Old Valamo 2 day tour

Departures in 2012:

June:  19.-20.6.  30.6.-1.7.(booked)

July:  11-12.7.,  14.-15.7. (booked),  25.-26.7.

Price: 205 e

• transfers by an own coach Joensuu-Sortavala-Joensuu,
• boat Sortavala - Valamo - Sortavala,
• accommodation in Monastery hotel 1 night,
• dinner and breakfast in the dining hall for pilgrims,
• guided tour in the monastery of Transfiguration, the main monastery area, the main church, lower and upper churches, old cemetery of Valamo brothers, 
• a small concert of Valamo quartet, 
• guided tour to St Nicholaos skete, 
• boat to St Nicon Bay, guided tour in Jerusalem and Gethsemane sketes, walk to Mount of Olives and Igumens´Ponds, 
• city tour in Sortavala, tour leader from Finland,

Other costs: visa support 10e/person

Hotel

Monastery hotel is locating in the main monastery area, in its outer circle in the 2nd and 3rd floor. There are 19 dbl rooms at the hotel. Every room has 2 separate beds, wardrobe, table and chair. Toilet and shower are in the hall. Hotel was constructed in 2003. It is clean and cosy place for overnight. There is no lift in the hotel.  

Program

Frist Day

At 7.00 depart from Joensuu bus station (beside the railway station). At 7.40 Tohmajärvi Neste (gas station). At 8.00 arrive at Niirala-Värtsilä border station, where passport control.  Coffee break after the border in Värtsilä.
Around 12.00 - 13.00 arrive at Sortavala. If there is extra time, it is possible to make shopping. 
At 13.00 depart by a hydrofoil to Valamo arriving at 14.00. In the harbor all the luggage will be gathered into the small bus, which drives them to the hotel. Travellers walk to the hotel. Check-in and possibility to change clothes.  

At 15.00 guided tour in the main monastery visiting the main church of Transfiguration, where are the relics of Valamon founders, St Sergy and Herman. The tour continues to the old cemetery of Valamo brothers and to St Nicholaos skete, where guided tour. After getting back to the main monastery there is a dinner and a small concert by Valamo quartet. 
Evening vesper in the main church from 17.00 to 21.00.

Second day

At 9.00 breakfast. All the luggage will be carried to the storage room for a day. Transfer either by a boat or a bus to St Nicon Bay, where guided tour in Jerusalem and Gethsemane sketes, Mount of Olives and Igumens´ Ponds, where the skete of Our Lady of Konevets. 

At 17.00 depart  by a hydrofoil back to Sortavala. At 18.00 we will be in Sortavala and drive to Finland. Passport control in Värtsilä-Niirala border station. At 22.00 arrive in Joensuu.