Lesnaya st 43 (office 227) Moscow 127055
Tel. (495) 926-58-82, (495) 926-58-83, (499)978-69-65
Fax. (499) 972-40-32
E-mail: moscow@travelrussia.net
Web: http://www.travelrussia.net
Explore the Enigma of the Russian North in 6 day St Petersburg / Valaam Island tour
Saint Petersburg – Karelia – Saint Petersburg, 2009
Group 10 – 20 pax
September, 06 – 11, 2009
6 days/5 nights
The price for the tour is 870 euro per person in a double room. The price is commissionable for the agents
| ITINERARY IN BRIEF | ||
| Day 1 | ST PETERSBURG | |
| Arrival in St. Petersburg Transfer to hotel, check in | ||
| acc | o/n Ibis hotel | |
| Day 2 | ST PETERSBURG | |
| am | City tour including Peter and Paul fortress, St. Isaac’s cathedral | |
| pm | Hermitage museum | |
| acc | o/n Ibis hotel | |
| Day 3 | ST PETERSBURG | |
| am | Day visit to Peterhof palace and park | |
| pm | At leisure | |
| eve | Transfer to railway station, train to Petrozavodsk, departs at 22:02 | |
| Day 4 | PETROZAVODSK / KIZHI | |
| am | 06.50 Arrival in Petrozavodsk Transfer to hotel City tour | |
| pm | Transfer to Kizhi island by hydrofoil (12:00), 2 hour excursion around Kizhi Return to Petrozavodsk and transfer to hotel | |
| eve | Dinner in hotel restaurant | |
| acc | o/n Severnaya Hotel | |
| Day 5 | VALAAM / ST PETERSBURG | |
| am | Drive to Sortavala Transfer by hydrofoil to Valaam island (13:00) Visit to Spasso-Preobrazhensky monastery, Valaam monastery choir concert. | |
| lunch | Local restaurant | |
| pm | Visit to Nikon bay, “Along Valaam monastery” tour | |
| eve | Transfer by hydrofoil to Saint Petersburg (18:00) Arrival to Saint Petersburg (22:00), transfer to hotel, ES guide | |
| acc | o/n Ibis hotel | |
| Day 6 | ST PETERSBURG | |
| am | Departure day Transfer to airport for return flights | |
| TOUR PRICE | ||
| The price for the tour is 870 euro per person in a double room Single supplement is euro 195 The offer is subject to availability and advanced reservation | ||
The price includes:
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| DETAILED ITINERARY | ||
| Day 1 | Saint Petersburg Arrival to Saint Petersburg, transfer to hotel. O/night in Saint Petersburg | |
| Day 2 | AM | Saint Petersburg
In the morning you will have a chance to become acquainted with one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, Saint Petersburg remains one of the most romantic cities in Russia and justifies its name of “The Venice of the North”. The beautiful palaces and cathedrals, graceful bridges, spacious squares and wide avenues, monumental sculpture, intricate gates and, of course, the special spirituality of the city which infects all visitors. In 1991 the city was placed on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage. With the world famous Hermitage on the banks of the Neva river, the city is Russia’s most popular destination, drawing visitors from all over the world throughout the year.
