Санкт-Петербург – Шлиссельбург (крепость Орешек) – Валаам – Старая Ладога – Свирьстрой – Мандроги – Вытегра – Череповец – Дубна – Москва

St. Petersburg is the Northern capital, built on the coast of the Gulf of Finland.

Population: ~ 5,350,000 (as of 2018).

Time: Moscow time.

Saint Petersburg is popular among tourists all over the world. This is the starting point of many routes, both large liners that make cruises on the Baltic Sea, and river ships.  Saint Petersburg is a modern city with a rich history. Its embankments, palaces, temples and parks remind of the majesty of imperial Russia. And many architectural monuments keep traces of the siege of Leningrad — for example, on the columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral you can see the chips that were left after the shelling.

But, of course, tourists are attracted not only by history. This is one of the most picturesque Russian cities, our Venice. St. Petersburg is especially popular during the White nights - from late May to mid-July. In these months, it does not get dark here, which means that you can walk almost all night! Another nightly entertainment is bridge lifting. Since the Neva is a navigable river, several bridges are lifted across it so that motor ships can pass under them. Also, once in St. Petersburg, we advise you not to miss the opportunity and go on a trip along the canals to admire the city from the water.

At whatever river station you are, it is better to go down to the metro and go to the center. In the metro, pay attention to the closed-type stations: you are separated from the train by a wall, you can get into the cars through special doors. One of the most beautiful stations is "Mayakovskaya".

Taking a metro to the station "Nevsky Prospekt", you will get to the heart of the city, on its main pedestrian area. We advise you to start your walking journey from here. You will cross the Griboyedov Canal and the Moika River, admire the solemn colonnade of the Kazan Cathedral, feel the atmosphere of Nevsky Prospekt, with street musicians and open cafes, and reach the Admiralty. To the left of it, on the bank of the Neva River, the famous "Bronze Horseman" is situated, and next to it — St. Isaac's Cathedral. In good weather, we recommend climbing its colonnade — there are several hundred steps leading up, but the view is worth it. This is one of the best viewing platforms in the city! The Palace Square and the Hermitage are to the right of the Admiralty where a huge number of valuable exhibits are collected: from ancient Egyptian mummies and medieval knight armor to paintings by the greatest artists.

The Spit of Vasilievsky Island with Rostral columns is not far from the Hermitage, the columns are decorated with sculptures in the form of ships prows. From here you can enjoy a picturesque view of the wide Neva River and its beautiful embankments. The Northern Capital has many popular suburbs. Most often, it is suggested to go on an additional excursion to Peterhof, the former imperial residence, which was supposed to surpass Versailles. Here you can see the Grand Palace, a giant park decorated with various fountains and sculptures.

Valaam is the largest island in the Ladoga Archipelago.

Time: Moscow time.

The Valaam Archipelago is an amazing combination of history and strict northern beauty, which makes the place attractive for tourists. You can get here by helicopter or by water: motor ships go to the island, and from St. Petersburg you can even get to Valaam by high-speed vessels of the Meteor type.

Valaam is located in that part of Lake Ladoga, which is famous for skerries — rocky islands, whose shores are cut by narrow bays and the journey to Balaam  is extremely picturesque. The history of Balaam is characterized by various events: it belonged to both Russia and Finland, and experienced a flourishing and decline. Now it is a popular tourist destination, which is visited by more than 100,000 travelers every year.

First of all, Valaam surprises travelers with its landscapes: rocky shores with viewing platforms, a fabulous dense forest with hiking trails and clear lakes that reflect the trees. And all this — in the middle of the endless Lake Ladoga. The main attraction is the monastery with a majestic cathedral, designed for 3,000 people. You can enjoy a picturesque view of the surrounding area from the walls of the monastery, and below there is a garden with apple trees, plums, and even pineapples in the greenhouses!

During the tour, travelers can also see the monasteries, although guests of the island will only be able to get to one of them: the Resurrection, built of bricks that were once produced on Valaam. Monastery pies are popular. Gourmets are also advised to pay attention to the cheese, which is made on a local farm. On Valaam, you can also buy handicrafts made of Karelian birch or shungite, a rare rock, and pillows stuffed with juniper.

