Санкт-Петербург – Валаам – Санкт-Петербург

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.

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.