Russia spans eleven time zones and centuries of history, from medieval monasteries to Soviet-era grandeur and contemporary culture. This 10-day itinerary focuses on two classics—Moscow and St. Petersburg—plus a Golden Ring day trip to Sergiev Posad, keeping transit simple and costs low.

Expect onion-domed churches, world-class museums, and metro stations as opulent as palaces. You’ll stroll Red Square, trace the Neva’s canals, and stand beneath the gilded halls of the Hermitage—all while eating well at budget-friendly stolovaya canteens, blini kiosks, and dumpling bars.

Practical notes: check your government’s travel advisories and Russia’s current visa rules; many nationalities use e-visa routes while others require full visas. International bank cards issued outside Russia may not work—carry cash and use local payment options. Domestic trains are reliable, city metros are cheap, and walking is safe in central districts.

Moscow

Moscow is Russia’s political heart: Red Square, the Kremlin, monumental metro stations, and a creative pulse from the river embankments to hip courtyards. Its museums and parks are world-class, and its food ranges from homestyle Soviet-style canteens to Georgian feasts.

• Top sights: Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral (exterior views are free), Kremlin, Armoury, GUM, Zaryadye Park, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Tretyakov Gallery, Gorky Park and Muzeon, Novodevichy Convent, stunning metro stations.
• Budget eats: Stolovaya canteens (My-My, Varenichnaya No.1), Teremok blini, Lepim i Varim pelmeni, Uzbek and Georgian kitchens for hearty, affordable meals.
• Stay: Compare deals on VRBO Moscow or Hotels.com Moscow. For a dependable mid-budget pick near the sights, see Arbat House Hotel.
• Getting in: Search flights to Moscow on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. Many itineraries route via Istanbul, Dubai, Belgrade, or Central Asia.

Day 1: Arrival, Red Square at Dusk

Morning: In transit. If you land early, stash bags and grab a quick bite near your stay—look for a bakery selling pirozhki (stuffed buns) and syrniki (cottage-cheese pancakes).

Afternoon: Head to Red Square for your first postcard moment: the Kremlin walls, State Historical Museum, and candy-colored domes of St. Basil’s. Step into GUM to see its arcades and try budget eats at its top-floor cafeteria.

Evening: Walk to Zaryadye Park for river and skyline views at sunset. Dinner options: Teremok (buckwheat blini with mushrooms and sour cream), Varenichnaya No.1 (dumplings and borscht), or Lepim i Varim (fast, filling pelmeni). Nightcap: Skuratov Coffee or Surf Coffee for espresso on the go.

Day 2: Kremlin, Armoury, and Old Moscow

Morning: Tour the Kremlin grounds and Cathedral Square; add the Armoury if you want to see imperial regalia and Fabergé pieces (plan 2–3 hours total). Breakfast coffee near Nikolskaya Street: try a simple latte and a honey cake slice.

Afternoon: Cross the river to the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and the Patriarshy Bridge for city panoramas. Lunch at My-My (My-My/Mu-Mu): self-serve Russian classics—olivier salad, chicken cutlets, buckwheat, compote—easy on the wallet.

Evening: Join the stream on Old Arbat Street for buskers and street art. Dinner: Georgian comfort—khachapuri (cheese bread) and lobio (bean stew) at a local “Khinkalnaya” or “Khachapuri & Vino”-style spot. If you’re curious, pop into a grocery like VkusVill for affordable snacks for tomorrow.

Day 3: Metro Palaces, Tretyakov, and Gorky Park

Morning: Self-guided “metro art” tour: Komsomolskaya (baroque mosaics), Mayakovskaya (stainless steel and aviation mosaics), Ploshchad Revolyutsii (bronze statues). Grab a bun and coffee at a station kiosk for under-the-radar cheap eats.

Afternoon: The Tretyakov Gallery (paintings from medieval icons to 20th-century masters). Lunch at Lepim i Varim (try Siberian pelmeni with dill and smetana). Then stroll Muzeon’s sculpture park and Gorky Park; rent a bike in warm months or simply walk the embankment.

Evening: Budget dinner at Chaikhona No.1 (plov, samsa, shashlik), or hit a stolovaya like Grabli for salad bars and hot mains priced by weight. End with a riverfront walk; summer sunsets are long and glorious.

