This route through older sections of central St. Petersburg features some of the city’s most historic and architecturally intriguing sites, all while offering great views of the Neva River from its bridges and embankment paths. Most of the route is along the river, where there are wide walking paths or sidewalks. Note: Most=Bridge
Peter and Paul Fortress
Start out near the Bronze Horseman statue, which sits between the Admiralty Embankment and Aleksandrovskiy Sad in the south side of the Neva River, near the Hermitage. Head east along the embankment for about 3 km, past the Winter Palace, the Marble Palace, and the Summer Gardens, to the Liteynyy Bridge. Cross the river and take a left onto the sidewalk to Sampson Bridge. Go left again and follow the path along the water, passing Troitskiy Bridge. Shortly after, you’ll reach the wooden Ioannovskiy Bridge, which leads to an island and the Peter and Paul Fortress, at the 6 km mark. You can get right down to the water here–even a small beach!. Take a left to stay on the waterfront and circle the island to Kronverkskiy Bridge, at the 8 km mark. Cross again and take another left. You’ll pass Letuchiy Gollandets (the famous three-masted Flying Dutchman) right before Birzhevoy Bridge. Cross and wrap left around the spit towards University Embankment and Blagoveshchenskiy Bridge. This is your final bridge crossing! Take a left onto English Embankment and all the way back to Bronze Horseman.
Add-On/Variety: The run can be shortened by using some of the other bridge crossings (Palace Bridge, Troitskiy Bridge). You can also do a jaunt around the Summer Garden, Field of Mars, area just south of Palace Embankment). Also, just west of Nicholas Palace, take a jaunt around [NEW] Holland Island, where there are some nice new paths along the canals. There’s a running track at the Futbol’noye Pole soccer field.
This route through older sections of central St. Petersburg features some of the city’s most historic and architecturally intriguing sites, all while offering great views of the Neva River from its bridges and embankment paths. Most of the route is along the river, where there are wide walking paths or sidewalks. Note: Most=Bridge
Peter and Paul Fortress
Start out near the Bronze Horseman statue, which sits between the Admiralty Embankment and Aleksandrovskiy Sad in the south side of the Neva River, near the Hermitage. Head east along the embankment for about 3 km, past the Winter Palace, the Marble Palace, and the Summer Gardens, to the Liteynyy Bridge. Cross the river and take a left onto the sidewalk to Sampson Bridge. Go left again and follow the path along the water, passing Troitskiy Bridge. Shortly after, you’ll reach the wooden Ioannovskiy Bridge, which leads to an island and the Peter and Paul Fortress, at the 6 km mark. You can get right down to the water here–even a small beach!. Take a left to stay on the waterfront and circle the island to Kronverkskiy Bridge, at the 8 km mark. Cross again and take another left. You’ll pass Letuchiy Gollandets (the famous three-masted Flying Dutchman) right before Birzhevoy Bridge. Cross and wrap left around the spit towards University Embankment and Blagoveshchenskiy Bridge. This is your final bridge crossing! Take a left onto English Embankment and all the way back to Bronze Horseman.
Add-On/Variety: The run can be shortened by using some of the other bridge crossings (Palace Bridge, Troitskiy Bridge). You can also do a jaunt around the Summer Garden, Field of Mars, area just south of Palace Embankment). Also, just west of Nicholas Palace, take a jaunt around [NEW] Holland Island, where there are some nice new paths along the canals. There’s a running track at the Futbol’noye Pole soccer field.
THE must-do run in St. Petersburg! A 9km run along wide paths through the city's main squares and gardens: Summer Garden, Field of Mars, Mikhailovsky Garden, Mikhaylovsky Sq., Palace Sq., Hermitage, Aleksandrovskiy Garden. River path connects these spots.
A good running option in central St. Petersburg, along the Neva River paths east of the Summer Garden, and through Tauride Garden. The 9 km loop includes Coffee Museum, Universe of Water Museum, Smol'nyy Cathedral, Lamplighter Monument.
A 13 km run along the two canal-like rivers coming off the Neva. There are pleasant walking paths along the Fontanka and Moyka rivers, and the roads along them are generally quieter. Water views, palaces, older buildings.
Centrally located Petrovsky Park has undergone some recent improvements. There are paths around the small park, along the Zhnadovka River, and a running track. Run standalone or in combination with other nearby routes.
Tucked away on its own island northwest of St. Petersburg but accessible via transport, the sprawling green space of Tsentral'nyy Park is surrounded by the mouth of the Neva River on all sides. One loop around is 5 km. Other adjoining islands are good add-ons.
With wide dirt paths through foggy forests and hidden lakes, running in Sosnovka feels a bit like a fairytale. This 302 hectare park north of the city center is one of the largest green spaces in St. Petersburg. It's 7 km around the perimeter, with many interior paths.
Though it requires a little more travel from the center of St. Petersburg than some of our other routes, Kolpino is a unique park on the Chukhonka peninsula. Our map follows the same route as the Parkrun series. 2 loops is a 5 km.
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!
Review or Comment on This Route/Share a Photo!
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!