A trip for those who want to get acquainted with Russian Art Nouveau and spend a day away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You will walk among the most beautiful country houses of the beginning of the last century, you will touch the atmosphere of creativity in the estate of Ilya Repin, you will visit the park, which used to be the place of the luxurious Marioka estate, and you will find the ruins of an ancient church. This short itinerary will end in a cozy restaurant that combines home comfort and author's cuisine.
Spend a relaxing weekend strolling along the shores of the Gulf of Finland, see the most interesting examples of pre-revolutionary dacha architecture, visit Repin and finish this mini-vacation in a homey restaurant.
Start your journey with a visit to the Church of St. Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles. The beautiful wooden church was built more than a hundred years ago. During the Soviet time, the services did not stop, the church went down in history as the only one on the territory of the Karelian Isthmus that was active during the Great Patriotic War.
Sestroretsk is a city with a special atmosphere. The quaint local cottages, built in the Art Nouveau style, are nothing short of spectacular. In the late XIX - early XX century this area was a thriving resort, where the St. Petersburg nobility relaxed. Today, many of the dachas are abandoned, however, this does not prevent them from looking fascinating. One of the most unusual architectural objects is the dacha of Valentina Krivdina. There is very little historical information about the dacha, only the surname of the architect - Morozov is known. You cannot get inside today, the building is conserved, but the photos on its background will be very atmospheric!
Another interesting building in Sestroretsk is the neoclassical country house of F.R.Vitzel, the chairman of St. Petersburg Thread Manufactory. Until 2010 the mansion was a children's camp. Today, the building looks unusual: austere neoclassical motifs are juxtaposed with bright Soviet-era scrollboards and graffiti on the walls, which appeared after the camp fell into disrepair.
The gentle beach looks beautiful at any time of the year. Sculptures of seagulls, pine trees, views of the bay - there is an atmosphere of serenity.
Che-Dor is a two-storey panoramic restaurant on the Gulf of Finland. The main menu is Mediterranean cuisine, predominantly seafood. There are seasonal offers. Located on the ground floor, you can watch the inhabitants of the large aquarium and see your order being prepared in the open kitchen with a wood-burning stove.
Repin dubbed his farmstead "the Pens", in honour of the patrons of the home from Roman mythology, whose images adorned the carved wooden gates. The bizarre glass-roofed building was designed by the artist himself. On the ground floor there is a workshop, Repin's study and a dining room. The second floor has bright and spacious living rooms. The museum can be visited from Wednesday to Sunday, to take a tour you need to make an appointment in advance by calling +7 (999) 034-45-53.
More than a century ago here was located Marioka manor, the estate of E.E. Kartavtsev, built for his wife - writer Maria Krestovskaya. Today only a few stairs leading to nowhere, ruins of the temple covered with moss and a monument to Krestovska herself, erected by her loving husband, testify to the former splendour of the estate.
Zelenograd Park of Culture and Recreation is a place where any traveller will find recreation to his/her liking. If the temperature is below zero, you can go skating, in warmer weather - stroll along the alleys among the sculptures, or have a look at the contact zoo, it is open from Tuesday to Sunday until 6 pm. If you cross the road and go along the Lenin Avenue, first, you will find yourself in the public garden on the 8th of March with lovely benches and a Happiness Tree, then you will pass by the ant monument, and on the opposite side of the street you will see the Church of Our Lady of Kazan and the Lutheran Church built at the beginning of the last century.
"Nasha Dacha is probably the coziest and homeliest Ginza Project restaurant. In the vintage interior you'll find the familiar decor items: floor lamps decorated with fringe, knitted napkins, numerous paintings and photos in different frames. The atmosphere of the cottage is reflected in the cuisine: the menu offers home-made preserves, juicy Chicken Kiev cutlets, smoked meats and pies.