Sergiev Posad (Golden Ring Day Trip)

Quiet cupolas and blue-and-gold domes—Sergiev Posad centers on the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, a UNESCO site and the spiritual heart of Russian Orthodoxy. It’s the easiest Golden Ring getaway from Moscow and very budget-friendly.

• Getting there: Suburban trains from Moscow’s Yaroslavsky Station run about 1–1.5 hours. Check schedules and tickets via Trip.com Trains. Expect a few dollars each way for standard seats.
• What to see: Lavra cathedrals and belfry, the refectory, and small museums; a short walk leads to wooden toy shops recalling the town’s craft traditions.

Day 4: Day Trip to Sergiev Posad

Morning: Early suburban train to Sergiev Posad; pick up pirozhki and tea at the station bakery. Enter the Lavra through the Holy Gates and explore the Trinity Cathedral and Uspensky Cathedral; look for the shimmering iconostasis and bell tower.

Afternoon: Lunch at Russkiy Dvorik (homestyle soups, cutlets, and kisel) or try the monastery refectory for simple, hearty plates. Browse local craft stalls for matryoshka and wooden toys.

Evening: Return to Moscow. Dinner near Kitay-Gorod: Varenichnaya No.1 for vareniki with cherries, or a budget shawarma stand if you’re beat. Rest up for tomorrow’s rail journey north.

St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg is Russia’s window to Europe: canals, pastel palaces, and the Hermitage’s art troves. It’s walkable, romantic, and friendly to low budgets thanks to canteens, bakeries, and free riverside strolls.

• Top sights: Winter Palace and Hermitage, Palace Square, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Peter and Paul Fortress, Nevsky Prospekt, New Holland Island, Peterhof, Tsarskoye Selo (Catherine Palace), Rubinstein Street dining.
• Budget eats: Pyshechnaya (legendary Soviet-style doughnuts), Bushe bakery (excellent rye breads and pastries), Marketplace cafeterias, Teremok, Pelmenya dumplings.
• Stay: Compare apartments and hostels on VRBO St. Petersburg and Hotels.com St. Petersburg. Aim for stays near Nevsky Prospekt or Admiralteysky District to walk most sights.
• Getting there from Moscow: The Sapsan high-speed train takes ~3.5–4 hours. Search and compare on Trip.com Trains or Omio Trains. Expect roughly $35–90 for standard seats; overnight sleepers (8–9 hours) can be cheaper. Budget intercity buses (9–12 hours) sometimes undercut trains—check Omio Buses.

Day 5: Travel to St. Petersburg, First Walk on Nevsky

Morning: Take an early Sapsan to St. Petersburg. Snack onboard or bring bakery goods from Moscow. Upon arrival at Moskovsky Station, buy a Podorozhnik transit card for discounted metro rides.

Afternoon: Stroll Nevsky Prospekt, Kazan Cathedral (free to enter), and the Griboyedov Canal toward the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (mosaic interior is a highlight if you choose to pay). Coffee and a pastry at Bushe or Bonch.

Evening: Budget dinner at Marketplace (mix-and-match counters: salads, kebabs, soups). Walk to the Palace Embankment for golden-hour photos of the Winter Palace and the Neva.

Day 6: Hermitage and St. Isaac’s

Morning: The State Hermitage/Winter Palace—arrive at opening and target a few rooms: Rembrandt halls, Scythian Gold, and the Jordan Staircase. Bring a light snack to keep energy up.

Afternoon: Simple lunch at Stolovaya No. 1 near Nevsky (borscht, buckwheat, cutlets). Then St. Isaac’s Cathedral; pay for the colonnade climb if weather is clear—the rooftop views over the Admiralty and Neva are superb.

Evening: Dumplings at Pelmenya (try Siberian pelmeni with butter and herbs) or budget Georgian at a local “Khinkali & Khachapuri” venue. After dinner, cross the Blue Bridge by St. Isaac’s for moody night shots.

Day 7: Peterhof Day (or Kronstadt Alternative)

Morning: Head to Peterhof. Budget route: metro to Baltiysky + suburban train to Novy Peterhof, then a bus to the Lower Park. In summer, fountains run roughly May–October. Off-season, tour the Grand Palace and coastline parks.

