Ideas for celebrating the New Year - 2021 in St. Petersburg: what to see, what restaurants to visit, where to stay, as well as prices for tours, hotels and food.
Winter holidays in St. Petersburg are bright, with lively fairs and festivities. On New Year's Eve, the sky above Palace Square flashes with all the colors of rainbows - fireworks and laser shows are amazing, and Nevsky Prospekt turns into a pedestrian street - thousands of residents and guests of the Northern capital come here to congratulate each other on the holiday and see an unforgettable sight.
Weather in December - January in St. Petersburg
Northern Palmyra is famous for its capricious weather, and the winter holidays are no exception. Year after year is not necessary: slush +1 ... + 3 ° С and fog can give way to frosts down to -10 ° С. A strong wind blows from the Gulf of Finland, and an unprepared tourist is often uncomfortable here. It is very important to dress correctly, clothes should be warm and windproof.
New Year in St. Petersburg: how and where to celebrate 2021
You can celebrate the New Year - 2021 in St. Petersburg in a variety of ways - everyone will find entertainment and activities to their liking. Some originals go to the bathhouse (sauna) on New Year's Day, following the example of the heroes of the famous film, but tourists are much more interested in seeing folk festivals or going to museums and theaters.
In the last decade of December, the main hero of the occasion comes from Veliky Ustyug - Santa Claus... At his command, the main city tree is lit on the Palace Square. Having completed his mission, grandfather goes to the fair.
On Pionerskaya Square, a large fairwhere you can buy sweets, toys and souvenirs. Competitions and folk amusements are held here, as well as a skating rink.
At the Peter and Paul Fortress, a huge screen is installed, which is visible from all the embankments of the Neva, and a real castle of ice is being erected with sculptures that are beautifully illuminated. Nearby there is a slide from which you can ride with the breeze. On the Palace Square from 26 to 30 December daily at 19:00 will be held New Year's light (laser) show - everyone can watch it for free.
Nevsky Prospekt strikes with festive illumination: shining garlands, figures and light showers are everywhere. By the evening of December 31, until the morning, the movement of ground transport is blocked here, you can get to the center by metro - stop "Gostiny Dvor" or "Nevsky Prospect". The city's best entertainment venues are located on Nevsky, where celebrants rush after the New Year, some clubs offer free admission and drinks after midnight.
Where to go on New Year's Eve in St. Petersburg? Many people prefer the folk festivities that take place in every district of the city, but the main celebrations begin at 22 o'clock on Palace Square... Several stages are set here, where musical groups perform and performances are given, a huge screen broadcasting congratulations from officials, and Santa Claus and Snow Maiden entertain everyone. In the water area of the Neva, fireworks are planned in honor of the holiday. New Year's Eve in the city center is celebrated until 4 am, from which time city transport resumes work.
If it gets cold, you can always go to a cafe or restaurant, but you should know that the metro will be closed from 2 am to 4 am, and a taxi ride, taking into account the blocked Nevsky Prospekt, is expensive.
Theaters are preparing New Year's performances, tickets for which are best purchased in advance. Many museums offer good discounts for children during this time. Adults are advised to visit the Hermitage, the Naval Museum, the Russian Museum, the Mikhailovsky Castle and other sights of St. Petersburg. Before visiting, you should check the opening hours and days off. To avoid queues at museums, you can use e-tickets.
In winter, visiting the suburbs is unlikely to be comfortable, but if the weather permits, you can take a ride to Pushkin, Gatchina or Peterhof. The parks are no less beautiful in winter than in summer, although the fountains are closed and most of the sculptures are hidden.
Children will be interested to watch the performances. We recommend looking for all concerts, performances, fairs and exhibitions in St. Petersburg for the New Year 2021 on this website. You can also find out what events are taking place in the city on the website of the Committee for Culture of St. Petersburg.
Most tourists on winter holidays take excursions, fortunately in St. Petersburg there are so many of them that the eyes run up! Look for excursions on the Tripster website - there are collected unique author's tours that will show the city from a new perspective.
Restaurants of St. Petersburg for the New Year. Where to go?
It is unlikely that the thirst for culinary delights attracts visitors to restaurants in St. Petersburg for the New Year - people expect spectacles, and many establishments are ready to offer them. The range of restaurants and cafes where you can celebrate the New Year - 2021 in St. Petersburg is very wide.
It is convenient for guests of the capital to celebrate New Year's Eve in hotel restaurants: for example, festive parties are usually organized by the Astoria, Angleterre, Grand Hotel Europe and others (restaurants "Europe", "Borsalino", "Astoria Cafe" etc.). True, the average bill per person in such restaurants is quite impressive - 20-50 thousand rubles. Therefore, we advise you to choose an institution based on reviews of St. Petersburg restaurants - this way you will find the best price-quality ratio.
Young people prefer democratic places, for example, a club "Blizzard" on Karavannaya, near the Gostiny Dvor station. This is a cult place in the Northern capital, even if you didn't manage to get here on the festive night itself, you don't have to worry - here every night passes on a grand scale. Flappers, sparklers, dancing and cocktails by the river.
Stylized bar on Liteinaya "Coyote Ugly" is very popular, and the prices do not go off scale. It is always noisy and fun here, and beautiful girls - "coyotes" - entertain the audience with dancing right on the bar counter.
Well, if while walking through the snow-covered Northern capital you want to warm up and have a quick snack, read our material "Where to eat in St. Petersburg" - an overview of budget establishments in the city.
Do you want something new? Go to Europe for the New Year (follow the link for our selection of especially interesting cities)!
Prices in St. Petersburg for the New Year - 2021
As for the prices in St. Petersburg for the New Year, it cannot be said that they jump too much. Hotel rooms are slightly more expensive than usual, although sometimes there are good discounts. Various promotions and New Year's sales are held in the stores.
For those who do not care where to spend the night, and tourists on a budget, you can book a bed in a hostel - from 800 rubles per person. You can also stay relatively inexpensively in a hotel - a double room in the Central District costs from 2 thousand rubles (for example, in the "Nevsky Grand Hotel" or "Nevsky Hotel Aster").
A standard double room in a 3 * hotel in the historical part of the city costs 2.5-4.5 thousand rubles, the choice is large: "Nevsky Hotel" on the Moika with breakfast included, boutique hotel "Three Most", etc.
In 4 * and 5 * hotels near Palace Square, a double room costs from 4 thousand rubles and more. A little cheaper housing can be found in districts more remote from Palace Square - Petrogradsky, Admiralteysky, Vasileostrovsky and so on.
Celebrating the New Year in St. Petersburg restaurants will cost from 3 to 25 thousand rubles, the amount depends on the prestige of the institution, gastronomic delights and entertainment offered. The cost of the New Year's banquet in the hotels of Northern Palmyra varies from 3 to 45 thousand rubles, depending on the level of the hotel.
Prices for tours to St. Petersburg for the New Year - 2021
Tours to St. Petersburg for the New Year are quite inexpensive (if you buy tickets in advance). For example, a tour from Moscow for two for 4 nights in a 3-star hotel - from 23 thousand rubles.
However, for flights from other cities of Russia, the prices are no longer so low and are comparable to the rest in European capitals. For example, the cheapest tours from Yekaterinburg at the moment cost from 62 thousand rubles for two (4 nights). We advise you to search for tours on the popular Travelata service - there you can find the most advantageous offers from tour operators.
Reviews of tourists about the New Year in St. Petersburg
According to the reviews of tourists who have visited St. Petersburg for the New Year 2020, there are positive and negative aspects of such a holiday.
1. Some were embarrassed by the large number of guests from neighboring countries at the Palace Square, but this is understandable: a similar trend is observed in major European capitals - in Paris, Berlin and other cities. And in principle, a large crowd gathers in the square, many are frightened off.
2. On New Year's Eve, it is impossible to enter Palace Square with alcohol, the square is cordoned off by policemen who are vigilantly watching the violators. However, this is again world practice, needless to say that our people will always find a way to "warm up", no matter if he celebrates abroad or at home.
3. Weather conditions in St. Petersburg is a separate topic. In recent years, there has been a warming, but if there is no confidence in one's own resilience, it is better not to tempt fate and take a walk in the daytime, periodically warming up in numerous bars and cafes.
The main thing that the tourists noted was a real festive atmosphere in the city, and the amazing hospitality and sincerity of St. Petersburg residents allows you to forget about any inconveniences. New Year in St. Petersburg is a good opportunity to get vivid impressions, make new acquaintances and have a great time.
