
Our 9-day St. Petersburg and Karelia tour combines the palaces and canals of St. Petersburg and the wooden architecture, traditional culture, and beautiful nature of the Republic of Karelia. Starting in Peter the Great’s elegant northern capital, you’ll journey north by train to Petrozavodsk on the stunning Lake Onega. From here, the capital of Russian Karelia, you’ll discover the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kizhi Pogost, an enclosure of wooden buildings that includes the magnificent 22-domed Church of the Transfiguration. Other highlights include exploring the taiga forests and lakes of the Kivach Nature Reserve, visiting the Marcial Waters Resort founded by Peter the Great, and experiencing the republic’s unique mix of Russian and Finnish culture.
Tour itinerary:
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours
During your free time in St. Petersburg, we offer the following optional activities (at additional cost):
Boat tour along the rivers and canals;
Night city tour, which includes watching bridges open;
Tickets to the Mariinsky Theatre.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours
Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours
During your free time, we offer the following optional activities (at additional cost):
Drinking tea and tasting kalitki (traditional Karelian pasties);
Horse carriage, boat, or bicycle rides in the Kizhi Museum-Reserve (boat and bicycle rides are only available from late-May to September);
Traditional craft master classes in the Kizhi Museum-Reserve.
During your free time, we offer the following optional activities (at additional cost):
Rafting trip on the Shuya River (late-May to early-September);
Mini-cruise on Lake Onega (late-May to early-September);
Visit to the Doll’s House (private art gallery).
Duration of sightseeing tour: 5-6 hours
During your free time in St. Petersburg, we offer the following optional visits and activities (at additional cost):
State Russian Museum (Mikhailovsky Palace);
Mikhailovsky Castle;
Menshikov Palace;
Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera);
Peter the Great’s Cabin;
Grand Model of Russia (a vast indoor scale model depicting Russia’s scenery, buildings, and everyday life).
- All transfers (1-2 pax by sedan type car, 3-7 pax by minivan, 8-13 pax by 30 seat bus, 14+ pax by 40-50 seat bus);
- Accommodation based on double/twin room sharing, breakfasts included;
- Sightseeing tour programme in each city with local, English-speaking guides;
- Entrance tickets to sights as per itinerary;
- Tickets for trains from St. Petersburg – Petrozavodsk – St. Petersburg;
- Visa support for Russian tourist visa;
- In groups of 11 or more travellers, 1 person travels free of charge and is accommodated in a single room.
- Tour leader to accompany the travellers for the whole period of the tour;
- Full board (lunches and dinners);
- Hotel charges for additional services;
- Consular fees for Russia tourist visa;
- International flight tickets before and after the tour;
- Personal travel insurance;
- Tips/gratuities for guides and drivers (although these would be appreciated).
Accommodation:
St. Petersburg - 4 nights | |
Ibis St. Petersburg Centre, Station Hotel L1, Hotel Bristol, Mini-hotel Centre | Solo Sokos Hotel Vasilievsky, Original Sokos Olympia Garden, Vedensky Hotel, Park Inn by Radisson Nevsky |
Petrozavodsk - 4 nights | |
Hotel Fregat, hotel Ladoga | Hotel Fregat, hotel Sacvoyage |