Northern Russia is a unique and culturally rich region. On its territory there are several famous historical centers. And as it was accepted in ancient times, any large city had a mighty fortress to protect against raids. In our trip, we intend to visit some of them. First we will move towards Kingisepp to see the famous Ivangorod fortress, and then we will go to Pskov, where the Pskov Kremlin was built on the Velikaya River many centuries ago. After that we will go towards Veliky Novgorod and visit its famous Dytynets.
Today begins our journey through the Leningrad region and its surrounding areas. We will go to Kingisepp, on the way visiting various interesting places, among which ancient defensive constructions, and also various historical parks.
The first stop in our trip will be near the famous defense line on the coast of the Gulf of Finland called Fort Krasnaya Gorka. On its territory there are many historical objects, including two huge artillery guns, as well as some defensive structures.
In Sosnovy Bor we decided to make a stop in Andersengrad theme park on the numerous recommendations of our friends. In this miniature town every object is somehow connected with the work of Hans Christian Andersen. During the walk you can see a lot of funny architecture, as well as immerse yourself in the world of fairy tales known from childhood. Of course, children will like it better, but the place is funny.
After a walk through the fairytale world, we headed for lunch at one of the local cafes called Spices&Strast. In the menu of the restaurant among the numerous dishes we liked pumpkin soup with riccotta and croutons, as well as magnificent salmon with zucchini and Parmesan dressing.
In the village of Koporje, there is a rather famous ancient defensive structure, the Koporje Fortress. It was founded back in the thirteenth century, was destroyed many times, passed from one side to the other, and only during the reign of Peter the Great fortress was fixed for Russia. Today it is included in the list of objects of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia, and excursions on its territory are regularly held.
It so happened that by the time we arrived in Kingisepp we had a small amount of time left, which we eventually decided to spend on a walk in the historic park Romanovka. Once upon a time, this land belonged to a Patriotic War hero, General C.I. Bistrom. It was in his honor that the famous sculpture Bronze Lion was erected in the center of the park.
"The Collection" is a nice cafe bar on Karl Marx Avenue. This is where we wanted to have dinner after a walk in the park. It was very lively in the evening. We ordered a traditional borscht as well as a shrimp salad. By the way, there's a fairly wide range of alcoholic beverages on offer.
Today we leave Kingisepp and go first to Ivangorod, and then drive past Lake Peipsi to Pskov. On the way we will visit several interesting museums and, of course, we will stop near the banks of the famous pond.
Another grandiose monument, testifying to the great past, is the Ivangorod Fortress. It was founded more than five centuries ago, for a long time defended this land from invaders. Today there are open-air excursions, which should be arranged in advance by phone or through [site](http://lenoblmus.ru/museum/ivangorodskiy), as the fortress is located in the border zone.
Another important part of the city's museum complex is the Ivanogorod Art Museum. A whole plethora of works by various Russian and foreign artists and sculptors is exhibited here. Of course, the works of such masters as I.Ya. Bilibin and A.V. Shchekatikhina-Pototskaya made a special impression.
After a fascinating excursion in the museum it is worth going for a snack. Coffee Time is the perfect place to eat. The choice of dishes here is generally wide, there are several kinds of pizza, many desserts and dishes of Japanese cuisine. We have some sweet pancakes as well as an average sushi set.
On our way to Pskov we decided to make a small stop near the famous Chudskoye Lake. This is not just a unique natural object, it was here that the very Ice Battle once took place, when Alexander Nevsky and his army defeated the German army. The beauty of the local scenery is impressive!
It's time and dinner! We went to a local grill bar called "Grafin". The setting of the restaurant was really cozy and relaxing. From a huge assortment of meat dishes we liked a steak of medium fry, and for dessert - pistachio ice cream.
Today we plan to devote the whole day to studying the Pskov sights. The program will include the famous Pskov Kremlin, as well as several museums and parks.
