A tale of bygone years for the May weekend. National route in the Novgorod region

In this May tour, we will go through the ancient cities of Russia and get acquainted with the places where the history of our country began.

You will find the Imperial city of Staraya Russa, where the great works of Dostoevsky were created, Veliky Novgorod with the princely court of Yaroslav the Wise and St. George Monastery, and Valdai with the famous bell craft.

Location

Veliky Novgorod
from
$154
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
3 Days
2 Nights
Departures
  • Group departures
    • 8 – 10 November
    • 15 – 17 November
    • 22 – 24 November
    • 29 November – 1 December
    • Dates for next season
    • 27 – 29 April, 2025
    • 8 – 10 May, 2025
or
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    2 nights
Comfort
  • Upscale
Difficulty
Easy
Suitable for everyone
Group
Up to 40 people
Minimum age
5 years old
Group meet at
Veliky Novgorod
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

The famous Valdai bells
Let's dive into the history of the Valdai bell industry and ring the famous bells
We will visit an ancient health resort
We will walk along the mineral lakes and admire the fountain, where water gushes from the ground
Let's get acquainted with the princely court
Let's walk through Yaroslav's hillfort and try our hand at ancient crafts

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Valdai and the famous bell industry

    Arrival in Novgorod (we meet the train from Moscow and St. Petersburg). 

    Meeting with the guide at the railway station at the main entrance from the platform.

    Guaranteed hotel accommodation at 14.00. 

    Morning check-in if possible. You can leave your belongings free of charge in the luggage room of the hotel.

    Breakfast at the hotel

    Departure to Valdai "Pearl of the Novgorod region" (132 km).

    The excursion program "Tales and legends of the Valdai Backyard" is a visit to the only Bell Museum in Russia. The museum contains a variety of types of bells. Here, in the museum, you can not only learn the history of Valdai and the amazing Valdai bell craft, but also personally ring the famous bells (it is possible to replace them with a visit to the Museum Bell Center).

    Free time at the Teremok guest complex in the center of Valdai. A shop with traditional souvenirs and exclusive Valdai products — bells, bagels, gingerbread, local varieties of tea, mugs, plates, T-shirts, magnets with Valdai symbols.

    Visit to the Valdai National Park – The architectural ensemble of the Iversky Monastery: Assumption Cathedral (1656) – the first stone building of the monastery, the Chapel of the Iversky Monastery (XIX century).

    Return to Veliky Novgorod.

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  • Day 2 - Getting to know Veliky Novgorod
  • Day 3 - Staraya Russa, Dostoevsky's house and the oldest health resort
Difficulty
Suitable for everyone
Tour organizer's comments

Sightseeing trips to Staraya Russa and Valdai and excursions to Veliky Novgorod are waiting for you.

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    2 nights
Comfort
  • Upscale

The tour provides accommodation in a hotel of your choice in Veliky Novgorod.

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

HotelRoom category

Place in

2-bed room

Place in

1-bed room

3rd look at the additional. location

Package lunches

(3 lunches)

Dinner Package

(3 dinners at the hotel)

"Bianchi" 4*

The buffet

Standard2663635340138361650-

Beresta Park Hotel 4*

(swimming pool + sauna) 
 The buffet

Standard2256530885139891650 
Business234613216513989

Volkhov 4*

The buffet

Standard19110207741309516501650
Improved209002384513095

Sadko 3*

The buffet

Standard15653165501117416501650
Improved162942423011174

Intourist 3*

The buffet

Standard15015183421117516501650
Comfort160502375011175
«Welcome inn» 3* 
 The buffet
Standard15525177001258016501650

For a child under 14 years of age, a discount of 400 rubles is available for any accommodation option.

Volkhov Hotel or Sadko Hotel or 2 nights
Volkhov Hotel

The Volkhov Hotel is the oldest operating hotel in Veliky Novgorod. The housewarming party in the historical center of the city on Predtechenskaya Street took place back in 1959, on August 8 and was timed to coincide with the celebrations dedicated to the 1,100 th anniversary of the ancient Russian city.

