3 days in St Petersburg: a day-by-day itinerary
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 6 of 14 free; 8 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 3 days, 9:30 to 17:49 each day
- Start and finish
- Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood → Summer Garden
- On foot
- ≈ 1 h 27 min in total
- Transport
- 2 rides, ≈ 39 min
- Lunch
- around 12:37
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- Start on a Tuesday or Wednesday — day three then falls on Thursday or Friday, when everything is open.
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · 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
Day 2 · St Petersburg09:30–16:04 · 4 places · 6 h 30 min
Kunstkamera
· 1 h 30 min · 500 ₽
- 15 min on foot
St Isaac's Cathedral
· 1 h · 700 ₽, colonnade 700 ₽
- Lunch · 1 h
- 11 min on foot
Yusupov Palace on the Moika
· 1 h 30 min · From 950 ₽
- 8 min on foot
New Holland Island
· 1 h · Free
Day 3 · St Petersburg09:30–16:48 · 4 places · 7 h 20 min
Peter and Paul Fortress
· 2 h · Grounds free, cathedral 1,000 ₽
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Cruiser Aurora
· 1 h · 1,000 ₽ for foreign visitors
- Lunch · 1 h
- 20 min · transport or taxi
Mikhailovsky Castle
· 1 h 30 min · ≈ 700 ₽
- 9 min on foot
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
6 of 14 are free; 8 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 1 | Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood | 75 | 45 min | 700 ₽, under 7 free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | State Hermitage Museum | 76 | 3 h | 500–1,200 ₽ |
| 7 | Kunstkamera | 50 | 1 h 30 min | 500 ₽ |
| 8 | St Isaac's Cathedral | 69 | 1 h | 700 ₽, colonnade 700 ₽ |
| 9 | Yusupov Palace on the Moika | 47 | 1 h 30 min | from 950 ₽ |
| 11 | Peter and Paul Fortress | 74 | 2 h | Grounds free, cathedral 1,000 ₽ |
| 12 | Cruiser Aurora | 67 | 1 h | 1,000 ₽ for foreign visitors |
| 13 | Mikhailovsky Castle | 54 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ 700 ₽ |
| Other 6 places | 5 h | Free | ||
| Total | 17 h 10 min | 6 of 14 free |
Tips for each stop
Day 1
- 1
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. Start at the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood: more than 7,000 m² of mosaics inside, 700 ₽. Opens at 10:00, closed on Wednesdays.
- 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. The main visit of the day — about three hours. 1,200 ₽ by day, 700 ₽ after 16:00; free under 14. Closed on Mondays.
- 6
Bronze Horseman. End day one at the Bronze Horseman on Senate Square — free, at any hour, with the Neva embankment next to it.
Day 2
- 7
Kunstkamera. Russia's first museum, now the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography: 500 ₽, from 10:00. Closed on Mondays and the last Tuesday of the month.
- 8
St Isaac's Cathedral. The cathedral is 700 ₽, the colonnade with its city view another 700 ₽. Closed on Wednesdays; open in the evening in summer.
- 9
Yusupov Palace on the Moika. State rooms and a private theatre: from 950 ₽. Entry from 21 Dekabristov Street; last session at 18:00.
- 10
New Holland Island. An island park in former warehouses: lawns and cafés, free, open until 22:00 (Fri–Sun until 23:00).
Day 3
- 11
Peter and Paul Fortress. Where St Petersburg began: the grounds are free, inside the walls from 9:50. The cathedral with the emperors' tombs is 1,000 ₽; museums closed on Wednesdays.
- 12
Cruiser Aurora. A museum ship on the Petrogradskaya embankment: 600 ₽, free under 7. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- 13
Mikhailovsky Castle. Paul I's castle, a branch of the Russian Museum: about 700 ₽, until 19:00. Closed on Tuesdays.
- 14
Summer Garden. Avenues of marble statues and the railings by the Neva — free. Closed on Tuesdays and all of April.
Who this route is for
- A first trip to St Petersburg for 3–4 days
- You want the whole centre without the suburbs
- On foot and by metro
- Peterhof and Tsarskoye Selo are in the 4- and 5-day itineraries
- Day three not on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday: the Aurora, the castle, the garden or the fortress museums are closed
Start on a Tuesday or Wednesday — day three then falls on Thursday or Friday, when everything is open.
What to see in St Petersburg in 3 days
Each day is its own bank of the river. Day one is the grand centre by Nevsky and Palace Square. Day two is Vasilyevsky Island and the Admiralty side: the Kunstkamera, St Isaac's, the Moika. Day three is the Petrograd side and back: the fortress, the Aurora, the castle and the Summer Garden.
Peter and Paul Fortress: what to know
The grounds are free: the island is open 6:00–20:30, inside the walls 9:50–19:30. The cathedral with the emperors' tombs (1,000 ₽), the Trubetskoy Bastion (500 ₽) and the exhibitions are paid; a combined ticket is valid for 3 days.
St Petersburg in 3 days on your own
You do not need a tour: the metro and short walks link everything, and the Hermitage, the fortress and St Isaac's have audio guides.
If you have time left
In the evening — the raising of the bridges in season or a performance at the Mariinsky Theatre. Next to the Summer Garden is the Russian Museum (closed on Tuesdays).
How to do it right
- Check the days of the week: the Hermitage and the Kunstkamera are closed on Mondays, the Saviour on Spilled Blood, St Isaac's and the fortress museums on Wednesdays.
- Children under 7 visit the Aurora and the fortress cathedral free.
- The Summer Garden closes for all of April.
- From May to September St Isaac's and the Saviour on Spilled Blood also open in the evening, until 21:30.
- 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 3 days in St Petersburg enough?
Yes for the historic centre; add a day each for Peterhof and Tsarskoye Selo.
What is a good 3-day St Petersburg itinerary?
Day one the Hermitage and Nevsky, day two the Kunstkamera, St Isaac's and New Holland, day three the fortress, the Aurora and the Summer Garden.
Is the Peter and Paul Fortress free?
The grounds are; the cathedral (1,000 ₽) and the exhibitions are paid.
How much is the Aurora?
600 ₽, free under 7; closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Do I need a guide?
No: audio guides are available at the Hermitage, the fortress and St Isaac's.
When is the Summer Garden closed?
On Tuesdays and for all of April.
Which days should I start on?
Tuesday or Wednesday, so day three falls on Thursday or Friday.
Where to stay for 3 days?
In the centre, between Nevsky and the Moika.
Is it good with kids?
Yes: the fortress, the Aurora and the Hermitage (free under 14) work well with 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
