For Free - St Petersburg - page 44

For Free
There's no getting around it: St Petersburg is no longer a cheap des-
tination. Sadly, hotels and dining are expensive, as are admission
prices to many essential sights, where you'll often be charged at
least twice as much as locals. Here are our tips for how to save
when you can.
Discounts
If you're a student, get an ISIC card before you travel, as most places won't accept any
other form of student card as evidence of your status. If you want to see a lot of the
Hermitage, it's well worth booking the two-day ticket online, which is great value and
allows you to visit the museum's other, lesser-known buildings at no extra charge.
Senior citizens and children also sometimes get free entry, but will need to bring some
proof of age with them, such as a passport.
Free Entry
You can visit the Hermitage ( CLICK HERE ) for free on the first Thursday of each
month. Yelagin Island ( CLICK HERE ) is free on weekdays, while the Nabokov Mu-
seum ( CLICK HERE ), the Geological Museum ( CLICK HERE ), Pushkinskaya 10 (
CLICK HERE ), Cruiser Aurora ( CLICK HERE ), Kazan Cathedral ( CLICK HERE ),
Sampsonievsky Cathedral ( CLICK HERE ), Nikolsky Cathedral ( CLICK HERE ), Sig-
mund Freud Museum of Dreams ( CLICK HERE ), Alexander Nevsky Monastery (
CLICK HERE ), Grand Choral Synagogue ( CLICK HERE ), Piskaryovskoe Cemetery (
CLICK HERE ) and Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad ( CLICK HERE )
are always free.
As well as these excellent museums and sights, there's a wealth of gorgeous parks
that make great picnic spots. In central St Petersburg try the charming Mikhailovsky
Gardens ( CLICK HERE ), the wide open spaces of the Mars Field ( CLICK HERE ), the