Afternoon: Picnic on the Gulf of Finland or grab canteen-style lunch near the park. If you prefer maritime history, swap Peterhof for Kronstadt (new bridges and fort views, Naval Cathedral with glorious mosaics).

Evening: Back in the city, reward yourself with a classic: Pyshechnaya’s sugar-dusted doughnuts and coffee. Dinner on Rubinstein Street—look for set menus or shawarma spots to keep costs low.

Day 8: Tsarskoye Selo (Catherine Palace) or Pavlovsk

Morning: Suburban train from Vitebsky Station to Pushkin for Tsarskoye Selo. If palace admission lines are long, enjoy the park first; the Amber Room is the showstopper if you choose to tour inside.

Afternoon: Budget lunch from a bakery near the park (pirogi, chebureki). If you’re a garden lover, continue to Pavlovsk (one stop farther) for vast landscaped grounds and deer roaming in summer.

Evening: New Holland Island for a relaxed loop around the basin and casual bites at the food hall (soups, noodles, and pies at fair prices). Hot tea on a chilly night hits the spot.

Day 9: Vasilyevsky Island, Fortress, and Local Flavors

Morning: Walk the Strelka (the spit) for views of the Winter Palace across the water. If you’re into cabinets of curiosities, the nearby museum offers a strange, fascinating peek at 18th-century science.

Afternoon: Peter and Paul Fortress grounds and beach; it’s free to wander the walls and courtyards. Lunch at a Marketplace branch or try an Uzbek spot for plov and lagman.

Evening: Explore Golitsyn Loft courtyards off Nevsky (indie shops and cafes). Dinner at Bekitzer on Rubinstein (Israeli street food like sabich and hummus) or keep it frugal with Teremok’s buckwheat blini and soups.

Day 10: Markets, Souvenirs, and Departure

Morning: Kuznechny Market for seasonal berries, pickles, and cured fish stands (great for browsing; buy only what you can eat or pack). Coffee at Bonch or Bushe and a last slice of honey cake.

Afternoon: Pack and depart. For flights, compare Trip.com Flights and Kiwi.com; if you’re continuing overland, search Omio Trains or Omio Buses.

Practical, Budget-First Tips

• Transit: Get a Troika card in Moscow and a Podorozhnik in St. Petersburg. Each ride typically costs well under a dollar equivalent; top up with cash if foreign cards don’t work.
• Food costs: Stolovaya cafeterias offer hot mains for a few dollars. Teremok’s blini or soups make great cheap lunches; bakeries are your friend at breakfast.
• Museums: Large museums can take half a day; pick highlights and use combo tickets when available. Expect ~$5–$20 range for major sites.
• Seasonality: White Nights (mid-June) bring late sunsets and open bridges; winter brings magical ice and cheaper accommodation but bundle up.
• Safety & money: Central areas are generally safe; stay aware at night as in any big city. Many foreign bank cards may not work—carry sufficient cash and confirm your accommodation’s payment options in advance.

Getting Between Cities (Recap)

• Moscow ⇄ St. Petersburg: Sapsan high-speed (3.5–4h, ~$35–90). See Trip.com Trains or Omio Trains. Overnight sleepers (8–9h) can be cheaper; buses (9–12h) are the lowest-cost back-up via Omio Buses.
• Moscow ⇄ Sergiev Posad: Suburban trains hourly from Yaroslavsky Station, ~1–1.5h, very inexpensive—search Trip.com Trains.

Where to Stay (Budget-Oriented)

• Moscow neighborhoods: Tverskaya/Pushkinskaya (central, walkable), Kitay-Gorod/Zamoskvorechye (characterful and near riverside), Arbat (tourist-friendly). Compare listings on VRBO Moscow and Hotels.com Moscow or book Arbat House Hotel for reliable mid-range comfort.
• St. Petersburg neighborhoods: Admiralteysky, Central/Nevsky, and Petrogradsky offer easy sightseeing access. Check VRBO St. Petersburg or Hotels.com St. Petersburg and filter for hostels/guesthouses with kitchens to trim food costs.

Summary: In ten days you’ll see Russia’s greatest hits without overspending—Kremlin walls and Zaryadye’s overlook, Hermitage masterpieces and Nevsky’s bustle, plus onion domes in Sergiev Posad. With trains, canteens, and smart neighborhood stays, this itinerary balances depth, comfort, and a tight budget.