The Leningrad Region is one of the most interesting and culturally and historically rich regions in Russia. It is here that we can see ancient fortresses and temples, luxurious manors and palace ensembles, monasteries founded during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, as well as museums, where you can learn interesting facts about historical personalities. We'll start sightseeing from Volkhov: we'll see the ancient churches and fortress walls, walk near the mounds, where, according to legend, the Prophetic Oleg is buried. After that we'll head to Tikhvin to visit the museum of Rimsky-Korsakov and get acquainted with the local shrines. On the third day we are going to visit Maryino manor and visit Tsarskoye Selo.
We go to the east of the Leningrad region to the city of Volkhov. On the way we will visit several interesting historical objects, as well as enjoy the local natural beauties.
On the way, you can make a small stop at the Delo Taste restaurant. The interior is far from refined, but cozy. There are dishes of Russian and European cuisine in the menu.
A little north of the Old Ladoga on the left bank of the Volkhov River there are several hills, which are called Prophetic Oleg's Kurgans. There is a legend that the biggest of them is the tomb of the prince. There are many other legends associated with this place. In addition, tourists can enjoy incredibly picturesque landscapes on the river and nearby areas.
An atmospheric place, everything here is literally soaked in antiquity! It's not for nothing that this place was so beloved by Russian painters! Today, the two fortress towers have been fully restored, and a stroll along the wall will reveal the ruins of ancient buildings and reveal ancient masonry. Ladoga was a major trading hub, as it was the way from the Varangians to the Greeks. And the historical artifacts, preserved from ancient times, can be seen in the archaeological museum.
Time to eat! Next to the ancient fortress there are several cafes, but we chose the "Ancient Ladoga" - inside everything is decorated as in the museum of living history, it was interesting to have lunch sitting at a massive wooden table in a room with a real stove. The menu is small, the kitchen is traditionally Russian, delicious, nourishing!
Visiting the village of Staraya Ladoga, you should definitely visit the Old Ladoga Nikolsky Monastery. Although there is no direct evidence of this, but there is a legend that it was founded by Prince Alexander Nevsky immediately after the victory over the Swedes. Thus, despite the fact that the monastery was rebuilt during its history, it is still one of the oldest and most important historical monuments.
Church of Sacred George is one of the most ancient temple structures in territory of Russia, according to the historical data, it was constructed in the pre-Mongol period. It is necessary to examine the church from within, on the vaults fragments of ancient frescos are preserved.
Arriving in the city of Volkhov, we went to dinner. There are not many cafes open in the evening, and we liked "Fairytale". The food is not bad, the kitchen is quite simple, the portions are large. Delicious desserts, I was very pleased with the cheesecake we ordered.
We will continue our short journey through the Leningrad region. We intend to visit the city of Tikhvin, and then go back to Tosno. We will spend a lot of time on the road, it is good that the local landscape is pleasing to the eye.
You can start the day in the cafe Elkacafe on the embankment of the Volkhov River. Cozy, light, positive. Have breakfast, drink coffee and go!
The city of Tikhvin is famous for the fact that the famous Russian composer Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov was born and grew up here. On the bank of the small river Tikhvinka in the middle of the twentieth century a house-museum in memory of the composer was organized. Early scores of the composer are kept here, as well as a considerable part of his personal belongings, among which are the piano, claviers and many family relics.
The Cathedral of the Dormition is located on the territory of the Tikhvin Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God, which was founded in 1560 at the height of Ivan the Terrible's reign. Many of the buildings of the monastery, despite numerous enemy raids, have survived since then, and nowadays the Cathedral of the Assumption has been fully restored and fully functioning.
After a long transfer you can make a small stop in the town Budogoszcz. For lunch you can go to the Pilgrim Café. The atmosphere here is pretty good and cosy, while the menu mostly offers national dishes.
To avoid the road seeming so long, you should make a small stop near the sand pits near Trubnikovo station. These places are very popular during the beach season, the water here is usually clean, access to the shore is available. It will also be nice and easy to walk along the beach in nature or have a picnic.
Here we are in Tosno. Didn't take long to choose. We went to dinner at the first pizza place we got. Pretty good, delicious and cheap. If you like meat, make sure you get your own Bavarian sausages.
If the first day of travel we plunged into the atmosphere of ancient Russia, today we will be imbued with the spirit of the Russian aristocracy of the XVIII-XIX centuries, because we go to the estate Maryino, once belonged to Princes Golitsyn, and then - to the Tsarskoe village.
We did not look for a cafe for breakfast, decided to buy baked goods and coffee and go straight to the estate Maryino. The local bakery has been open since 8 a.m., everything, as they say, is fresh and crisp with heat and dust, buns and croissants!
Maryino is a restored estate of the counts Stroganov and Golitsyn princes, a luxurious estate surrounded by a very beautiful park in the English style. Entrance to the territory is paid, but a visit is inexpensive. In Maryino, of course, if you want, you can spend at least the whole day: walk, ride a horse, visit a mini-farm. There are even gypsies with a bear here!
One of the most important tourist objects in the entire Leningrad region can safely be called the State Museum Reserve "Tsarskoe Selo". Its history dates back to the beginning of the eighteenth century, when the first buildings were built here. One of the best creations of classicism - the Alexander Palace - can be seen here, and there are also more than a hundred other architectural monuments.
In Tsarskoye Selo there are many places to eat, from small coffee shops to luxurious restaurants. We decided to spend time in a luxurious Swiss atmosphere, so we chose the restaurant of Italian cuisine "Danielle". It's delicious, beautiful, atmospheric.
Another most important architectural monument in the city is the Imperial Lyceum of Tsarskoye Selo. It was here that the great Russian poet and writer Alexander Pushkin once studied. The current expositions, based on many archive documents, tell us about outstanding people who once studied here, about the realities of that time, as well as about the contribution to the future made by its graduates.