’s Tower for commanding views over the town (closed for renovations at time of research).
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Housed in a wing of a striking building designed by Finnish architect Uno Ulberg in 1930, this small museum hosts themed exhibitions that are curated from the Hermitage’s massive collection and change every six months. The functional white building, which sits in the middle of an old defensive bastion, is shared with Vyborg’s arts school, which also has a gallery with regularly changing exhibitions.
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A must-see for architecture fans is the beautifully designed public library, one of Finnish architect Alvar Aalto's iconic designs. After years of restoration, the 1935 building looks lovelier than ever, with painstaking efforts to return it to Aalto's original vision. Handmade bronze-handled doors, circular skylights in the reading room, and elegant birchwood shelves are among the many features. It's still a working public library, open to all (though oddly, it lacks wi-fi). Call to book a guided tour in English.
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Explore these two central and adjacent leafy parks, separated by Leningradsky pr, to find intriguing statutes and carved trees. At the southern end of Lenin Park is the Alvar Aalto Library, designed by the famous Finnish architect in 1935 and, in the Esplanade Park, the Lutheran SS Peter & Paul Cathedral (Собор святых апостолов Петра и Павла).
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At the southern end of Tverdysh Island is this double line of fortifications, built between 1730 and 1750 as protection against the Swedes and named after Empress Anna Ioanovna. Nearby, on a hill just above the restaurant Russky Dvor, a handsome statue of Peter the Great, erected on the bicentenary of the city’s capture by Russia, surveys the town.
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This 180-hectare park facing onto tranquil Zashchitnaya Bay is a lovely place to escape the world for a few hours, if not most of the day. It’s laid out in a classical style, with various pavilions, curved bridges, arbours and sculptures. Bus 1 or 6 (R30, 15 minutes) will get you here from outside the train and bus stations.
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The last remaining part of the original Vyborg castle, this tower can be climbed for great views of the town. Unfortunately, it's inaccessible for the near future; it closed for renovations in 2017.
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The Clock Tower was first built in 1490 and is worth climbing for the views of town. At time of research, it was closed for long-term restoration.
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One unmissable relic of Vyborg’s Swedish times is the squat Round Tower, which now houses a restaurant.