Agree, it’s a shame to sit at home when the weather is good outside and the gentle sun is shining. Summer is the best time to go outdoors or visit new places. We would like to go somewhere near St. Petersburg, but don’t know what to see? We have compiled for you a selection of 10 interesting places that are definitely worth visiting. Choose where to go next weekend!
Osinovetsky lighthouse, Lake Ladoga
Near it it will be nice to walk along the sandy beach or have a picnic – gazebos and houses are available for rent. You can also enjoy a cup of coffee in a cafe on the shore, overlooking the water surface of Lake Ladoga. You can go fishing or swim in the pond. The lighthouse itself is closed to the public and surrounded by a fence.
We recommend going there by train, so you can see more interesting things: near the Ladoga Lake railway station there is a monument to a steam locomotive, and on the way to the lighthouse, stop by the Central Naval Museum. If you are traveling by car, be sure to include the “Broken Ring” memorial in your route – it stands in the place where the siege of Leningrad was broken.
How to get there:
By car you can get there through the Murmansk highway, Shlisselburg and the A-181 highway, or through Vsevolozhsk and the Road of Life. Travel time is about 1.5–2 hours.
You can also take the train from the Finlyandsky Station to the Ladoga Lake station – the journey will take 1 hour 19 minutes. Next walk about 1.5 km.
Lake Khepoyarvi, Toksovo
The most popular location here is the beach in Auenelanlahti Bay near the North Shore recreation center. It is equipped with everything you need: a cafe, changing rooms, toilets. There is also a rental of catamarans, boats, and SUPs. The entrance is free. Take a walk or bike ride along the health trail. Don’t forget to take a fishing rod with you – fishing is allowed here.
Next door are Kavgolovskoe Lake and the Toksovo Heights natural monument – if you have time, be sure to visit these places.
How to get there:
By car along the Leningradskoe highway or along the Novopriozerskoe highway and highway 41K-066. The journey will take approximately one and a half to two hours.
By bus No. 619 or No. K-691 – from the Devyatkino metro station to Toksovo. Drive for half an hour, then walk 15 minutes.
Batareynaya Bay, Shepelevo
A picturesque coast in a quiet place in the Gulf of Finland, where it’s great to get out with a tent for a few days. There is no infrastructure as such, but you don’t even think about it here. This place has its own atmosphere: only the splash of water, the rustling of the wind and endless peace. Previously, there was a submarine refueling base here, but after its disbandment, part of the buildings and the pier were preserved. You can explore them yourself.
Other nearby attractions include Gorovaldai Lake and Shepelevsky Lighthouse, where photographers and bloggers often come in pursuit of picturesque shots
How to get there:
Batareynaya Bay is located near the village of Shepelevo, not far from Sosnovy Bor, where you need to drive along the KADU and highway 41A-007 for about two hours.
You can get there by bus No. 401 from the Avtovo metro station: get off at the Shepelevo stop, then walk a little more than 2 km. Travel time by bus is about two hours.
Fortress Oreshek, Shlisselburg
The open-air fortress-museum stands on Orekhovy Island. Take a walk through historical places from the 14th to 20th centuries or order a themed quest game. The entrance ticket costs 300 rubles per person and includes an excursion. A ferry ride to the island and back will cost 350 rubles. Don’t forget to bring a snack with you – the cafe on the territory of the fortress is small and usually opens for children’s groups.
In Shlisselburg itself there are many museums that you should also visit: “Echoes of Great Battles” and “History of Shlisselburg”, and nearby is the museum “Breaking the Siege of Leningrad”.
How to get there:
By car along the Murmansk highway before turning onto the A-181 highway or along the Road of Life, exit after Vsevolozhsk towards Shcheglovo. Travel time will be an hour and a half.
Electric trains to the desired Petrokrepost station run from the Finlyandsky Station, the journey takes just over an hour. Another way is to take bus No. 575 from the Ulitsa Dybenko metro station to Shlisselburg. Travel time will also take about an hour.
Ethnopark “Bogoslovka Estate”
Come to the estate for the whole day, as there are a lot of interesting activities here: visit the museum of wooden architecture, go to the magnificent Intercession Cathedral, visit a wealthy peasant, take part in thematic master classes. You can walk around the territory either independently or as part of a sightseeing tour. The unofficial attraction of this place is a cafe at the entrance to the ethnopark, which sells fresh pastries and kvass.
Combine the trip with a walk through the Nevsky Forest Park, located nearby.
How to get there:
By car along the Oktyabrskaya embankment through Novosaratovka directly to the forest park. The journey will take approximately 30–40 minutes.
Minibus No. 476 runs from the Lomonosovskaya metro station to Nevsky Forest Park. The drive takes approximately 20–30 minutes.
