Veliky Ustyug is not a metropolis like Moscow and St. Petersburg. However, every winter it attracts thousands of people from all over Russia who want to visit the place where Father Frost, the main symbol of the New Year, lives. New Year 2025 was no exception. We suggest you familiarize yourself with popular tours and inexpensive hotels and cafes where you can have an inexpensive vacation during the New Year holidays.
Tourist programs 2024
Since Veliky Ustyug is primarily a tourist city, most of its visitors come from afar. Moreover, people prefer ready-made tours rather than traveling by their own car.
"The Greatness of the North"
Residents of our country who love long train journeys should enjoy the New Year's cruise "Greatness of the North". The 5-day journey begins at the train station in the capital. It is noteworthy because it allows you not only to find yourself in the residence of Father Frost, but also covers other snowy regions before that. The cost of the tour is around 64-65 thousand rubles.
The first stop is the Ruskeala Mountain Park in Karelia. This reserve stands out from the surrounding area with its diverse landscapes. Numerous marble quarries, steep cliffs, at the foot of which are small clear rivers and lakes. Here visitors can learn more about the history of Russian northern nature, and also get the opportunity to get acquainted with the craft of stone processing.
Next on the program is the Arctic capital of Arkhangelsk. The city has many places focused on winter recreation. Ice sculptures on the embankment of the Northern Dvina, an open-air museum of wooden architecture, old log huts, stories about the traditions of celebrating Christmas by local peoples.
At the end of the tour — Veliky Ustyug — the guide takes guests around the ancient merchant city. The purpose of the walking tour is to get acquainted with the architecture of churches, museums and simply houses of native residents built several hundred years ago. At the end of the program, tourists are offered to visit a silversmith's workshop, where they can learn the craft of silver engraving and make a product from this precious metal with their own hands.
Visiting Santa Claus
When there is no desire to travel long distances, or there is not much time for a trip, there is a local three-day group tour of Veliky Ustyug. Price: 18 thousand rubles.
The first stage is a walking tour with a visit to the Orthodox architectural monuments of the ancient city. Along the route are the Cathedral of Procopius the Righteous, the Cathedral Courtyard, the Nikolskaya, Ascension, Spaso-Preobrazhenskaya churches and other temples. Further along the route, you can learn more about the changes in the city over the centuries and its formation as a center of handicrafts. In addition to the historical museum dedicated to the development of Veliky Ustyug over the past millennium, there is an exhibition "New Year and Christmas Toys", where you are allowed to temporarily become one of the artisans who were engaged in blackening on silver.
The second day of the program is dedicated to the life of Father Frost and everything connected with him. In the vicinity on the way to the residence of the gray-bearded wizard there are locations from children's New Year's fairy tales, such as the Glade of the Brothers-Months, a fairy-tale oak with magic chests and a house with a stove of grandmother Aushka. In the house of Father Frost itself there is not only a bed and a magic mirror. There is also a library and an astronomical observatory. And where would we be without a traditional wish, which will definitely come true.
Cheap hotels in the city
Those who like inexpensive vacations should first of all pay attention to the hotel "Velikiy Ustyug". The price for a single room here is inexpensive - only 1700 rubles per day, but for two or a family you need to spend at least 2800 rubles. The place is located 400 meters from the center, thanks to which you can quickly get to the main attractions.
Another budget option, but a little further away, is the Prokopyevskaya Hotel. The cheapest single and double rooms are priced at 1,400 and 2,000 rubles, respectively. There is a cafe on the ground floor.
If you need accommodation in the very center, you should consider staying overnight at the Sukhona Hotel. The complex has free parking and a restaurant. Prices start from 1,500 rubles per night.
If you have a little more money, you can stay at the Gleden Hotel. The establishment allows you to check in with your pets. True, up to 15 kg. And each room is equipped with a folding bedside table that can be turned into an extra bed. The price per day in a standard room is on average 2,500 thousand rubles.
Also good accommodation options are the Dvina and Rozhdestvenskaya hotels. Both establishments are similar to each other, located nearby in the city center. In the lobby of Dvina, at the entrance, there is a stylized map of the city hanging on the wall, and the design of the premises as a whole has its own style. The building itself is an architectural monument built in 1884. You can stay here for 2,300 rubles.
Another option is the Rozhdestvenskaya Hotel, with rooms priced from 2,950 rubles. The establishment offers morning breakfasts included in the price and 24-hour check-in.
Prices may change depending on the rush and during seasonal events. Therefore, it is better to check their relevance additionally.
Cafes and restaurants
In between visiting the city's iconic places and their surroundings, it is necessary to satisfy your hunger. Therefore, the city has taken care to ensure that guests of Veliky Ustyug have somewhere to eat during peak tourist activity. Here is a list of some restaurants and cafes that are featured in tourist guides and are in great demand among locals:
- Cafe "Gostiny Dvorik". A place of the middle price segment. Large selection of hot dishes, traditional Russian cuisine for the north with many meat products. It is worth keeping in mind the workload during rush hour due to popularity and geographical accessibility.
- People's cafe "RomanovЪ". This bistro is more like a canteen in its arrangement. The establishment has soft sofas and chairs for feeding babies. Prices are below average, and the service is fast.
- The restaurant "Pogrebok" is made in the image of Bavarian beer pubs. There is a wide range of hops, real German sausages, crayfish and fried potatoes. With prices above average, the establishment is in high demand. Especially in the afternoon, closer to evening, the restaurant is visited by noisy companies returning from walks in the wild nature.
- Planning an event for a large number of people? It is worth paying attention to the restaurant "Aivazovsky" with a large banquet hall. Here you can find Russian and European cuisine, a rich show program with a host.
- "Sukhona" is a small establishment with 8 tables. The cafe is designed in a style that strives to create a feeling for visitors as if they were at home. A strict interior in beige tones and comfortable soft chairs are what you need for a quick snack in the middle of an excursion day.
For those traveling to Veliky Ustyug on a ready-made tour, it is better to find out whether visiting public catering establishments is included in the price. And also to agree with the guide the time and place of eating in case of long multi-hour excursions.
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