New Year holidays in Karelia, Kizhi and Zaonezhye

Breakfast at the hotel.

We get on the bus and go on a tour of the New Year, cozy and very beautiful Petrozavodsk.

In the first part of the tour, we will get acquainted with the city: we will travel through the epochs — Petrozavodsk of the time of Peter the Great, Petrozavodsk of Catherine the Great, Soviet Petrozavodsk.

We are waiting for a walk along the main city attraction — the embankment of Lake Onega.

Here, ancient history, rooted in mysterious Hyperborea and modernity, comes to life in a unique collection of avant—garde sculptural monuments - seida stones, "Tree of Desires", "Wave of Friendship", "Thinking Reed", "Mermaid"… This is the most beautiful place in the capital of the Northern Territory at any time of the year!

After a short walk around the city, we will go to the "Doll House".

Tatyana Kalinina's Doll House is represented by three small halls.

In the hall of the author's doll, you can get acquainted with dolls made in various techniques and styles; the hall "Spirits of Karelia" introduces visitors to brownies, mermaids and other creatures of the other world in which our ancestors believed; the exposition of the third hall is constantly changing.

In addition, you can look into the workshop and see how dolls are created, and even buy and take a doll or pet you like home.

Lunch at the cafe.

We invite you to the festive program "Celebrating the new year with Kantele"! 

We will introduce you to the folk traditions of the New Year. 

You will be whirled around in a festive revelry by one of the most famous folklore groups of Karelia, which knows how to delight guests with cheerful dances, fascinate with the sounds of ancient instruments and the performance of Karelian and Finnish songs.

Romantic New Year mood, live music, familiar melodies, incendiary dances, a medley of ageless favorite New Year songs. 

The Kantele ensemble will set you up for a wave of celebration! 

The New Year at the Kantele House will be a valuable educational experience in the formation of cultural baggage based on samples of national art and traditions of Karelia.

17:00 Check-in at the hotel. Free time, rest.

For check-in on 30.12–03.01:

21:00-05:00 New Year's banquet at the Severny restaurant (for an additional fee). 

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure of the bus to visit Karelian Santa Claus — Talviukko!

Here you will get acquainted with the best sled dogs in Russia, admire the reindeer and their timid fawns, as well as touch the unique culture of the forest Sami and tea from Karelian medicinal herbs. And most importantly, visit, chat and take memorable photos with the Talviukko — Karelian Santa Claus, in his personal northern residence!

The largest kennel of sports sled dogs in Russia, where you will make friends with the famous Alaskan huskies, Alaskan malamutes and Siberian huskies, feel the boundless trust and love of these beautiful creatures, take kind photos for memory.

Talviukko's assistants will conduct an excursion and tell you many amazing things about summer and winter riding sports, the diversity and purpose of each of the riding breeds, the characteristics of the character and roles in the team of each of the four-legged athletes.

In a dense forest near a small lake, real reindeer live, the special pride and love of Talviukko.

Winter Grandfather's assistants will show you a deer farm where you will chat with cautious reindeer and admire their timid fawns.

You will visit authentic Sami dwellings, see ancient household items, drink tea from Karelian medicinal herbs, taste real Karelian pastries and for a moment be transported back to ancient times when man and the forest were one.

You will have a chance to see the laboratory of wonders of the Winter Grandfather — Talviukko, his study, where weather contracts are concluded, and a reception room visited by a variety of people and magical creatures. 

And then you will ride with excitement from the miracle slide (do not forget about winter warm sports shoes and clothes).

For everyone, for an additional fee:

• The Palace of Lumikka — the Karelian Snow Maiden, where we will see the exhibition "Karelia in miniature" — an analogue of the "Grand Layout of Russia" with Solovki, Kizhi and other Karelian attractions.
• Dog sledding or reindeer sledding is a Karelian folk fun! Huskies and malamutes will take you with a breeze through the snow-covered forest and you will feel the drive and speed wrapped in a warm cape. Sledges and dogs, as well as deer, have always been used in the North to move from one point to another, passing from 80 to 100 kilometers in 1 day.

Additional services can be purchased directly at the patrimony.

