The heart of the Russian land. New Year's tour to Pskov and Veliky Novgorod

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Pskov and Veliky Novgorod are ancient Russian cities that stood at the origins of Russia. The "Heart of the Russian Land" tour is a wonderful weekend and holiday trip that will immerse you in the history of these cities.

You will visit the Pskov Kremlin, namely the Chamber of Orders and climb to the observation deck of the Vlasyevskaya Tower, and in Veliky Novgorod you will have a theatrical tour of the territory of the Novgorod Kremlin, which will be conducted by a medieval resident of Novgorod. In the city of Chudovo you will get acquainted with the work and life of the poet Nikolai Alekseevich Nekrasov and the writer Gleb Ivanovich Uspensky.

Location

Saint-Petersburg

Sightseeing tours

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Tour highlights

The most beautiful temple in the North-West of Russia

Visit the Holy Trinity Cathedral – the heart of Pskov land. It was here that Alexander Nevsky prayed before the start of the Ice Battle

Literary education

In the city of Chudovo you will get acquainted with the work and life of the poet Nikolai Alekseevich Nekrasov and the writer Gleb Ivanovich Uspensky

The work of the Novgorod masters

You will admire the works of masters of applied art, expositions about the life and culture of the region, and also attend a master class on making whistles

Itinerary

Day 1 - Sightseeing tour of Pskov
07:00 Departure from Ligovsky Prospekt 10 (Oktyabrskaya Hotel).
07:30 Departure from Moskovskaya metro station, Demonstration passage.
Arrival in Pskov.
Sightseeing tour of the city.
The city of Pskov is one of the pearls of Russia. According to historians, Pskov is one of the most ancient cities in Russia.
Like many ancient Russian cities, Pskov was founded on a hilly promontory formed by two rivers: the Pskovaya and the Velikaya.
According to the chronicles, Grand Duchess Olga visited Pskov land in 957. The princess was standing on the bank of the Velikaya River, and she had a vision: three rays that came from the sky converged on the opposite bank.
It was at this place that Olga ordered the cathedral to be built in honor of the Holy Trinity, and the city around it.
Guided tour of the Pskov Kremlin.
The Pskov Kremlin is located on a high promontory at the confluence of the Pskov and Velikaya rivers. The walls of the Kremlin are made of hewn limestone, rise to a height of 8 meters and reach a thickness of up to 6 meters.
The longest wall, 435 meters long, has been preserved on the eastern side, and the shortest section of the wall, 88 meters, can be seen in the south of the Pskov Kremlin.
The Kremlin's ensemble includes fortifications with stone walls and towers, objects of the Dovmont city with temple foundations, the 17th-century Prikaznaya Chamber and the Trinity Cathedral with a bell tower.
Lunch.
Visit to the Trinity Cathedral.
Holy Trinity Cathedral is the heart of Pskov land and one of the most beautiful temples in the North-West of Russia.
The cathedral began to be built back in the 10th century by order of Princess Olga. It was here that Alexander Nevsky prayed before the start of the Ice Battle.
Pskov princes, bishops and representatives of the clergy are buried in the crypt of the Trinity Cathedral, as well as the mythical fool Nikola Salos, who in 1570 stood up for the city before the punitive troops of Ivan the Terrible.
Check-in at the hotel.
Free time.

