The year of 2003 was very rich in anniversary dates.

'The Venice of the North', St. Petersburg, and the capital of the 'land of the thousand lakes', Petrozavodsk, celebrated their 300th-anniversary.

One of the oldest cities of Russia, Pskov, that used to be an advanced post on the western borders of Russia for many a century, celebrates its 1100th anniversary.

Old Ladoga, rightly called the very first capital of Russia, observes its 1250th anniversary.

Having its own unique destiny each of these cities played an outstanding role in the establishment of the Russian State, in its glorious history, culture and traditions.

Day 1

Arrival in St. Petersburg, Transfer to hotel, check-in, dinner at hotel

Day 2

Breakfast, sightseeing tour of the city including a visit to one of the functioning Russian Orthodox churches and to the St. Isaac's Cathedral. Dinner at hotel.

Day 3

Breakfast, time at leisure, trip to Peterhof (tour of the Grand Palace and of the world famous Lower Park with fountains), dinner in a city restaurant, transfer to the railway station to board a night train to Petrozavodsk.

Day 4

Arrival in Petrozavodsk, breakfast in a city restaurant, trip across the lake Onega to Kizhi Island, return by a hydrofoil to Petrozavodsk, sightseeing tour of the city. Dinner in a city restaurant with a folklore show, transfer to the railway station to board a night train to St. Petersburg.

Day 5

Arrival in St. Petersburg, transfer to hotel, breakfast, time at leisure, excursion to the Hermitage Museum. Dinner at hotel.

Day 6

Breakfast, bus trip to Pskov, check-in at hotel, sightseeing tour of Pskov, including the Kremlin, the Fortress, and samples of ancient worldly architecture of Pskov. Excursion to the icon workshop at the St. John Cathedral. Private meeting and talk with one of the priests. Dinner at hotel.

Day 7

Breakfast, visit to Our Lady's Ascension Monastery in Pechory and the caves in the Holy Mountain - the burial ground of monks, defenders of the monastery and its benefactors (there are 7 galleries 217 meters long); lunch in the fireplace room at the pan cakes house of the Izhorsk Fortress. Return to St. Petersburg by bus, check-in, dinner at hotel.

Day 8

Breakfast, morning at leisure, afternoon tour of the Peter & Paul Fortress, the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul - the burial ground of the Romanovs dynasty.

Day 9

Breakfast, a whole day trip to Old Ladoga, tour of its sanctuaries: the church of St. George with famous frescoes dating back to the 12th century, the wooden church of Demetrius Solunsky (17th century), St. Nicholas Monastery, Our Lady's Assumption Cloisters. Lunch or picnic on the way. Dinner at hotel.

Day 10

Breakfast, trip to the summer residences of the Royal Family in Tsarskoye Selo and in Pavlovsk, farewell dinner with the Russian folklore show

Day 11

Breakfast, check out, transfer to the airport.