Curious route for adults and young travelers. In 6 days we will see 6 cities. We start east of St. Petersburg and move smoothly to the south-east! Are you with us? P.S. After this journey, your children may decide to become hydropower, railroader or metallurgist.
In the morning we will take part in Operation Spark in the museum-reserve "Breakthrough of the Siege of Leningrad". Then we will move to the first Old Russian capital, where we will walk along the Old Artistic fortress. We will spend the evening in the Tikhvin Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God, where we will learn the history of the wanderings of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God.
The first stop is the museum-reserve "Breakthrough of the Siege of Leningrad", which includes a number of memorial objects dedicated to the heroic defenders of the city on the Neva. Let's see a diorama (panoramic canvas 40 m long), depicting Operation Spark for breaking through the blockade of Leningrad, which lasted a week in January 1943. Further we will move to the 3D panorama to become a witness and, maybe, even participants of the battle of the 45th Infantry Division, which took place on January 13, 1943 on the Nevsky patch. Important: the museum is closed on Mondays. Tours on the diorama are held every hour from 10:00 to 17:00, on the panorama - every half hour. More precise information can be found [on site](http://lenoblmus.ru/museum/muzey_zapovednik_proryv_blokady_leningrada/).
Do you remember anything about Old Ladoga from the history course? Let's say it's where Rurik began his reign in 862. So, welcome to the first capital of the ancient Russian power. Our goal is the Old Artistic Fortress, which covered the waterway from the Baltic Sea into Novgorod Russia. The fortress was repeatedly attacked and destroyed. Its last version is dated XVI century. On the territory of the fortress there is St. George's Church, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The temple was built in the XII century thanks to the fresco "The Miracle of St. George about the Snake".
We'll have lunch in an almost real Russian hut with a stove inside. We will taste grandmother's pies and the sweetest, as the sign at the cafe says, mead.
At the entrance to Tikhvin make a stop at the soaring MiG-21. It is like a vivid reminder of the glorious feats of the pilots who defended the city during the Great Patriotic War.
We will visit one of the main monasteries of north-west Russia, the main relic of which is the Tikhvin icon of Our Lady of Hodegetria. The icon was stolen by the Germans in 1941, but, oddly enough, at the end of the war it was discovered in Riga. Bishop John Harclaws took the icon to America, promising from his adopted son that it would be returned to Tikhvin. The Mother of God returned home in 2004.
Moving towards Cherepovets. On the way we will have dinner with dishes of Russian and European cuisine in a modern roadside cafe. A playground and a play corner await little guests.
Today we will see, perhaps, the most curious places of Cherepovets for both young and adult audience. In the evening we will find ourselves in Vologda and even have time to capture a couple of its interesting places.
We go to a unique museum, created on the initiative of the second largest steel mill of Russia "Severstal". The first floor of the exposition is dedicated to the history of metallurgy in the Vologda region, the second floor to the modern production of the plant. The museum is equipped with all kinds of interactive devices, so you won't be bored there. Important: the museum is not open on Mondays (from 1.09 to 31.05) and on Sundays (from 1.06 to 31.08). In addition to excursions the museum holds games and quests for children from 5 years. Up-to-date information can be found on [site](http://museummet.ru/).
It's time to have lunch in one of the best restaurants in the city according to the residents and guests of Cherepovets. Pay attention to the steaks, they're great here!
We'll visit the only children's museum in the northwest. Not only the kids will be curious, but their parents too. On the ground floor there is an exposition of antique toys. There are also those that were here in your childhood, too. On the second floor there is a collection of drawings by St. Petersburg artist Elizabeth Bem. Important: the museum is not open on Mondays, in summer time - on Sundays and Mondays.
Let's take a look at the oldest building in the city, which has been standing on the Sobornaya Hill on the Sheksna bank since 1756. Raise your head before entering the temple, there is a mosaic depicting the face of Christ. Among the treasures of the cathedral are particles of relics of John the Baptist, John the Warrior, Great Martyr Barbara, Reverend Alexander Svirsky.
Heading for Vologda. We'll make a stop at the monument to the cannon on the way. From here, by the way, you can enjoy a tempting view of the Sheksna River and the airlock of the Volga-Baltic Canal.
We solemnly enter Vologda through a forged door on the embankment of the same name river. They say that here one should make selfies and make wishes.
The next object for your photos is the zero kilometer or, in other words, the starting point of the road distance calculation. The distance to St. Petersburg is 655 km.
We'll finish tonight's program with a cozy gourmet dinner. We recommend to pay attention to pikeperch and bacon dumplings with shrimps and onion foam, orzo with smoked breast and eggplant, pancakes with cream of sour cream and fir, pickled weights and red caviar.
We'll spend today in Vologda. We'll walk around the Vologda Kremlin, visit the Museum of Lace and the World of Forgotten Things. Then we'll go to Yaroslavl.
We'll start the morning in an atmospheric coffee shop with stylish surroundings. From the curious menu: smoothie bowl with strawberries, banana and granola, brioche with pâté egg, bacon, mushrooms and arugula, chia pudding on coconut milk. Bon appetit!
Let's look into the cathedral erected in the second half of the 16th century by order of Ivan the Terrible. It is the oldest stone construction in Vologda. The cathedral is famous for its frescoes and iconostasis, which have reached us almost intact. The surface area, covered with frescoes, is 5 thousand sq.m. About 400 sq.m. is occupied by the "Last Judgment" - it is the most large-scale painting on this subject in our country.
Let's walk around the Vologda Kremlin, which, by the way, left only memories. The stone structure with more than 20 towers and a three-kilometer wall, built in 1567, gradually lost its importance. At the beginning of the XIX century it was decided to disassemble it for the construction of urban buildings. In addition to St. Sophia Cathedral and its bell towers (in good weather you can go up to the observation deck), you can see the Bishop's Court, Resurrection Cathedral and the Church of the Exaltation. Important: the Kremlin is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Next to the creme, in the building of the city manor of the XIX century, there is a museum dedicated to the legendary local lace. The lace exposition area occupies the whole 600 sq.m. The total area of the museum is 1500 sq.m. Important: The museum is not open on Mondays and Tuesdays.
We will arrange a promenade through the Kremlin garden to the forged bench, thanks to which it was possible to immortalize the peculiarities of the Vologda verdict with dignity. Prepare your cameras, the view is amazing!
We'll stop for lunch at a popular Italian restaurant with its own cheese factory. We recommend to pay attention to Kamchatka crab from the aquarium, rack of New Zealand lamb, branded pizza with mozzarella and Parma ham.
We will finish our acquaintance with Vologda in the museum dedicated to the culture and life of Vologgians in the pre-revolutionary era. Quite an impressive collection is located on 3 floors of a wooden mansion built in the XIX century. The young generation will undoubtedly appreciate the dollhouse, gramophone and harmonium. Important: The museum is not open on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Let's go to Yaroslavl. On the way we will stop at St. Nicholas Church, which was restored in 1910 after a major fire that occurred in Danilov in the late XIX century.
There's a gas station coming up. If you are tired, make a comfortable stop - come for a coffee!
We're in Yaroslavl. How about a walk at the confluence of the Volga and Kotorosl rivers? Must do - photo at the monument to the 1000th anniversary of Yaroslavl.
Let's discuss impressions at a dinner in a restaurant located in a building which once belonged to the guild of Yaroslavl merchants. We advise you to take a look at the tasting set, which includes 7 tempting positions. Among them is gazpacho with crab doughnuts and foie gras ravioli, morelons and port wine sauce.
Before going to rest, we will admire the figure of Yaroslav the Wise, the founder of Yaroslavl, in the light of the night lights. By the way, would you please take 1,000 ruble bills out of your wallets? What a surprise!
We'll have a fun and useful day in Yaroslavl. We will visit several objects from the UNESCO list, visit the children's railway and visit Alyosha Popovich. Jubilate, young travelers, today is your day! By evening we'll change Yaroslavl to Uglich and meet the sunset on the bank of the Volga River.
We have breakfast in a restaurant with a real Russian stove. Let's eat porridge with chicken and mushrooms, croissant with tambov ham, buckwheat porridge with baked tomatoes.
We go on a tour of a city with more than a thousand years of history. The first stop is at one of the most recognizable churches of Yaroslavl. Surprisingly, the Temple of Elijah the Prophet managed to preserve not only its original appearance, but also the rich interior decoration with an iconostasis in the Baroque style, the royal gates and unique ancient icons.
We move to "the largest museum of arts in the Russian province", the collection of which includes more than 80,000 works. Please, pay attention to the exhibition "LEGO-world of Harry Potter", valid until November 1, 2020. Careful: the time of stay in the museum can increase greatly. Or parents risk continuing to get acquainted with Yaroslavl without children. Important: the museum is closed on Mondays.
Do you remember "The Word of Igor's Campaign"? Well, the only surviving copy of the monument of Old Russian literature was found in the library of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery in the late XVIII century. The main temple of the monastery, the Savior Transfiguration Cathedral, was rebuilt in the XVI century after a major fire. Its appearance is laconic, reserved and a little strict. Maybe that's why Ivan the Terrible loved to be here so much.
It's time for dinner at a cozy family café with an atmospheric name. Menu hits: assorted pâtés, mussels in "Roquefort" sauce, dumplings of pike.
What a curious ride awaits us! Are you ready? We visit the railway, which is a part of "Russian Railways", whose employees are children. The length of the railway is 5.7 km. We will ride with a breeze on a diesel locomotive TU7A from the station "Pioneer" to the station "Yakovlevskaya" and back. Important: Up-to-date information on the operation of the children's railway as well as the train timetable can be found [here](https://vk.com/ydzdrzd).
