Kizhi Grace Guest House

We wanted to explore the area of Kizhi (Кижи) more deeply than usual and for that we wanted to stay overnight. We spent two nights in the Kizhi Grace Guest House or Blagodatj (Благодать) - and this was a great experience. We felt welcome, we enjoyed the local food (fish from the Onega Lake, cheese products - in particular the serniki (сырники) for breakfast - and fresh eggs). We strolled around the two villages around the Grace Guest House and met locals. We went for a boat trip with the father of the hotel owner and discovered six more wooden churches around Kizhi. And we waited for GOOD weather to walk around Kizhi island with the museum of wooden churches and wooden houses. At 2 a.m. we got up to take photos - it was not dark then. We fully enjoyed Kizhi and around. We will have to return to Kizhi to see all 22 domes of the Transfiguration Church (Церковь Преображения) - and then, we will again stay in stay in the Grace Guest House - for sure! How to get there: From Saint Petersburg: Train to Petrozavodsk (Петрозаводск, from Ladoga Station - when buying the ticket here, take your passport with you). We took the train on a Friday at ten in the morning to Petrozavodsk (seven hours, ca 500km) and on Sunday we returned with the express train at 6 pm (5 hours). In Petrozavodsk: One night in the Hotel Karelia (near the peer where the hydrofoil boats leave for Kizhi). Taxi from the train station to the hotel (or to the peer) is not more than 100 Rubels. Hydrofoil boats to Kizhi: Tourholding (Турхолдинг) runs boats daily in summer, to Kizhi in the morning (starting at 9:30) and back in the afternoon (starting at 3pm; for all "usual" day tourists). Call Tourholding to book your seats. You can then buy the reserved ticket at the peer (причаль). From Kizhi island to the Kizhi Grace Guest House: Five minutes' boat trip (call the guest house). One boat trip going there and back is free. For additional boat trips you have to pay (such as the round trip). In the hotel we met guests from Moscow that had taken the night train to catch the first hydrofoil boat in the morning - and back to Moscow they took the night train again after having reached Petrozavodsk in the afternoon. There are also night trains between Saint Petersburg and Petrozavodsk. Some more hints: Be aware that the gorgeous 22 dome church is being renovated and you can only see 5 domes. But there is much more to see and it is great that they look after their churches. On Kizhi island you also find "normal" villages. You can rent bicycles at the peer to ride around the island. Ask the hotel, if you want to do additional excursions or activities. The area around the Grace is swampy and wild and we found just one path to the next village, about one to two kilometres away. Mosquitoes all over. We are in Karelia. Take insect repellent with you.