Best Parks and Gardens, Saint Petersburg: 8 Green Escapes in the City

This guide to the best parks and gardens in Saint Petersburg has eight entries, for visitors who want a break from museums and cathedrals without leaving the city. The centre has formal gardens laid out in the time of Peter the Great, and the islands to the north have large landscape parks.

It covers old imperial gardens, a botanical garden with greenhouses, a palace park on an island and a modern waterfront park beside the Lakhta Center. Each entry says what you will see, how to get there and one fact worth knowing, including which gardens close for part of the year.

At a Glance

#	Place	Best for	Good to know
1	Summer Garden, Saint Petersburg	Best formal garden	Gostiny Dvor or Nevsky Prospekt metro; usually free to enter; closed for maintenance in April and on Tuesdays, per the garden's own site.
2	Mikhailovsky Garden	Best for the palace view	Behind the Mikhailovsky Palace; Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor metro; check the Russian Museum site for hours and for the spring closure.
3	Tauride Garden	Best for a local feel	Near the Tauride Palace in the centre-east; check the nearest metro on the official site; free to enter; open from early morning until midnight.
4	Yelagin Island	Best for a day outside	Krestovsky Ostrov metro, then a 15 to 20 minute walk; the park hours are long, reported as 6am to 11pm; check the official site.
5	Botanical Garden of Peter the Great	Best for greenhouses	Aptekarsky Island, Professora Popova Street; Petrogradskaya metro, then a short walk; paid for the park, greenhouses by session; check the official site.
6	Alexander Garden	Best central park	Beside the Admiralty; Admiralteyskaya metro; free; open all hours.
7	Park of the 300th Anniversary of Saint Petersburg	Best modern waterfront	North-west of the centre, near Krestovsky Island; Staraya Derevnya, Krestovsky Ostrov, Zenit or Begovaya metro, then a walk; free; open all year.
8	New Holland Island, Saint Petersburg	Best for a relaxed afternoon	Admiralteysky District; Sadovaya or Spasskaya metro, then a walk; free to enter; check the official site for hours and events.

How We Chose

The entries come from official information and reliable references, not from personal visits. The list is a selection, not a ranking.

• Open to visitors: every entry is a public park or garden that operates for visitors; hours and seasonal closures change, so confirm them on the official site before you go.
• Distinct character: a formal garden, a palace park, a botanical garden and a modern park, not eight similar lawns.
• Location: most are in the centre or on the islands, close to a metro station.
• Season: each entry notes if it closes or changes hours at certain times of the year.

1. Summer Garden, Saint Petersburg – Best formal garden

Peter the Great founded the Summer Garden in 1704, and it keeps the layout he wanted: straight avenues, clipped lime trees and marble statues. In winter the statues are covered in wooden boxes, and they are uncovered when the garden reopens in spring.

Inside stand the small Summer Palace of Peter the Great and a coffee house, and the garden runs alongside the Neva and the Fontanka.

Good to know: Gostiny Dvor or Nevsky Prospekt metro; usually free to enter; closed for maintenance in April and on Tuesdays, per the garden's own site.

Tip: Visit in autumn, when the lime trees turn yellow and the avenues are covered in leaves.

2. Mikhailovsky Garden – Best for the palace view

The Mikhailovsky Garden belongs to the Russian Museum and lies behind the Mikhailovsky Palace, with a lake, wide lawns and a view of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. It is less formal than the Summer Garden and has more room to sit.

Like the Summer Garden, it closes for a month in spring for the gardeners to prepare the grounds for the season.

Good to know: Behind the Mikhailovsky Palace; Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor metro; check the Russian Museum site for hours and for the spring closure.

Tip: Walk through it between the Savior on Spilled Blood and the Russian Museum for a quieter route.

3. Tauride Garden – Best for a local feel

The Tauride Garden surrounds the Tauride Palace, built for Prince Potemkin, and is a favourite with local residents. It has ponds, paths and large lawns, and it opens early and closes at midnight, so it works at almost any time of day.

It is far from the main sightseeing crowds, which makes it a good place to see how the city uses its parks.

Good to know: Near the Tauride Palace in the centre-east; check the nearest metro on the official site; free to enter; open from early morning until midnight.

Tip: Go for a morning walk, when the garden is the quietest.

4. Yelagin Island – Best for a day outside

Yelagin Island is a large landscape park with the Yelagin Palace in the middle, ponds, lawns and shaded paths. It is the city's classic place for a long walk, with boats, picnics and views over the Gulf of Finland from the western shore.

The palace is a separate visit from the park, and the island has its own landing for river boats.

Good to know: Krestovsky Ostrov metro, then a 15 to 20 minute walk; the park hours are long, reported as 6am to 11pm; check the official site.

Tip: Arrive by river boat from the centre if you can, and walk back to the metro.

