Imperial Celebration in St.Petersburg

Day 1. (27.12.2025) : Arrival to Saint Petersburg

Arrival to St.Petersburg. Meet and greet at airport arrivals hall. Transfer to the hotel, check-in.

Panoramic tour of the city (3-4 hrs). Explore the most significant landmarks of Russia’s Northern Capital. Our shrewd guide will be happy to take you around the historic sights and share some entertaining details of the city's history and present-day life.

The 2.5 mile Nevsky Prospect is adorned with Russian History. Time to make the multiple iconic photos in front of the gorgeous Winter Palace, admire the breath-taking bridges and impressive St.Isaac’s and Kazan Cathedrals, view the whimsical Zinger Building, marvel at the extravagant Church on the Spilled Blood.The Russian Museum, the Admiralty, the elegant Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, the formidable Peter and Paul Fortress – Saint Petersburg surely has it all to blow the guests away!

OPTION: Visit the Hermitage (up to 2 hours). You can be absorbed by Hermitage ‘s treasures for days and still come out wanting more. The enormous collection (over three million items, only a fraction of which are on display in 360 rooms) almost amounts to a comprehensive history of Western European art.

Welcome dinner in the evening to meet the crew and talk some details of the road trip ahead.

Accommodation in a hotel (Meals: -/-/-)

Day 2. (28.12.2025): St Petersburg – Sortavala ~ 300 km drive (4-5 hours)

Our morning starts with an introduction to our SUVs. We conduct a short briefing, and then our journey begins! We leave the city and adjust to driving in the convoy and interacting with each other on the radio.

Heading to Karelia, we will ride along the Ladoga Lake – the largest freshwater lake in Europe – enjoying marvellous views. This section of the route will allow us to get comfortable with the cars, and maybe drive to shore of the lake while we explore the elegant Karelian forests and forest backroads on our SUVs.

We also visit a traditional wooden fortress in the same style that used to be present all over Russiain the 16th-17th centuries. This is not just a museum - it is a portal into history that will take you to the era of the birth of the Streltsy army. Learn how the Streltsy troops developed under the leadership of Ivan the Terrible from 1550, and how it was abolished in the early 1700s by decree of Tsar Peter I. The Streltsy Ostrog Museum was founded in 2014, and preserves the spirit of those times. Feel the atmosphere of the glorious history of Russian warriors.

In the evening, we will arrive at our hotel, hidden in the woods on the bank of a charming pond.

Accommodation in a hotel (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 3. (29.12.2025) : Ruskeala Park – Vidlitsa ~ 300 km drive (4-5 hours)

Highlight of the day is Ruskeala Nature Reserve – a definitive must-see location! We take a short drive to reach the former marble quarry, now revamped into a grand landscape park.

The marble extracted in the Ruskeala quarry since the 1600s was widely used for decoration of palaces, churches and even some metro stations in St.Petersburg. The quarry was closed in 1985 and later officially recognized as a cultural heritage site.

Operated by a private travel company since 2005, The Ruskeala Mountain Park offers walks around the peaceful pond that appeared in the place of the flooded quarry, visit to underground caves, zip-line and a good selection of food in the park’s restaurant.

We take a walk around the artificial lakes, see the monuments of industrial architecture, enjoy the magnificent winter scenery with a coffee from a neat kiosk.

After lunch, we start our way further into Karelia, following the shore of the great Ladoga, to stop for the night in a hotel located right to the river Svir, connecting Lake Ladoga to Lake Onega, the second largest in Russia.

Accommodation in a hotel (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 4. (30.12.2025): Vidlitsa - Mandrogi – Lodeynoe Pole ~ 100 km drive (2-3 hours)

This morning, we visit Upper Mandrogi, the most fabulous Russian village on our route, home to dozens of craftsmen who create traditional clothing, pottery, toys and lacework to this day. Hand-forged metal souvenirs, Matryoshka dolls, Christmas decorations, linen, felts – too many to name them all. Some will argue that the most important part is the famous local ‘pirozhki’, the characteristic Russian small pasties filled with meat, fish, cabbage or berries.

Take a walk along the whimsical wooden houses painted in a multitude of colours and ride in a traditional horse-drawn sled, the way Russians did it for centuries.

The day will be full of countryside adventures.

We stay at a comfortable hotel within 30 km from the hospitable Mandrogi.

Accommodation in a hotel (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 5. (31.12.2025): Lodeynoe Pole – St Petersburg ~ 250 km drive (4-5 hours)

After breakfast, we continue the drive long the southern bank of the Ladoga, across a more populated area, bearing many memories of the industrial growth of the north-west Russia.

We will also pass Old Ladoga, the oldest inhabited area in the Leningrad Region. According to many chronicles, this was the original capital of Northern Russia of the 800-900s. A fortress dating back to the 1100s, ancient churches, monasteries, barrows and caves make for a significant accumulation of ancient monuments here.

And the road trip finishes in Saint Petersburg, once again welcoming us with all of its grandeur!

Having rested and feeling refreshed, we join the gala evening show to welcome in the New Year!

Accommodation in a 5* hotel (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 6. Day 6 (01.01.2026) : Saint Petersburg

You have the full day at leisure to unwind in St Petersburg.

Should you be in the mood for more sightseeing, we’ll be happy to help you make the most of the countless palaces, museums, cathedrals, shopping centers and restaurants of this magnificent city.

Accommodation in 5* hotel (Meals: B/-/-)

Day 7. (02.01.2026) : Departure

In the morning, your transfer takes you to the airport for departure home.

Today the journey ends with a warm goodbye at Pulkovo airport!

Should you need additional services in StPetersburg or Moscow, we’ll be glad to arrange transfers, accommodation or guided tours.

Please note, the program can also be customized to partners requirements.