We have a lot of interesting discoveries ahead of us, so, without wasting time, we are going to have breakfast in a small tavern called "Falcon". The interior of the place is made in the style of old Russian, pre-revolutionary taverns. Having taken here some shashlik and salad portions, as well as a couple of glasses of mors, we are happy to go exploring the city.
In Pskov, as in many other historical cities of Russia, in the center there is a huge fortress or, as it is called, the Pskov Kremlin (Krom). Its walls and towers were erected at the beginning of the twelfth century, on the territory of the fortress there are Trinity Cathedral, chambers of orders, additional fortifications and much more.
Another symbol of Pskov and its history is the Pogankina Chamber Museum. Once its building belonged to the famous merchant dynasty, then its purpose has changed many times, and in the early twentieth century, there opened an archaeological museum. Now there is both a historical exposition and an art one.
For lunch after the tour we went to the restaurant "Refectory rooms". Its interior, which is more likely to be called decoration, is made in ancient Russian traditions. The menu here consists mainly of Russian cuisine, but there are also some popular European delicacies.
Gremyachaya Tower is the most interesting historical building in Pskov. It was built in the early sixteenth century and served as an important defensive point of the city. A lot of legends and mystical stories are related to it. Here are the ghosts of rulers, sleeping beauties waiting for the narrowed, and much more.
After a tour of historical places you can go for a walk, because we were near one of the most picturesque places in Pskov - Kuopio Park or, as it is called, Finnish Park. You can also rent a bike or a scooter in summer and skates, sledges and skis in winter.
There's a gas station coming up. If you are tired, make a comfortable stop - come for a coffee!
Having had a good time, we went to Mojo Gastrobar in the evening. The interior of the facility is generally cozy, there is an opportunity to have dinner on the terrace in the open air. Fish dishes are quite well cooked here, for example, we liked salmon steak and scallops with asparagus and garlic sauce.
Today we plan to leave Pskov and go to Veliky Novgorod. On the way we will have an opportunity to stop near some historical sights and go on fascinating excursions.
In order to have breakfast, a cozy restaurant of the hotel "Pokrovsky" was quite suitable for us. For breakfast you can find here a lot of traditional Russian and European dishes. We remember most of all tar-tar of beef and squid with kimchi cucumber. There is also a very wide range of sushi and rolls. Good news for lovers of tea ceremonies: the choice of tea here is very worthy, there are both fruit and herbal, and classic lancer.
Yesterday we managed to explore most of the famous Pskov sights, but we didn't have enough time for the famous monument erected in memory of the Ice Battle, so we will compensate it now. The first thing that strikes this monument is its incredible size, also from the mountain on which the monument is located, there are magnificent views of the city and the river.
In the Pskov region there are many interesting historical sights, one of the most interesting among them is the Memorial Museum Reserve of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov "Vecha Manor". Here the famous composer spent a lot of time composing his works, among them the opera Sadko and The Tale of Tsar Saltan. The estate is closed on Mondays.
We decided to have lunch in Luga in a small restaurant Chaplin, which is located in the center on Uritsky Avenue. The atmosphere here is generally simple, but also cozy. There are a lot of different snacks in the menu, among which we remember the most potato croquettes in parmesan and baked cauliflower.
There are not many places where you can see and visit the Catholic temple, and the city of Luga is one of them. The Church of St. Nicholas is a classic representative of the Neo-Gothic architectural style, and inside it there is a large church organ. For a long time the building did not function for its intended purpose, and only in the 90's the divine services started here again.
Having arrived to Veliky Novgorod in the evening, we did not hope to have time to visit any local attractions, so we just went for a walk along the picturesque embankment of Alexander Nevsky, which offers a stunning view of the Novgorod Child and St. Sophia Cathedral.
"ZavodBar" is a small stylish restaurant in the heart of Veliky Novgorod. This is where we decided to spend the evening after the walk. The menu here is very diverse, among the things we had time to try, we can mention chicken fillet fried in prunes with bacon, as well as pikeperch fillet with vegetables and bacon.
