Saint Petersburg/Vasilievsky Island

By metro

By bus

By foot

Horvat

• The ensemble of the Spit (Strelka) of the Vasilievsky island was built in the early 19th century between the academic quarters and the port and is dominated by the Stock Exchange building. It offers an impressive view of the Neva river with the Hermitage and the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Other monuments you'll immediately notice on the Strelka, the Rostral Columns, are yet another symbol of the city. Constructed in 1810 to celebrate the victory over the Swedish navy, the columns are each adorned with six rostra (traditionally, the prows of captured ships), symbolizing the might of the Russian Baltic Fleet. At the base of the columns you'll see sculptures representing the great rivers of European Russia, the Volga, Dnieper, Neva, and Volkhov. In addition to their decorative purpose, the columns also served as lighthouses, and to this day the gas flames are lit on holidays.

• Pushkinsky Dom

  phone: +7 812 328-05-02
  address: Makarova Embankment (наб. Макарова), 4.
  Since 1927 this domed building of the former customs house, built in 1832, has been home to the Institute of Russian Literature, founded in 1905.

Андрей!

• Museum of Zoology

  phone: +7 812 328-01-12
  address: Universitetskaya Embankment (Университетская наб.), 1
  One of the largest natural history museums in the world. It's in a 19th-century warehouse, and hosts an enormous collection of animals preserved in various ways, stuffed and mounted, pinned, stored in alcohol or as skeletons, with about 30,000 specimens on display. A must-see for any natural history buff, though perhaps not for defenders of animal welfare. It began as a part of the Kunstkamera and steadily grew into its enormous state. Particularly rich are the collections of insects (6,500 species) and birds (2,500 species). Make sure not to miss the complete blue whale skeleton (you will hardly miss it, it is 27 m or 89 feet long), as well as the world's only stuffed mammoth, recovered from permafrost in 1901.

Florstein

• Kunstkamera

  phone: +7 812 328-0712
  address: Universitatskaya Embankment (Университетская наб.), 3
  This museum, hosted in the Baroque building constructed in 1714-1728, is primarily famous for its one-room freak show collection of 300 year-old deformed foetuses in formaldehyde (of which you are not allowed to take pictures). But the Kunstkamera is also an etnography museum, and most of its collections display the artifacts of indigenous peoples from various parts of the world. It also hosts a collections of historical scientific instruments,like compasses and experimental generators. It is the oldest state museum in Russia, established by Peter the Great in 1704 to host his personal collection,with objects collected during his travels across Europe. A significant part of it has been purchased from Dutch merchants.

• Academy of Sciences

  address: Universitetskaya Embankment 5
  Neoclassical building by Giacomo Quarenghi, 1783-1789.

• Novobirzhevoy Gostiny DvorA square yellow building with arcades built in 1800-1815 as a market , now home to several departments of Saint Petersburg State University.

A.Savin

• The Twelve Collegia

  address: University Embankment (Университетская наб.), 7/9
  Now the main building of Saint Petersburg State University, it was built in the style of Petrine Baroque in 1722-1744 to house the Russian government. It may be difficult, though not impossible, for a stranger to persuade the guards to let him/her in. There is a bookstore there, perhaps a good pretext. All along Mendeleevskaya liniya for its entire length, the main entrance is in the middle of the building.

• Palace of Peter II

  address: Universitetskaya Embankment 11
  It was built in 1727-1761 as a palace for Peter II, who never came to live here. It has long hosted the departments of philology and oriental studies of Saint Petersburg State University.

• Manege of the Cadet Corps

  address: Universitetskaya Embankment 13
  Built in 1756-1759.

Florstein

• Menshikov Palace

  phone: +7 812 323-11-12
  address: Universitetskaya Embankment (Университетская наб.), 15
  This Baroque palace, built for a close associate of Peter the Great in 1710-1714, became the first stone building of the city. Now it is home to a museum run by the Hermitage, which displays art and culture of the early 18th century.

