Novgorod Region gems: The Birchbark Ring by Service Tour

Valdai is a tourism fairy-tale and the birthplace of Russian rivers, lakes and breath-taking nature. We invite you to visit the city of Valdai, which was established five centuries ago, and its unique museum of bells, where you can learn about the history of bell making from ancient times to the present and try your hand at bell ringing.
Visit the gem of Russian architecture, the Valdai Iversky Monastery (est. 1653) on the picturesque Selvitsky Island of Lake Valdai, and its healing spring.

Veliky Novgorod is the birthplace of Ancient Rus, a museum city with unique medieval landmarks, including the Novgorod Kremlin, a defensive structure built in 1044 and the gem of the city where public assemblies (veche) were held, governors elected, chronicles written and books copied.

Yaroslav’s Court is a complex of medieval architectural landmarks dating back to the 11th-17th centuries where you can immerse yourself in the history of Ancient Rus.

Visit the religious centre of the Novgorod Republic – the St George’s (Yuriev) Monastery (11th century) and the Church of St George (12th century), and admire wooden architecture at the Vitoslavlitsy museum (16th-19th centuries).

Head to Staraya Russa, one of the oldest towns in the Novgorod Region, was once the home of Fyodor Dostoyevsky. With its unique urban architecture of the 17th century, it is one of Russia’s oldest resort towns (since 1828).

Visit the museum house of Fyodor Dostoyevsky to feel the atmosphere in which the world-famous writer lived and worked.

Sample traditional Staraya Russa desserts and sweets.

Highlights

• Museum of Bells
• Valdai Iversky Monastery (1653)
• The healing spring
• Yaroslav’s Court and Old Market
• The Novgorod Kremlin, including the Cathedral of St Sophia (15thcentury), the Likhud Block, the Clock Tower (Chasozvonya, 1673), the Bell Tower of the St Sophia Cathedral (15th century), and the Millennium of Russia monument
• The St George’s (Yuriev) Monastery (11th century)
• The Church of St George (12th century)
• The Vitoslavlitsy museum of wooden architecture (16th-19th centuries)
• Transfiguration Cathedral (12th century), Church of St George
• Staraya Russa resort
• The estate of a medieval resident of Staraya Russa
• Museum House of Fyodor Dostoyevsky
• Korostyn

Estimated cost upwards of 7,550 roubles per person

For more information about the itinerary, call +78162 634 801
Irina +7 921 192 5955
Tatyana +7 921 730 4343

Email stour_nov@mail.ru, servistur92@mail.ru