Meeting with your escort at the railway station, transfer to the pier, departure by boat on the White Sea to the Solovetsky Islands. Meeting with the guide at the Solovkov sea pier, transfer by bus to the hotel, accommodation, lunch. Sightseeing walking tour of the monastery territory “History and architecture of the Solovetsky Monastery” with a visit to existing churches and monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Excursion “Exile and imprisonment on Solovki” with a visit to the comprehensive historical exhibition of the Solovetsky State Museum-Reserve.

Day 2:

Breakfast. A pedestrian and boat trip along the lakes and man-made canals of the Big Solovetsky Island, united at the beginning of the 20th century into a single hydraulic system. The hike is accompanied by a guide. Tourists are accommodated in rowing boats of 4-6 people. Bus excursion to the monastery monastery on Sekirnaya Gora with the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, the highest lighthouse of the White Sea and a worship cross erected by Patriarch Alexy II. Excursion to the Makaryevskaya Hermitage and the Botanical Garden "Khutor Gorka" - one of the northernmost botanical gardens in Russia. Return to the hotel. Late lunch.

Day 3:

Breakfast. Free time. For extra fee - a boat trip along the unique inland sea of Solovki to the third largest island of the archipelago - Bolshaya Muksalma. A boat trip in the labyrinth of the Long Bay islands will not leave anyone indifferent. Ahead is the famous boulder dam - a hydraulic structure that has no equal in the world. Stone fields, surpassing the famous Japanese rock gardens in their harmony; starfish lying underfoot; Muksalom reef showing its rare teeth from the sea and of course interesting stories about everything connected with this island. Lunch with dry rations by the fire on the seashore. After visiting the Solovetsky miracle - the dam bridge across the Iron Gate Strait - a walk to the Sergius-Radonezh monastery, which was one of the branches of the Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp (SLON).

Day 4:

Breakfast. Free time. For extra fee - a boat expedition to the Kuzov archipelago, with a landing on the highest island - German Kuzov. Trekking along rocks rising from the sea - outcrops of the earth's crust. Climbing to the highest point of the White Sea. Looking at the chains of the White Sea islands, you will comprehend the vastness of yourself and the world, and... you will not want to leave this place. You will repeat the path of the mysterious Sami - the aborigines of the North, you will see a sanctuary with stone seids and the site of an ancient man. Lunch is dry rations.

Day 5:

Breakfast. Free time. For extra fee - 3-hour sea excursion to Bolshoi Zayatsky Island. Visit to Russia's first stone harbor of the 16th century, St. Andrew's Church, built in 1702 by Peter the Great, and ancient stone labyrinths of the 3rd–2nd millennium BC, including the world's largest labyrinth. Dinner.

Day 6:

Breakfast. For extra travel fee to Anzer Island - a 3-hour sea passage to one of the most mysterious islands of the Solovetsky archipelago. Along the way, you will learn why the Solovetsky Monastery stands in this very place, and what the first railway in Russia to “nowhere” was like. The labyrinth of the Long Bay islands will amaze you with the variety of vegetation and riot of colors, and the monastery, standing on the top of Mount Golgotha, will serve as a guide on your journey. A visit to the Golgotha-Crucifixion Monastery will give answers to the questions of why Eliazar of Anzer is called “the last saint of the Russian Church,” where the church schism originated, how the prophecy about Golgotha came true and how many prisoners can be placed in the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord. Picnic lunch. After a picnic on the shore of Kapor Bay, an easy 20-minute walk through three climatic zones to the mysterious ancient labyrinths, where it will be just you, the sea, birds and seals.

26.12.18 38 928 18

I wanted to see the White Sea. The Solovetsky Islands seemed to me the most suitable place for this.

Ekaterina Mikhailova

went to Solovki

This is an archipelago in the Arkhangelsk region, 160 km from the Arctic Circle. I spent six days there: cycling around the islands, eating fish soup, watching white whales.

I organized the trip myself. Before my vacation, I studied a virtual tour of the archipelago, the website of the museum-reserve and VKontakte community about life on Solovki. It turned out unforgettable and twice cheaper than with a tour operator. In this article I will tell you how to get to Solovki without a tour operator, what to see and how much it costs.

Expenses on Solovki for six days per person - 15,500 RUR

When to go

You can get to the archipelago by boat from June to October. The rest of the time, the islands can only be reached by air.

The most popular time to visit Solovki is from mid-July to early August. At this time, all excursions and locations are available; you can swim in small lakes inside the island. But there are crowds of tourists and a lot of mosquitoes around.