5. Botanical Garden of Peter the Great – Best for greenhouses

The garden began in the time of Peter the Great as an apothecary garden for medicinal plants, and it is one of the oldest botanical gardens in Russia. It has an open-air park, an arboretum, a Japanese garden and greenhouses with tropical and desert plants.

The greenhouses are usually visited on set sessions or tours, so check what is on when you plan.

Good to know: Aptekarsky Island, Professora Popova Street; Petrogradskaya metro, then a short walk; paid for the park, greenhouses by session; check the official site.

Tip: Go on a cold or wet day, when the greenhouses are the main reason to be there.

6. Alexander Garden – Best central park

The Alexander Garden stretches beside the Admiralty, between Palace Square and Saint Isaac's Square, and is the closest green space to the main sights. It is free and always open, with benches and paths under old trees.

It is a useful place to sit after the Hermitage, with views of the Admiralty spire and the Bronze Horseman nearby.

Good to know: Beside the Admiralty; Admiralteyskaya metro; free; open all hours.

Tip: Use it as a connector between Palace Square and the Bronze Horseman.

7. Park of the 300th Anniversary of Saint Petersburg – Best modern waterfront

This is the youngest large park in the city, laid out from 1995 for the 300th anniversary of its founding. It runs along the Gulf of Finland with wide paths, lawns and sea views, and the Lakhta Center rises on the horizon.

It is a good place for a long, flat walk or a bike ride, away from the historic centre.

Good to know: North-west of the centre, near Krestovsky Island; Staraya Derevnya, Krestovsky Ostrov, Zenit or Begovaya metro, then a walk; free; open all year.

Tip: Time it for the sunset, when the sky over the Gulf is at its best.

8. New Holland Island, Saint Petersburg – Best for a relaxed afternoon

New Holland is a man-made island that once held naval warehouses and now works as a public space with a park, lawns and cafes. The brick arch over the canal is its best-known feature.

It is a good place to relax without a plan, close to the Mariinsky Theatre and the Naval Cathedral.

Good to know: Admiralteysky District; Sadovaya or Spasskaya metro, then a walk; free to enter; check the official site for hours and events.

Tip: Come in the late afternoon, when the lawns fill up and the cafes are busy.

Russia Vibes Tips

• Check the season. The Summer Garden and the Mikhailovsky Garden close for the gardeners in April, and the schedule changes in winter, so spring and autumn visits need a check of the official sites.
• Autumn is a strong time for the parks: the lime trees, birches and maples turn yellow and the paths fill with leaves, and the crowds are smaller than in summer.
• In windy weather, the Summer Garden can close for safety, so keep a backup plan such as the Mikhailovsky Garden or the Alexander Garden.
• Pair a park with something nearby: the Summer Garden with Saint Michael's Castle, Yelagin Island with a boat trip, the 300th Anniversary Park with the Lakhta Center.
• Bring a warm layer even in summer, since the parks by the Gulf of Finland catch the wind.
• Look for the small features, such as the Summer Garden's statues and the Botanical Garden's Japanese garden, rather than trying to cover every path.

Explore Nearby Best Parks and Gardens, Saint Petersburg

Sights near Best Parks and Gardens, Saint Petersburg

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  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Saint Michael's Castle, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: 1.5–2 hours
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  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: 1 hour inside, plus time to walk around the outside
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  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Peter and Paul Fortress, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: 2–4 hours
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  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Bronze Horseman, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: 20–40 minutes
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  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Lakhta Center, Saint Petersburg · typical visit: About 2 hours including the excursion

Train stations and river piers near Best Parks and Gardens, Saint Petersburg

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  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Yelagin Island Pier, Saint Petersburg

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FAQ

Which is the best park in Saint Petersburg?

For history and formal design, the Summer Garden. For a big, relaxed day outdoors, Yelagin Island. For plants under glass, the Botanical Garden. The right choice depends on whether you want a short stop or half a day.

Is the Summer Garden free?

It is usually free to enter, although paid days have been introduced at times and the palace inside is a separate visit. Check the official site for the current rules before you go.

When is the Summer Garden closed?

It closes for maintenance in April each year and is closed on Tuesdays, and it can close in high winds. Check the garden's official site for the current schedule.

Are the Botanical Garden greenhouses open to everyone?

They are usually visited on set sessions or tours, so you need to check the schedule in advance. The outdoor park is a separate visit with its own entrance.

Can I get to Yelagin Island by boat?

Yes, river boats stop at a landing on the island in the navigation season. Check the Yelagin Island Pier article and the operators for the current routes and times.

Which parks are best in winter?

The Botanical Garden greenhouses, for the warmth, and the central gardens for a frosty walk. Some of the formal gardens change their hours in winter, so check before you go.

Are the parks safe in the evening?

The central gardens and the main parks are generally busy and well used, but quieter paths on the islands are best avoided after dark. Check the closing times, which vary by park.

Can I pay with a foreign bank card?

This varies, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict the use of Russian payment services, so check this yourself before you travel. Plan an alternative way to pay for tickets.

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