My 5 Favorite St. Petersburg Secrets

It’s no surprise that St. Petersburg is a treasure-trove of architectural and historical wonders. With just a quick Google search, you could lose yourself in pastel-colored facades and mural-filled courtyards. But St. Petersburg hides far more gems than the obvious Hermitage, Russian Museum, and Petergof
palace. I might even argue that her best attractions are the ones you have to work to find…
1 Podpisnie Izdaniya

When I first visited St. Petersburg, this bookstore/coffeeshop was still a small, two-room
two-level hideaway on Liteiny Avenue. But that didn’t stop me from arriving early in the
morning and studying for my TORFL exam until late in the evening. Podpisnie Izdaniya is
every book-lovers dream, and it tops this list because the atmosphere inside captures an
integral piece of the St. Petersburg soul—it’s an encouraging and cozy place for aspiring
academics. They also carry titles not only in Russian, but in English, German, and French.
And following their recent expansion in 2020, there is plenty of space for you to grab a
delicious cup of coffee and curl up in a corner with a new read.
2 “Pishechnaya” 12 April

Named after the infamous Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin, who became the first human
ever to reach space on the 12 of April 1961, this adorable underground café is known
for its “pishki”, or Russian street donuts, and soviet space theme. The food is delicious
and cheap. I’ll always have fond memories of this place, because it’s where I had my first
pishki, chebureki, blini, and kvass! Many freezing evening walks on Nevsky ended with a
quick stop to the 12 April café, so make sure you stop in for me since I can’t enjoy it
right now.
3 The Museum of Political History of Russia

No offense to the Hermitage, but The Museum of Political History of Russia is actually
my favorite museum in St. Petersburg. And if you’re anything like me (an avid reader of
Russian history and politics) then you will also find so much to enjoy here. Even on my
third visit, I would still stand in disbelief at the documents and displays they have. As an
added bonus, while the main branch of the museum sits in a mansion on Petrogradsky
Island, they have a branch specializing in the history of Russian intelligentsia near the
Admiraltiskaya metro station, going from the Cheka to the KGB!
4 Vladimir Mayakovsky Central City Public Library
I accidentally discovered this library when visiting a Russian speaking club (which still
meets there today!) near my old apartment. And I was so distracted by the beautiful
bookshelves and endless hallways that I wasn’t focusing on my Russian conversation!
This is one of the easier libraries to visit in the St. Petersburg area in my opinion,
although like the rest of the libraries, it’s very, very large.
5 Saint Petersburg Mosque

Everyone knows that St. Petersburg is famous for her endless onion-domed Orthodox cathedrals—but did you know that there is also a breathtaking blue mosque there as well? While it’s said the most impressive view is from the outside, it’s worth the visit inany case. It’s not a famous tourist location, as it is still an active place of worship, but if you schedule a tour or visit at an appropriate time, you can go inside as well. (Just don’t forget your headscarf if you’re a woman, the rules are the same as when visiting the Orthodox cathedrals!)