This summer people come to St. Petersburg not only to see the white nights and the opening of bridges over the Neva, but also to attend the match for the OLIMPBET Russian Super Cup. The northern capital has always been and remains an interesting place for both travelers and football fans. Everyone can find entertainment for every taste here.
This year the country’s Super Cup will be played for the twentieth time. OneTwoTrip has become a travel partner of the match, which will take place on July 9 at the Gazprom Arena. St. Petersburg’s Zenit and Moscow’s Spartak will take the field at one of the best stadiums in the country. Together with the Russian Football Union, we have prepared ideas for you on how to diversify your football weekend in St. Petersburg.
Take a walk on Krestovsky Island
This is where the key place is located, where football fans from all over the country will flock – Gazprom Arena. However, we advise you to arrive there not at the start of the game, but to spend half a day on the island – there is a lot to see. We recommend taking a ride on the Divo Ostrov attractions – there are about 46 of them. This amusement park is considered one of the best in Russia, here you can have great fun not only for children, but also for adults.
Wander through the shady alleys of the Primorsky Victory Park or relax in the gazebos on the banks of the beautiful ponds. By the way, on one of them – Northern – you can meet swans. Bring some oats or corn ahead of time to feed the snow-white birds.
On the island you can also soak up the sun on the beach. Part of the embankment here is covered with wooden flooring, on which special sun loungers are installed, and the other part is covered with sand. In these areas there are volleyball and playgrounds, ping-pong tables and exercise equipment.
Relax on Petrovsky Island
Here is the Petrovsky Stadium, which, before the appearance of the Gazprom Arena, was the home of Zenit for many years. For a long time, the arena was the center of the city’s football life and holds many memories of beautiful victories. This time, on the eve of the Super Cup, on July 8, Petrovsky will host a retro match between the stars of Zenit and Spartak from the 90s and 2000s.
Very close from there – in Alexander Park, you can see St. Petersburg in miniature. All the outstanding architectural structures of the city are collected in one place in a reduced form (1:33) – feel like Gulliver. If you are a fan of Russian rock, go to Blokhina Street – there is the club-museum “Kotelnaya. Kamchatka”. Viktor Tsoi and Alexander Bashlachev performed within its walls.
When you get tired of the excursion program, stop by for lunch at the Fatura bistro. According to St. Petersburg residents, some of the most delicious croissants and brioche in the city are baked here. Or try aromatic drinks at the TCHK microcoffee shop. Just be careful when looking for her: she is hiding in the depths of the courtyard-well, and you need to go through two gates.
Find the most interesting graffiti of the city
It’s no secret that St. Petersburg is a real find for street art lovers. In many well courtyards, in addition to the unique architecture and atmosphere, equally inspiring works await you. We tell you where to find the brightest ones.
In one of the corners of the Northern capital, their own world has been recreated: a janitor sweeps the street, ivy climbs along the wall of the house, couples walk behind the arch, and a woman sipping tea watches the life of the courtyard from the window. No, these are not sketches of St. Petersburg life – this is graffiti that will immerse you in the atmosphere of the 19th century as soon as you find yourself at house 31 on Gorokhovaya Street.
You can indulge in your fantasies at the Bertholdt Center, where OneTwoTrip “settled” representatives of the jungle right on the walls of this unique conceptual and eventful urban space. The provocative animal print combines the exoticism of distant, beautiful corners of the planet and the warm sun, so rare for the Northern capital. The approach is also interesting because the wall on which the graffiti was created has many stationary elements – I had to play with them. This is how the central giraffes appeared from the drainpipes, surrounded by zebras, leopards and other inhabitants of the savannah.
But the search for Maxim Ima’s graffiti can become a real quest, since most of them are painted over. Many of his works are irony of artists, reflection and reflection on contemporary topics. For example, in the Museum of Art of St. Petersburg you can still meet a woman with a harp that resembles a spinner.
Visit Annenkirch
St. Petersburg is known for its majestic churches. And in addition to St. Isaac’s, Kazan, Peter and Paul Cathedrals, and the Savior on Spilled Blood, we recommend visiting the city’s oldest Lutheran Church of St. Anne (Annenkirche). It is located in the center on Kirochnaya Street, which got its name from the German “Kirch”. A building with an Ionic colonnade and a round hexagonal tower will immediately attract attention. And if you watched the cult film “Brother”, then in the courtyard you will immediately recognize the place where the main character met the girl Kat.
The interior decoration is also impressive: the Gothic surroundings and traces of the fire that have been preserved here create a special atmosphere. Restoration work continues in the church, but it is open to everyone. Here, in addition to divine services, there are often various performances, concerts, and theatrical productions. For example, this summer there is a unique exhibition “Creation”, which presents installations and objects of contemporary Christian art.
Go to Vasileostrovskie Baths
Start a good tradition – every time you arrive in St. Petersburg, go to the bathhouse. You can enjoy a steam bath in one of the most famous and oldest bath complexes – Vasileostrovsky. There is a traditional Russian bathhouse with brooms and an ice hole, Finnish saunas with dry heat, and a hammam with warm wet steam. For those who would like to make spiritual friends, public baths are open: two male and one female sections. If there is no one to rub your back, you can turn to experienced steamers – after their session you will feel reborn.
Fans of the work of director Alexei Balabanov are also definitely worth a look here. The general men’s section of the bathhouse on the corner of the Sredny and 5th lines of Vasilyevsky Island was depicted in the films “Brother” and “I Want It Too.” Try to feel like a hero of famous films for a while.