Begin the tour with a visit to the Peter and Paul fortress. Standing on a small island at the centre of the Neva delta, the fortress was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great and is the oldest building in the city. Up until 1917 the fortress was mainly used for the incarceration of political prisoners who have included Dostoyevsky, Lenin’s brother and Peter the Great’s own son, Alexei. At the heart of the fortress is the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul, with its landmark gold spire, where most of Russia’s Tsars are buried. On the other side of the river Neva, the weighty mass of St. Isaac's Cathedral dominates the skyline. Its gilded dome, covered with 100 kg of pure gold, soars over 100 meters into the air, making it visible from far out in the Gulf of Finland and is the third largest cathedral in the world. |
| PM |  In the afternoon the tour will visit the Hermitage. The main building of this complex is the Winter Palace built between 1754 – 1762, which was once the main residence of the Tsars. The picture collection began in 1764 with the purchase of 255 paintings from Berlin by Catherine the Great and has continued through the centuries to this very day. It is now recognised as the largest museum in the world, possessing over 3 million exhibits within its four buildings and attracting around 3 million visitors a year. The exhibitions are diverse with works by Da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt, an impressive collection of impressionists and the largest collection of Titians in existence. O/night in Saint Petersburg | |
| Day 3 | AM | Saint Petersburg Lying on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, Peterhof, or “Peter’s Court”, was built by Peter the Great in 1715 and is a former summer residence of the Russian Tsars. Famous for its magnificent cascades, fountains, gilded statues and extensive formal gardens this glorious palace is a firm favourite with both Russians and foreigners alike. Within the palace grounds are a number of buildings, the Grand Palace (Russian Versailles), now a vast museum of lavish rooms and galleries, Monplaisir, Peter’s outwardly more humble villa, the Grand Cascade, the centre piece of the palace grounds with over 140 fountains, the Marly Palace and Alexandria Park. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the population of St Petersburg was invited to dine here at a great summer fete held every year. |
| EVE | Transfer to railway station, train to Petrozavodsk. | |
| Day4 | AM | Petrozavodsk / Kizhi Petrozavodsk is distinguished among other towns of North Russia by its Neoclassical architectural heritage, which includes the Round Square and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral which was consecrated in 1832. Built on the shore of Lake Onega, the embankment displays an assortment of Karelian granites and marbles and is lined with extravagant postmodernist sculptures presented by sister cities of Petrozavodsk from around the world. |
| PM |  In the afternoon you will take a hydrofoil over to the island of Kizhi where its living history museum of wooden architecture, is one of the iconic visions of Russia and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you will find the 22 domed Church of the Transfiguration (1714) and the oldest wooden church in Russia - the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus dating back to the 14th century and the Church of the Protecting Veil. The Church of the Transfiguration was constructed without the use of any nails or screws and the 5 tiers change colour throughout the day and look magnificent from any point on the island. The Church of the Protecting Veil is still functioning and frequent services are still held with a resident priest.
Return to Petrozavodsk by hydrofoil. O/night in Petrozavodsk | |
| Day5 | AM | Valaam / Saint Petersburg
In the morning you will drive 250 kms from Petrozavodsk to Sortavala and from there take a hydrofoil over to the island of Valaam. The Valaam Monastery, the oldest in Russia, has existed for more than a thousand years despite the persecutions of the Communist era. With its coniferous forests, rocky shore, numerous bays and church architecture, the island leaves an unforgettable impression. The excursion includes visits to the Central Stone Monastery Complex and Transfiguration Cathedral, the church of the Assumption, a large number of chapels, monastic cells and graveyards. Lunch will be served in the refectory and afterwards you will visit Nikon bay, the Resurrection Skete, the Gethsemane Skete, the Mount of Olives, the Ascension Chapel, the Hegumenos Lakes and the Monastery Farm. |
| EVE | Transfer by hydrofoil to Saint Petersburg
O/night in Saint Petersburg | |
| Day6 | AM | Saint Petersburg DEPARTURE DAY End of program in Russia |
| ACCOMODATION DESCRIPTION |
Severnaya Hotel 5* (Petrozavodsk)The Severnaya hotel is one of those buildings that identify the face of the city In accordance with the Project of protection of historical and cultural zones in Petrozavodsk the building of The Severnaya hotel is included in the list of valuable historical architectural constructions in the city. The hotel is located in the downtown and has convenient transport connection with all the parts of the city. |
 
Ibis hotel 3* (ST. Petersburg)Ibis St Petersburg Moskovsky Vokzal Hotel is a 3 star hotel with 221 comfortable rooms. It is located in the centre of St Petersburg, close to Nevsky Prospekt and only 500 metres from Moscow railway station. |