If you dream of solitude, I recommend going at the end of summer or early autumn. The days are still warm, and the nights are fresh and pleasant. There are a lot of berries and mushrooms in the forest, and you can walk barefoot on the moss. But swimming will most likely be cold. You won't be able to see white whales yet. The last excursion to the cape, from where you can see them, takes place on August 15.

In winter or early spring, people go to Solovki for the northern lights, snowmobile rides through the forest, or winter fishing. Excursions are carried out only upon prior request - you must contact the museum-reserve office at least three days before the trip. The schedule and cost of winter excursions to Solovki can be found on the official website of the museum.

Winter on Solovki is warmer than on the mainland, but snowy and with blizzards. Average temperature - −10 °C. Thirty-degree frost is rare, but due to the wind and humidity the cold is felt more intensely.

Summer on the islands is often cold, although there are exceptions: last year was hot and sunny. The water in the White Sea warms up to 11 degrees on average in summer, and up to 20 degrees off the southern shores. In winter, the sea does not freeze completely and, as local residents say, it even warms up a little.

How to get there

The cheapest way to get to Solovki is by sea. Motor ships depart from the piers of the Karelian cities of Kemi and Belomorsk. The season starts on June 1 and ends on September 20. Dates may vary depending on weather.

Through Kem. Kem can be reached by car along the R-21 highway or by train in the Murmansk direction. It takes 24 hours to travel from Moscow, train No. 016A arrives at half past midnight. A reserved seat ticket costs from two thousand rubles. Train from St. Petersburg No. 022CH takes 13-15 hours. He arrives in Kem two hours before the ship. This is convenient because you don’t have to look for a hotel to stay overnight.

6555 R

I spent it on the way there and back

We bought a ticket for a reserved seat carriage for 1909 RUR 20 days before the trip. In order not to spend the night in Kemi, we drove from Moscow through St. Petersburg and stopped there for 10 hours. I spent 6555 RUR on the way there and back.

The motor ship to Solovki departs from the pier in the village of Rabocheostrovsk near Kem. You can get there by taxi for RUR 100 per person. Taxis stand opposite the train station. The journey will take 15-20 minutes.

You can also get there by bus No. 1. It runs every half hour, the stop is opposite the station. The fare costs 20 RUR. During the season, the Prichal tourist complex operates its own bus, but seats must be booked in advance. The ticket costs 150 RUR.

The motor ships “Vasily Kosyakov” and “Metel” depart from the pier in Rabocheostrovsk. There are two flights per day to Solovki on a fixed schedule. Boarding begins in half an hour, the journey will take two hours. A round trip ticket costs 3200 RUR. Children under three years old travel for free, from three to ten years old - for 1600 RUR.

3200 R

costs a ticket for the ship Kem - Solovki and back

Tickets must be booked in advance on the website of the Prichal tourist complex. There you can also see the schedule of ships and get a booked ticket for the ship Kem - Solovki. Adults will need a passport, children - a birth certificate.

Locals say that private ships go to Solovki. You can’t buy tickets for them in advance or even find out the schedule: the owners simply invite tourists to the pier. When I was in Rabocheostrovsk, I didn’t see them.

Renting an entire private boat will cost 12-25 thousand rubles. It can fit 6-10 people. Boats must be booked in advance. Sometimes owners require advance payment. You can check their phone numbers

Through Belomorsk. The road to Belomorsk takes 1-2 hours less than to Kem. The trains are the same. The pier is located in the village of Shizhnya, a 15-minute drive from the station. You can get there by bus number 6 for 30 R or by taxi.

The three-deck catamaran “Sapphire” sails from the pier to Solovki. It is comfortable: inside there are three passenger salons with toilets, a large promenade deck, a cafe and even a souvenir shop with a library. The catamaran sails along the White Sea for four hours. Departs from Belomorsk at 8:00, and from the islands at 19:00. Tickets can be purchased on the travel company website.

From Arkhangelsk You can get to Solovki by the motor ship "Belomorye". It runs from June to September twice a month. You will have to spend more than a day on the road. The cost of one-way tickets is 2440 RUR. They can be purchased five days before departure at the ticket office in the Northern Shipping Company building. Return tickets are sold directly on board by the captain's assistants. The schedule is published on the shipping company's website.

You can carry only 10 kg of luggage free of charge on the ship. For each extra kilogram you will have to pay an additional 12 rubles.

