Saint Petersburg itinerary
7 days, hour by hour · RussiaOctober–May
- Days
- 7
- Stops
- 32
- Per day
- ≈ 6,550 RUB
- First stop
- 09:30
Short answer
The TripWalkers Saint Petersburg itinerary runs 7 days and lays out 32 stops, hour by hour, for October–May. The first three days:
- Day 1 Nevsky and the Blood Church
- Day 2 The Hermitage
- Day 3 Peterhof
Staying less? Start with the first days — TripWalkers uses the opening days of this plan for shorter trips too. Days 3 and 5 are day trips out of the city. Food, entry fees and local transport come to about 6,550 RUB a day (excluding accommodation and flights).
Day 1 · 09:30–16:30
Nevsky and the Blood Church
Landmark
Nevsky Prospekt
A 4.5 km main boulevard. Look out for the Kazan Cathedral colonnade and the Singer building (Dom Knigi bookshop).
FreeCulture
Kazan Cathedral
A colonnade modelled on St Peter's. Free entry; Kutuzov's tomb is inside.
FreeCulture
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
A Russian-style church with 7,000 m² of mosaics, built where Alexander II was assassinated. Closed Wednesdays; buy tickets online.
≈ 550 RUB per personFood
Pyshechnaya Bolshaya Konyushennaya
A Soviet pyshki (ring doughnut) shop since 1958. Expect a queue; cash only.
≈ 250 RUB per person- 45 min · travel, break, free time
Culture
Russian Museum
The largest collection of Russian art, with Repin and Aivazovsky's The Ninth Wave. Closed Tuesdays.
≈ 600 RUB per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Stolle Pirogi NevskyRussian pies (pirogi). A chain, but a good one.
- Griboyedov Canal behind Kazan CathedralA walk along the canal bank, in place of the garden.
Day 2 · 09:30–18:00
The Hermitage
Landmark
Palace Square
The Alexander Column and the General Staff arch, in front of the Winter Palace.
FreeCulture
State Hermitage Museum
The Winter Palace and 3 million works: Rembrandt, Da Vinci, the Raphael Loggias, and the Peacock Clock at 12:00. Book a timed ticket online; closed Mondays; allow 4 hours.
≈ 1,000 RUB per personFood
Hermitage Cafeteria
The cafeteria inside the museum: a quick lunch without leaving.
≈ 500 RUB per personCulture
General Staff Building Hermitage
Impressionists (Monet, Matisse, Picasso), across the square. Combined ticket 1,400.
≈ 600 RUB per personNature
Admiralty Embankment Walk
Along the Neva, with views of the Bronze Horseman and the dome of St Isaac's.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Teremok NevskyA blini (crepe) chain: cheap and quick.
- Winter Palace of Peter IRemains of Peter's first palace, instead of the General Staff Building.
Day 3 · 10:00–17:00Day trip
Peterhof
Nature
Peterhof Lower Park
The fountains are off from mid-October to April. In winter the park is free and the cascade statues are covered, so the palace is the main draw.
≈ 1,500 RUB per personCulture
Peterhof Grand Palace
Rastrelli's golden halls. Timed tickets; closed Mondays.
≈ 2,000 RUB per personFood
Peterhof Shtandart Restaurant
A Russian restaurant next to the park: borscht and pelmeni.
≈ 900 RUB per personNature
Alexandria Park Peterhof
The gulf shore in winter, with ice.
≈ 300 RUB per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Peterhof Bolshoy CafeA cheap cafe in the town.
- Monplaisir PalacePeter's seaside pavilion, instead of Alexandria.
Day 4 · 09:30–17:00
Peter and Paul and Vasilyevsky
Landmark
Peter and Paul Fortress
The island where the city was born. The cathedral holds the Romanov tombs, the cannon fires at 12:00, and the beach gives a view of the city.
≈ 750 RUB per personFood
Petrovsky Cafe in the Fortress
A cafe inside the fortress for lunch.
≈ 500 RUB per personLandmark
Rostral Columns Strelka
The Vasilyevsky Island spit, with the columns and a panorama of the Neva.
FreeCulture
Kunstkamera
Peter's 1714 museum of curiosities. Closed Mondays.
≈ 400 RUB per personLandmark
Vasilyevsky Lines Walk
Streets numbered as "lines", and the Andreyevsky market.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Erarta MuseumContemporary Russian art on Vasilyevsky Island, instead of the Kunstkamera.
- Marketplace VasilyevskySelf-service Russian food.
Day 5 · 10:00–16:30Day trip
Pushkin and Catherine Palace
Culture
Catherine Palace
45 minutes by train and bus or by taxi (Tsarskoye Selo). See the Amber Room and the Great Hall; timed tickets sell out online.
