A Culinary Sojourn in Saimaa-St.Petersburg
Finland 8 home.days 7 packagedetails.nights May-2021/Sep-2021
EUR2110
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packages.overview
- Learn the interesting cultural history of South Karelia by visiting iconic landmarks such as Imatrankoski rapids, Ruokolahti church, Lappeenranta sandcastle, Lappeenranta castle, Saimaa canal, etc.
- Experience Finnish sauna like never before on a floating sauna boat cruising on the Vuoksi river on Saimaa Lakeland.
- Experience forest dining amidst pristine landscape with open fire preparation and tasting of Lakeland specialties such as Loimulohi.
- Indulge in an exquisite fine-dining experience overlooking the beautiful Saimaa scenery at Sahanlahti, part of the distinguished Saimaa Gastronomy family.
- Visit the iconic Saimaa landmarks such as the town of Mikkeli, Puumala, Parikkala statue park, etc.
- Lively Karelian dining experiences such as baking the traditional Karelian pastry, 'Karjalanpiiraka', and multicourse traditional Karelian dinner, South Karelian street food classics such as 'Vety' and 'Atomi' (literally translated as Hydrogen and Atom)
- Guided walking tour and stay in a majestic Art Nouveau castle, from 1903 overlooking the awe-inspiring Imatrankoski, voted in 2014 as the most beautiful building in Finland.
- Experience Saint Petersburg, known as the Cultural Capital of Russia, and its colorful history with visits to UNESCO World Heritage Site monuments.
- Guided tour in the world's second-largest art museum, The State Hermitage Museum, founded in 1764 by the Empress Catherine the Great.
- Guided tours in the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, The Grand Peterhof Palace, and the Alexander Park.
- Caviar Master Class conducted by the renowned Russian caviar and vodka sommelier, with Russian caviar tastings, preparation methods, and gastronomic pairings with vodka drinks.
- Cooking up a multi-course traditional luncheon with classics such as Pelmeni and Blini, paired with tastings of Russian specialty liquors.
- Experience the rich and diverse culinary traditions of St.Petersburg sampling tasting menus at local restaurant gems.
packagedetails.ataglance
packagedetails.priceinc
Three nights accommodation in Imatra.
Four nights accommodation in St. Petersburg.
Seven breakfasts.
Fine-dining seasonal menu overlooking the beautiful Saimaa scenery at Sahanlahti, part of Saimaa gastronomy, awarded as Finland’s best food tourism product 2019.
Multicourse Karelian dinner with traditional classics accompanied by live music and singing in a traditional village house.
Open-fire lunch in the forest with the Finnish special Loimulohi or marinated salmon on open fire with other wild food specialties.
South Karelian street food experience tasting specialties such as ‘Vety’ and ‘Atomi’.
Learn to bake the Karelian classic pastry, ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ in a traditional setting with Karelian lady.
Caviar Master Class with a renowned sommelier, with Russian caviar tastings, preparation methods, and gastronomic pairings with vodka drinks.
Cooking course with locals learning to cook multi-course traditional lunch with classics such as Pelmeni and Blini, with a possibility to taste different Russian drinks such as vodka, moonshine, herbal bitter, traditional Russian tea, etc.
Three experiential lunches sampling diverse Russian, Georgian-inspired lunches from renowned local dining establishments.
One multi-course dinner in St.Petersburg.
Guided tours in the South Karelian cities of Imatra and Lappeenranta visiting iconic landmarks such as Imatra castle, Imatrankoski rapids, Ruokolahti church, Lappeenranta sandcastle, Lappeenranta castle, Saimaa canal, etc.
Lake Saimaa cruise on a floating sauna boat with sauna and barbequing facilities onboard (2h).
Guided tour in South Savo Saimaa region in Mikkeli visiting Saimaa geoparks landmarks in Puumala, the Parikkala statue park, etc.
Guided walking tour and stay in a majestic Art Nouveau castle, from 1903 overlooking the awe-inspiring Imatrankoski, voted in 2014 as the most beautiful building in Finland.
Guided tour in St.Petersburg visiting classics such as Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Nevskiy prospect Kazan Cathedral, Winter palace, Peter and Paul Fortress, Peterhof Grand Palace, Catherine Palace, etc.
Guided tour in the State Hermitage Museum.
Travel escort for the whole trip.
Private transfers in Saimaa and St. Petersburg region.
packagedetails.priceex
International and domestic flights.
Schengen and Russian visa costs.
Travel insurance.
Transfer between Helsinki and Imatra and Imatra and St.Petersburg.
Anything not mentioned explicitly in Inclusions.
packagedetails.addons
Three nights accommodation in Imatra.
Four nights accommodation in St. Petersburg.
Seven breakfasts.
Fine-dining seasonal menu overlooking the beautiful Saimaa scenery at Sahanlahti, part of Saimaa gastronomy, awarded as Finland’s best food tourism product 2019.
Multicourse Karelian dinner with traditional classics accompanied by live music and singing in a traditional village house.
Open-fire lunch in the forest with the Finnish special Loimulohi or marinated salmon on open fire with other wild food specialties.
South Karelian street food experience tasting specialties such as ‘Vety’ and ‘Atomi’.
Learn to bake the Karelian classic pastry, ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ in a traditional setting with the lady of the house.
Caviar Master Class with a renowned sommelier, with Russian caviar tastings, preparation methods, and gastronomic pairings with vodka drinks.
Cooking course with locals learning to cook multi-course traditional lunch with classics such as Pelmeni and Blini, with a possibility to taste different Russian drinks such as vodka, moonshine, herbal bitter, traditional Russian tea, etc.
Three experiential lunches sampling diverse Russian, Georgian-inspired lunches from renowned local dining establishments.