Return transfer to Petrozavodsk.

Late lunch.

Evening master class "The Riddle of the national Karelian Doll". 

At Christmas, it will be nice to receive an Angel as a gift, and a handmade one will be doubly so. 

The Angel doll is very easy to make, but at the same time very original. 

In 1 hour we will tell you about the Karelian customs of folk dolls, as well as make a charm doll with our own hands, which each guest will take with him.

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:00 Departure for an excursion to Ruskeala.

Today is waiting for usThe Northern Ladoga region is another amazing natural treasure trove of Karelia.

Ladoga Lake is decorated with the first largest lake in Europe — Ladoga Lake. 

There are 260 kilometers on the way.

But we will start with another pearl of the Ladoga region — we will see the Tokhmin or Ruskeala waterfalls.

The famous Soviet film "And the dawns are quiet here..." was shot here. 

For those who wish, for an additional fee, there is a newly opened ecological trail with bridges suspended directly above the waterfalls

Today we will eat at the Lutheran Church.

Marble Canyon Ruskeala is a Karelian brand of modern times. 

We are also waiting for a walking tour of the marble canyon (1 hour).

The 1.5-kilometer-long ecotrope around Ruskeala has many panoramic platforms from which you can enjoy views of this unique place.

In addition, you can move a little away from the main trail and go into the depth of a through cave (tunnel).

Here you will discover the real secrets of the canyon, its heart.

You can also look at the deposits of Italian marble.

After a sightseeing tour around the canyon, we provide free time (2.5 hours). 

Among the additional services in the mountain park in winter: Trolls (zipline) over the canyon, an exhibition of wooden sculptures "Abode of Angels", an excursion "Underground Ruskeala". 

You can also go to the railway station (10 minutes from the ticket office of the mountain park) and visit the retro train, go into the restaurant car and take pictures in the interiors of the 19th century train.

All additional services are purchased on site, at the ticket offices of the mountain park: on a first-come, first-served basis and subject to availability. Unfortunately, the park administration does not provide the possibility of pre-booking.

In addition, on the territory of Ruskeala park there is an opportunity to eat in cafes and buy souvenirs in shops.

At 16:30, a real show awaits us — the inclusion of color lighting, thanks to which the canyon will sparkle with new colors and the glare of light on the luxurious marble will shock your imagination!

Ruskeala Canyon is beautiful at any time of the year.

Full of impressions, and very satisfied, we go to the hotel in Petrozavodsk. 

21:00 Arrival in Petrozavodsk.

Breakfast at the hotel. Room release.

Karelian nature has created amazing monuments — rocks, waterfalls, volcanoes, springs. 

We suggest visiting the most important of them, located in Karelia, on a day trip to the Golden Ring of Karelia.

The tour starts from the Sampo mountain. It was here that the legendary Soviet fairy tale film "Sampo" was shot, based on the Karelo-Finnish epic "Kalevala". 

Karelian rocks are unique — they are amazingly harmonious and beautiful. And the view from them is amazing. Sampo Mountain offers a wonderful panoramic view of the surrounding area.

But we are already going to the "Marcial Waters" — the very first Russian resort. Tsar Peter, who founded it, visited these regions four times and advised everyone to drink water saturated with iron found in local springs for health. 

By the way, only here the church of the XVIII century, built according to the sketches of Peter himself, has been preserved. 

You will be able to see everything with your own eyes, drink healing water and take it with you.

The pearl of the North is a natural masterpiece: the Kivach waterfall.

This is the most famous waterfall in Karelia, sung by the first governor of our region, the Russian poet Gavrila Derzhavin: "The mountain is pouring diamonds..". Indeed, the falling water and its power are fascinating. Everyone should see this.

Karelia is a country of stone and rocks. Therefore, we will definitely go to the factory, where craftsmen make the most beautiful products from a unique stone — shungite. 

We will sit in the shungite grotto, a room completely isolated by shungite, and also drink Karelian tea. 

Shungite has a beneficial effect on the body and charges with the most powerful energy, which will be useful to us during our entire journey.

17:30 Arrival at Petrozavodsk railway station.