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Day 2 - Porkhov. Excursion to the Hansa Museum. Excursion to the Soletsk Museum of Local Lore. Master class on making whistles
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Porkhov.
Guided tour of the fortress.
The fortress was built in 1387.
Prince Alexander Nevsky is considered the founder. The fortress has four towers: Srednyaya, Nikolskaya, Malaya and Pskovskaya.
The heyday of the Porkhovskaya fortress occurred during the period when Polish and Lithuanian troops marched here, and after the annexation of Novgorod and Pskov to the Moscow Principality, Porkhovsky Castle gradually began to lose its importance.
Hansa Museum tour.
In the museum you will get acquainted with the history of the Hanseatic League, find out what goods were transported to Russia and imported to Europe, and get acquainted with maps of trade routes by land and by water.
Transfer to Solci.
Lunch.
Excursion to the Soletsk Museum of Local Lore.
The museum was established in 1975. It is located in the old mansion of the merchant Krasikov at the end of the 19th century.
It contains works of art by local craftsmen and expositions about the life and culture of the region, as well as exhibitions of paintings and applied art by masters of the Soletsky district, Novgorod and the region.
A master class on making whistles.
Transfer to Novgorod.
Check-in at the hotel.
Day 3 - A tour of the territory of the Novgorod Kremlin. Excursion to the Museum-estate of N.A. Nekrasov. Excursion to the House-Museum of G.I. Uspensky. Completion of the tour
Breakfast at the hotel.
Guided tour of the Novgorod Kremlin with a visit to St. Sophia Cathedral.
Transfer to Chudovo.
Excursion to the Museum-estate of N.A. Nekrasov "Chudovskaya Luka" and the Agricultural School named after N.A. Nekrasov.
Nikolai Alekseevich Nekrasov acquired the Chudovskaya Luka estate in 1871 from the Vladimirovs landowners, which was located on the bend of the Kerest River one verst from the Chudovo station, hence the name Chudovskaya Luka.
Nekrasov spent the summer of 1874 at his dacha in the Novgorod province.
In two months, N.A.Nekrasov wrote 11 poems, which made up the so-called "Chudovsky cycle" and were included in the golden fund of his poetry.
It was here that the poet created many lyrical works and poems "Contemporaries", and also completed work on the poem "Who lives well in Russia".
The agricultural school named after N. A. Nekrasov was opened in 1892 by the poet's sister A. A. Butkevich.
Today, the literary exhibition "Nekrasov and the Novgorod Region", an exhibition hall and a 19th-century school classroom are located here.
Lunch.
Excursion to the House Museum of G.I. Uspensky.
The museum was established in 1935 in the writer's house, where he lived with his family.
Gleb Ivanovich is known not only for his literary and journalistic works, but also for the fact that, having studied and systematized the genre of "folk song", he introduced the term "chastushka" into literary use.
Dozens of works appeared and were created in September, and it was here that the writer made observations and impressions from trips to Siberia, the Caucasus, the Don, and Bulgaria.
Gleb Ivanovich's "Monster" cycle includes the following works: "Suburban Peasant", "Hut on chicken legs", "It came to mind", "On the grass" and others.
Transfer to St. Petersburg.
Departure to Moscow from St. Petersburg, Moskovsky Railway Station is recommended by trains departing after 22:30.

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Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Hotel

2 nights

Comfort

Upscale

The tour includes hotel accommodation in Pskov and Veliky Novgorod.

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

The Rizhskaya Hotel/Intourist 3* TWIN – 19,500 rubles.
The Rizhskaya Hotel/Russia 3* TWIN – 19,500 rubles.
The Rizhskaya Hotel/Intourist 3* SGL – 23,500 rub.

Discount for pensioners – 400 rubles.

3 meals on request – 1,650 rubles.

The Intourist Hotel is located in Veliky Novgorod. It offers free access to a free Wi-Fi network. Car owners will be able to use private parking. If necessary, you can use a washing machine and ironing facilities.

The hotel offers 118 rooms decorated in a modern style. They are equipped with everything that is so necessary for a cozy and comfortable stay. The bathroom must have a hairdryer and personal hygiene products.

In the morning, you can order a delicious breakfast at a reasonable price. Products can be purchased in the nearest shops and supermarkets. You can also have a delicious meal at the nearest restaurant.

A conference room for 60 people is specially equipped for business people on the territory. It is fully equipped with special appliances and furniture.

Next to the hotel there is the Church of Simeon the God-Giver, the drama theater named after F. M. Dostoevsky, as well as the Dukhov Monastery. The distance to the airport is approximately 187 kilometers.

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Amax Russia, G. V. Novgorod

The Amaks Russia Hotel is located on the coast of the Volkhov River in Veliky Novgorod. This is a three-storey building, which has a fairly convenient location. Among the services provided to guests are the following: free Wi-Fi, which is available throughout the territory, a parking area for cars, luggage storage, cooler, laundry, ironing service, shuttle service, wake-up service and a safe. In addition, registration of foreign citizens is possible here. There is also a small library where various volumes of works by great writers are collected. Those who wish can pre-book a city tour.

The comfortable and cozy apartments are decorated in warm, pastel colors of the standard of the AMAKS Hotels&Resorts chain. Depending on the category, the rooms have refrigerators, TVs, a table, a chair, a wardrobe, a bedside table, a luggage rack, a mirror, and bathrooms are equipped with toiletries, a set of towels, a hairdryer, a bathrobe and slippers. All rooms are spacious and have good enough sound insulation, which will allow you to have a good rest after a hard day. If necessary, you can order room cleaning or change of bedding. Qualified staff will always be able to help you if you have any questions during your stay.

On the ground floor there is a wonderful restaurant, designed for 250 seats, from the windows of which there is a beautiful view. It serves delicious a la carte dishes and a variety of drinks. In addition, it is possible to order breakfast or dinner in the room. Banquets, receptions and family celebrations can be arranged on site. You will be able to plan your holiday in detail, and our staff will help you with the celebration. This is a great place for various events and memorable holidays.

