The stories and secrets of Vyborg and Ruskeala

You can visit medieval fortresses and magnificent castles, enjoy the beauty of nature and majestic views on our three-day tour.

You will enjoy a walk around Kronstadt, the spirit of the Middle Ages on the Castle Island, the streets of the Old Town of Vyborg, a tasting of glegs and pretzels, a tour of the rocky landscape park and a master class on making a real Vyborg pretzel. 

You will also travel to Karelia on a real retro train, visit the Ruskeala Mountain Park and get acquainted with the Viking age and taste a honey drink.

Location

Russia, Saint Petersburg
from
$291
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
3 Days
2 Nights
Departures
  • Group departures
    • 7 – 9 June
    • 12 – 14 June
    • 13 – 15 June
    • 21 – 23 June
or
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    2 nights
Comfort
  • Upscale
Difficulty
Easy
Suitable for everyone
Group
From 2 to 50 tourists
Minimum age
6 years old
Group meet at
Russia, Saint Petersburg
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Vyborg pretzel
We will attend a master class on baking a real medieval Vyborg pretzel according to an authentic recipe
The estate of the Burgher
You will be transformed into the heroes of medieval Vyborg, immersed in the history of ancient monastic orders, tasting glegg and pretzel
Ruskeala Mountain Park
We will see the main attraction of Karelia – Ruskeala Mountain Park, in the center of which is its business card - Marble Canyon

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Kronstadt. Vyborg.  Guided tour to the Alvar Aalto Library. Vyborg city Center Walking Tour

    Arrival in Saint Petersburg. 

    09:30 Meeting with the guide at the monument to Peter the Great at the Moscow railway Station in St. Petersburg.

    Bus tour to Kronstadt "Fortress city on the Baltic Sea". 

    Kronstadt is the smallest district of St. Petersburg. A city on the island of Kotlin, whose history began with a fortress on the water – Fort Kronshlot. We will visit the pearl of Kronstadt – St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral: the last and largest of the naval cathedrals built in the Russian Empire.

    13:00 Lunch for an additional fee.

    Transfer to Vyborg. A guided tour that tells about the historical events and nature of the Karelian Isthmus. 

    16:00 Guided tour to the Alvar Aalto Library.

    The library is a unique "box" in the treasury of Finnish modernism in Vyborg, the "white flower", which grew up 90 years ago in the city's Lenin Park (Esplanade). And the genius of architect Alvaro Aalto "planted" it. 

    Let's look into this "box" and feel the comfort and warmth of all its convenient values.:  in the lecture hall, we will hear impeccable acoustics; in the most unusual reading room, we will see diffused light without shadows and glare; we will orient ourselves to the four cardinal directions; we will sit on the famous stool-60; we will see the original railing and wrapping paper tray; and at the very bottom of the box, we will breathe along with the old books of the vault.

    Walking tour of the center of Vyborg. 

    Each epoch and culture has left its own vivid impressions in the appearance of the city. 

    Visit the Castle Island, where the medieval knightly Vyborg Castle is located.

    Vyborg Castle is a symbol of the city, its heart and core. It was from him that the difficult history of the city and people began, and all roads in Vyborg lead to the Castle. Is that all? Was there a secret passage? Where is the Matveev hole? Who lived in the castle? And kings, and servants, and military men, and even prisoners.  

    Vyborg Castle will be 732 years old in 2025. We are greeted by the following witnesses of the deep antiquity: castle towers: the tallest in South Karelia - St. Olaf's Tower, the most unusual with a Heavenly name; artifacts of maritime archaeology -a Swedish anchor and cannon from 1790; real medieval walls in a cozy courtyard. 

    And each of us can witness a different, museum and cultural-historical life of the ancient castle.

    19:00 Placement. 

    Free time. 

    20:00 For an additional fee, a boat trip along Vyborg Bay (during the navigation period May-September). 

    The boat goes out into Vyborg Bay, goes along the coast of Monrepos Park and the islands of Vyborg Bay: Tent Island, Island of the Dead, Islands of Love and Bylinny. The Monrepos Park looks different from aboard the ship. We will see: Chinese bridges, a tea gazebo, the temple of Neptune, the Ludwigstein Chapel.

    On the way back, the ship will pass through the Fortress Strait along Castle Island, admire the towers and walls of Vyborg Castle from the water.

    2 more photos
  • Day 2 - Monrepos Park. A master class on baking a real Vyborg pretzel. Visit to the Burgher's estate
  • Day 3 - Karelia. Ruskeala
Difficulty
Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    2 nights
Comfort
  • Upscale

The tour includes hotel accommodation.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the accommodation and date of arrival, RUB.:

Vyborg 3* Breakfast buffet. AddressLeningradsky Prospekt, 19. The hotel is located in the center of Vyborg, a 15-minute walk from Vyborg Castle:

Check-in dates

Double

Single room

 

Economy

07.06-23.08.25

25650

29450

Friendship 3*. Breakfast buffet. Address: Zheleznodorozhnaya St., 5. The hotel is located in the central part of the city on the picturesque shore of the bay. It features a conference room, a sauna with a swimming pool, and 2 restaurants.:

Check-in dates

Double

Single room

 

Standard

07.06-23.08.25

26950

32150

Discount for children under 16: 1200 rubles. 

Discount for seniors and students: 500 rubles.

Check the prices when booking.

Vyborg 3* or Friendship 3* 2 nights
Vyborg 3*

The Vyborg Hotel, which offers pet-friendly accommodation, is located in the center of Vyborg, a 15-minute walk from the 13th-century Vyborg Castle. It offers free Wi-Fi in public areas and a 24-hour front desk.

The bright, classic rooms are decorated in warm colours and feature a TV and a private bathroom.

The restaurant serves European cuisine. Guests can enjoy a variety of drinks at the lobby bar. Delicious Uzbek dishes are prepared in the summer cafe.

Vyborgsky Train Station is just a 5-minute walk away. Pulkovo International Airport is 175 km away.

3 more photos
Another option
Friendship 3*

Druzhba Hotel is located in Vyborg, on the coast of the Vyborg Bay. Free Wi-Fi is available.

Each room here will provide you with a TV and a private bathroom with free toiletries.

Guests can relax in the sauna and dine in the restaurant or on the hotel's terrace. There is also a 24-hour front desk and luggage storage.

Vyborg Bus Station is 250 metres from the hotel, and Vyborg Train Station is 500 metres away.

3 more photos

Tour conditions

Group
From 2 to 50 tourists
Minimum age
6 years old
Duration
3 days 2 nights
Group meets at
Russia, Saint Petersburg

Included in price

  • habitation;
  • breakfasts;
  • guided tours and daily transportation services according to the program;
  • guide support;
  • Headphones are provided free of charge for more comfortable listening to the guide.;
  • railway tickets on the "Swallow" Vyborg-Sortavala and Sortavala-SPB, and the "Retro train" Sortavala-Ruskeala.

Paid extra

  • air and railway tickets to St. Petersburg and back;
  • additional excursions;
  • 2 lunches in Vyborg – 1,900 rubles.;
  • private transfer;
  • personal expenses.

It's important to know

Are plane/train tickets included in the tour price?

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

Is insurance included in the price of the tour?
What important information do you need to know about the tour?

Dates and Prices

  • from
    $291
    7 – 9 Jun 3 days 2 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $291
    12 – 14 Jun 3 days 2 nights
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $291
    13 – 15 Jun 3 days 2 nights
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $291
    21 – 23 Jun 3 days 2 nights
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    No need to pay now
  • from
    $291
    28 – 30 Jun 3 days 2 nights
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    No need to pay now

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!