Соловки

Eight days on Solovki Islands

The 1st day


Meeting with the guide at the pier or at the airport.
Transfer by bus to the hotel, check-in and lunch in the hotel.
Walking tour around the monastery, excursion "History and architecture of the Solovki monastery", visit of the churches and the monuments included to "The List of the world heritage of UNESCO". Excursion "Reference and conclusion on Solovki", attendance of the complex historical exposition of the Solovki State Museum Reserve.
Dinner in the hotel.

The 2nd day


Breakfast in the hotel. Boat tour along the hand-made channels and lakesof the Big Solovki Island connected at the beginning of XX century to the general hydraulic engineering system. The campaign is accompanied by the guide. Guests are invited to take seats in rowboats for 4-6 persons in each. Picnic lunch by a campfire at the bank of a lake ("ukha"-soup from fresh fish, a barbecue, tea from "samovar" with wood herbs). Bus excursion to the minor-monastery on Sekirnaya Mountain with Assumption Church, the highest light-house of the White Sea and wooden Memorable cross put by Patriarch Alex II. Excursion to the Botanical garden - one of the most northern botanical gardens in Russia.
Dinner in the hotel.

The 3rd day


Breakfast in the hotel. Boat trip across the unique internal sea of Solovki archipelago - Long Lip - to Big Muksalma Island. Sea walk in a labyrinth of islands of the Long Lip will leave nobody indifferent and will lead you to well-known boulder Dam - the magnificent hydraulic engineering construction. Impressive stone fields; the starfishes lying under your legs; a reef showing its' rare teeth from the sea and interesting stories about everything that is connected to this Island are waiting the travelers.
Box-lunch by a fire on seacoast or late lunch in the hotel.
After survey of a miracle - bridge-dam through a strait the Iron Gate, à walk to Sergey's minor-monastery - one of the former departments of Solovki Camp of Special Purpose.
Dinner in the hotel.

The 4th day


Breakfast in the hotel. All day long expedition by boat to Kuzova archipelago, debarkation on the highest island - the German Kuzov. Across the rocks arising from the sea - the outputs of the earth's crust - you will lift to the highest point of the White Sea. Looking on a chain of White Sea islands, you will comprehend infinity of yourself and the world, and … will not want to leave this place. You will repeat the way of mysterious saams - aborigines of the North and will see a sanctuary with rock Seide.
Box-lunch on the top.
Dinner in the hotel.


The 5th day


Breakfast in the hotel.
3 hour sea tour to the Big Zayatsky Island. Visiting of the first in Russia stone harbor of XVI century first in Russia, St. Andrei's Church erected in 1702 by Peter I, and ancient stone labyrinths of III-II millennium B.C., including the world's largest labyrinth.
Lunch in the hotel. Spare time.
Dinner in the hotel.


The 6th day


Early breakfast in the hotel. Journey to Anzer Island - 3 hour sea transfer to one of the most mysterious islands of Solovki archipelago. On a way to the boat you'll learn, why Solovki monastery stands precisely at this place and what Russia's first railroad to "anywhere" was. The labyrinth of islands of the Long lip will amaze you with a variety of flora and paints. The minor-monastery, standing at the top of Golgotha Mountain will be a reference point in the journey. The visit to Golgotha minor-monastery will give answers to questions why St. Yeliazar from Anzer is called the "last saint of Russian Church ", from where church Division took its beginning, how the prophecy about Golgotha had come true and how many prisoners can be placed in the Revival Church. After à picnic on coast of a sea bay - an easy twenty-minute walk through three climatic zones to mysterious labyrinths, where there will be only you, sea, birds and seals.
Late dinner in the hotel.


The 7th day


Breakfast in the hotel.
Visiting of a Sunday liturgy in one of the churches of Solovki monastery. Participation in Religious procession.
Lunch in the hotel.
Visit of Cross-cutting workshop. Acquaintance with the tradition of cutting and installation of memorable crosses on the White Sea coast.
Dinner in the hotel.

The 8th day

Breakfast in the hotel. Check-out time.
Walk to the coast of the White Sea to Philip's Dam or to the Negotiation stone.
Lunch in the hotel.
Transfer by bus to the airport or to the pier. Departure from Solovki.