Initially, the hotel had 108 rooms, its main decoration was a marble staircase.
The complete reconstruction of the building, carried out in 1998-1999, turned the hotel into a modern, comfortable hotel that meets all standards. Moreover, without violating the original architectural plan, preserving all the positive features of a good-quality building.

In 2013-2014, a large-scale renovation of the halls and rooms was carried out, and the hotel was transformed again. The hotel's room stock and appearance are updated every year.

For business people, the hotel provides technically equipped conference rooms and a meeting room, for tourists - a travel agency and a souvenir shop. And for everyone — cozy rooms and a lobby bar with fresh press, a European-level restaurant and a library.

The Volkhov Hotel is located in the very center of the city, a two-minute walk from the Kremlin.

Modern technical equipment, service, proximity to the center of urban business life and convenient transport links create comfortable conditions for guests, both for active work and for recreation.

At your service:

  • 123 cozy rooms;
  • Free Wi-Fi;
  • Marusya Restaurant;
  • lobby bar;
  • two conference rooms with 50 seats;
  • parking lot;
  • billiard;
  • organization of sightseeing and transport services, tours, master classes;
  • laundry service;
  • safe deposit box (at the reception), luggage storage.
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Another option
Sadko Hotel

The best hotel of its class in Veliky Novgorod. The hotel is named after the hero of Russian epics. The Sadko Hotel complex is located in the historical part of Veliky Novgorod near the city center – the Kremlin.

Monuments of medieval architecture, unique museum collections, preserved picturesque landscape, convenient geographical location create excellent conditions for productive work and good rest at the Sadko hotel. 

The hotel was renovated in 2006 and is currently undergoing partial renovation of rooms (20203). 
Number of rooms: 171 rooms – consists of 77 single rooms (this is the largest hotel of its class in terms of single rooms in the city), 75 double rooms, 5 junior suites and 14 suites.

The rooms are equipped with a TV and a telephone, a bath/ shower, a toilet, a necessary set of furniture: a bed, a desk, a chair, a bedside table, a lounge chair (in all except double rooms), a mirror, a wardrobe. A city telephone directory is provided free of charge, and a hairdryer and iron are provided upon request.

We are glad to inform you that all rooms of the hotel are provided with WI-FI access to Restaurants and bars: The restaurant of the Sadko Hotel has a cozy homely atmosphere for guests. Friendly staff, legendary richness of the Russian table, healthy products and reasonable prices are waiting for you. 

The menu will delight guests with an abundance and variety of dishes, half of which are branded. Express cafe (winter and summer version) It offers: On the ground floor there is a conference hall with 50 seats, a souvenir kiosk, a hairdresser. Foreign languages of service: English, German.

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Another option
Intourist Hotel

Intourist is a convenient hotel for tourists and business people in the center of Veliky Novgorod.

The Novgorod Kremlin, St. Sophia Cathedral, regional and city administrations, important sports facilities of the city, concert venues, and a drama theater are within walking distance from the hotel.

The Intourist Hotel offers its guests 118 comfortable rooms of various categories and prices. There are rooms for people with reduced mobility.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, including in the rooms.

Additional services: restaurant services, conference room, business center services.
Round-the-clock security, video surveillance in public areas, safes and luggage storage are the key to the safety of your stay at the Intourist Hotel.

There is no smoking in the rooms of the Intourist Hotel.

Check-out time at the hotel is 12.00, check-in time is 14:00. If there are available rooms, it is possible to check in before the check-in time without additional payment

We accept cash / non-cash rubles, Visa, MasterCard, Maestro bank cards.

Intourist – reliability, quality, affordable prices!

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Another option
Welcome inn hotel

The Welcome inn Hotel is a hotel with a big green heart in the historical center of Veliky Novgorod.

You will find the smile and cordiality of our staff, comfortable rooms with everything you need for relaxation, an individual approach to each guest.

