Things to Do at Hermitage Museum (Winter Palace)

The State Hermitage Museum is one of those places that genuinely lives up to its reputation as one of the world's greatest art collections. Housed primarily in the striking Winter Palace - the former residence of Russian tsars - it's actually a complex of six historic buildings along the Neva River embankment. With over 3 million items spanning from ancient civilizations to modern masters, you could spend weeks here and still not see everything. What makes the Hermitage special isn't just the art - though you'll find works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Picasso, and Matisse - but the sheer opulence of the palace itself. The rooms are works of art, with gilded halls, intricate parquet floors, and ceiling frescoes that might actually be more impressive than some of the paintings hanging below them. It's the kind of place where you'll find yourself craning your neck to admire a chandelier and accidentally discover a Monet.

The Hermitage commands Palace Square in central Saint Petersburg, impossible to miss with its distinctive green and white baroque facade. Walk seven minutes from Admiralteyskaya metro station, or take the longer route from Nevsky Prospekt if you want to see the main avenue. Totally walkable from downtown. Trams and buses stop nearby, but you won't need them if you're staying in the center. Look for the massive Palace Square. That's your landmark.