One day in St Petersburg: an itinerary in the best order
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 4 of 6 free; paid: Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, State Hermitage Museum
- Duration
- 8 h 20 min · 09:30–17:49
- Start and finish
- Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood → Bronze Horseman
- On foot
- ≈ 44 min in total
- Transport
- none — all on foot
- Lunch
- around 12:37
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- Tuesday, Friday or Saturday: the Hermitage is open until 20:00. During the White Nights the evening can go on along the embankments.
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 Petersburg09:30–17:49 · 6 places · 8 h 20 min
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
· 45 min · 700 ₽, under 7 free
- 12 min on foot
Kazan Cathedral
· 30 min · Free
- 10 min on foot
Nevsky Prospekt
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 5 min on foot
Palace Square
· 30 min · Free
- 4 min on foot
State Hermitage Museum
· 3 h · 500–1,200 ₽
- 13 min on foot
Bronze Horseman
· 20 min · Free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
4 of 6 are free; 2 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 1 | Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood | 75 | 45 min | 700 ₽, under 7 free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Kazan Cathedral | 72 | 30 min | Free |
| 3 | Nevsky Prospekt | 65 | 1 h 30 min | Free |
| 4 | Palace Square | 71 | 30 min | Free |
| 5 | State Hermitage Museum | 76 | 3 h | 500–1,200 ₽ |
| 6 | Bronze Horseman | 72 | 20 min | Free |
| Total | 6 h 40 min | 4 of 6 free |
Tips for each stop
- 1
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. Start at the church museum on the Griboyedov Canal: 7,000 m² of mosaics, 700 ₽, free under 7. Opens at 10:00 — walk along the canal before that.
- 2
Kazan Cathedral. A working cathedral with a colonnade on Nevsky and Kutuzov's tomb — free, half an hour is enough.
- 3
Nevsky Prospekt. The best stretch runs from Palace Square to the Anichkov Bridge: the Singer House, Gostiny Dvor. A handy place for lunch.
- 4
Palace Square. The Alexander Column, the Winter Palace and the General Staff arch — half an hour before the Hermitage.
- 5
State Hermitage Museum. Three hours for a first visit. 1,200 ₽ by day, 700 ₽ after 16:00; free under 14. Online tickets are timed.
- 6
Bronze Horseman. End day one at the Bronze Horseman on Senate Square — free, at any hour, with the Neva embankment next to it.
Who this route is for
- First time in St Petersburg with one day
- Passing through, off a train or plane
- On foot, without a tour
- Monday — the Hermitage is closed; Wednesday — the Saviour on Spilled Blood
- Peterhof and the suburbs need a separate day
Tuesday, Friday or Saturday: the Hermitage is open until 20:00. During the White Nights the evening can go on along the embankments.
What to see in St Petersburg in one day
We take the places with the highest YesGo score and keep them in one area, between Nevsky Prospekt and the Neva. The whole day is on foot.
The Hermitage comes after lunch: it opens at 11:00, and the morning suits the cathedrals better. After 16:00 the Hermitage ticket is cheaper — 700 ₽ — and on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays the museum is open until 20:00.
Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate.
How to get to the start
The nearest metro station is Nevsky Prospekt: 3 minutes to Kazan Cathedral, about 10 minutes along the Griboyedov Canal to the Saviour on Spilled Blood. From Moskovsky railway station it is 20–25 minutes' walk along Nevsky.
Where to have lunch
Lunch in the plan is on Nevsky, between the cathedrals and Palace Square. Cafés on the avenue itself are pricier; the side streets and the Griboyedov Canal embankment have more choice.
What to do in the evening
From April to November the Palace Bridge is raised at night, roughly 1:10–2:50; watching from the embankment is free. Or see a performance at the Mariinsky Theatre.
If the Hermitage or the Saviour on Spilled Blood is closed
On Mondays the Hermitage is closed — put St Isaac's Cathedral with its colonnade or the Russian Museum in its place. On Wednesdays the Saviour on Spilled Blood is closed.
How to do it right
- The Hermitage is closed on Mondays, the Saviour on Spilled Blood on Wednesdays.
- Hermitage tickets are sold online by session 1–4 weeks ahead; the ticket office sells only for today.
- The Hermitage is free every day for children under 14; under-12s must be with a ticketed adult.
- Dress modestly for Kazan Cathedral: it is a working church.
- 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.
Questions
Is one day in St Petersburg enough?
For the grand centre and the Hermitage, yes. The fortress, the islands and Peterhof need more days.
What to see in St Petersburg, Russia in one day?
The Saviour on Spilled Blood, Kazan Cathedral, Nevsky Prospekt, Palace Square, the Hermitage and the Bronze Horseman.
Can I see St Petersburg without a tour?
Yes: the whole route is on foot, and the Hermitage has an audio guide.
How much is the Hermitage?
1,200 ₽ by day, 700 ₽ after 16:00; free for under-14s.
When is the Hermitage closed?
On Mondays.
How long do I need in the Hermitage?
About three hours for a first visit.
How much is the Saviour on Spilled Blood?
700 ₽, free under 7; closed on Wednesdays.
When are the bridges raised?
From April to November at night; the Palace Bridge roughly 1:10–2:50.
Is it good with kids?
Yes; there is also a separate 'St Petersburg with kids' itinerary with the fortress and the zoological museum.
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
