Things to Do in Saint Petersburg in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
March Weather in Saint Petersburg
Is March Right for You?
Advantages
- Late winter pricing drops significantly - accommodation costs fall 30-40% compared to December holidays, and you'll find flight deals from Europe starting around €150 round-trip as airlines push to fill seats before spring break season
- The city transitions from winter to early spring, giving you two experiences in one trip - early March still has occasional snow cover perfect for classic Russian winter photography at the Hermitage and canals, while late March brings the first hints of thaw and longer daylight (you'll gain nearly 3 hours of daylight from March 1st to March 31st, going from about 10 to 13 hours)
- Crowd levels drop to their lowest point of the year - major attractions like the Hermitage and Peterhof have virtually no queues, and you can actually stand alone in the Catherine Palace's Amber Room for photos, something impossible in summer when 40,000 daily visitors pack the city
- White Nights season preparation means theaters and concert halls offer their best programming - the Mariinsky Theatre runs full schedules before summer renovations, with ballet tickets available day-of for 1,500-3,000 rubles (compared to sold-out shows requiring months advance booking in peak season)
Considerations
- The weather is genuinely unpredictable and often miserable - March sits in that awkward transition where you might get -10°C (14°F) with snow one day and 5°C (41°F) with sleet the next, and the 70% humidity makes everything feel colder than the thermometer suggests, with a penetrating dampness that gets into your bones
- Peterhof fountains remain completely shut down until late April - the city's most iconic attraction is essentially a muddy construction site in March, with protective coverings over statues and zero water features operating, making the 30 km (19 mile) trip out there honestly not worth it
- Seasonal depression hits the city hard in late winter - locals are exhausted from months of darkness and cold, service can be notably grumpier than usual, and many restaurants and shops have reduced hours or close entirely for renovations before tourist season, particularly smaller cafes in residential neighborhoods
Best Activities in March
Hermitage Museum Extended Visits
March is absolutely the best month to tackle the Hermitage properly. With minimal crowds, you can spend 4-5 hours exploring without the summer shoulder-to-shoulder chaos. The Winter Palace's ornate heating system keeps interiors comfortably warm around 22°C (72°F), making it perfect refuge from the damp cold outside. Focus on the less-visited Italian Renaissance galleries and the Gold Room collections - areas that are unbearably packed June through August. The low UV index of 2 means no harsh sunlight glaring through those massive palace windows, so artwork viewing conditions are actually ideal.
Canal and River Walking Photography Tours
The variable March weather actually creates spectacular photography conditions you won't find in summer. Morning fog over the Moyka and Fontanka canals, ice chunks floating past pastel buildings, dramatic grey skies that make the baroque architecture pop - this is when the city looks most authentically Russian rather than like a summer postcard. Late March brings the ice breakup on the Neva, a genuinely dramatic natural event as massive sheets crack and flow toward the Gulf of Finland. Temperatures between -4°C to 2°C (24°F to 36°F) are cold but manageable for 2-3 hour walks if you dress properly.
Russian Banya and Spa Experiences
March is peak banya season - when it's cold and damp outside, the traditional Russian steam bath experience makes perfect sense rather than feeling like a tourist novelty. The contrast between -2°C (28°F) sleet outside and 90°C (194°F) steam inside is genuinely therapeutic, and locals pack these places on weekends as a social activity. Public banyas cost 800-1,500 rubles for 2 hours and offer the most authentic experience, though private banya rentals run 3,000-6,000 rubles for groups and give you more control over timing and intensity.
Imperial Palace Interior Tours
With Peterhof closed, March is when you focus on indoor palaces - Catherine Palace, Pavlovsk, and Gatchina all operate normally with heating and dramatically fewer visitors. The 36 km (22 mile) trip to Tsarskoye Selo in March means you might have the Amber Room with just 5-10 other people instead of the 200+ summer crowds. The baroque interiors were designed for candlelight and grey winter days anyway, so the March atmosphere is actually more historically accurate than bright summer sunshine. Snow on the palace grounds provides that classic Russian imperial aesthetic.
Mariinsky and Mikhailovsky Theatre Ballet Performances
March is arguably the best month for ballet in Saint Petersburg - the Mariinsky runs its full company before key dancers leave for summer tours, and you can actually get tickets without paying scalper prices or booking six months ahead. The historic Mariinsky Theatre keeps a cozy 20°C (68°F) inside while it's freezing outside, making evening performances feel especially luxurious. Programming typically includes classics like Swan Lake, Giselle, and La Bayadere with principal dancers, not the B-team you sometimes get in off-months.
Soviet History and Metro Station Tours
The cold, grey March weather actually enhances Soviet-era historical tours - the atmosphere matches the subject matter. The metro stations are heated to about 18°C (64°F) and provide fascinating architectural experiences, with stations like Avtovo and Admiralteyskaya functioning as underground palaces. March is when you can explore these without summer tourist groups clogging the platforms. Combine metro exploration with visits to Soviet-era museums and memorials - the Museum of Political History and the Siege of Leningrad exhibitions hit harder when you're experiencing the cold that defined those historical periods.
March Events & Festivals
Maslenitsa Festival
This is Russia's massive pre-Lenten butter week celebration, essentially Slavic carnival. The exact dates shift based on Orthodox Easter, but Maslenitsa typically falls in late February or early March. You'll find blini pancake stands everywhere, traditional folk performances, and the burning of a straw effigy to symbolize winter's end. Major celebrations happen at Manezh Square and on Vasilyevsky Island with troika rides, traditional games, and enough blini to make yourself sick. It's genuinely participatory - locals aren't performing for tourists, they're celebrating the approaching end of winter.
International Women's Day
March 8th is a major national holiday in Russia, bigger than Valentine's Day. The city essentially shuts down - banks, government offices, and many businesses close, while restaurants and flower shops do massive business. Men give flowers to every woman they know, so expect to see everyone carrying bouquets on the metro. It's worth experiencing for the cultural insight, but plan around it - book restaurants well ahead if you want to eat out on March 8th, and expect reduced museum hours. Flower prices triple that day.