Before leaving Yaroslavl, let's visit Alyosha Popovich and his wife Lyubava Yaroslavskaya. We shall get acquainted with horse Julia and the curious descendant of the Snake Gorynych, we shall learn secrets of a life in Ancient Russia, we shall touch the ancient weapon and even we shall make our own protection. Important: the museum-theater does not work on Mondays.
We're already in Uglich. Before going to dinner, we'll stop at a two-story mansion with a mezzanine and a classic portico. If it wasn't for the fire tower in the background, it would be extremely difficult to believe that a fire brigade was and still is housed here.
Admire the sunset in a cafe-bar on the bank of the Volga. There is a children's corner for little guests. We recommend to pay attention to Kerch herring, borsch with pampushki, burger with White Sea cod.
Let's get acquainted with the Corner, associated by most with the murder of Tsarevich Dmitry. We'll see classic sights on the territory of the Kremlin, including the Church of Tsarevich Dmitry on Blood, built on the site of the death of his son Ivan the Terrible. As well as young and interactive projects: the Museum of Hydropower of Russia and the arsenal of unusual bicycles "Samokat". We will reach Tver by the evening.
Next to the Uglich HPP, on 3 floors, there is a real interactive center dedicated to the history of hydropower development in the USSR and Russia. Another industry museum in our list, which has no analogues in the world yet. It seems that after this journey, your children may decide to become hydropower, railroader or metallurgist. Important: The museum is not open on Mondays. Sightseeing tours of the museum start at 11:00, 14:00 and 16:00.
Perhaps the main attraction of the ancient Russian town of Uglich. Defensive installations of the middle of X century, alas, have not reached our days. But the Savior Transfiguration Cathedral with a bell tower, the church of Tsarevich Dmitry on blood, the princely chambers, as well as the building of the City Council have been preserved.
We go to the youngest Uglich museum. Its collection clearly illustrates the evolution of a two-wheeled horse: from primitive "bone-shakes" to the best examples of racing bicycles of the XXI century. Some exhibits can even be tried in business.
We will have lunch at one of the most popular restaurants in town. The menu here is quite impressive. Get ready, the choice won't be easy.
Leaving the street and heading towards Tver. On the way we will make a stop on the Kalyazinskaya quay to admire the flooded bell tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral on an artificial island of the Uglich Reservoir.
Time to stretch your legs and have a cup of hot tea. One last march, and we're in Tver.
We made it! And straight to the left bank of the Volga, to Afanasiy Nikitin, born in Tver. Wherever Nikitin has not visited: Persia, India, Muscat, Somalia and Turkey. His impressions of the great traveler outlined in the travel notes "Walking across three seas.
A monument to another native of Tver, a Russian chanson star. Despite the resistance of the city intelligentsia, Mikhail Krug nevertheless appeared on the central boulevard of Tver in 2007. Well, let's sit on the bench with the legendary performer of "Vladimir Central".
A well-deserved dinner in a trendy loft-style restaurant. Pay attention to Salisbury steak, sea bass with arancini and coconut sauce, beef stew in cranberry sauce.
We'll spend the morning in Tver, then go to St. Petersburg. On the way we will make a stop at the estate "Zavetnoe", as well as honor the memory of fallen soldiers at the memorial "Lubino Polje". We will have dinner in a Russian tavern in Pushkin.
Meet the new day in a stylish coffee shop in downtown Tver. What do you prefer for breakfast: "Jack Lemon" waffles with spinach, trout and a pasta egg or maybe a Boddy Holly punkie with almond cream, wild berry jam and mint? Important: order something with you in case you have a snack on the road.
Before saying goodbye to Tver and heading back, let's have a look at the Tver Life Museum. As one can guess from the name, the museum collection is dedicated to the life of local people, as well as the history and traditions of Tver crafts. We can see household items, church utensils, home textiles, clothing, and jewelry. Important: the museum is closed on Mondays. You can check the current opening hours [here](https://tvermuzeum.ru/affiliates/mtb).
We'll have lunch in Torzhok, in the pancake house of the Museum "Bird of happiness". In addition to pancakes here you can taste the fire cutlets once sung by A.S. Pushkin.
We will make a stop and walk around the former manor of engineer Mikhail Tokarsky, which at the beginning of XX century was called "little Versailles". We have reached a dilapidated miniature chapel on a bulk hill, the ruins of the forged entrance gate, the water tower and the park stairs.
We honor the memory of the fallen soldiers who fought on the Volkhov Front during the Great Patriotic War, a minute of silence.
We're almost at the target - St. Petersburg. Before renting out the car, we'll have dinner in Pushkin, in an authentic restaurant located in a XIX century mansion. We are waiting for the view on the cathedral square of the city, the atmosphere of the past centuries, as well as delicacies of Russian and European cuisine, which proved themselves on the royal tables more than a hundred years ago.