Summer romance: Petersburg and Karelia. Bus tour from Moscow

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St. Petersburg and Karelia are two unique regions rich in cultural features. Although they are geographically located nearby, they have their own individual traits that make them so attractive for travel.

Take a walk through summer St. Petersburg, admire the fountains in Peterhof, in Karelia you will visit Kivach Waterfall, Ruskeala Mountain Park, plunge into the world of Karelian traditions, enjoy the beauty of the northern landscapes, prepare traditional gates, play an ancient instrument and learn national dances!

Location

Moscow

Sightseeing tours

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Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)

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Tour highlights

National workshops

Prepare traditional Karelian gates, make a charm doll, and learn how to play the ancient Finno-Ugric instrument, the kantel.

Beauty of Karelia

Visit Ruskeala Mountain Park, Nature Reserve and Kivach Waterfall

The ancient capital of Russia

Take a tour of the Old Ladoga Fortress, find out where the legendary Rurik began to rule.

The Resplendent Peterhof

You will visit one of the most famous suburbs of St. Petersburg, which has been an imperial country residence for two centuries.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Walking tour "... Where the age of Peter comes to life" on the territory of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Sightseeing bus tour "Symbols of St. Petersburg"
06:30 Gathering of the group in Moscow: VDNKh metro station, parking lot to the right of the Kosmos Hotel.
07:00 Departure to St. Petersburg via the M-11 Neva expressway. There are 2 sanitary stops along the way.
08:00 Boarding is possible in Solnechnogorsk (cafe Deliciously — I dot, Krasnaya str., 118) by prior arrangement.
08:30 Boarding is possible in the city of Klina (cafe Deliciously — I dot, Pervomaiskaya str., 2) by prior arrangement.
10:00 It is possible to board in Tver (Lenta shopping center, Moskovskoe shosse, 16k3) by prior arrangement.
15:30 Lunch at a cafe in the city.
Walking tour "... Where the age of Peter comes to life" on the territory of the Peter and Paul Fortress, a unique historical and architectural monument, the first stone structure of the city.
St. Isaac's Cathedral is an integral part of the architectural appearance of St. Petersburg. Along with the Bronze Horseman, the Peter and Paul Fortress and the Admiralty spire, it is one of the symbols of the city on the Neva.
The construction of the temple is inextricably linked with the history of the city and reflects architectural, artistic and urban planning trends from the beginning of the XVIII to the first half of the XIX century.
The cathedral was consecrated in the name of St. Isaac of Dalmatia, on whose memorial day Tsar Peter I, the founder of the city, was born. The current cathedral is the fourth church built in St. Petersburg to commemorate Peter's birthday. The first St. Isaac's Church was consecrated in 1707. Peter I and Ekaterina Alekseevna were married in this church on February 12, 1712.
Sightseeing bus tour "Symbols of St. Petersburg" with a tour of the architectural ensembles of the grand St. Petersburg: Nevsky Prospekt - the first avenue of the city, Palace Square – the main square of the city with the Alexander Column adorning it, the Winter Palace (Hermitage) – an amazing creation of the most talented architects, the residence of the Russian monarchy, the Senate Square with the symbol of Imperial St. Petersburg adorning it – The Bronze Horseman, panorama of the Arrow of Vasilyevsky Island, the Field of Mars, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.
Check-in at the hotel.
Free time.
Additionally: A night tour with bridges: 1000 rub./adult; 800 rub./school. The bridge-raising night tour is paid for on the spot and will definitely take place when the minimum required group is recruited.

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Day 2 - Peterhof
Breakfast at the hotel is a buffet.
Transfer to Peterhof.
Bus country tour "Imperial splendor, imperial grandeur.…». Travel tour "Old Peterhof road".
Guided tour of the Lower Park – an introduction to the history of the creation of the "fountain capital of the world". The Lower Park was modeled after regular gardens and retained all the features of its French originals.
The layout of the Lower Park is determined by two systems of alleys fanning out from the Grand Palace and the Marly Palace.
The layout scheme is thought out so deeply that not a single garden decoration, not a single detail is hidden from the eyes of the guests. Each alley ends with either a palace or a fountain, of which there are 150 in the Lower Park.
Free time in the Lower Park.
Lunch at a cafe.
Return to St. Petersburg.
Additionally: Boat tour along the rivers and canals of "Northern Venice": 1000 rub./adult; 800 rub./school. The boat tour is paid for on the spot and will definitely take place when the minimum required group is recruited.

