Winter in St Petersburg
With its grand palaces and fanciful churches dusted with snow and the city boulevards strung with twinkling lights, St Petersburg transforms into a real-life winter wonderland over the holidays. Don’t let the freezing temperatures put you off sightseeing, though – there are plenty of fun winter things to do in St Petersburg, as long as you wrap up warm. Here are some ideas.
1. Go Christmas shopping
Christmas is celebrated not once but twice in St Petersburg, with European expats upholding the Christian traditions of December 25th and the Russian orthodox Christmas held on January 7th, and most locals enjoy a 10-day holiday starting from New Year’s Day. Whichever Christmas traditions you follow, the best place for Christmas shopping is the huge Christmas market held in Ostrovskogo Square, where you’ll find an array of Russian handicrafts, toys and gifts, plus an array of typical Russian foods like blinis, Tula gingerbread and pastries.
2. Make the most of the snow
With temperatures averaging around -6°C, you’re guaranteed a white Christmas in St Petersburg, so make the most of the snow with a traditional troika ride (horse-drawn sleigh) through the grounds of the Pavlovsk palace or show off your moves at one of the city’s many open-air ice rinks. Alternatively, try skiing and sledding at Okhta Park or hit the ski slopes at Tuutari Park, where you can ski, snowboard or snow-tube.
3. Warm up at a sauna
Visiting a traditional Russian Banya (sauna) is an unmissable cultural experience and there’s no better time to brave the steam than when its freezing outside. Many hotels offer deluxe banyas and spa services, otherwise top choices include Kazachy Bani and Yamskiye Bani, where you can enjoy the full treatment – a steam bath and birch branch massage, followed by a dip in the icy plunge pool.
4. Enjoy the city’s cultural events
Wintertime is St Petersburg’s main arts season and there are myriad options for evening entertainment – classical concerts, ballet, opera, puppet shows and theatre. The biggest event is the Russian Winter Festival, which takes place from late December through mid January in St. Petersburg’s Art Square, but there’s also the Mariinsky Ballet Festival at the legendary Mariinsky Theater in February and the Maslenitsa (Mardi Gras) celebrations, which includes live music and dance, equestrian shows and sporting contests.
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