We took this trip in June 2019 but, with all the travelling during Summer and the birth of our daughter in September, I kept postponing writing about it. Although not one of the easiest destinations, mainly due to the visa restrictions, I was pleasantly surprised how accessible and even reasonably priced it is once you pass the airport immigration booth.

We bought the flights about 7 months before the travel date. The only thing that was putting us off a bit was the need to get a visa. But,

once I started the process, it went fairly quickly. There is an emergency process too that takes 48h but double the price of the ordinary to process that takes about 5 working days. We got our invitation letter (one of the more ‘unusual ‘ documents required to apply) from the hotel. Virtually all hotels will provide one upon demand based on s copy of your passport.

I took this trip with 2 friends and I was about 6 months pregnant at the time. So it was really a very relaxed pace with virtually only family friendly activities except for an evening ballet performance and the fancier restaurant Palkin. As you will read below, there are many kid friendly restaurants that you can try instead. Also, if you still fancy a performance, check out the program at Bolshoy Puppet theatre. English version plays are available.

Time to visit: Consider June

In June, the White nights give the city almost a magical glow. There are street musicians, special theatre performances and plenty of outside events. Everything culminates with the Scarlet boat sailing in the Neva and fireworks. We visited just the weekend before the Scarlet Sails as we were afraid of the crowds and peak hotel prices. It was still busy but the white night experience was worth it. If planning for June, book accommodation a month at least in advance.

From the Airport There are busses no 39 or 39A going to Moskovskaya Metro Station. You can take the metro from there through the city. We took the taxi to travel back to the airport (ordered by our hotel) and it was 800 R which is very cheap for the distance.

Get a Metro card: Metro is fast and efficient. There are ticket machines at the metro entrance but the English version is not particular clear. In principle, you should first pay for a smart card and you charge it as you go in one of the machines. A trip costs R45 no matter the distance. Better to buy one card per person than share one. If you only need one journey, you can buy a ‘adin proyezd ‘ and you will get a token to be put in the ticket machine. Be aware that if it is a connecting station, the same station may have two names, one for each line it connects.

Day 1: Start with the least kid friendly destination but an unmissable one: the Hermitage. Here, it would pay off if you can have a friend speaking Russian buy your ticket online in advance. Prices are cheaper on the Russian version of the website. Once there, there is a separate entrance for online tickets that is less crowded. Nobody will check if you are actually Russian or not as the ticket is just presented to a scanner that allows entrance.

Even if you promised your kids all the ice cream in the world to keep them from complaining 20 min into the visit, it is still worth choosing in advance what you want to see and keeping it fairly short. The museum is huge, covering several buildings and levels. You could spend days going from room to room and admiring the unique works of art. A map is crucial to finding you way. We focused on the following sections: Jourdan Staircase (photo above), Russian Culture and Imperial Apartments, Neva and Great Enfilade and Italian art section. It may be worth taking some snacks along for a little break if all becomes too much.

After spending the best part of the day indoors and looking at art, it would be best to schedule something fun and outdoorsy for the afternoon. We took the boat for a cruise on the Neva. Most cruises are in Russian so you can blissfully ignore the explanation and just relax and admire the bridges and other boats.

Day 2: go on the Petrograd side of the city to visit the Peter and Paul fortress, the birthplace of the city. Here there is enough to keep you and the children busy for one day, lots of smallish exhibitions of weapons, a church, an artificial beach with ice cream and, the most impressive, a walk on the city walls.

We met lots of families heading out to the Fortress at the weekend. It is also reasonably stroller friendly. The walk on the walls has a ramp at one end and stairs at the other so depending on where you start, you might need some help to bring the stroller down.

Return to the historic part of the city to visit the Church on the Spilled blood, another iconic St Petersburg landmark. The interior is even more impressive than the exterior. You can spend the rest of the day checking out the historic heart, with its lovely bridges and canals.

Day 3: Start the sightseeing in the Summer Garden. Filled with fountains and pavilions, it is a great place to have the kids run around and enjoying a pic nic. If you want to spend more time outside, check out the nearby Mikhailovsky Gardens that also have a small playground next to one of the entrances. If the weather is not nice, you can try the Zoology Museum. The stuffed mammoths seem to be a hit with kids.

For the rest of the day, you can take a walk along Nevski prospect, the main boulevard connecting the Hermitage with the Alexander Nevsky Monastery. There are buildings to admire like the unique Singer building and Kazan Cathedral, a statue of Catherine the Great in Pl. Ostrovskogo and a quirky food hall Kupetz Eliseevs where you can buy souvenirs in the form of sweets as well as some delicious ice cream and cakes to motivate the kids.

Where to eat

We tried a few restaurants during our stay, some more modern, others a bit more classic but they were all pretty good in their own interpretation of local dishes and ingredients. A high end place for a special dinner or anniversary was Palkin. Food was delicious and there were some older kids around but it is not the best place to bring a toddler.

A classic Russian table complete with delicious Borsch and caviar is Severyanin. This is a family place and kids are welcomed. We liked trying different classic dishes ( beef stroganoff) and prices were very reasonable. I would definitely recommend you try to find your way to this place that is a bit outside the main tourist area. A modern but still family friendly and delicious option not far from the Hermitage is Hamlet+ Jacks. They have a menu split between local and international ingredients. Also, the only place where I saw high chairs. In the heart of the city there is another good table, at Yat. It has a cosy atmosphere, wooden tables and delicious food. Make a reservation as it is a popular place a few steps away from the Hermitage.

If you are a bit further on Nevsky Avenue no 95, there is some tasty Georgian cuisine that you can try at Garson no1.

Have you been to Russia yet? I would like to visit Moscow as well as I understood the atmosphere is very different from the more European St Petersburg.

Happy travels!