5 days in St Petersburg: a day-by-day itinerary
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 6 of 18 free; 12 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 5 days, 9:30 to 18:13 each day
- Start and finish
- Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood → Pavlovsk Palace and Park
- On foot
- ≈ 1 h 27 min in total
- Transport
- 4 rides, ≈ 1 h 51 min
- Lunch
- around 12:37
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- Summer: the Peterhof fountains, evening hours at the cathedrals and long days for the suburbs.
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 ₽
Day 5 · St Petersburg09:30–16:59 · 2 places · 7 h 30 min
Catherine Palace
· 3 h · 2,200 ₽ for foreign visitors
- Lunch · 1 h
- 29 min · transport or taxi
Pavlovsk Palace and Park
· 3 h · Palace 800 ₽, park 300 ₽
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
6 of 18 are free; 12 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 ₽ |
| 17 | Catherine Palace | 37 | 3 h | 2,200 ₽ for foreign visitors |
| 18 | Pavlovsk Palace and Park | 20 | 3 h | Palace 800 ₽, park 300 ₽ |
| Other 6 places | 5 h | Free | ||
| Total | 30 h 10 min | 6 of 18 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.
Day 5
- 17
Catherine Palace. The Amber Room and the Catherine Park: 2,200 ₽ for foreigners. Tickets are named and timed; closed on Tuesdays.
- 18
Pavlovsk Palace and Park. Paul I's palace and landscape park next door: 800 ₽, free under 16. Closed on Mondays.
Who this route is for
- A week in St Petersburg
- You want the palace residences, not only the centre
- On foot, by metro and suburban train
- Vyborg, Kronstadt and Valaam are not included — another day each
- Monday or Tuesday for day five: Pavlovsk or the Catherine Palace is closed
Summer: the Peterhof fountains, evening hours at the cathedrals and long days for the suburbs.
What to see in St Petersburg in 5 days
The first four days are as in the 4-day itinerary. Day five is the south: Tsarskoye Selo in the town of Pushkin and Pavlovsk stand side by side, about half an hour apart. The morning goes to the Catherine Palace (named, timed tickets), the afternoon to Pavlovsk.
The suburban days can go anywhere in the trip — they do not depend on the centre.
How to get to Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk
Suburban trains leave Vitebsky station for the south: 35–40 minutes to Pavlovsk, about 20 minutes from Kupchino. Catherine Palace tickets are sold online 7 days ahead by session, in the visitor's name.
Where to stay for 5 days
In the centre, but close to the stations: trains to Peterhof and Oranienbaum leave from Baltiysky, to Pushkin and Pavlovsk from Vitebsky. Both are on the metro.
St Petersburg in a week
Day six — Kronstadt with its Naval Cathedral (free) or Yelagin Island with its point on the Gulf of Finland. Evenings — the raising of the bridges in season.
How to do it right
- Catherine Palace tickets are named and timed; sales open 7 days ahead.
- The Catherine Palace is 2,200 ₽ for foreigners.
- At Pavlovsk the palace and park are free for under-16s.
- Photography is usually not allowed in the Amber Room.
- The Hermitage, the Kunstkamera, Peterhof and Pavlovsk are closed on Mondays — keep Monday light.
Questions
Is 5 days in St Petersburg enough?
Yes: the centre in three days, then Peterhof and Tsarskoye Selo.
How do I get to Tsarskoye Selo?
By suburban train from Vitebsky station towards Pushkin and Pavlovsk.
How much is the Catherine Palace?
2,200 ₽ for foreigners; tickets are named and timed.
Can I see the Amber Room?
Yes, in the Catherine Palace; photography is usually not allowed.
Can I do Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk in one day?
Yes: they are about half an hour apart.
How much is Pavlovsk?
800 ₽; free under 16; closed on Mondays.
What about a week in St Petersburg?
Add Kronstadt or Yelagin Island, and the bridges at night.
Where to stay?
In the centre near Baltiysky or Vitebsky station.
Is it good with kids?
Yes: palaces, parks and fountains, with free entry for children at several of them.
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