By air. You can get to Solovki from Arkhangelsk in 50 minutes. Planes fly from two airports: Talagi and Vaskovo.

If you fly from Moscow or St. Petersburg, you can make a connection at Talagi Airport. A one-way ticket to Arkhangelsk costs 3000 RUR, to Solovki - 6955 RUR. Pensioners will receive a 25% discount, children under 12 years old - 50%.

6955 R

minimum price of a plane ticket Arkhangelsk - Solovki

The schedule can be viewed on the Nordavia airline website. It is published annually before the start of the season. In 2018, the plane flew to the island on Mondays and Fridays from April to October. From June to September there were additional flights on Wednesdays and Sundays.

What to see

Solovetsky Monastery- the main attraction of the island. A three-hour walk with a guide and 15-30 tourists will cost 500 RUR.

On the excursion you can learn the history of the island, climb into the fortress, go down to the monastery prison, and look at the mill that the monks built. It seemed to me that this excursion was enough to get to know the island.

boulder dam is a bridge made of stones, which was built by hand by monks in the 19th century. It connects the islands of Bolshoi Solovetsky and Bolshaya Muksalma. The length of the dam is 1.2 km. Now it is being destroyed: stones are falling out of the masonry.

The monks who built it most likely did not think about any artistic expression of the dam, and that is why it is one of the most picturesque places I have ever been. The masonry of a pile of stones of different sizes fits perfectly into the local landscape and seems to be a creation of nature, not man. I was lucky to see the dam in good weather - it felt like I was on the edge of the earth.

The route from the village of Solovetsky to the dam and the island of Bolshaya Muksalma lies through the forest. It's 20 kilometers in both directions, so it's best to rent a bike. If it rained the day before, there may be a lot of mud, huge puddles and swamps along the way. It is better to wear waterproof shoes. I was wearing trekking boots and my feet remained dry.

You can take a bag for berries and mushrooms with you. There are a lot of white chanterelles and chanterelles on Solovki - the locals even ignore the moths and russula. Berries are also plentiful during the season: blueberries literally fall off the branches.

If you are not ready to pedal for a long time, you can get to Bolshaya Muksalma by sea from the pier in Dolgaya Guba. The boat will cost 1500 RUR, guide services - another 350 RUR.

Anzer Island- the most secluded and second largest after Bolshoi Solovetsky. I came here for the sake of the harsh northern climate, the Holy Trinity Skete and untouched nature. There is not even asphalt here: the roads are covered with logs or narrow paths are laid out.

A tour of the island will take the whole day. Due to the complexity of the route, children under 12 years old are not allowed on it. To get there, you have to walk by sea for two and a half hours. Groups are formed in advance, so I recommend booking a place as soon as you find yourself in Solovki. This can be done at the excursion desk of the museum-reserve.

The ticket costs 1600 RUR, the price includes a guide and transfer. You will have to think about lunch yourself: there will be a break during the excursion, but you must bring food with you. Even if there is not a cloud in the sky, it is worth taking a raincoat with you: there is no more capricious weather than on this island anywhere on Solovki.

In the hermitages of the island live monks who decided to devote themselves to solitary prayer and seclusion. To feed themselves, they engage in agriculture and crafts, but still regularly receive bags of food from the Solovetsky Monastery.

They have minimal contact with visitors, for example when mooring boats. The monks do not even make comments to tourists personally, but write on signs: “Sisters, do not touch the gilding - it will wear off.”

On Anzer, tourists visit active monasteries with strict regulations, so the requirements for clothing and behavior are strict. Women need to wear a long skirt and headscarf. Men must take off their hats, put on pants and long-sleeve sweaters. Tourists are also asked not to disturb the peace of the monastery residents: you should not take pictures of them or try to talk to them.

Cape Beluzhy- This is a place where white whales pass within a few meters of land. It is located on Bolshoi Solovetsky Island. For me, Cape Beluzhy was the most significant location on Solovki.

You can see whales only from June 15 to August 15 when the sea is calm. At the end of the season there are fewer beluga whales. You need to go at low tide. I advise you to check the schedule at the excursion desk: low tide can be at eight in the morning or at seven in the evening.

We went to see beluga whales on foot. The road to the cape goes through a dense forest. I tried to ride a bike, but gave up halfway: riding over rocks and roots is very difficult. So I walked back to the trailhead and left him in the parking lot. At the exit from the forest you will have to wade. You can go barefoot, but it’s more comfortable to wear high rubber boots.

