The Hermitage, St. Petersburg: Too Big for One Day

The Hermitage holds around 3 million objects across five interconnected buildings on the Palace Embankment. Most visitors enter through the Winter Palace — the principal residence of Russian tsars from Peter the Great to Nicholas II — and immediately have to make choices about where to spend limited time, because you cannot see all of it in a day. Or in two days. Some people come back for a week.

The practical strategy is to pick two or three sections and go deep rather than attempting a sweep. The Dutch and Flemish Masters collection (Rembrandt, van Dyck, Rubens) in the Old Hermitage is exceptional. The Impressionist and Post-Impressionist galleries on the third floor of the Winter Palace, with major works by Matisse, Picasso, Cézanne, Monet, and Renoir, represent one of the strongest such collections in the world. The Knights’ Hall and the Pavilion Hall (a rococo room with a famous mosaic floor) are worth seeking out even if art isn’t your primary interest — they’re extraordinary examples of imperial Russian decoration.

The State Rooms

The Winter Palace’s state rooms — the Jordan Staircase, the Field Marshals’ Hall, the Armorial Hall, the Military Gallery — are the throne room complex of the Russian imperial family. The gold and malachite work is genuinely extraordinary, particularly the malachite room with its massive columns. These rooms are the most crowded part of the museum; go early.

Practical Information

Entry tickets cost 700 RUB for foreign visitors (check current prices, they adjust). Timed entry slots can be booked online through the Hermitage website, which is advisable for July and August. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Photography without flash is permitted throughout, but no tripods or selfie sticks. Audio guides are available at the ticket desk in several languages. Note: the situation regarding payment methods and access for international visitors has changed significantly since 2022; verify current conditions carefully before planning a visit.

What Else to See in St. Petersburg

The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (about 15 minutes’ walk from the Hermitage) is covered entirely in mosaics inside and out, built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881. It’s extraordinary and considerably less crowded than the Hermitage.

Peterhof, the imperial summer palace 30km west, is accessible by hydrofoil from the Palace Embankment (45 minutes). The fountains in the lower gardens are famously excessive, which is the point.

Where to Eat

Stolle (multiple locations) serves Russian savory pies and salads in a simple café setting — good for lunch at very reasonable prices. Terrassa on Kazanskaya Street has good city views and decent European food. For something more traditional, Sadko near the Hermitage does a reliable set lunch with Russian classics.

Where to Stay

Astoria Hotel on St Isaac’s Square is the classic choice, with views of the cathedral from some rooms. Hotel Dostoevsky near Vladimirskaya offers good mid-range rooms in a building with appropriate literary history. The neighbourhood around Nevsky Prospekt has numerous mid-range and budget options.