• Rumyantsev Park and Obelisk

  address: between the 1st and 2nd lines along Universitetskaya Embankment (Университетской наб.)
  The big obelisk in honor of Count Peter Rumyantsev's victory in the Russo-Turkish War of 1791 in the center of the park was created 1799 and moved here from the Field of Mars in 1818.

• Russian Academy of Arts

  address: Universitetskaya Embankment, 17
  Russia's largest center for advanced study in the arts, until the 20th century the only school of its kind in Russia. The impressive neoclassical building was built in 1764-1788.

• Research Museum of the Academy of Arts

  phone: +7 812 323-3578
  A huge collection of drawings, prints, paintings of both Russian and Western artists, as well as casts and sculptures, all on display across three floors of the Academy. The models of great Petersburg architecture, of the Smolny Monastery, St Isaac's Cathedral, Mikhailovsky Castle, etc., are especially worth seeking out.

Florstein

• Authentic Ancient Egyptian Sphinxes

  address: Universitetskaya Embankment (Университетской наб.)
  You wouldn't expect it, but these two granite sphinxes are three thousand years older than the city! They date from the 14th century BC and were excavated in 1820 in the temple of Amenhotep III near Thebes in Egypt. Upon seeing them, the Russian writer and diplomat Muravyev wrote to the Tsar, and convinced him to purchase the statues for display in Petersburg. They were installed in 1834. Oddly enough, sphinxes seem to be popular in the city - there are another six made by Russian sculptors lurking about.

Along Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment

• Naval Institute

  address: Naberezhnaya Leitenanta Schmidta (наб. Лейтенанта Шмидта), 17
  The oldest naval academy in Russia, founded by Peter the Great in 1701. Some of its most famous graduates include Ivan Kruzenshtern, Rimsky-Korsakov, and many others. The building was completely rebuilt in 1798.

• Ivan Kruzenshtern Statue

  address: Across from Naberezhnaya Leitenanta Schmidta, 17
  A statue of Admiral Ivan Kruzenshtern, was built in 1870 in honor of the 100-year anniversary of the renowned Admiral's death.

• Church of the Assumption of Mary

  address: Naberezhnaya Leitenanta Schmidta, 27
  This five-domed church was built in 1897. In 1935, as happened to many churches in Russia, it was converted by the Soviets into a warehouse, but in 1993 it was reopened for services. The ongoing careful renovations began in 1996.

• Barracks of the Finland Regiment

  address: Between the 19th and 20th lines along Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment
  They include the former palace of the Dolgorukovs along the 20th line.

• Mining Institute Museum

  phone: +7 812 321-40-82
  address: 21st line V.O.(21 линия В.О.), 2
  One of the largest and oldest geological museums in the world, containing more than 230 0,000 items, collected from more than 80 countries. Even if you don't make it inside on a tour, it's worth passing by to admire it's imposing 1811 Imperial-style façade.

• St. Catherine's Orthodox Church

• Repina StreetThe narrowest street in Saint Petersburg, 5.6 m (18 ft) wide.

• St. Catherine's Lutheran Church

  address: Bolshoy Prosp., 1

Vitold Muratov

• St. Michael's Lutheran Church

  address: Bolshoy Prosp., 18

Lion10

• St. Andrew's Cathedral

  phone: +7 812 323-34-18
  address: 6 line V.O. (6 линия В.О.), 11
  Perhaps the most beautiful religious building on the island, built in 1780. The main cupola is framed by three narrow towers, and is topped by a two-tiered belltower. The gilt, three-layered iconostasis inside is an impressive 17 meters tall.

• Andreevsky Market

• Poehl's Farmacy

• Fire Hall

  address: (Б.проспект )

• Museum of Electrical Transport

  phone: +7 812 321 54 05
  address: Srednyy pr. (Средний пр.), 77
  It is based at the old Vasileostrovsky tram depot in Saint Petersburg which was built in 1906 - 1908.

