St Petersburg Travel Guide

City Facts

Location

Leningradskaya Oblast, Russia.

Time Zone

GMT + 3 (GMT + 4 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.

Average January Temperatures

- 7°C (- 13°F).

Average July Temperatures

21°C (70°F).

Average Annual Rainfall

457mm (18 inches).

Language

Russian, the official language, can be difficult for Westerners to read as it is written in Cyrillic script. It is, however, worth taking a bit of time to learn the letters as it will make any time spent in Russia much easier. For example, the indecipherable PECTOPAH can be transliterated into RESTORAN, giving a much better indication that this is a place to get a meal. Russian has a lot of similarities to other Slavic languages, and to a degree they are mutually comprehensible, especially Ukrainian. English is not very common in St Petersburg; it is usually only spoken by those in business or in the tourist trade. Phrases Yes - Da No - Nyet Hello - Zdrástvuitye Goodbye - Do svidanya Please - Pazhawsta Thank you - Spassíba My name is … - Minya zavoot … How are you? - Kak vi pazhivayetye? I’m very well - U minya xarasho I feel ill - Ya bolyen (male) / ya bolna (female) How much does it cost? - Skolka stoyit? Do you speak English? - Gavaritye pa anglisski? I don’t understand - Ya ne panimayu Where is …? - Gdye …? Entrance - Vxot Exit - Víxod Danger - Apásnost Open - Atkrity Closed - Zakrity Toilets - Tualyet Doctor - Vrach Hotel - Gastínitsa Restaurant - Ristorán Beer - Peeva Wine - Vine Menu - Minú Today - Sivay án Tomorrow - Zavtra Monday - Panedyélnik Tuesday - Vtesday Wednesday Sryedá Thursday - Chetvyérk Friday - Pyátneetsa Saturday - Suobrday Sunday - Vaskresyénye One - Adeen Two - Dva Three - Tri Four - Chetíriye Five - Pyat Six - Shest Seven - Syem Eight - Vosyem Nine - Dyévyat Ten - Dyésyat Twenty - Dvátset Thirty - Trítset Forty - Sorty Fifty - Pyetdesyát Sixty - Shistdyesyát Seventy - Syémdyesyat Eighty - Vightysyat Ninety - Divyansyat One Hundred - Sto One Thousand - Tísicha

Cost of Living

Special Events

Farewell to the Russian Winter
February-March
Folk concerts and sleigh rides.
Throughout the city

Maslenitsa
March
The start of Russian Lent, celebrated with feast of blinis at homes and restaurants across the city.

Musical Spring in St Petersburg
April
International classical music festival.
Various venues

Dyen Kosmonavtiki (Cosmonauts Day)
April
Celebration of Russia's role in space exploration.
Throughout the city

Victory Day
May
Crowds gather at Piskarivskoye Memorial Cemetery to pay tribute to the victims of the Nazi blockade.

Dyen Goroda (City Day)
May
Major festival with fireworks, concerts and much merrymaking.
City center

St Petersburg Beer Festival
June
Begins with a parade down Nevsky prospekt and ends with a fireworks display, accompanied by lots of drinking.
Throughout the city center

Festival-festivaley (Festival of Festivals)
June
International film festival.
Cinemas throughout the city

Byeliye Nochi (White Nights)
June-July
Throughout the city, especially Palace Square, Peter and Paul Fortress and Yelagin Island.

Baltic House International Theater Festival
September-October
Gathering of actors, clowns and pantomime artists from across the Baltic region. Theaters across the city.

Russian Winter Festival
December
Concerts and fireworks.
Throughout the city