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Day 3 - Sortavala – Ruskeala
Breakfast at the hotel is a buffet.
Transfer to Karelia. Travel information.
Today we are going to Ladoga Karelia, as Alexander Dumas did. In the summer of 1858, Alexandre Dumas, a classic of French literature, author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, visited Karelia?
In the company of friends, he visited Valaam, Serdobol (now Sortavala) and visited the Ruskeala Canyon. Moreover, he celebrated his 55th birthday on this trip!
Karelia is a land that attracts with the beauty of northern nature, and Sortavala is a unique city where three eras and two cultures are intertwined. Only here the flavor of the Russian North harmoniously coexists with Scandinavian Art Nouveau, merging into a single whole.
Lunch at a cafe in the city.
Visit to the Ruskeala Mountain Park.
Dumas wrote: "I was destined to see the quarries of Ruskyala, because it was from here that the stone for St. Isaac's Cathedral was mainly mined."
The Ruskeala marble deposit originated as a result of complex tectonic processes 12,000 years ago.
With the coming to power of Catherine II, large-scale searches for natural stone for the construction of St. Petersburg began in Russia, and it was found in Ruskale.
Ruskeala is a tourist park in Karelia, based on the site of an abandoned marble deposit. It covers an area of several tens of kilometers. In the 18th century, marble was mined here for St. Isaac's Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, Mikhailovsky Castle, Marble Palace, and triumphal columns in Tsarskoye Selo and Gatchina.
At the end of the tour, transfer to Kondopoga.
Arrival in Kondopoga at about 23:00.
Accommodation at the Karelia 3* hotel.

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Day 4 - Karelia is a land of legends
Breakfast at the hotel is a buffet.
Departure for the excursion program with your belongings.
Nature reserve and waterfall "Kivach".
"A diamond mountain is falling from a ledge with four rocks..." – Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin, the first poet and lyricist of Russia, wrote admiringly about him... A pleasant addition to the raging water element will be a grove of Karelian birch, which has become an ornament of the arboretum of the reserve.
This is a mystery tree with amazing marble-patterned wood. Even in the 21st century, there is a debate among scientists about its origin. You can admire the souvenirs from Karelka at the Nature Museum.
Stop at Lake Palieozero. It impresses tourists with clear water, wide sandy beaches and an abundance of coniferous trees that fill the air with amazing aromas.
Lunch at the hotel cafe.
Transfer to Petrozavodsk.
Bus and walking tour of Petrozavodsk.
What is St. Peter's city like? It is a port city, the forest capital of miners, fishermen, romantics. We'll take memorable photos of its sights and drive through the main squares of the city.
A walk along the Onega embankment of the city.
By good tradition, each twin city leaves a piece of "its soul" here – a sculptural composition. So the embankment turned into a museum of modern avant-garde sculpture in the open air and became a favorite place for walks of citizens.
Everyone wants to see a piece of the Neubrandenburg starry sky, whisper cherished words into the magical ear of the Wish Tree and ask for material well-being from the Purse of Good Luck.
We return to Kondopoga.
A boat trip with an inspection of the trout farm and a picnic with tasting of Karelian tinctures on Lake Onega from the town of Kondopoga.
Not everyone can boast that they have seen how fish are grown on a real trout farm. But 70% of the red fish that we see on store shelves appeared in Karelia.
The fish farmer's story about trout farming will be a pleasant addition to the culinary master class on cooking red fish on the grill.
You can share your impressions of the educational part of the tour at a picnic with fish, vegetables, hot tea and Karelian tinctures (150 gr.).
Duration of the tour with transfers: ~ 4 hours.
The boat trip takes place on licensed indoor boats on Lake Onega.
Transfer to the recreation center "Karelia" (village of Vatnavolok) (30 km).
Accommodation at the recreation center.

