Free St Petersburg: an itinerary for the day
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- all 6 free
- Duration
- 6 h · 09:30–15:28
- Start and finish
- New Holland Island → Summer Garden
- On foot
- ≈ 49 min in total
- Transport
- 1 ride, ≈ 19 min
- Lunch
- around 12:36
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- May to September: the Summer Garden is open until 22:00, and during the White Nights you can walk until morning.
The plan, stop by stop
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
St Petersburg09:30–15:28 · 6 places · 6 h
New Holland Island
· 1 h · Free
- 19 min on foot
Bronze Horseman
· 20 min · Free
- 14 min on foot
Palace Square
· 30 min · Free
- 13 min on foot
Kazan Cathedral
· 30 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 3 min on foot
Griboyedov Canal
· 30 min · Free
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Summer Garden
· 1 h · Free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
All 6 stops are free — you pay only for museums inside, if you go in, and for lunch.
| 1 | New Holland Island | 48 | 1 h | Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Bronze Horseman | 72 | 20 min | Free |
| 3 | Palace Square | 71 | 30 min | Free |
| 4 | Kazan Cathedral | 72 | 30 min | Free |
| 5 | Griboyedov Canal | 48 | 30 min | Free |
| 6 | Summer Garden | 46 | 1 h | Free |
| Total | 3 h 50 min | 6 of 6 free |
Tips for each stop
- 1
New Holland Island. Start at the island park: former timber warehouses, lawns and the round 'Bottle' building. Free, from 9:00.
- 2
Bronze Horseman. The Peter the Great statue on Senate Square — free, at any hour, by the Neva.
- 3
Palace Square. The city's main square and the Alexander Column. Inside the Winter Palace costs money; outside is free.
- 4
Kazan Cathedral. A working cathedral with a colonnade: the Kazan icon and Kutuzov's tomb. No tickets; dress modestly.
- 5
Griboyedov Canal. From Nevsky to the Bank Bridge with its golden-winged griffins — about a kilometre along the water.
- 6
Summer Garden. The city's oldest garden: marble statues and the railings by the Neva. Free; closed on Tuesdays.
Who this route is for
- On a small budget
- You would rather walk than queue for museums
- On foot in the centre
- Tuesday — the Summer Garden is closed, and all of April
- The Hermitage and the cathedral museums charge — they are not in the plan
May to September: the Summer Garden is open until 22:00, and during the White Nights you can walk until morning.
Free things to do in St Petersburg
Every stop is ticket-free: an island park, squares, a monument, a working cathedral, a canal embankment and a garden. The morning is on the Admiralty side, the afternoon in the centre by Nevsky and the Summer Garden. Everything is on foot.
Free museums and days
The Hermitage is free for everyone on several dates a year — including 7 January, 18 May, 5 October and 7 December — and for children under 14 every day.
Free cathedrals
Besides Kazan Cathedral, the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra at the end of Nevsky is free — only the cemeteries charge. The grounds of the Peter and Paul Fortress are free too.
Free at night: the raised bridges
From April to November the Palace Bridge is raised at night, roughly 1:10–2:50 and 3:10–4:55. Watching from the embankment is free; arrive by 0:45.
How to do it right
- The Summer Garden is closed on Tuesdays and for all of April.
- Dress modestly for Kazan Cathedral: it is a working church.
- Palace Square closes for parades and concerts.
- The Hermitage is free every day for children under 14.
- New Holland is open 9:00–22:00, Friday to Sunday until 23:00.
Questions
What are the best free things to do in St Petersburg?
New Holland, the Bronze Horseman, Palace Square, Kazan Cathedral, the Griboyedov Canal and the Summer Garden.
Is the Hermitage ever free?
Yes, on several dates a year and every day for under-14s.
Is Kazan Cathedral free?
Yes, it is a working cathedral with no ticket.
Is the Summer Garden free?
Yes; closed on Tuesdays and for all of April.
Is New Holland free?
Yes, open from 9:00.
Can I watch the bridges being raised for free?
Yes, from the embankment, April to November at night.
Is the Peter and Paul Fortress free?
The grounds are; the cathedral and the exhibitions are paid.
Can I walk the whole route?
Yes, it is all on foot in the centre.
Is it good with kids?
Yes: parks, squares and the canal are fine for children.
How do I pay in Russia?
Russia uses the rouble (₽). Bank cards issued abroad usually do not work in Russia — plan how you will pay before the trip; for the metro, buy a Troika card at the ticket office.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- State Hermitage Museum: hours, tickets, sessions
- Peterhof State Museum-Reserve: Lower Park, Grand Palace, Oranienbaum — hours and prices
- Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk State Museum-Reserves: hours and tickets
- Museum of the History of St Petersburg: Peter and Paul Fortress
- St Petersburg Metro; suburban trains from the Baltiysky and Vitebsky stations
