Silver Ring Tour

Morning - pick-up at the hotel or train station in St. Petersburg by the guide and departure for Veliki Novgorod - one of the most important towns in the Russian history (188 km by private car or bus).
Accommodation at the hotel. Walking Novgorod tour including Novgorod Kremlin, St. Sophia Cathedral of the 11th century and Monument "Millennium of Russia".
Optional: tour to the St. Yury Monastery of the 11th Century.
Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure for a provincial town of Tikhvin (250 km).
Visit to the Tikhvin Monastery. Walking tour around the Monastery, founded in the 16th Century, with the famous Wonder-Working Icon of Our Lady of Tikhvin.
Monastic food is served for a lunch in the Refectory of the Monastery, where Russian Tsars Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great had their meals centuries ago. Since then the Refectory has not changed a lot.
Accommodation at the hotel in Tikhvin. Overnight at the hotel.
(B, L)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure for the town of Sortavala, located on the northern shore of the biggest European Lake - Lake Ladoga (430 km).
En-route: tour to the fortress and historical village of Staraya Ladoga (Old Ladoga) (first mentioned in 753), which is also called "Ancient capital of Russia".
Lunch.
Visit to Aleksander Svirsky Monastery (16th Century).
Accommodation at the hotel in Sortavala. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
(B, L, D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure for Valaam Island (60 minutes one way by hydrofoil).
Walking tour to Valaam Monastery, including the Cathedral of the Transfiguration and minor monasteries (sketes).
A concert of traditional church songs. Lunch in the refectory.
Departure back for Sortavala.
Continue of the trip along the countryside to the capital of the Republic of Karelia, city of Petrozavodsk (250 km).
En-route - dinner in a traditional wooden house in the Karelian village of Kinerma.
Kinerma tour, acquaintance with culture and history of native people of the region.
Accommodation and overnight at the hotel in Petrozavodsk.
(B, L, D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Petrozavodsk city walking tour.
Departure for the Island of Kizhi, located in Lake Onego (75 minutes one way by hydrofoil, without guide).
Arrival at the Island, meet the Museum guide there.
Walking tour to the open-air Museum of Wooden Architecture Kizhi - Churches of the Transfiguration, Intercession, chapels and traditional wooden houses.
Return to Petrozavodsk in the evening.
Transfer to the train station.
~23:00 - Departure by overnight train for St. Petersburg.
(B)

1. Accommodation at tourist class hotels (en-suite WC and shower);
2. Car/bus and boat transfers as per itinerary;
3. Meals as per itinerary (B - breakfast, L - lunch, D - dinner);
4. Entrance fees and tours as per itinerary;
5. English-speaking tour leader and local guides' services;
6. Train tickets Petrozavodsk - St. Petersburg (2nd class, 4-berth sleeper cabin for 4 people).