RUSSIAN KARELIA from Archangel to St Petersburg 24 May to 7 June 2017 Russian Karelia
The history of this area which reaches up to the White Sea is intertwined with that of Finland, sharing a landscape, a mythical heritage and a language. It became part of Russia after WWII. The area has attracted monastic communities and builders of wooden churches. The petroglyphs indicate that the area has been occupied for a very long time, and there are enigmatic labyrinths which hint at something mysterious. Our journey takes us from the port of Archangel, where it sits on the banks of the Northern Dvina River, to the remarkable Solovetsky Islands. Their history describes in miniature some of the tribulations of the last century. Happily the monastic com- munity has returned and the islands have become once again a remarkable retreat. One of the notable features of this area is the use of wood for architecture. We plan to see some remarkable wooden churches at a number of places including at Kondopogo, and on Kizhi Island at the north- ern end of Onego Lake. We will also visit the monastery on Valaam Island on Lake Ladoga. Trav- elling at this time of year ensures that we experience ‘The White Nights’ of 24 hour daylight! The tour will use trains, boats and planes as well as minibuses to travel around, before we spend our last few days seeing something of the magnificent glories of St Petersburg.
HIGHLIGHTS Archangel
Open-air Museum of Wooden Architecture, Malye Korely
The Solovetsky Islands, in the White Sea
The wooden church at Kondopoga
Petrozavodsk, capital of Russian Karelia
Zizhi Island, Onego Lake
Valaam Island, Ladago Lake
St Petersburg
Led by Rufus Reade JOURNEY DETAILS
Location: Northwestern The Itinerary Russia Dates: 24 May to 7 June 24 May Flight 2017 from London to Arch- Duration: 16 nights angel via St Petersburg. Max: 14 travellers Two nights in Archan- Price: £3995 gel. Single room supplement: £300 Deposit: £500 25 May The port Tour Code: AV/RR 05/17 of Archangel is on the River Dvina just before What’s included: Direct flight it enters the White Sea. London/St Petersburg, your Its position as a major three flights within Russia, ac- port linking the northern seas times once again flourishes. commodation in 3 star hotels with Moscow has ensured that The islands form an important and best available guesthouses, it has prospered. It boasts a natural reserve. One of the all meals, all land transport by number of excellent museums: islands of the archipelago is train and by road as described the Museum of Fine Art has known as Large Hare Island in the itinerary, entry to all the a very good collection of old (Bolshoy Zayatsky) on account sites mentioned, three boat ex- icons some dating back to me- of the difficult-to-spot animals! cursions and all tips. The tour dieval times, and the Regional What we can see when we is escorted by Rufus Reade. Museum on the Northern cross to the island are very What’s not included: Person- Dvina Embankment has an many low stone and shrub lab- al travel insurance, drinks, excellent display of the history yrinths of uncertain antiquity. laundry, phonecalls, and your of the area. Outside Archangel Accommodation on the island Russian visa. a large area of woodland has is in a comfortable guesthouse been set aside for a museum of with simple food: bedrooms Operated by: Ammoun Voy- wooden architecture at Malye have attached bathrooms. ages, Creative Exchange, 29 Karely. Overnight Archangel. Constitution Street, Edinburgh 29 May Return to Arch- EH6 7BS May 26-28 Fly to the angel by plane and catch the For more information contact Solovetsky Islands for three overnight train to Belomorsk. Rufus Reade@blueyonder. nights, where a monastic com- Overnight on the train (shared co.uk or 0131 5541078 munity founded in medieval four berth compartments). 30 May Morning arrival Visitors are advised to keep to the Valaam chant. Continue by train into Belomorsk. We footpaths because of the risk by boat across Lake Ladoga to will see see the fine wooden of snakebites. Overnight in Priozersk and then by train to church, with its tented-roof Petrozavodsk. St Petersburg’s Finland Station, construction at Kem, on the where famously Lenin arrived shores of the White Sea, and 2 June City tour of in April 1917 to launch the Oc- walk for about a mile to see Petrozavodsk, the city created tober Revolution. Three nights the petroglyphs outside Belo- by Peter the Great as an im- in St Petersburg. morsk. Overnight Belomorsk. portant cannon foundry, and later to become the capital of 5 & 6 June St Petersburg 31 May After breakfast Karelia. It is now distinguished was created by Peter the Great we will drive the 22 miles by its Neoclasical architectural as the capital of Russia, and as to the 17th century wood- heritage. Overnight in Petroza- a way of giving Russia a Eu- en church at Virma with its vodsk. ropean face, with a Baltic sea crown of five cupolas, later port. The ambitious plans for continuing south to the re- 3 June Driving west we the city with its rivers gives markable wooden church at will visit the wooden church the place a lovely atmosphere. Kondopoga. We will stop at at Manga and the old Kinerma In two full days we will not be Medvezhyegorsk at the begin- village of 18th century wood- able to see more than a frac- ning of the White Sea Canal en houses, near Pryazha, as tion of what is available, but which links Lake Onego with well as the small museum in we plan to visit the Hermitage, the White Sea. Our base for Pryazha itself. Overnight in one of the largest art muse- the next three nights is Petro- Sortavala. ums in the world, St Isaac’s zavodsk. Cathedral, the Usopov Palace, 4 June Catching the fer- and enjoy a boat ride along the 1 June We will take ry we’ll cross over to Valaam waterways that snake through the boat to Kizhi Island, at the Island on Lake Ladaga, where the city. There will be time north end of Onego Lake, to a monastic community now for walking and getting some see the magnificent Church of thrives. Historically the mo- sense of this wonderful city. the Transfiguration, an 18th nastic community was regard- century, 22 domed structure, ed as the northern outpost of 7 June Transfer to the along with some of the other the Russian Orthodox Church, airport for our flight to the UK. 68 wooden building brought though at times it was under If you’d like to extend your here from all over Karelia, the Finnish Orthodox Church. stay in Russia, please let us including the 14th century The monastery of Valaam has know at the time of booking. church dedicated to Lazarus. a tradition of singing called