SuomeksiOld Valamo 3 day tour
Depart from Joensuu bus station.
Dates in 2010
May 14-16,
June 4-6 (sold out)
July 2-4 and 23-25
Accommodation in the Monastery hotel but on 2nd to 4th of July we are staying at the Winterhotel.
Price: 250 e (Monastery hotel) 240 e (Winter hotel)
Prices include:
- transfers by an own coach Joensuu-Sortavala-Joensuu,
- boat Sortavala Valamo Sortavala,
- accommodation in the hotel 2 nights,
- 2 dinners and breakfasts in pilgrimage dining hall,
- 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, Igumens´ cemetery,
- 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, Konevets skete,
- city tour in Sortavala, tour leader,
Other costs. Group visa 42 e per peson. Trip to Holy Island 20 e per person. Boat trip there and back and guide in the skete is included.
Hotels
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.
Winter hotel is locating beside the main monastery in the building which was a famous monastery hotel in the 19th century. Today there are many activities in this building; school, hobby and culture center, hotel and appartments of local people. This building is now owned by the monastery, but it lives transitional stage and there has not made any construction works at all. Only in this Winter hotel has been made a light construction in 2003. There are dbl, trpl anf four bed rooms in the hotel. Toilets and shower are in the hall. There is no lift at the hotel.
Itinerary
Frist Day
At 7.00 depart from Joensuu bus station (beside the railway station). At 7.40 Tohmajärvi Neste (gas station). At 8.00 arrvie at Niirala-Värtsilä border station, where passport control. Coffee break after the border in Värtsilä.
Around 12.00 13.00 arrvie at Sortavala where is city tour.
At 13.00 depart by a hydrofoil to Valamo arriving at 14.00. In the harbour 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. After getting back to the main monastery there is a dinner.
Evening vesper in the main church from 17.00 to 21.00.
Second day
Morning prayers and liturgy 5-9.30. Breakfast. Walk to the St Nicholaos skete where is guided tour. After this we will come back to the main monastery and we have a small concert of Valamo quartet. The rest of the morning is free but it is possible to visit Holy Island.
In the afternoon tour by a boat or bus to St Nicon Bay where guided tours in Jerusalem and Gethsemane sketes, Mount of Olives and Igumens´ Ponds, where the skete of Konevets Mother of God. Return back to the main monastery, where dinner. Night vigil 19.00 - 1.00.
Third Day
Breakfast. Morning free. At 12.00 hydrofoil to Sortavala arriving at 13.00. It is possible to make shoppings before departing for Finland. Passport control in Niirala-Värtsilä border station. Around 20.00 arrive at Joensuu.