White Nights In St. Petersburg Russia: Things To Do In The Midnight City

You are in St. Petersburg. The place looks beautiful, the weather is just right for a walk along the river. The sun is shining in all its glory. But suddenly, you look at your watch and something is not quite right. It’s 2 am in the morning!

Confused? Let me explain. This is the fascinating phenomenon called White Nights in St. Petersburg. This strange occurrence is caused every summer due to the geographical location of St. Petersburg. At 59 degrees North, it is the northern-most city in Russia. This essentially means that from mid-May to July, the sun Never sets here. Interesting, isn’t it?

It’s not that other cities at similar latitude don’t experience this, but because St Petersburg experiences a long, harsh and dark winter, the 80 days of sunshine aka the White Nights are celebrated with much gusto!

How do they celebrate you ask? Well, here’s what they do:

1. Take A Midnight Walk Along The River

A long walk along River Neva in the middle of the night is one of the most romantic experiences ever. The river runs from east to west, splitting the city into half. The southern part is home to a grid of canals along with some of the most popular attractions in St Petersburg, such as the Hermitage, the Palace Square and the Alexander Column.

One of the major sights to watch out for at this time is when the river bridges, all illuminated, open up to an angle of 90 degrees to let the boat traffic cross.

Midnight Tip: Walk on the right side of the river because the metro stops running at 12.30 am and the bridges remain open until 5 am, which means that there would be no way for you to cross over.

2. Go For A Canal Cruise

St. Petersburg has a beautiful labyrinth of rivers and canals across the city giving it a distinct character. Given the iconic classical architecture here, the water is actually one of the best places to get the best views of all these magnificent structures. So get on a boat, and enjoy the river – this is the best time to sail across the waters under a magnificent night sky and fireworks display. Sip on a glass of Vodka and soak in the good times.

3. Attend The Biggest Festival In St. Petersburg

The White Nights Festival is one of the biggest celebrations in Russia with an amazing line up of parades, music, opera and classical ballet performances held from May through the end of July. The festival begins with the ‘Stars of the White Nights’ at Mariinsky Theater, and culminates with the ‘Scarlet Sails’. This is an age-old tradition that goes back to the end of the Second World War as the entire city hosts a high-school graduation party in June. It is the most spectacular sight with an exquisite show of fireworks over the Neva River.

Other than the White Nights Festival, watch out for street shows, jam sessions, music concerts and jazz shows that take place along the river every night. They don’t call St Pertersburg as Russia’s cultural hub for nothing.

4. Partying All Night

Once the outdoor concerts and shows are over, the party moves indoor. The midnight city, St. Petersburg, has a large number of dance and beach clubs that remain open till 6 am during weekends. Some of the popular party places and bars can be found along Nevsky Prospekt. Most of the upscale hotels have popular nightclubs with an upbeat party scene.

5. Sleep Through The Day

Wondering what you should do after a night full of activities? Sleep! Switch your body clock as the day time is dedicated to a long siesta. Store up on energy for another exciting night.

One last tip. Now that you know that White Nights are the best time to visit St. Petersburg, you must remember to book your flights and hotels well in advance to make sure you don’t end up with costly deals.

See you in St. Petersburg!