For conferences, seminars, trainings, meetings of training programs, there are two halls that are fully equipped with modern presentation equipment (screen, projector, flipchart, microphone). The necessary furniture is installed here and stationery is provided. There is a large and small hall at your disposal to choose from. They are located on the ground floor of the hotel, and their area ranges from 40 sq.m to 513 sq.m. At the request of the guests, our staff organizes catering (coffee break, business lunch, buffet)

Due to its convenient location, the main infrastructure facilities can be reached in a short period of time. A five-minute walk from the Amaks Rossiya Hotel is the Novgorod Kremlin and the beach area. The train station is just a 10-minute drive away. In addition, the picturesque Ilmen Lake is 5 km away, where you can take a walk in the fresh air. In the immediate vicinity you can see the Travel Palace, the church of Praskeva-Friday at the Auction, as well as Yaroslav's Courtyard — which is an architectural monument of the X-XI centuries.

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Another option

Rizhskaya Hotel, Pskov

The Rizhskaya Hotel is one of the most famous and popular in the city. Here, tourists are greeted by an atmosphere of coziness, hospitality and comfort. The facilities include high-speed internet, tour service, mini-market on site. For guests arriving by private transport, there is ample parking.

The comfortable rooms are decorated in classic colors. All accommodation options are equipped with comfortable furniture, individual air conditioning, a TV and a small refrigerator. The private bathroom is equipped with a standard set of plumbing fixtures.

The restaurant will delight guests with delicious dishes of national and European cuisine. The bar offers a wide selection of drinks and light snacks.

For business events, the hotel offers a space of 60 square meters, on which conference rooms are located. The hall is equipped with the necessary furniture and the latest multimedia equipment.

The distance to the airport is 5.4 km, and the train station is about four kilometers away.

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Tour conditions

Group

From 15 to 44 tourists

Minimum age

10 years old

Duration

3 days 2 nights

Group meets at

Saint-Petersburg

Included in price

transportation services;
accommodation in hotels with breakfast;
services of an accompanying guide;
sightseeing tour of Pskov;
a tour of the Pskov Kremlin with a visit to the Trinity Cathedral;
tour and entrance tickets to the Porkhovskaya fortress;
excursion to the Hansa Museum;
excursion to the Soletsk Museum of Local Lore;
master class on making whistles;
a tour of the territory of the Novgorod Kremlin with a visit to St. Sophia Cathedral;
excursion to the Museum-estate of N.A. Nekrasov "Chudovskaya Luka";
excursion to the Agricultural School named after N.A. Nekrasov;
excursion to the House-Museum of G.I. Uspensky;
entrance tickets to museums.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to St. Petersburg and back;
transfer from the airport and railway station and back;
3 lunches - 1,650 rubles, additionally paid when buying a tour;
dinners;
personal expenses.

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.

Dates and Prices

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1 – 3 May 3 days 2 nights

Tour option - The heart of the Russian land. Pskov and Veliky Novgorod

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9 – 11 May 3 days 2 nights

Tour option - The heart of the Russian land. Pskov and Veliky Novgorod

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12 – 14 Jun 3 days 2 nights

Tour option - The heart of the Russian land. Pskov and Veliky Novgorod

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25 – 27 Jul 3 days 2 nights

Tour option - The heart of the Russian land. Pskov and Veliky Novgorod

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22 – 24 Aug 3 days 2 nights

Tour option - The heart of the Russian land. Pskov and Veliky Novgorod

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17 – 19 Oct 3 days 2 nights

Tour option - The heart of the Russian land. Pskov and Veliky Novgorod

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1 – 3 Jan, 2026 3 days 2 nights

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Reviews

E
Elena

about provider

10 Apr, 2025

I'm so glad I chose the 'Across the Expanses of Perm the Great' tour in July 2024. It was a high-quality, engaging, and thoughtfully designed journey through the entire Perm region. The trip was full of fascinating discoveries: ancient monasteries, unique museums, the distinctive Permian animal style and wooden deities, the history of salt production and the Stroganovs in the Urals, and much more. The natural beauty of Parma was breathtaking: dense forests, countless rivers, mountains, and even an ice cave. The hotels were comfortable, and the breakfasts and lunches were tasty, often featuring elements of local cuisine. Traveling in a small group made the experience even more enjoyable, after all, it's usually seasoned travelers who venture to the Perm region. One special moment was when we all got to bake and taste traditional gingerbread made from an old recipe, for many of us, it was a first. Huge thanks to our amazing guide, Andrey, and to Venaris, our incredibly skilled driver!

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O
Olga

about provider

30 Oct, 2024

A wonderful tour with a rich and engaging itinerary. Our guide, Svetlana, was very responsible and did an excellent job, explaining everything in detail. I was pleased with both the hotels and the food. Adding extra lunches was a great decision; it made everything more convenient, and I especially enjoyed the Pomor-style lunch at the Pomor restaurant. The transportation was also comfortable and reliable.

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