There are many plans in our program today. Of course, all of them will be associated with the exploration of the sights of Veliky Novgorod. We will visit the main city museums, where the history and culture of this region are covered in all details.
It was decided to start the day in a cozy cafe "Koromyslom House", the interior of which fully reproduces the situation of old Russian taverns. The menu is quite extensive, but we chose pancakes and monastic porridge. The cafe is open Monday through Saturday.
One of the most important cultural monuments in Veliky Novgorod is the Fine Arts Museum, located near the Kremlin. There is an extensive collection of works by many Russian and foreign artists of the XVIII-XX centuries. The sections of the exposition are very diverse, there are also graphics, sculpture, portrait and landscape painting, and much more.
On the southern outskirts of Veliky Novgorod there is a museum of Vitoslavlitsa - one of the most interesting and detailed exhibition complexes, which tells about the life, lifestyle, holidays and customs of our ancestors. His exposition is divided into several thematic zones, each of which has its own interesting features: you can both learn the craft and feed the goats.
After the tour, in order not to go far, we went to a cozy cafe "Telegraf", located on Ludogoshcha Street. The atmosphere here is very relaxing and comfortable. From what we liked in the menu, it is worth noting a beef lagman and a chukka salad.
The Lord's Chamber is one of the unique buildings of Veliky Novgorod, made in the style of European Gothic. Excursions are held here, acquainting visitors with the history, as well as jewelry, once flourished in these places. Tourists are invited to examine in detail the works of the best Byzantine, European, as well as Old Russian jewelers. The museum is closed on Monday.
The rest of the evening can be dedicated to a walk in Kremlin Park. There are a lot of unique objects that are worth seeing. Among them are the monument to the great Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninov, the Sofia bell ringer and, of course, the monument "The Millennium of Russia".
Bring everyone upstairs! Restaurant complex "Fregat Flagman" is a unique institution, located literally on board the ship. The interior is furnished in the appropriate style. The dishes in the menu are also very original, there are many delicacies from game and fish to choose from, as well as a large selection of Japanese and Asian cuisine.
Today our journey ends and we head back to St. Petersburg. On the way, we plan to visit several famous ancient manors and the legendary Palace Park in Gatchina.
We decided to start the last day of our trip in a small cafe with a sweet name "Le Chocolat". We were very pleased with the stylish and original interior of the place in a European manner. It's also a good place to eat for those who follow the figure. So, we had a very tasty fruit salad with orange frescoes and homemade sorbets.
Novgorod region, as well as neighboring regions, is very rich in various cultural objects, and our first stop today will be the beautiful estate Chudovskaya Luka, which belonged to the great Russian writer N. A. Nekrasov. Here the great poet rested from the bustle of the city, enjoying the beautiful landscapes and rural life and working on his works. Monday's the day off.
Already in the Leningrad region we made our next stop in one of the most beautiful historical estates in the region - Maryino. Any visitor will be fascinated by the beauty of local landscapes. There are figured bridges over small rivers, and incredible sculptures around the main building, and, of course, a blossoming garden.
After a walk through the manor, we headed for Tosno. Here we stopped at Cafe Baffo for lunch. In general, the place specializes in Italian cuisine, although there is also a Japanese menu. The choice of pizza and rolls here is just huge, but we had to taste julienne, as well as chicken shish kebab.
And a walk through one of the most beautiful places in the Leningrad region, the Gatchina Palace Park, will complete our unforgettable journey. A whole day will not be enough to see all the local beauties, so we tried to see the most famous objects, including the palace itself, as well as gardens, a greenhouse and the Chesmen Obelisk.
We went to a Nordic restaurant for dinner. The interior of the restaurant is very bright and spacious. The menu has a lot of non-standard dishes, for example, we remember venison tar-tar and corn soup with shrimp. In addition, there is a special playroom for children.