We spent a little over an hour on the cape. First, a tourist boat appeared on the horizon, and then beluga whales swam to the shore. We were unable to see them properly and take good photographs: only their backs and occasionally their tails were visible. We had a different idea of meeting whales and regretted not taking binoculars. But the feeling of meeting beluga whales in their natural conditions still cannot be compared with visiting a dolphinarium.

The tourists on the boat were luckier: they turned off the engine and drifted very close to the belugas. Therefore, I advise you to get to the cape by water. You can rent a boat for 1200-1500 RUR per person. From the dry dock, the harbor opposite the monastery, the cape can be reached in 20-25 minutes.

Forty minutes is enough to walk around the entire garden. We thought the garden was big and went there on bicycles. It was a big mistake: they didn’t even let us through the gate. There was no parking, so we just left our bikes by the fence. The village is small, and if a bicycle were lost, it would be easy to find it using the green bike rental tag attached to the seat.

There are many berries, fruit trees and flowers in the Makarievskaya Desert. Once upon a time, monks even grew melons and watermelons in heated greenhouses. We tried currants, but it seems that this was impossible.

On Sekirnaya Mountain The Holy Ascension Skete is located - the former men's punishment cell of the Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp (SLON). There is also a camp cemetery with mass graves of prisoners, and at the top of the mountain there is an observation deck with views of the Savvatiev Hermitage and the White Sea.

I was terrified of the feeling that I was walking on bones. I went down to the cemetery, but could not stay there for more than five minutes. The history of the camp years on Solovki is complex and terrible - even the guides find it difficult to answer what is truth and what is fiction. In the conversations of local residents, this topic seems to be taboo.

Boat trip. There are about four hundred lakes on the Solovetsky Islands. Some of them can be viewed by boat: they are connected by canals that were laid back in the 16th century. They provided the monastery with drinking water, powered a mill, a hydroelectric power station and a sawmill.

You can go on a boat trip with a guide, but we rented a rowing boat for RUR 300 at a station two kilometers north of the monastery on Lake Middle Perth. So we were not limited in time and movement.

There are two routes along the lake-canal system: large, 11 km, and small, 6 km. For guidance, large white boards with arrows are installed on the banks along the canals. It takes three hours to ride in a small circle, and six hours in a large circle, plus incredible endurance. We couldn't handle it and went swimming.

Forest lakes warm up unevenly - the temperature is different everywhere. I recommend stopping at Lake Bolshoye Karzino: there is a pier and a hypnotic view. Just for this place I’m ready to return to Solovki. The small route ends at this lake. There you can rent out boats and go to Svetloye Orlovo: this is one of the most transparent lakes on the island, although it is located in the thickets.

To Bolshoi Zayatsky Island people come to see the mysterious labyrinths. They are lined with stone and overgrown with grass and moss. Who and why put them together is unknown. I liked the version about fish traps: during low tides, the fish supposedly did not have time to find a way out of the labyrinths and remained in the trap, from where fishermen later collected them.

The island can only be visited with a guide and on a wooden path. The museum-reserve has established such a rule to prevent visitors from stealing stones from the labyrinths, accidentally setting fire to the wooden church and harming the vulnerable nature of the island. The soil layer here is only 0.5-2 cm, so the plants die quickly. Twenty years ago, deer trampled the trails, which are still clearly visible.

The island is guarded by a watchman, the caretaker of the monastery and, as the guide joked, the fox Pyotr Alekseevich. If you come on your own, you will not be kicked out or fined, but you will break the rules of the museum-reserve.

A ticket for the excursion costs 800 RUR. It must be booked in advance at the monastery office. The journey by boat takes half an hour, the excursion will take two hours. There is a walking trail around the island.

We managed to quickly see the labyrinths and the church, but I still didn’t have enough time. After the excursion there is no time for free walks, so I could not return to the places I liked, which I did not have time to photograph.

Where to live

Hotels and guest houses. There are no more than ten hotels and guest houses in the village of Solovetsky - I advise you to book accommodation in advance. There are a lot of tourists, and rooms up to 3700 RUR per night are sold out quickly.

The cheapest place to live is at the Peterburgskaya Hotel, which operates on the principle of a hostel. For 450 RUR you can get a bed in an eight-bed room, for 800 RUR you can rent a double room. Shower, toilet and refrigerator are shared on the floor. One of the advantages is the proximity to the Solovetsky Monastery.