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Day 5 - Recreation center program
Breakfast at the hotel is a buffet.
Animation on the base.
The military historical quest "The Banner of Victory". Having touched the story, the desire to participate in the trials and bring victory to the team is born. The game of stations and military history will captivate both young participants and adults.
"Musical Ring" is a guessing game with a prize draw. Five rounds, the creation of an VIA and the fulfillment of desires will give you positivity, smiles and laughter.
"Karelian upper room".
At the national master classes we will get acquainted with the traditional culture of the northern people and the peculiarities of the region.
Let's sit down at a wide table and, under the guidance of an experienced craftsman, prepare traditional rupittetu (gates) from rye flour.
We will learn a lot of interesting things about the history of the Karelian doll and work on making a souvenir from Karelia. The result of the work will be a charm doll. Let's touch the strings of the ancient Finno-Ugric kantele and get our first lessons on the instrument. Let the "Karelian psaltery" sing about the wind, about a warm house, there will always be happiness and prosperity in it.
The song "Letka–enka" will play and beckon you to take each other's hands. Let's hug a friend by the shoulders, wink at a friend in a Finnish dance.
Tea drinking with products of our own production – gates.
Lunch at the hotel cafe (buffet/cover).
"Barbecue Party" is an animated program that introduces customs and traditions in the form of an educational and entertaining story. *Food (fish, meat, potatoes) – for an additional fee.
* Dinner on a special menu.
Day 6 - Staraya Ladoga is the ancient capital of Russia. Completion of the tour
Early breakfast buffet at the hotel.
Room release.
Staraya Ladoga is one of the oldest settlements in Russia.
Its history dates back to the time of Rurik. The first mention of the fortress is found in the Tale of Bygone Years in 862. The Ladoga Fortress was of crucial importance, being at the intersection of the routes "from the Varangians to the Greeks." Monuments from different eras, starting from the 12th century, have been preserved in Staraya Ladoga.
Guided tour of the Old Ladoga Fortress.
Lunch at a cafe in Staraya Ladoga.
14:00 Departure to Moscow.
Return to Moscow is approximately 24:00-00:30.

Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Hotel

5 nights

Comfort

Upscale

The tour includes accommodation at the Kosmos Pribaltiyskaya 4* hotel (Kosmos Pulkovskaya 4*) in St. Petersburg - 2 nights, at the Karelia 3* hotel in Kondopoga – 1 night, at the Karelia 3* base. Watnavolok – 2 nights.

Accommodation at Kosmos Pribaltiyskaya 4* Hotel on dates 11-13.07 and 15-17.08. At 13-15.06 accommodation at Kosmos Pulkovskaya 4* Hotel.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, rub.:

*Kosmos Pribaltiyskaya 4 Hotel / Cosmos Pulkovskaya 4* Petersburg, Karelia 3* Kondopoga, recreation center "Karelia" 3* d. Cotton wool**
2-bed standard	56 500
1-bed standard + unit (Karelia)	67 500
The third is in the 2-seat standard (optional place)	54 300

Check—out time in hotels is 12:00. Guaranteed check-in after 15:00.

Discount for a child under 14 years of age — 1000 rubles.

The Karelia Hotel is located in the town of Kondopoga, near Lake Onega. A wide range of services is provided here: on the ground floor there is a dentist and a taxi service.

Free access to an uninterrupted Wi-Fi network is available throughout the territory. All floors are equipped with coolers with cold and hot water, as well as a refrigerator and places for eating.

The hotel has 99 comfortable rooms. All of them are divided into such categories as "standard", "suite", and there is also a family unit and beds in dormitories. Each of them is equipped with comfortable sleeping places and high-quality furniture. There is also a private bathroom.

There is a cozy cafe on the 2nd floor of the building, where you can not only have a delicious and satisfying meal, but also have a good time. You can also use the tea set for free or drink coffee with sweets. You can reheat ready-made food in a microwave oven.

A kennel for sled dogs is located 100 m from the hotel, on Tokarskaya Embankment. Nearby there is a mini zoo, a water station, as well as a Sami chum with a bonfire. Petrozavodsk Airport is 46 km away, and Kondopoga Railway Station is 1.5 km away.