Hotel rooms:

  • standard 1-bed - 2 rooms;
  • standard 2-bed - 26 rooms;
  • studio - 6 rooms;
  • suite - 2 rooms;
  • apartment - 1 room.

All rooms have a TV, telephone, hairdryer, bathroom. Free Wi-fi access and free parking are also available for hotel guests.

Children under 7 years old stay free of charge, if necessary, we provide a playpen cot.
Pets are allowed at an additional cost.

The hotel has a restaurant-bar "Izyum", where guests can enjoy delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners, room service.

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Another option
The Bianchi Hotel

The Bianchi Hotel is a non—chain comfortable hotel in a 19th century mansion. Located in the historical part of Veliky Novgorod, it combines all modern technologies that ensure your comfort with a cozy classic interior.

The building in which our hotel is located was built at the end of the 18th century and is an architectural monument. Before the opening of the hotel, the building was completely renovated and provided with all modern engineering systems for the convenience of guests. There are many historically important attractions in the immediate vicinity of the hotel, which are the center of attraction for all tourists.

First of all, this is Yaroslavovo Dvorishche i Torg, a historical architectural complex that, along with the Novgorod Kremlin, is the main architectural dominant of the historical city center. Of particular historical and artistic value is another monument located within walking distance from the hotel — the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyina Street — a temple built in 1374 and famous for the fact that it alone preserved frescoes by Theophanes the Greek.

And right in the courtyard of the hotel you can see the surviving part of the building of the "Kruzhechny Dvor" of the beginning of the XVIII century. The hotel offers a sauna and massage room, paid parking with video surveillance. The Bianchi Hotel also offers you buffet breakfasts under the ancient brick arches of the Kruzhechny Dvor cafe-bar.

The BIANCHI Hotel offers a comfortable sauna. The spacious sauna can accommodate 6 people. For the convenience of guests, the SPA area has changing rooms with lockable drawers for clothes. The sauna is open daily upon request. You can visit the sauna, subject to availability, on a date of your choice. You can book a sauna in advance or upon arrival at the reception.

The hotel offers parking for your car adjacent to the hotel building, equipped with a barrier and a video surveillance system.

In the basement of the hotel there is a cozy authentic bar "Kruzhechny Dvor", named after the historical Kruzhechny dvor, which was located next to the hotel building at the end of the XVIII century.

You can still see the surviving parts of this ancient monument in the courtyard of our hotel building. Now we are ready to treat you to a delicious breakfast in the morning and light snacks and drinks throughout the day and evening. There are also games that everyone loves in the bar — chess, backgammon, dominoes.

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Another option
Beresta Park Hotel 4*

Beresta Park Hotel is located in Veliky Novgorod, 2 km from the center.

All conditions for a comfortable stay are created here — there is a refrigerator, TV, hairdryer, iron, safe, heating, terrace, mini-bar.

The hotel has a restaurant, a bar, a sauna, and a conference room. And you'll probably want to relax by the pool — it's here too. And indoor. Each guest will have Internet access, you can upload photos, send a file or call your family by video.

If you have a car, you can leave it in the parking lot. If you get there on your own, use the transfer service.

At your service: dry cleaning, laundry, room service, luggage storage, express check-in/check-out.

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Tour conditions

Group
up to 40 tourists
Minimum age
5 years old
Duration
3 days 2 nights
Group meets at
Veliky Novgorod

Included in price

  • accommodation in a hotel of the selected category;
  • meals (3 breakfasts);
  • tour service;
  • transport support according to the tour program;
  • group meeting and departure at the railway station;
  • guide services.

Paid extra

  • air and railway tickets to Veliky Novgorod and back;
  • lunches and dinners (dinners are paid for when buying a tour, lunches are available on site);
  • additional excursions (the cost should be checked with the guide):
    • visit to the interactive museum "The Manor of the medieval Rushanin" — 300 rubles.

It's important to know

Are plane tickets included in the price of the tour?

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?
Are there any possible changes in the program?
What additional excursions are there?

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification