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Saint Petersburg itinerary

7 days, hour by hour · RussiaJune–September

Days
7
Stops
32
Per day
≈ 6,550 RUB
First stop
09:30

By TripWalkers · Updated:

Short answer

The TripWalkers Saint Petersburg itinerary runs 7 days and lays out 32 stops, hour by hour, for June–September. The first three days:

  1. Day 1 Nevsky and Spilled Blood
  2. Day 2 The Hermitage
  3. 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 Spilled Blood

  1. Landmark

    Nevsky Prospekt

    A 4.5 km main boulevard. Look for the Kazan Cathedral colonnade and the Singer building (Dom Knigi bookshop).

    Free

  2. Culture

    Kazan Cathedral

    Colonnade reminiscent of St Peter's. Free entry, with Kutuzov's tomb inside.

    Free

  3. Culture

    Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

    Russian-style church with 7,000 m² of mosaics, on the spot where Alexander II was assassinated. Closed Wednesday; buy tickets online.

    ≈ 550 RUB per person

  4. Food

    Pyshechnaya Bolshaya Konyushennaya

    A Soviet-era pyshki (ring doughnut) shop open since 1958. Expect a queue; cash only.

    ≈ 250 RUB per person
  5. 45 min · travel, break, free time

  6. Culture

    Russian Museum

    The largest collection of Russian art, including Repin and Aivazovsky's The Ninth Wave. Closed Tuesday.

    ≈ 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

  1. Landmark

    Palace Square

    The Alexander Column and the General Staff arch, in front of the Winter Palace.

    Free

  2. Culture

    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 Monday; allow 4 hours.

    ≈ 1,000 RUB per person

  3. Food

    Hermitage Cafeteria

    The cafeteria inside the museum: a quick lunch without leaving.

    ≈ 500 RUB per person

  4. Culture

    General Staff Building Hermitage

    Impressionists (Monet, Matisse, Picasso), across the square. Combined ticket 1,400.

    ≈ 600 RUB per person

  5. Nature

    Admiralty Embankment

    A stroll along the Neva with views of the Bronze Horseman and the Isaac's dome.

    Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
  • Teremok NevskyA blini (crepe) chain: cheap and fast.
  • Winter Palace of Peter IRemains of Peter's first palace, as an alternative to the General Staff Building.

Day 3 · 10:00–17:00Day trip

Peterhof

  1. Nature

    Peterhof Lower Park

    Take the Meteor hydrofoil (35 minutes, 2,000 RUB) or a minibus. The Grand Cascade opens at 11:00, with 150 fountains and trick fountains (May to October).

    ≈ 1,500 RUB per person

  2. Culture

    Peterhof Grand Palace

    Rastrelli's gilded halls. Timed tickets; closed Monday.

    ≈ 2,000 RUB per person

  3. Food

    Shtandart Restaurant Peterhof

    A Russian restaurant next to the park, serving borscht and pelmeni.

    ≈ 900 RUB per person

  4. Nature

    Alexandria Park Peterhof

    The neighbouring park, with the Cottage Palace and the Gulf shoreline.

    ≈ 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, as an alternative to Alexandria.

Day 4 · 09:30–17:00

Peter and Paul, Vasilyevsky

  1. Landmark

    Peter and Paul Fortress

    The island where the city was born. The cathedral holds the Romanov tombs, there is a cannon shot at 12:00, and the beach has city views.

    ≈ 750 RUB per person

  2. Food

    Petrovsky Cafe Fortress

    A cafe inside the fortress, for lunch.

    ≈ 500 RUB per person

  3. Landmark

    Rostral Columns Strelka

    The tip of Vasilyevsky Island: the columns and a panorama of the Neva.

    Free

  4. Culture

    Kunstkamera

    Peter's 1714 cabinet of curiosities. Closed Monday.

    ≈ 400 RUB per person

  5. Landmark

    Vasilyevsky Lines Walk

    Streets known as numbered 'liniya' lines, and the Andreyevsky market.

    Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
  • Erarta MuseumContemporary Russian art on Vasilyevsky, instead of the Kunstkamera.
  • Marketplace VasilyevskySelf-service Russian food.

Day 5 · 10:00–16:30Day trip

Pushkin and Catherine Palace

  1. 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 person

  2. Nature

    Catherine Park

    A lake, the Cameron Gallery and pavilions. Boats in summer.

    ≈ 300 RUB per person

  3. Food

    Podvorye Restaurant Pushkin

    Decorated like a Russian village house, and a restaurant Putin has eaten at. Blini and meat dishes.

    ≈ 1,200 RUB per person

  4. Culture

    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 vast park, instead of Alexander Palace.
  • Beliy Medved Cafe PushkinGood value in the town centre.

Day 6 · 10:00–22:30

Isaac's, Mariinsky and canals

  1. Culture

    Saint Isaac's Cathedral

    A huge golden dome. The colonnade has 262 steps (extra charge) and a city panorama. Closed Wednesday.

    ≈ 600 RUB per person

  2. Landmark

    Bronze Horseman

    The statue of Peter the Great on Senate Square.

    Free

  3. Culture

    Yusupov Palace

    The palace where Rasputin was killed, with a home theatre and the cellar scene. Audio guide available.

    ≈ 1,200 RUB per person

  4. Food

    Sadko Restaurant Mariinsky

    Russian food next to the Mariinsky: a classic before the theatre.

    ≈ 1,200 RUB per person
  5. 5 h 45 min · travel, break, free time

  6. Nature

    Neva and Canal Boat Tour

    A White Nights canal tour. The bridges open at 01:10 (Palace Bridge); the route runs along the Fontanka and Moyka.

    ≈ 1,200 RUB per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
  • Mariinsky TheatreA ballet or opera evening. Book online weeks ahead (prices are higher for tourists).
  • Marketplace IsaacSelf-service Russian food.

Day 7 · 09:30–14:30

Summer Garden and farewell

  1. Nature

    Summer Garden

    Peter's garden from 1704, with statues and fountains (May to October). Closed Monday.

    Free

  2. Culture

    Fabergé Museum

    Nine imperial eggs in the Shuvalov Palace, on the Fontanka.

    ≈ 700 RUB per person

  3. Food

    Yeliseyev Emporium

    A luxury art nouveau grocery from 1903. Cakes and champagne at the cafe corner, plus gifts.

    ≈ 600 RUB per person
  4. 30 min · travel, break, free time

  5. Landmark

    Moskovsky Vokzal / Pulkovo Bus

    To the airport: metro to Moskovskaya, then 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

  1. Metro token or Podorozhnik card (about 70 RUB); the metro is deep. Pulkovo Airport: metro to Moskovskaya, then bus 39. For taxis, use the Yandex Go app.
  2. White Nights run from late May to mid-July (twilight at 01:00). The bridges open from 01:10 to 05:00, so choose your accommodation on the right side of the Neva. Summer is 20-25°C; bring a raincoat.
  3. Visa: Turkish citizens get 60 days visa-free; others can use an e-visa. Visa/Mastercard do NOT work (since 2022): bring cash RUB or use Mir/UnionPay. A Turkish Ziraat card sometimes works, but bring cash.
  4. Hermitage 1,000 RUB (timed, online), Catherine Palace 2,200, Peterhof park 1,500 + palace 2,000, Spilled Blood 550. Closed days: Monday for the Hermitage and Peterhof, Wednesday for Spilled Blood and Isaac's, Tuesday for the Russian Museum.
  5. Borscht, pelmeni, blini, pyshki. Business lunch (biznes-lanch) 12:00-16:00 about 500 RUB; tip 10%.
  6. 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.

We did the planning. You just pick the dates.

TripWalkers rebuilds this route around your number of days, budget and pace — on a map, day by day, in your pocket.

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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 June–September. There is a separate plan for October–May: opening hours, the sea and the weather change the route.