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Tour conditions

Group

From 10 to 40 tourists

Minimum age

6 years old

Duration

6 days 5 nights

Group meets at

Moscow

Included in price

accommodation in hotels along the route;
meals – 5 breakfasts, 6 lunches;
guided tours according to the tour program (including guided tours and museum entrance tickets);
services of an accompanying person along the route;
transportation service by a tourist class bus (one-and-a-half-story bus with luggage compartment, comfortable armchairs, climate control system, video monitor).

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Moscow and back;
dinner at the hotel – 520 RUB/person.;
meals not included in the price of the tour;
personal expenses;
additional excursions are optional.

It's important to know

Air and railway tickets are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.

The time of arrival in Moscow is approximate and cannot be considered a mandatory item of the program.

The time and procedure for the provision of tourist services specified in the program may change while maintaining their volume and quality.

The tour operator has no ability to influence delays related to traffic jams, actions and activities of government agencies, including traffic police, road works, as well as any other delays beyond the reasonable control of the tour operator.

The bus layout reflects the order in which seats are filled on the bus. The tour operator reserves the right to transfer customers depending on the specific location of the doors, toilets, as well as the number and location of seats in the bus cabin.

Information about the model and other characteristics of the vehicle is purely preliminary information and is not a mandatory item of the program.

The tour operator has the right to provide any other tourist bus for use on the tour without any explanation or compensation.

Important for tourists:

Services under the * sign are purchased on the tour for an additional fee.

Additional payment. meals on all routes, rental services, are provided in KARELIA to the hotel administrator of the accommodation.

The company reserves the right to make changes to the excursion program depending on objective circumstances while maintaining the volume and quality of the services provided.

In case of bad weather (the wave height is more than 1.5 meters), water excursions may be canceled or rescheduled for the next day. In case of cancellation, the refund is carried out in full. The refund method is similar to the payment method.

Passport data of tourists and mobile phones! Due to stricter control of passenger transportation, it is necessary to book tours with complete tourist information (full name; passport series and number; date of birth; if the tourist is a foreigner, citizenship must be indicated in the note). The mobile phone of tourists for communication should be indicated in a certain column when booking a tour.

Dates and Prices

from
$699

13 – 18 Jun 6 days 5 nights

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from
$699

11 – 16 Jul 6 days 5 nights

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from
$699

15 – 20 Aug 6 days 5 nights

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Reviews

A
Anna

about provider

13 Feb, 2025

My daughter and I took the St. Petersburg Collection tour for 7 days, and I highly recommend it for first-time visitors to the city like us. The tour is well-designed, allowing you to see the main attractions in a short period of time. A great advantage is that you can join on any day. Everything was well-organized—excellent guides, comfortable buses, and provided radio headsets for better communication. There were no delays or long waits. The schedule was planned in a way that left plenty of free time in the evenings for walks or additional sightseeing. The tour package includes hotel accommodation, with several options to choose from. I stayed at the Rossiya Hotel near Pobeda Park and was very satisfied. The rooms were clean, with daily housekeeping, fresh towels, and air conditioning—which was perfect given the pleasant temperatures of 24–30°C during our stay. A buffet breakfast was included—simple but sufficient to start the day. It was really convenient, as we would bring a small snack for the day and have dinner somewhere in central St. Petersburg. The hotel is within walking distance of the blue metro line, making it easy to reach the city center without transfers. There’s also a supermarket nearby, along with plenty of street food options. It’s also worth mentioning that additional excursions are available. We took a boat trip to the forts of Kronstadt and joined a nighttime tour to see the city's famous drawbridges—both were unforgettable experiences
E
Elena

about provider

12 Feb, 2025

First and foremost, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our personal manager in Big Country, Ksenia, for carefully selecting a tour that matched our preferences and for swiftly handling the changes to our group size. We had six unforgettable days on the banks of the Neva River! A huge thank you for the well-organized excursions, led by true professionals—Irina and Olga. We would be delighted to recommend traveling with Big Country to our friends and family!
M
Margarita

about provider

12 Feb, 2025

Many thanks to Big Country for the tour—everything was top-notch! We’ll definitely be back. Thank you!