Top 3. Saint Petersburg, Vyborg, Karelia in one trip

Breakfast at the hotel (if the "no breakfast" tariff is not selected).

09:00 Meeting with the guide in the hotel lobby.

Bus tour "Resplendent St. Petersburg".

The tour presents the city as a single organism, where the granite rim of rivers and canals, the golden glow of spires and domes, the stone decoration of grand ducal palaces and numerous temples create a unique image of the resplendent Northern capital.

Excursion to the Hermitage.

The Hermitage occupies a very special place among the art museums of the world. It began as a private collection of Empress Catherine II and remained closed to the general public for a long time. In the middle of the 19th century, the museum became public. Now his collections number more than 3.5 million exhibits. Among them are masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Impressionist paintings, antique sculpture, Egyptian antiquities, a real mummy and much more.

Boat trip "Northern Islands of the Neva Delta".

The Northern Islands of the Neva Delta boat trip on a two–deck motor ship is one of the most popular urban routes. During one trip, you will be able to see the historical center of St. Petersburg with its main symbols – the Winter Palace, the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Arrow of Vasilyevsky Island, and the ultramodern buildings of the city's recent history – the Gazprom Arena stadium in the form of a flying saucer and the tallest skyscraper in Europe, the Lakhta Center.

The comfortable ship will delight travelers with a large promenade deck with panoramic views. There is a restaurant with a chef's signature menu on board the ship.: You can order a full lunch, a light salad, or a cappuccino with dessert to make your trip even more enjoyable.

The end point of the program is the pier (the nearest metro station is Admiralteiskaya).

Program duration: ~ 5 hours.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Room release. Check out of the hotel with your belongings.

08:00 Transfer to Vyborg (136 km).

A walk through the territory of Vyborg Castle.

You will visit the territory of Vyborg Castle, founded in 1293, during the third Swedish Crusade. The castle was built according to medieval canons, when artillery was not yet used on the battlefield, and the main military force was mounted knights.

Sightseeing tour of the Old Town, during which you will slowly walk through narrow cobbled streets and ancient squares, see military fortifications of the 13th – 19th centuries, admire the "cascade of squares": Cathedral – Theater – Market, see the monument to Thorgels Knutsson.

The theatrical program "Visiting the merchant Kaarina".

You will travel to Vyborg, in 1557. Merchant Kaarina and her assistant Hans, under the arches of the Hanseatic Court, will tell you about their trade affairs, about Vyborg, conclude a trade agreement with you, and treat you to fragrant tea! You will get vivid impressions from a real trip to Vyborg of the XVI century, get acquainted with the merchant life of the medieval city, everyday tricks, stories and everyday life.

14:00 Lunch at a cafe in Vyborg.

Monrepos Park tour.

After lunch, you can admire the beauty of the Monrepos Park, which translates as "my rest". Many famous Russians and members of the imperial family loved to visit the unique rock landscape park of the Romantic era, which embodied the entire nature of the Karelian Isthmus.

18:00 Approximate time of arrival at the Vyborg hotel.

Placement.

Free time.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Room release.

Check out of the hotel with your belongings.

08:00 Transfer to Karelia (285 km).

Stop at the fortress of Korela.

The acquaintance with the northern region will begin with the fortress in the city of Priozersk on the site of an ancient settlement mentioned in the chronicles as Korela. Then you will go to the Northern Ladoga region, to the city of Sortavala.

Highway tour about Karelia.

During the guided tour, you will learn about one of the most beautiful trails in the Leningrad region and the Republic of Karelia, hear a story about the ancient history of the Karelian Isthmus and its amazing nature.

13:00 Lunch at a cafe in Sortavala.

Stop at the Akhvenkoski waterfalls.

An entrance ticket to the ecotrope can be purchased on request on the spot for an additional fee (adult – 500 rubles, student – 400 rubles).

After lunch at a cafe, we will make a stop at a picturesque place – the Akhvenkoski waterfalls. The system of cascades on the Tohmajoki River, which do not freeze even in winter, became famous after the release of the film "And the dawns here are quiet." Waterfalls are one of the most popular photo zones in Karelia today.

15:30 Excursion to Ruskeala Mountain Park (Marble Canyon).

Ruskeala Mountain Park is another gem of Karelian nature. The main attraction is the man–made Marble Canyon, famous for its beauty.

A huge bowl of white stone, carved by the hand of a man in the rock, is half filled with emerald-colored water. It was from here that marble was delivered for the Marble and Mariinsky Palaces, St. Isaac's Cathedral.

After the tour, you will have free time for an independent walk through the mountain park.

17:00 Departure from Ruskeala Mountain Park by retro train (extra charge)*.

Tickets for the Ruskeala Express retro train must be purchased in advance on your own. The train arrives at the railway station in Sortavala at 18:10.

If you wish, you can complete your tour in the park by taking a retro train to Sortavala, where our bus to St. Petersburg will pick you up. To date, this is the only daily locomotive-powered train in Russia, the interior of which is designed in the style of the Nikolaevsky Express.

The entourage will allow you to enjoy the atmosphere of the era of imperial Russia, touch the history and take unusual photos.

*Please note that by choosing the option of traveling by retro train, free time in the park is reduced.

17:30 Departure from the Ruskeala Mountain Park by bus to St. Petersburg (310 km).

Technical stop at the railway station in Sortavala.

Visit to the trout farm company store.

We will make a stop at the trout farm company store so that everyone can try and purchase Karelian fish delicacies from the farm.

Later return to St. Petersburg.

Accommodation at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel (if the "no breakfast" tariff is not selected).

09:00 Meeting with the guide in the hotel lobby.

Peterhof bus tour "There are fountains shining with silver..."

The tour will give you an unforgettable encounter with one of the most famous suburban imperial residences. The road that will lead us to Peterhof still cherishes the traces of bygone centuries. The preserved monuments and manors recreate the atmosphere of rural life in Russia at the end of the XIX – beginning of the XX century.

Peterhof Fountain Park tour.

The Lower park has an area of 102 hectares and stretches for more than 2 kilometers along the shore of the Gulf of Finland. It took incredible efforts to turn the deserted swampy shore of the Gulf of Finland into a luxurious park with fountains and cascades.

Moreover, all the work was done manually – tons of fertile land were imported, ornamental trees and shrubs were planted, which were able to take root in the cold northern climate. Peterhof is the capital of fountains, a magical garden with a palace topped by a golden vase standing on the roof.

Its base is the Grand Cascade, an incredible aquatic extravaganza with fountains and sculptures. The jet of the most famous fountain "Samson" rises to the height of a seven-story building. In terms of splendor and richness of decoration, Peterhof surpassed its prototype, the French Versailles, and became the most striking palace ensemble in Europe.

Where to have lunch?

After the tour, you will have 1.5-2 hours of free time to walk around the park and have a snack on your own. There are fast food outlets on the territory of the park, as well as the Standart cafe, where the cost of a set lunch is 850-950 rubles per person. If you want to save money, we recommend taking drinks and snacks with you and having a picnic on the shore of the Gulf of Finland.

The place of the end of the program: Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station.

Program duration: ~ 7 hours.

Breakfast at the hotel (if the "no breakfast" tariff is not selected).

Room release before 12:00.

Check out of the hotel on your own.

Free day.

The departure time for excursions can be changed to earlier or later.

It is possible to change the order of excursions, as well as replace them with equivalent ones.