Erarta

• Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art

  phone: +7 812 324 0809
  address: No 2, 29th line, Vasilyevsky Island ( 29-я линия, Васильевского острова, дом 2.)
  Erarta is Russia's largest private museum of contemporary art (with over 2,800 works in its permanent collection). Every year, Erarta stages more than 40 temporary exhibitions alternately focusing on painting, sculpture, video art, fashion and design. The building features a café (3rd floor), a restaurant, and Erarta Home Stores offering gifts, books, prints, interior décor items, and more.

Medved'

• A horse-drawn railway (trolley) monument

  address: Boulevard Andreevskiy 6-7 lines in Sredniy prospect ( Андреевского бульвар у Среднего проспекта)

• Church of the Mother of God the Merciful

  address: Bolshoy prospekt, 98
  note the sign on the wall towards Prospekt Bolshoy which says in red text: ХРИСТОС ВОСКРЕСЕ! ("Christ has arisen")

• Musical Gate

  address: Bugskiy pereulok (Бугский пер.), 1

• Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God

  phone: +7 812 321-1483
  address: Ulitsa Kamskaya (Камская улица), 24

• Krasin

  phone: +7 1916-1917
  address: Naberezhnaya Leitenanta Schmidta (наб. Лейтенанта Шмидта)
  Built in England in and overhauled in the 1950s, is a Russian/Soviet icebreaker with a distinguished career in polar exploration and rescue operations. Since the 1990s she has been moored as a museum ship in front of the Mining Institute.

• Narodovolets Submarine D-2

  phone: +7 812 356-52-66
  address: Shkipersky protok (Шкиперский проток), 10
  A small museum aboard a World War II submarine, dedicated to the actions of the submarine throughout the war (run by the Naval Museum).

• STS MirThis is a three-masted, full-rigged Russian ship

• Museum of contemporary art Artmuza

  phone: +7 812-313-47-03
  address: 13 liniya 70
  Museum of contemporary art and the largest creative cluster in St. Petersburg. In 2013, the premises of the former musical instruments factory "Muzdetal" turned into an association of creative people in the field of painting, sculpture, design and interior, transforming the industrial building into a cultural place for creativity and recreation.

Budget

• McDonald's

  phone: +7 812 323-15-79
  address: prospekt Srednii, 29A

• Pizza Hut

  phone: +7 812 325-65-95
  address: prospekt Srednii, 36/40

• Subway

  phone: +7 812 323-7788
  address: line 7A, 32
  Other unit near metro station Primorskaya.

Mid-range

• Cafe Old Tbilisi

  address: В.О. 4-я линия, 7
  You'll probably be the only foreign visitor to this small unassuming place on Vasilievsky Island, but the great Georgian food is worth the short metro trip.

• Restobar Artist

  phone: +7 812 3217616
  address: В.О. 13-я линия, 70
  Creative food, in creative claster Artmuza.

Budget

• Hostel Avantage

  phone: +7 960 2581523
  address: 1 Line, 24. Vasilievskiy Island
  7 min from metro, free WiFi, fridge, microwave.

Splurge

• Morskoy Vokzal Hotel

  phone: +7 812 322-60-40
  address: 1, Morskoy Slavy square
  In the Sea Passenger Terminal, 2 minutes' walk from the main exhibition centre LenExpo. 130 rooms including 73 double rooms, 53 single rooms, 4 suites. All rooms have bathroom, phone, TV. Breakfast included.

• Park Inn by Radisson Pribaltiyskaya

  phone: +7 812 329 26 26
  address: 14 Korablestroiteley Street
  Overlooking the Gulf of Finland. 1193 rooms. Hotel services include a business centre, a fitness centre, an on-site spa, a hairdresser, gift shops, currency exchange, visa support and concierge, 24-hour medical services and a free shuttle to the city centre.