St Petersburg is Russia’s second largest city. It was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than 200 years. It ceased being the capital in 1918 after the Russian Revolution in 1917. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s often referred to as the Venice of the North or the Paris of the East, but its beauty is really a brand all its own. St Petersburg is a city of theatres. If you don’t make at least one visit to the theatre, you will fail to get a full impression of the city. When visiting the opera, ballet or concert halls, you’re expected to dress up. For smaller theatres and workshops, everyday casual wear is quite acceptable. The city has; 220 museums, 2000 libraries, more than 80 theatres, 100 concert organisations, 45 galleries, exhibition halls, 62 cinemas, 80 clubs and about 100 cultural and art festivals are held every year, including more than 50 international, as well as annual city carnivals. The city offers a vibrant cultural life that is second to none.

Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1993. Prior to 1993, same-sex acts were punishable by prison terms of up to 5 years. Gays and lesbians were also subjected to torture and psychiatric treatment. Today, being gay or lesbian in Russia is no longer illegal, but still considered a "perversion". LGBT people aren’t widely accepted in Russia. Gays are often attacked and ridiculed on the streets of Russia and therefore many live in secret. In the last few years, mostly due to the demands and openness of younger gay and straight generations, Russian society is slowly becoming more tolerant of LGBT people. St Petersburg’s gay scene is not very stable. There are some gay venues but most are not that great. We have listed the best of them, but St Petersburg does not seem to have the ‘perfect’ place for gays to meet. We’ve listed gay-friendly hotels, and could not find any gay-friendly restaurants.