There are few greater places in the world to enjoy the eternal sunshine of the northern climes that is more commonly known as the ‘White Nights’, than in St. Petersburg. For a period of approximately eight weeks starting at the end of May, the five million or so citizens of Peter the Great’s ‘window to the west’, get together with thousands more tourists and go wild until the early hours under the midnight sun. 

Wild? Yes wild, what else is there to do when it’s broad daylight at two o’clock in the morning?! Be prepared for your body clock to get well and truly confused.

St. Petersburg’s summer programme is filled with festivals, concerts and public holidays to celebrate this magical summer phenomenon but possibly the most famous one is the opening of the bridges – a unique (and free) event that takes place every day of the week. All of the city’s 13 bridges are spectacularly opened amidst much fanfare during the night to let tall ships pass down the river and hundreds throng to the banks of the river to watch as the city is split in two. Head down to the embankments of the Neva at around 1am, bring a bottle of shampanskoe (soviet champagne) with you and get involved – you will find more than enough eager boat renters, smiling faces, buskers and fire-eaters to keep you entertained.

One of the most highly respected and famous festivals of the White Nights period is the Mariinsky theatre’s paradoxically named Stars of the White Nights Festival, led by world famous conductor Valeriy Gergiev. This year the cream of the crop of the classical world will again all head to St. Petersburg to take part with headliners including Nathalie Dessay, Gustavo Dudamel, Willard White, Renee Pape, David Geringas, Yuri Bashmet, Leonidas Kavakos, Diana Vishneva and even actors Gérard Depardieu and John Malkovich.

Other popular festivals of the period include the Palaces of St. Petersburg festival during which the city’s imperial palaces are transformed into theatres and filled with music played by symphony orchestras from across the world.

Stereoleto is also a popular home-grown festival that this year will have three outdoor ‘editions’ featuring international bands such as Morcheeba and Gogol Bordello, while the international brand all-night open-air dance festival Global Gathering will see British dance act Chicane topping the bill.

For those who prefer the soothing sounds of jazz there’s the Petro jazz festival on the beaches of the Peter and Paul Fortress right in the heart of the city taking place in mid-July as well as the smaller and more intimate Delta Blues festival in the Yusupov gardens.

And finally if you are here in June you cannot miss the spectacular Aliye Parussa (crimson sails) festival June 19, where the graduates of St. Petersburg’s high schools celebrate the last day of school with a giant street party. During the night of Aliye Parussa the city is filled with a youthful madness as the whole area around the Hermitage, lower Nevsky prospect and surrounding streets and canals are closed for a giant street party, complete with free live concerts and plenty of champagne. The party reaches its peak sometime after midnight when tall ships with red sails float down the river and hundreds of fireworks are set off and the city’s rostral columns burst into flame.

Whichever festival or concert you happen to be enjoying, just bear in mind that during these mad couple of weeks, you will be holidaying in the city that officially never sleeps!