One multi-course dinner in St.Petersburg.
Guided tours in the South Karelian cities of Imatra and Lappeenranta visiting iconic landmarks such as Imatra castle, Imatrankoski rapids, Ruokolahti church, Lappeenranta sandcastle, Lappeenranta castle, Saimaa canal, etc.
Lake Saimaa cruise on a floating sauna boat with sauna and barbequing facilities onboard (2h).
Guided tour in South Savo Saimaa region in Mikkeli visiting Saimaa geoparks landmarks in Puumala, the Parikkala statue park, etc.
Guided walking tour and stay in a majestic Art Nouveau castle, from 1903 overlooking the awe-inspiring Imatrankoski, voted in 2014 as the most beautiful building in Finland.
Guided tour in St.Petersburg visiting classics such as Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Nevskiy prospect Kazan Cathedral, Winter palace, Peter and Paul Fortress, Peterhof Grand Palace, Catherine Palace, etc.
Guided tour in the State Hermitage Museum.
Travel escort for the whole trip.
Private transfers in Saimaa and St. Petersburg region.
packagedetails.itinerary
- Arrive at the Imatra's railway station, pickup, and transfer to the unique, castle-like hotel with one of the best locations in the city, by the Imatrankoski rapids, considered as Finland's first ever tourist attraction . The small South Karelian town of Imatra, dominated by the famous water bodies Lake Saimaa and river, lies next to the Finnish-Russian Border.
- You have a few hours at leisure to relax after the journey.
- Your guide will pick you at the castle entrance for a guided walking tour through the colorful history of the castle hotel which reminds you of a medieval knight's castle. You will hear the tales of famous personalities such as the Russian Empress Catherine II, Alexander Dumas, and Richard Wagner, who have visited the town in the past.
- Transfer to Ruokolahti, famous for the Ruokolahti church with its wonderful architecture and its famous giant wooden belfry or bell tower. After a guided short walk through the cultural history of the church, you will visit the traditional village home where a fun session of the traditional Karelian pastry baking session awaits you. After baking the pastries in the traditional wood oven and tasting them, you will enjoy a multi-course traditional Karelian dinner accompanied by live music and singing by the hosts.
- Return to the accommodation.
Coffee and pastries, Multicourse dinner
- After a hearty breakfast, you will set off to the town of Mikkeli. Set on the beautiful shores of Saimaa, Finland’s largest lake, the provincial town of Mikkeli was the headquarters of the Finnish army during WWII and is famous for its numerous war museums.
- In Mikkeli, you will visit the Kenkävero, Finland’s largest historical vicarage with the biggest design boutique in the country selling Finnish handicrafts. You also have the possibility to have lunch in the famous vicarage restaurant in Kenkaverö.
- Travel to Sahanlahti for an experiential dining experience at the Sahanlahti resort restaurant set by the banks of the beautiful Saimaa. The restaurant with excellent sustainability principles integrating Saimaa's protected designation of origin (D/O Saimaa) ingredients sourced locally is part of the four dining establishments of the Saimaa Gastronomy which had won the "Hungry for Finland" best food tourism product award in 2019.
- After the delightful lunch, you would leave to the village of Puumala enjoying the true local life. En route you will stop at the Parikkala Statue Park, with 550 sculptures made by the artist Veijo Rönkkönen, amidst wilderness in complex yoga positions giving an eerie mysterious atmosphere to the visitors.
- You will make several stops to admire the beautiful Saimaa landscape and Geopark locations.
- Return to the accommodation.
Multicourse lunch
- After breakfast, leave to the Saimaa Lakeland city of Lappeenranta, the winner of Europe's greenest city, EGLA 2021, and just 30 kms away from the Russian border. You will explore Lappeenranta by taking the street train which runs through the beautiful verdant City and shows you the magnificent old Fortress and beautiful waterfront views of Lake Saimaa. You will take a short guided tour of the Old Town Lappeenranta Fortress, and also visit the magnificent Sandcastle (June -August) where amazing sand structures are built, using millions of kilos of sand every year.
- Enjoy the special meat pie named 'Vety-Atomi' (literally translated as Hydrogen-Atom), a local delicacy with its origin dating back to the 1960s during the building of the Saimaa canal.
- Hop on for a unique Saimaa experience onboard the floating sauna boat cruise, indulging the Finnish legacy of sauna enjoying pristine land and waterscape. There are multiple options for water activities such as SUP and swimming during the cruise
- After the sauna experience, you will experience a wilderness lunch. The wilderness guide will set up a fire and you will learn to make the Finnish outdoor special 'Loimulohi' - Loimulohi, an appetizing smoked fish dish prepared in a special way on the wooden plank and open fire, which will be served along berry-mushroom delicacies.
- You will also visit the Saimaa canal, the only connection between Finland's Saimaa lake district and the Gulf of Finland, built in 1856 between the cities of Lappeenranta and Vyborg, back when both cities were part of the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland in the Russian Empire.
- Return to the accommodation.
Wilderness lunch, Snacks
- Breakfast, check out, and transfer to the train station
- Take the stylish Allegro train to St.Petersburg.
- Pick up from the train station and a multicourse Russian lunch
- Check-in to the hotel.
Lunch, Dinner
packagedetails.knowbefore
- The prices quoted are on B2C basis, for direct sale to the customers.
- The Russian tourist visa application and processing services are included if needed.
- The itinerary can be tailored for bigger or smaller groups as per requirements.
- The mode of transport between Helsinki-Saimaa and Saimaa-St.Petersburg will be tailored as per the group.
- The itinerary could be coupled with Helsinki stay and sightseeing.
- The schedule of the current itinerary will vary depending on the arrival and departure timings.