Novgorod, one of the oldest cities of Russia, is situated 200 km away from St. Petersburg. The city is indeed as old as the Russian country, and once was related to as "Novgorod the Great". It was founded in the middle of the 9th century (in 856), and named Novgorod that in Russian means "the new city". At an early date it became the center of the Russian Domain that stretched from the Baltic Sea to the area of the upper stream of the Volga River, and the Ural Mountains.

Once being a mighty rival to Kiev and Moscow the city turned eventually into a tourist Mecca teeming with numerous historical monuments, and masterpieces of the medieval architecture.

We invite our guests to join a one-day trip to the land of legendary Sadko. On the way to Novgorod the Great the guests will see the typical landscape of the Russian North, will pass many Russian villages with wooden houses, will learn a lot about the thousand year history of this former Hansa city that stood in the trade way from the Varangians to the Greeks, and will hear the historic legends associated with the oldest Russian city. They will also learn many interesting facts about this land and its people, about their everyday life, customs and traditions.

Day 1

On arrival in Novgorod (about 11 a.m.) the guests are welcome in the Russian traditional way with "bread and salt", and with dances and songs performed by a Russian folklore group.

After a short coffee break at the hotel "Beresta" the guests are invited to a sightseeing tour of Novgorod, to visit the Kremlin and the Cathedral of St. Sophia - the oldest in Russia, to see the numerous ancient churches in the streets of the city, and the site of the old trade center.

After a delicious Russian lunch served in a special restaurant with a traditional glass of vodka the guests are taken on a trip to the Ilmen Lake to visit the Yuri's Monastery and the Cathedral of St. George, dating back to the 11th century; an excursion to the museum of the wooden architecture in the open air.

Before a long way (200 km) back to St. Petersburg the guests are once again taken to the hotel 'Beresta' and treated there with a cup of coffee. They are announced the guests of honor and are awarded special birch rind medals to commemorate their visit to Novgorod.