Free Walking Tour of St Petersburg

Itinerary

The free walking tour of Saint Petersburg's historic centre begins in the central Palace Square, next to the Alexander Column.

We first walk in the direction of the Admiralty building district, making our first stop in front of Saint Isaac's Cathedral, the largest in Saint Petersburg and the fourth largest in the world. This impressive record can be attributed to the height of its enormous golden dome. Behind the cathedral we will reach the Alexander Garden, a green space providing access to the Senate Square.

In this square we stop to contemplate one of the city's most important monuments: The Bronze Horseman. This equestrian sculpture represents Tzar Peter I, and its construction was ordered by his wife and Tzarina Catherine the Great. According to legend, while this statue remains standing and in its place, Saint Petersburg will never be taken by its enemies. 

The route continues along the Palace walls, entering into the Field of Mars and the Summer Gardens. This space occupies the entirety of an island between the rivers Moika, Fontaka and Neva. In fact, Tzar Peter I himself participated in the design, in imitation of the refined eighteenth-century French style: its statues, fountains and flowers make it one of the most beautiful gardens in all Russia.

The tour will culminate on the banks of the Griboedov canal, to admire the brilliant exterior of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, one of the most spectacular monuments in Saint Petersburg. The church is constructed on the very spot where Tzar Alexander II was assassinated, and its design is reminiscent of Moscow's Saint Basil's Cathedral: so much so that it rivals the latter for the title of Russia's most beautiful church.

Important information

• It is not possible to take the free tour of Saint Petersburg if you are a group of more than 6 people. If this is the case, you can reserve a private tour of Saint Petersburg. 
• Children must be accompanied by an adult, with a maximum of three children per adult.
• During winter the tour does not visit the Summer Gardens nor the Field of Mars.
• The tour takes place entirely outside