4 days in St Petersburg: a day-by-day itinerary
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 6 of 16 free; 10 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 4 days, 9:30 to 18:13 each day
- Start and finish
- Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood → Oranienbaum
- On foot
- ≈ 1 h 27 min in total
- Transport
- 3 rides, ≈ 1 h 22 min
- Lunch
- around 12:37
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- Summer, when the Peterhof fountains run and the hydrofoil leaves from the centre.
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
Day 4 · St Petersburg09:30–18:13 · 2 places · 8 h 40 min
Peterhof
· 4 h · Lower Park from 2,000 ₽ for foreign visitors
- Lunch · 1 h
- 43 min · transport or taxi
Oranienbaum
· 3 h · Park 1,100 ₽, palace 1,800 ₽
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
6 of 16 are free; 10 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 ₽ |
| 15 | Peterhof | 50 | 4 h | Lower Park from 2,000 ₽ for foreign visitors |
| 16 | Oranienbaum | 28 | 3 h | Park 1,100 ₽, palace 1,800 ₽ |
| Other 6 places | 5 h | Free | ||
| Total | 24 h 10 min | 6 of 16 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.
Day 4
- 15
Peterhof. The Lower Park with the Samson fountain — 2,000 ₽ for foreigners on weekdays; the Grand Palace is extra. The fountains run from spring to early November.
- 16
Oranienbaum. The palaces of Menshikov and Peter III in Lomonosov, 10 km past Peterhof. The park is 550 ₽, free before 10:00; the palace 800 ₽, closed on Tuesdays.
Who this route is for
- A 4–5 day holiday in St Petersburg
- You want the centre and one suburb
- On foot, by metro and suburban train
- Tsarskoye Selo is in the 5-day itinerary
- Monday for day four — the Grand Palace at Peterhof is closed
Summer, when the Peterhof fountains run and the hydrofoil leaves from the centre.
What to see in St Petersburg in 4 days
The first three days are as in the 3-day itinerary: the grand centre, Vasilyevsky Island with the Admiralty side, and the Petrograd side. Day four is Peterhof and Oranienbaum on the south shore of the gulf.
How to get to Peterhof on your own
By suburban train from Baltiysky station to Novy Petergof, 40–45 minutes, then about 10 minutes by bus. In the navigation season a hydrofoil runs from the embankments in the centre straight to the pier in the Lower Park.
When the fountains run
The Lower Park fountains are switched on in spring and off in early November, 10:00–18:00, in summer until 19:45. Outside the fountain season the park is cheaper and quieter.
How to do it right
- The Grand Palace at Peterhof is closed on Mondays and the last Tuesday of the month.
- The Oranienbaum park is free before 10:00 — start the day there.
- The Lower Park at Peterhof is 2,000 ₽ for foreigners on weekdays.
- No dogs, bikes or scooters in Oranienbaum.
- 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.
Questions
Is 4 days in St Petersburg enough?
Yes for the centre and Peterhof; Tsarskoye Selo needs a fifth day.
How do I get to Peterhof from St Petersburg?
By train from Baltiysky station and a short bus ride, or by hydrofoil from the centre in season.
How much is Peterhof?
The Lower Park is 2,000 ₽ for foreigners on weekdays; the Grand Palace is extra.
When do the Peterhof fountains work?
From spring to early November, 10:00–18:00, in summer until 19:45.
Is Oranienbaum worth it?
Yes: it is 10 km past Peterhof, quieter, and the park is free before 10:00.
When is the Peterhof Grand Palace closed?
On Mondays and the last Tuesday of the month.
Can I swap the days?
Yes: the Peterhof day does not depend on the centre.
Where to stay?
In the centre, close to Baltiysky station or the hydrofoil piers.
Is it good with kids?
Yes: the fountains of Peterhof are a favourite 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