Staraya Ladoga is a rural locality (a selo) in Volkhovsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia.

Population: 2,012 (2010 Census)

Time: Moscow Time.

located on the Volkhov River near Lake Ladoga, 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) north of the town of Volkhov, the administrative center of the district. It used to be a prosperous trading outpost in the 8th and 9th centuries. It was dominated by Scandinavians who were called by the name of Rus'. For that reason, it is sometimes called the first capital of Russia.

Svirstroy is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) in Lodeynopolsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Svir River several kilometers northeast of the town of Lodeynoye Pole.
Population: 927 (2010 Census).

In 1927, a large-scale construction of the Lower Svir Hydroelectric Station started, and subsequently in 1931, the concentration camp of Svirlag was established. The settlement which hosted the headquarters of Svirlag became known as Svirstroy. In the same year, Svirstroy was granted urban-type settlement status. On May 13, 1963, during the abortive Khrushhyov administrative reform, Svirstroy was subordinated to the town of Podporozhye, but on January 13, 1965 it was transferred back to Lodeynopolsky District.

Mandrogi is a small village on the bank of the Sviri River, located between Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega.

Population: ~ 50 (as of 2017).

Time: Moscow time.

Mandrogi is one of the most popular stops on cruises in Karelia. You have a choice here: You can stay on the beach, try local pies and kebabs. Or you can go on a tour of a stylized Russian village, with elegant houses, stables, craft workshops and an unusual museum. Tourists also love the Handicraft Settlement, where you can watch how the craftsmen work: they cast candles, sculpt them from clay, weave them from birch bark and make decorations using flowers. There are also musicians who play ancient instruments.

Vytegra was first mentioned in 1496 as Vytegorsky Pogost (Вытегорский Погост). Since 1710, it was known as Vyangi ,  located at the confluence of the Vytegra and the Vyangi Rivers.

Population: 10,488 (2010 Census)

Time: Moscow Time.

In the course of the administrative reform carried out in 1708 by Peter the Great, Vyangi was included into Ingermanland Governorate (known from 1710 as Saint Petersburg Governorate). In 1715, a shipyard was founded on the Vytegra River upstream from Vyangi, which remained in operation until 1847.

In 1773, Vyangi was chartered and renamed Vytegra and in 1776 Vytegorsky Uyezd was established as one of the uyezds of Olonets Province in the newly established Novgorod Viceroyalty. A sequence of administrative reforms followed. In 1781, Olonets Oblast was transferred to Saint Petersburg Governorate, and in 1784, it was transformed into an independent administrative unit, Olonets Viceroyalty. In 1785, Vytegorsky Uyezd was abolished and merged into Pudozhsky Uyezd. In 1799, Olonets Viveroyalty was abolished and divided between Novgorod and Arkhangelsk Governorates. Vytegorsky Uyezd returned to Novgorod Governorate. In 1801, Olonets Governorate was established, and Vytegorsky Uyezd became one of its several uyezds.

In 1922, Olonets Governorate was abolished and Vytegra was transferred to Petrograd Governorate (later Leningrad Oblast). On August 1, 1927, the uyezds in Leningrad Oblast were abolished and Vytegorsky District with the administrative center in Vytegra was established as a part of Lodeynoye Pole Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. On September 23, 1937, it was transferred to newly established Vologda Oblast. During World War II, Finnish troops occupied the western part of Oshtinsky District and in October 1941, prepared an advance to Vytegra. The Finnish advance was stopped by the Red Army, but the occupation continued until June 1944. Vytegra was under threat for these two and a half years, but was never occupied.

Population: 312,310 (2010 Census).

Time: Moscow Time.

The origin of the word «Cherepovets» is a subject of much debate among the local historians. According to one version, the city supposedly received its name from the word "skull". In antiquity, a pagan sanctuary was there in honor of the god Veles on the hill at the confluence of the Sheksna and Yagorba Rivers. The top of the hill was called the skull. Another version suggests that the word «Cherepovets» originates from the name of the tribe «Ves», who inhabited the Sheksna's banks. According to this version, "Cherepovets" in the language of local indigenous Veps means «Veps' fish hill».