Take a taste of the lofty at the Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art
To visit the cultural capital of the country and not go to a single museum is almost a crime. You will always have time to get to the Hermitage or the Kunstkamera – their exhibits will not run away, so we recommend paying attention to the temporary exhibitions of Erarta. For example, from July 1 to October 30, the museum will host an exhibition of photographer Gabriel Wikbold “Common Matter”: his works combine the real and the fantasy, reflecting the complexity and diversity of human essence.
Tickets can be purchased either in advance online or directly on the spot. It will be most profitable to issue a ticket for the whole year (800 rubles). Using it, within 365 days from the date of purchase, you can return an unlimited number of times and visit all Erarta exhibitions and projects, except for total U-Space installations. Moreover, you will also get access to audio guides.
Meet the Belle Epoque
Mikhailovka, or “Mikhailovskaya Dacha” is a palace and park ensemble of the 19th century, which belonged to the descendants of Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich Romanov, son of Emperor Nicholas I. The place, which is now abandoned, is completely unique and very inspiring: in addition to the palace itself, you will be able to appreciate and its interior decoration. Ballroom and marble halls, dining room and living room are rooms designed for gathering and entertaining guests, and in addition to them there are private spaces (billiard room, study, bedrooms and others).
This amazing house, finally completed in 1862, has an unusual layout with original facades, terraces, balconies, complex passages and galleries. During the Great Patriotic War, the estate was badly damaged and despite the fact that it is protected by UNESCO, it now stands in complete desolation. However, this does not deprive it of its charm and charm, and therefore it is not in vain that it becomes one of the most famous abandoned places on the map of St. Petersburg.
Ride the water bus
Riding along the rivers and canals of the city is almost a must when visiting St. Petersburg. During the trip, you can relax and enjoy looking at the architecture and main attractions of the Northern capital. If you have already been to the city and are not very interested in the traditional excursion program, go on a night cruise or a themed trip. The river trip can be either long or short along the Neva and the Gulf of Finland.
One of the most popular water routes is from the Annunciation Bridge to the Smolny Cathedral. Here you will see the front facades of the city’s buildings, the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, and the Peter and Paul Fortress. For a longer time, you can go on an excursion along the islands of Kamenny, Elagin, Krestovsky along the Bolshaya Nevka to the WHSD bridge; the views along the way will be especially picturesque at sunset. And at night skiing you can watch the bridges being raised from the water.
Visit the best St. Petersburg urban spaces
You just want to sit on the grass or spend time outdoors? Then you will like it on the island of “New Holland”. If spontaneous picnics don’t appeal to you, try the Bottle, a former prison building where you can spend your leisure time interestingly. On the ground floor there are small cafes, bars and restaurants, on the second floor there are concept stores, and on the third floor you can spend time on your health by attending boxing or gymnastics classes.
Continue the walk to Sevkabel Port. On hot days, a pleasant breeze blows from the embankment, and on rainy days (and not only) it’s nice to hide in a section of the Mayakovsky Library. There is also a great opportunity to fulfill your dream and learn how to skateboard – a school has been opened at the Skateboarding Museum, where true board gurus will show you how to do “flips” correctly. And of course, here you can always have a tasty snack or look into a bar cluster in the style of European ruin bars.
Organize a small gastrotour
New gastronomic outlets are constantly appearing in St. Petersburg, collecting rave reviews from both professional critics and bloggers. In addition, there are many bars and restaurants in St. Petersburg that have long proven themselves only from the best side. Here are some ideas that you will definitely like.
In the spacious Bekitzer bar, located at the Five Corners, they prepare national Israeli street food and, frankly speaking, do it perfectly: crispy green falafel in hot pita, traditional shwarma, many types of meze, and all this accompanied by signature cocktails – We advise you to go hungry. If you can’t choose just one gastronomic destination, go to the Vasileostrovsky market. There is something here for even the most picky gourmet: avocado and matcha bar, Indian and Italian cuisine, a legendary Vietnamese cafe, a Japanese bistro and many other places. And as a summer bonus – a spacious veranda.
In the evening, go for a walk around the drinking establishments: on Rubinshtein or Nekrasov streets you can arrange a real bar-hopping and go to any place you like. However, such a study is unlikely to be complete without visiting El Copitas Bar, which in 2021 was ranked eighth in the ranking of the best bars in the world. Keep in mind that you can’t just get there – you need to call in advance so that you can be added to the guest list and told how to get there.
Relax on the beaches
Sometimes you want to escape from the bustle of the city. It is advisable to do this, of course, on a warm coast. While staying in St. Petersburg, you don’t even need to travel outside the city. For example, if you go to Primorsky Victory Park, you will also find a small sandy beach at the place where Malaya Nevka flows into the Gulf of Finland. Tourists are also attracted by the coastline of the Peter and Paul Fortress. From here you have an excellent view of the Spit of Vasilievsky Island and Palace Embankment. And from the beach in the park of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg you can see Vasilyevsky Island and Lakhta Center.
If you still want to go outside the city, we recommend visiting the beach on the southern side of the Western Kotlin nature reserve. This is a great place to relax; there is an observation tower, forts and eco-trails nearby. For an active pastime, the Golden Beach in Zelenogorsk is suitable, where you can play mini-football, tennis, volleyball, and basketball. And, of course, we recommend going to the famous village of Komarovo. It doesn’t have to be for a week, until the second day, one day off is enough. The beaches here are both rocky and sandy, nearby is the Komarovsky Coast eco-trail.
