Valaam Island, located in the north of Lake Ladoga in Karelia, has always been of interest to tourists who come to this reserved place every year. Here you will find a unique beauty of nature: a combination of sheer cliffs and pine forests, numerous lakes, as well as the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery. Everyone can touch the history, because the ship goes to Valaam often. The distance from St. Petersburg to Valaam is 210 km, and you can get quite quickly from the northern shore of Lake Ladoga, since the distance to the island is only 18 km.
Historical digression
Some historians agree that the name of the island means high land. By the way, in the archipelago of islands there is also a small but high island - Skitsky: its height is 58.2 m. In any case, a cruise to Valaam is a great opportunity to feel part of nature among rocks, bays, islands, straits and coniferous forests. Not every resort can boast of such a unique combination! It is believed that the Valaam Monastery was founded during the Baptism of Russia by St. Herman and Sergius. In the 15th century the monastery was called the Great Lavra. heyday timemonastery fell on 1839-1917. Today, this complex attracts tourists from all over the world.
How to get there
There are several ways to get to the holy island. The most popular, comfortable, but at the same time not cheap is the motor ship to Valaam from St. Petersburg. This cruise involves traveling in a cabin (the degree of comfort depends on the cost of the purchased ticket) with meals. The ticket price also includes various excursions and entertainment. Some routes involve stops, for example, on the island of Konevets, in Sortavala or Svirstroy, but such events are paid separately.
The second way is to get to the island on a meteor from Priozersk. This route is organized by the pilgrimage service of the Valaam Monastery. First, the pilgrims go by bus to Priozersk - it takes about three hours, then the group changes to a meteor and gets to the island in an hour.
Which tour to choose
Travel companies offer ample opportunity to visit this legendary island. As already mentioned, the most convenient way is a boat to Valaam with a route, for example, St. Petersburg-Valaam-St. Petersburg, designed for one day and two nights. As part of this tour, you are expected to:
- Tourists are registered in St. Petersburg, then the ship sets off along the Neva to Lake Ladoga. During this time, tourists are waiting for dinner, various musical programs.
- At 8 am - arrival on the island in Nikonovskaya bay. Here tourists will be offered a travel guidean excursion to the Monastyrskaya bay, from which you can get back for additional money on a small boat. As part of the second day, tourists will be offered an excursion around the monastery - a visit to the Znamenskaya chapel, the monastery garden, the fraternal cemetery, and the Transfiguration Cathedral. Free time will be provided, after which you will have an excursion to the Skits of Valaam.
- Morning - return to the river station in St. Petersburg.
You can get to Valaam by helicopter, and at any time of the year. True, this method of travel is not always available. As a rule, 20 people fit on a helicopter, and even if there are not enough tourists to the required number, the seats must be purchased. The journey to the island from Moscow is quite long - a week, so it's easier and more profitable to get to St. Petersburg and from there take a boat to Valaam.
How much does it cost
As part of this tour, the boat to Valaam in September will cost:
- On the boat deck the cost of a cabin is 8700 (double) and 10500 rubles (single).
- On the middle deck, the cost is as follows: junior suite double - 11200 rubles, single cabin - 10100 rubles, double - 8400 rubles
- Tickets on the main deck - 8000 rubles for a double cabin.
- On the lower deck, a triple cabin will cost 7,000 rubles.
If you choose a ship to Valaam, ticket prices include accommodation in cabins, three meals a day, dinner on the evening of departure, all excursions included in the itinerary andentertainment programs.
Excursion to Kizhi and Valaam
You can get to the holy island with several tours offered by modern travel agencies. For example, a longer cruise on a motor ship to Valaam with an extended program is the route "St. Petersburg-Svirstroy-Kizhi-Petrozavodsk-Mandrogi-St. Petersburg". This tour is designed for 6 days / 5 nights. Departure - from St. Petersburg with dinner on the boat. Then the tourists arrive at Valaam, where they will have a walking tour of the sketes, the central courtyard, a visit to the Cathedral, a trip along the Monastery Bay. Then the group goes to Lodeynoye Pole, where a bus tour to the monastery of Alexander Svirsky will be carried out. An unforgettable experience will be given by an excursion to Kizhi - an island that consists of unique buildings of the 17th-19th centuries. The next destination is Petrozavodsk and a walk around it, then the group stops at the retro village of Mandrogi. Then the ship returns to St. Petersburg. The cost of such a trip will be from 17,370 rubles per person.
What is interesting on the island of Valaam
The map shows that in a relatively small area there are quite a few places worthy of attention. Of course, the main attraction of the island is the Transfiguration Cathedral. Previously, there was a center of Orthodoxy, and now there are about 200 inhabitants in the monastery. Life in sketes is being actively revived. The only active at the moment is the Resurrection Skete, which houses the Pilgrimage Service of the monastery, which organizesexcursions around the island. Here, on top of Mount Eleon, there is the Chapel of the Ascension, from where a beautiful view of Malaya Nikonovskaya Bay opens.
As a rule, the pilgrimage season to the island opens during the feast of the memory of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas and the holidays of St. Nicholas Skete. It was at this time that excursions to Valaam by boat became popular. By the way, the air temperature here is rarely high due to constantly blowing winds, so you should take warm clothes with you.
When to go
Excursion tours to Valaam operate from May to October, while there are several ways to get from St. Petersburg. Modern travel agencies offer several options for routes. The most popular is a tour to Valaam by boat from St. Petersburg, but many are also interested in weekend tours, for example, Valaam-Kizhi or Valaam-Mandrogi. You can also choose longer cruises, and there are hotels on the island where you can stay. Firstly, this is a hotel at the monastery. Secondly, the Zimnyaya, Mansarda and Igumenskaya hotels operate here all year round. You can also stay in a tent camp - such a vacation will be appreciated by those who prefer to feel as close to the environment as possible. You can also have a bite to eat here, and in the summer there are many cafes on the island where you can have a full meal.
Popular excursions on the island
Basic is a sightseeing tour of the Transfiguration Cathedral and the central courtyard. It's onalmost all cruises. Nikolsky Skete on Nikolsky Island is also often visited. If there is time, the guide suggests visiting the Igumen cemetery. In addition to the usual excursions, on the island you can visit the museum of local lore, located on the pier of the Monastery Bay, Red Cape, a weather station located here. You can rent a boat for a sightseeing trip around the island - it will cost from 2000 rubles.
Guides note that excursions to the active monastery should be carried out taking into account the rules and charter of monastic life, respectively, some trips within the tour may be canceled depending on the life of the monastery.
Sketes of Valaam: what is special
As part of the tour of the Resurrection Skete, tourists are first invited to visit the Gethsemane Monastery, then the group climbs Mount Olivet to the Ascension Chapel. At the end of the journey, you can visit the monastery farm and treat yourself to fresh milk and bread. As part of river tours, it is often offered to visit the fortifications that still remain on Cape Krasny. It is very beautiful here, because the quiet bay is in harmony with the rocky channels. Many tourists say that defensive structures look disgusting against the backdrop of nature, but they indicate that dark and light sides coexist in our lives.
Thus, if you want to plunge into nature and history at the same time, a trip to Valaam is a great way to do it. Choose river cruises because that's how you get to knownative expanses of Russia and get closer to nature.
