Experience Christmas and New Year in St.Petersburg

Visit St. Petersburg and feel the atmosphere of the most loved holidays in Russia.

Holidays are coming!

The Orthodox celebrate the New Year first, and then one week after Christmas comes, so we have our vacation time from December 31 until January 9.

Despite this from the middle of November, you may find decorated trees in the streets and gift-wrap in the shopping centers, festive performances and open-air Christmas fairs. This year there will be at least five of them acting in the different districts of the city.

“Northern Light” Christmas Fair on M. Konyshennaya street.

Recently closed for traffic, this lovely street has become the main city`s pedestrian area, and a popular place for all kinds of fairs and festivals. On this New Year`s eve it is going to be transformed into the city`s central Christmas market. Here you may find funny “love mittens” and beard hats, as well as art and design items. Bronze bells and antique style accessories will be presented by the real foundrymen. Do not miss the traditional handmade souvenirs, Pavlovsky Posad shawls, ethnic amulets, toys and much more.

By the way, it`s right opposite the Kazan Cathedral and a stone`s throw from the Church of Savior on Blood. Book the Nevsky Walking tour and enjoy the Church`s amazing mosaics accompanied by a guide, who will make you feel like a local giving some tips at the Christmas Fair after.

Christmas Fair on Pionerskaya square.

This city`s biggest Christmas Fair will take place here for the 11th time.  All the visitors will suddenly find themselves in the small festive town where you can get acquainted with the Christmas traditions of different countries.  The festive mood is guaranteed! Colorful merchant’s houses offering a variety of goods and products, music and evening performances on the central stage, cheerful clowns, mummers and other artists – you can take part on December 24 till January 8, every day from 1pm to 11 pm. 

Buy Russian souvenirs and gifts, taste Medovukha – a Slavic honey-based alcoholic beverage as well as the traditional Christmas meal and drinks from different countries.

Need a help to get a bargain price? Book the St. Petersburg Metro (Subway) tour, enjoy the most beautiful stations, including one on the first line to reach the fair.

Christmas Fair on Moskovskaya square.

Vacation is never enough. Even if it`s seem to you that you saw almost everything in St. Petersburg, stay here on the way back, as the bus to the airport stops right on Moskovskaya Square. This is the largest square of St. Petersburg, and it was supposed to be the city center. The project was cancelled because of the WWII, but you can still admire the “Soviet classic” – Stalin style buildings.

Being the center of the district, the Moskovskaya square is often used as the festival stage during different holidays.

This time the Christmas Fair program includes the festival of Russian Santa Clauses, an exhibition “Ice Fairy Tale” representing ice sculptures such as king penguins and reindeer, as well as a mini-exhibition of gingerbread houses, ice-skating rink and street food vans.

Do you know that the Moskovskaya square is on the way to Tsar’s Village where the gem of St. Petersburg suburbs is located – the Catherine Palace with the Amber room.

See also

The Nutcracker – the most Christmas story