450 R

is the cheapest room in the Petersburgskaya Hotel

Guest house rooms cost from 800 RUR to 3700 RUR per night per person. They are quieter, more comfortable and have Wi-Fi. The shower and kitchen are also shared on the floor. Superior rooms and luxury rooms in hotels cost from 5,000 RUR to 14,000 RUR. The price includes buffet breakfast, bathroom and nice design.

We lived in the Pinagor guest house, five minutes from the sea and the monastery. For two nights in a standard double room with shared shower and kitchen, we paid 4800 RUR. The room was booked a month before the trip. Even then, there were no more than five offers in this price category on Booking.

The room had two beds, a double and a single, a table, chairs, a mirror, a shoe rack and a night light. Everything is neat and clean

In the description of the house on Booking they promised Wi-Fi, but in reality there was none. We also had to run after the administrator to check us in, bring us the missing towel, and then accept our room. The advantages are silence, comfort and a cafe with Pomeranian cuisine nearby. For breakfast you can buy homemade milk, and for dinner you can eat fried cod, herring or navaga for 220-250 RUR.

Private sector. You can rent a bed, room or house from local residents. Advertisements are available on the website of the tourist information center. You can also simply knock on the door of the locals: the owners will accommodate you themselves or recommend who to contact. Locals say that some residents offer apartments for rent right on the pier, but I haven’t seen any. In general, renting a room or apartment from residents is cheaper than renting from Air BBC.

The cost depends on the conditions. For 500 RUR you can rent a bed and live in a house with the owner. A separate room with a shared kitchen and shower will cost 600-1000 RUR. Entire houses and apartments are rented out for 1200-2500 RUR. But you shouldn’t expect European-quality renovations and heated floors: these are ordinary village houses.

Camping located at the edge of the forest on the shore of Lake Bannoe. This is the outskirts of the village, it’s a ten-minute walk to the monastery. It is prohibited to pitch tents in other places: the entire territory of the archipelago is a nature reserve. We didn’t know about the ban and settled where we liked. But we didn’t light a fire or throw trash.

A place in a tent camp costs 300 RUR per day per person. The camp area has tables, benches, fire pits and a dry closet. For 200 RUR you can take a summer shower, for 300 RUR you can rent a three-person tent for a day, for 100 RUR you can rent a sleeping bag and a camping mat. A bathhouse for 10 people costs 3000 RUR.

300 R

price of a night in a tent on Solovki

If you plan to live in a tent on Solovki, I advise you to prepare as for a hike. For example, it is worth taking a burner with a pot. It will come in handy if you don’t have dry firewood or a fire pit. The tent must be waterproof, and the sleeping bag must be suitable for temperatures down to −15 degrees. Even if you’re lucky with the weather, it’s always cool on Solovki at night. It’s better to place your tent near a stream so you don’t have to run to the store for water.

Products and cafe

The only local goods on Solovki are bread, seaweed and fish. There are six species of Solovetsky herring alone. The rest of the products are delivered by sea in the summer and by plane in the winter. Therefore, in summer prices in stores are one and a half to two times higher than on the mainland. For example, a liter of milk costs 90 R, a kilogram of bananas - 130 R, apples - 170 R. In winter it’s even more expensive: a dozen eggs will cost 130 R, milk and a small jar of sour cream - 180 R.

The largest grocery store in the village of Solovetsky is located next to the museum exhibition about the Gulag on Zaozernaya Street. In the morning there is a line at the checkout. There is also a Raipo kiosk on Severnaya Street, a private grocery store, Filippovskie Bakeries on Kovaleva Street and two monastery bakeries.

Cafes and restaurants open at 10:00-12:00 and work until 21:00-00:00. There are not many of them on the island: we counted eight establishments. Their food is standard, but tasty. A lunch of hot food, snacks and dessert in a cafe will cost 500-600 RUR. The average bill without alcohol in restaurants is 1000-1200 RUR. Once we ordered Finnish beer, it was tasteless and cost 250 RUR per bottle. Here's what else we tried in local cafes and can recommend:

baked herring - 120 R per 100 g;
fried cod - 240 R per 200 g;
fish dumplings - 300 RUR;
Solovetsky herring with potatoes - 260 RUR;
lightly salted salmon or cod - 290 RUR;
buckwheat or potatoes with porcini mushrooms - 160 RUR.

Solovetsky herring under a fur coat with kelp cost 240 RUR, fish soup made from fresh White Sea cod - 180 RUR

A plate of lingonberries with sugar cost us 120 RUR, a cheesecake with blueberries - 40 RUR, a kettle of tea with Solovetsky herbs - 180 RUR

The cheapest place to eat is in the monastery refectory. A set lunch or dinner of two courses and dessert will cost 200-250 RUR. The food is lean: even pilaf is prepared with mushrooms, not meat. But there are a lot of baked goods: there are ten types of muffins alone. There is even more choice in the monastery bakeries. Fishmongers are most willing to sell cod and herring. Before the excursions, we bought snacks for the road at bakeries.