Korela Fortress, Priozersk
The ancient Russian wood-earth fortress is located on the banks of the Vuoksa. It has a rich and interesting history: it was originally built by the Novgorodians for protection from the Swedes, who later captured the fortress and rebuilt it. Now Korela operates as a museum; guides are happy to tell many fascinating facts about it. It’s interesting that the film “Brother” was filmed near the walls of the fortress.
For its modest size, Priozersk is rich in cathedrals and churches: the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Priozersk Church, the courtyard of the Valaam Transfiguration Monastery, the All Saints Church, the Church of the Nativity and many others. And on the other side of the city, on Kamenisty Island, there is a recreation park where you can enjoy nature without haste.
How to get there:
By car on the A-121 highway (Novopriozerskoe highway). The journey will take approximately 2 hours.
By bus — from the Devyatkino metro station to the Krasnoarmeyskaya Street stop (about 2.5 hours). You can also take the train from Finlyandsky Station to Priozersk Station. The journey takes 2 hours 15 minutes. The walk from the station to the fortress museum is almost 2 km, or about 20 minutes.
Lipovo, Sosnovy Bor
The wide wild beach will really appeal to nature lovers. People come here with tents for a couple of days, or just for a picnic. It doesn’t matter how long you stay here, the main thing is to breathe deeply in the clean pine air, and in the evening be sure to admire the beautiful sunset.
Very close to Lipovo is Sosnovy Bor, which also has its own attractions: the Nuclear Power Plant Museum, Primorsky Park, museums of modern art, Andersengrad (perfect for families with children). 20 km from the city is the Koporye fortress, which will especially appeal to history buffs.
How to get there:
By car, take the KADU and highway 41A-007, before reaching Sosnovy Bor. The journey from St. Petersburg will take about 2 hours.
On your own, you can take bus No. 401 from the Avtovo metro station towards Sosnovy Bor. You will have to spend a little more than two hours on the way. Get off at the Lipovo stop.
Kirch of St. Mary Magdalene, Primorsk
Primorsk is a small cozy city that is surrounded by nature: Katerlahti Bay, birch islands, Vesenny and Vyborg reserves are located here. It was here that one of the most remarkable buildings on the Karelian Isthmus was erected at the beginning of the 20th century – the Church of St. Mary Magdalene.
The former Lutheran church, designed in the style of Finnish national romanticism, stands in a picturesque location among the trees. Part of the temple now operates as a local history museum, and the rest is being restored. After visiting the church, go to the shore and be sure to admire the beauty of the surrounding nature.
How to get there:
By car, follow Primorskoe Highway; part of the road can be driven along the WHSD toll road. Travel time will be 2.5–3 hours.
By bus No. 830 you can get to Primorsk in 2.5 hours from the Parnas metro station. Get off at the “Market” stop.
“Sea Oaks”, Fox Nose
It’s worth coming here not so much for a traditional beach holiday (by the way, swimming is prohibited here), but for an active pastime: there are sports grounds where you can play volleyball. Or just take a leisurely walk along the shore. Take a walk around the village of “Fox Nose”, look at the houses around: some of them look futuristic. At the beginning of the village you can see an abandoned cinema.
Not far from the place there is the Northern Coast of the Neva Bay nature reserve, and further along the Primorskoe highway Sestroretsk, Repino and Zelenogorsk.
How to get there:
To the beach “Sea Oaks” by car along the Primorskoye Highway or along the WHSD and Ring Road highways. From the center of St. Petersburg, the travel time will be a little over an hour.
It takes about 40 minutes by train from Finland Station to Lisiy Nos station, and then walk to the beach for about 15-20 minutes. You can also take bus No. 216 or minibus (No. 101A, No. 211, No. 303) from the Begovaya metro station to the Rabochiy Poselok stop. The drive is about 20 minutes. From there you will have to walk a little more than 1.5 km.
Careers in Shapki
Come here for a walk through the forest and then a barbecue on the beach. Experienced tourists note that you can pick mushrooms and go fishing nearby. If you want more entertainment, choose 4th quarry. There you can rent a boat or a SUP to ride on the water surface. And if you prefer a wilder holiday, go with tents to the most picturesque 5th and 6th quarries. Set up a small camp and stay overnight.
Also in Shapki there is a park at the Balashov estate, and a little further away there is a farm with pets, the Belovo eco-estate, which will be great to visit with children.
How to get there:
If you are by car, choose the 5th and 6th quarries, as they are more convenient to access. Take the Moscow highway or the M-11 toll road, exit in the city of Tosno, then follow the highway 41A-003.
It’s better to get to the 2nd quarry on your own: by train to Shapki station from Moskovsky station (runs twice a day). The journey takes 1 hour 35 minutes. From the station to the quarry 500 meters.
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