≈ 2,200 RUB per personNature
Catherine Park
The park in winter: snow and ice on the lake.
≈ 300 RUB per personFood
Podvorye Restaurant, Pushkin
Decorated like a Russian village house, and a restaurant Putin has eaten at. Blini and meat dishes.
≈ 1,200 RUB per personCulture
Alexander Palace
The last Tsar's home, with restored private rooms.
≈ 800 RUB per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Pavlovsk PalaceThe neighbouring Pavlovsk palace and its huge park, instead of the Alexander Palace.
- Beliy Medved Cafe, PushkinGood value in the town centre.
Day 6 · 10:00–17:00
Isaac, Mariinsky and canals
Culture
Saint Isaac's Cathedral
A huge golden dome. Climb the colonnade: 262 steps (extra charge) for a city panorama. Closed Wednesdays.
≈ 600 RUB per personLandmark
Bronze Horseman
The statue of Peter the Great on Senate Square.
FreeCulture
Yusupov Palace
The palace where Rasputin was killed, with a private theatre and a basement scene. Audio guide.
≈ 1,200 RUB per personFood
Sadko Restaurant Mariinsky
Russian cuisine next to the Mariinsky: a classic before the theatre.
≈ 1,200 RUB per person- 45 min · travel, break, free time
Nature
Neva and Canal Boat Tour
Daytime canal tour (May to October). In winter the canals are frozen; a bus tour is the alternative.
≈ 1,200 RUB per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Mariinsky TheatreA ballet or opera evening. Buy tickets online weeks ahead (prices are higher for tourists).
- Marketplace IsaacSelf-service Russian food.
Day 7 · 09:30–14:30
Summer Garden and a gentle farewell
Nature
Summer Garden
In winter the statues are boxed up. Walk along the Neva.
FreeCulture
Fabergé Museum
Nine imperial eggs in the Shuvalov Palace, on the Fontanka.
≈ 700 RUB per personFood
Yeliseyev Emporium
A luxury 1903 Art Nouveau food hall. Cake and champagne at the cafe corner; good for gifts.
≈ 600 RUB per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Moskovsky Station / Pulkovo Bus
To the airport: Moskovskaya metro plus bus 39, 60 minutes. Farewell.
≈ 100 RUB per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Cafe Singer Dom KnigiA bookshop cafe with a view of Kazan Cathedral.
- Anna Akhmatova MuseumThe poet's apartment in the Fountain House, instead of Fabergé.
Good to know: 6 things that make a Saint Petersburg trip easier
- Metro token or Podorozhnik card (~70 RUB); the metro is deep. Pulkovo Airport: Moskovskaya metro plus bus 39. Use the Yandex Go app for taxis.
- Winter brings -5 to -15°C and 6 hours of daylight; museums are quiet, the Neva is frozen, and there are New Year decorations from December to January. In autumn, September to October, the parks turn gold.
- Visa: Turkish citizens get 60 days visa-free; others need an e-visa. Visa/Mastercard DO NOT WORK (since 2022), so bring cash RUB or Mir/UnionPay. A Turkish Ziraat card sometimes works, but bring cash.
- Hermitage 1,000 RUB (timed, online), Catherine Palace 2,200, Peterhof park 1,500 plus palace 2,000, Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood 550. Closed days: Hermitage and Peterhof on Mondays, the Savior on Spilled Blood and St Isaac's on Wednesdays, the Russian Museum on Tuesdays.
- Borscht, pelmeni, blini, pyshki. Business lunch (biznes-lanch) 12:00-16:00 costs ~500 RUB; tip 10%.
- Keep your passport on you; hotels handle registration (registratsiya). Yandex Maps is more accurate than Google Maps.
Spending: ≈ 46,000 RUB per person for 7 days
- Food22,000 RUB
- Entry and tours14,000 RUB
- Local transport6,000 RUB
- Other4,000 RUB
Excludes accommodation and flights. 2026 price estimate, per person.
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Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Saint Petersburg?
This itinerary is built for 7 days. With 3 days, do the first 3 — TripWalkers uses the opening days of the plan for shorter trips too. The day trip is on day 3 and 5; skip it on a short stay.
How much does a day in Saint Petersburg cost?
In this plan, food, entry fees and local transport come to about 6,550 RUB per person per day. Accommodation and flights are not included. Figures are 2026 estimates.
What time should you start the day in Saint Petersburg?
The first stop is at 09:30. Most days start early so you arrive before the crowds, and evenings end with dinner.
Which season is this itinerary for?
This page covers October–May. There is a separate plan for June–September: opening hours, the sea and the weather change the route.