Dubna is a town in Moscow Oblast, Russia. It has a status of naukograd (i.e. town of science), being home to the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, an international nuclear physics research center and one of the largest scientific foundations in the country.

Population: 70,663 (2010 Census)

Time: Moscow Time.

Fortress Dubna belonging to Rostov-Suzdal Principality was built in the area in 1132 by the order of Yuri Dolgoruki and existed until 1216. The fortress was destroyed during the feudal war between the sons of Vsevolod the Big Nest. The village of Gorodishche was located on the right bank of the Volga River and was a part of the Kashin Principality. Dubna customs post was located in the area and was a part of the Principality of Tver. Before the October Revolution, few villages were in the area: Podberezye was on the left bank of the Volga, and Gorodishche, Alexandrovka, Ivankovo, Yurkino, and Kozlaki were on the right bank. Right after the Revolution one of the first collective farms was organized in Dubna area. In 1931, the Orgburo of the Communist Party made a decision to build the Volga-Moscow Canal. Genrikh Yagoda, then the leader of the State Political Directorate, was put in charge of construction. The Canal was completed in 1937. Ivankovo Reservoir and Ivankovo hydroelectrical plant were also created as a part of the project. Many villages and the town Korcheva were submerged under water. Dubna is mentioned in Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's book The Gulag Archipelago as the town built by Gulag prisoners. Since 2007 Dubna is a headquarters and primary location of international jazz festival MuzEnergo with free for public one-day open air festival in summer and one-week events in local venues in spring and autumn.

There are several museums in Dubna, including:

• Museum of Archeology and Local History of Dubna
• The JINRMuseum of the History of Science and Technology
• Museum of Natural History at Dubna International University
• Museum of Locks

Moscow is the capital of Russia, one of the oldest and at the same time modern cities.

Population: ~ 12,506,000 (as of 2018).

Time: Moscow time.

Moscow attracts tourists from all over the world. The key matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup were held here, but guests from other countries and cities come here at any time.

Cruises to Moscow are one of the most popular trips. This is due to the beauty of Moscow itself, and to the picturesque river landscapes that can be seen along the way.

Over the past few years, Moscow has changed beyond recognition. This is real city of contrasts: old mansions, interactive museums, large green parks, popular theater premieres and modern skyscrapers. This is a city that never seems to sleep and never ceases to amaze.

There are two river stations in Moscow. Most motor ships come to the North, but if you find yourself in the South, we recommend you to go to Kolomenskoye Park. The former royal residence, now a green park with shady alleys, observation decks, picturesque views of the Moskva River and the Ascension Church, which is included in the UNESCO Heritage List.

All attractions are best reached by metro. The Moscow Metro is not only a convenient and fast mode of transport, its stations are one the most beautiful in the world.

Getting off at the Teatralnaya station, you will find yourself in the very center of Moscow. The Bolshoi Theater is very close, it is worth going a little to the left and you will find yourself at the Alexander Garden, situated at the walls of the Kremlin, and on the Red Square, paved with paving stones. A short walk away is Zaryadye Park, a green island in the heart of the city, with interactive and music venues and the famous Floating Bridge.

Those who love art, try to get to the Tretyakov Gallery or the Pushkin Museum during their visit to Moscow. Moscow City attracts connoisseurs of modern cities — by the way, here you can climb to the observation deck to admire the city from a height. Another famous observation deck is located on the Ostankino TV Tower, the tallest building in Europe. And young guests of the capital will be interested in the Moscow zoo.

One of the advantages of Moscow is the opportunity to explore it as you want. Ride on public transport to see the most interesting sights for you, walk through the streets, stop to rest in cozy cafes, or rent a bicycle.

In Moscow there is a huge number of souvenirs depicting local attractions. From earrings to decorative plates, from shawls to cups, what to choose from is up to you.

Also near most of the attractions and museums there are special shops where you can buy books, commemorative posters and postcards.