You can also get inexpensive and tasty food in the former canteen of the Solovetsky regional district - the Cafe "Kayut-Kompaniya". Breakfast will cost 150-200 RUR, two-course lunch - from 350 RUR.

On Solovki you can collect mussels for free. To do this, you just need to roll up your pants to your knees and walk along the coastline with your little bag. In a cafe, 300 g of fresh mussels cost 450 RUR. Photo: Tatyana Maksimova

Transport

Bicycles are a popular means of transport on Solovki. There are rental points at hotels, but the largest selection and reasonable prices are in the “Central”, opposite the Filippovskaya Chapel.

Rental costs from 120 to 250 R per hour. It’s more profitable to rent for 10 hours or a day: the administrator gives a generous discount. For 10 hours of riding a mountain speed bike, I paid 1000 RUR, while an hour of renting it costs 200 RUR.

1000 R

I paid for 10 hours of bike rental

The choice of models is large: city, mountain and children's. You can also rent a child seat for 50 R per hour, rubber boots and a bowler hat for 200 R per day. If you wish, you will be given free backpacks, a repair kit and even gloves for your bike.

In two days we drove more than 80 km through rocks, sand, puddles and mud. The bikes never failed, but the brakes squeaked every time water got into them.

There are several cars on the island that are privately owned or owned by hotels. They can be ordered. For example, getting from Tamarino Pier to the Solovetskaya Sloboda hotel costs 150 RUR. We didn’t use them: the island is small and we wanted to explore it completely without missing anything.

For sea walks, fishing or crossing from the mainland to Solovki, you can rent a speedboat or speed boat for 6-15 people. The rental cost depends on the distance of the trip and fluctuates from 2000 to 15,000 R. Phone numbers can be found on the website of the tourist center.

What to take with you

Warm clothes. A set of thermal underwear, a storm jacket and a hat will be needed for sea walks, a sweater or fleece jacket - for hiking in the forest.

Raincoat. It rains frequently from June to September. Exploring the island on a bicycle under an umbrella or making your way through wet thickets is not very comfortable.

Trekking boots. On the islands we walked a lot on sand, rocks and puddles. For walking through the forest and rocky shore, these shoes are more suitable than sneakers.

The trekking boots have a thick sole, a waterproof coating and a reinforced toe. I bought mine at Decathlon for 2699 RUR

Remedies for seasickness. On a boat or a motor ship you get motion sickness even in calm weather. When the sea gets a little rough, you can feel every wave.

MTS or Megafon SIM card. Other operators do not work on Solovki, and Wi-Fi is rare. I took three SIM cards with me. Beeline did not connect to the network, Megafon was only enough for interrupted calls, and MTS allowed you to send photos, communicate in instant messengers, and even make video calls. I have not tested Tele2 and Yota.

Cash. There are terminals on the island for paying taxes, transfers and topping up your mobile phone account. There are no ATMs - money can only be withdrawn at a Sberbank branch. There is only one cashier working there and there is almost always a line. Cards are accepted almost nowhere: I only managed to pay at the pharmacy and the Solovetskaya Sloboda restaurant. Therefore, it is better to take cash with you.

Compass useful for walks in the woods if your phone runs out of charge or your paper map gets wet.

Expenses

At the end of August - beginning of September 2018, we spent 15,500 RUR per person in Solovki for six days. A tour with the same program costs from 32,000 RUR. I spent another 6555 R on the road from Moscow to Kem and back.

RUR 32,000

A tour to Solovki is worth it. We went on our own and spent 15,500 RUR

We took breakfasts and snacks with us, had a cheap lunch in the monastery refectory, and went to restaurants and cafes only for dinner. We managed to save on housing because we lived in a tent for three days.

Remember

The “resort” season on Solovki lasts from mid-June to mid-August. But even at this time, warm clothes will come in handy.
I recommend taking cash. You can only pay by card in some cafes and pharmacies. You can withdraw money at a Sberbank branch, but there are huge queues there.
If you want to stay in touch, it is better to take MTS or Megafon SIM cards with you.
On the island you can stay in guest houses, hotels or hotels. Options for a budget tourist are a room in a private sector or a place in a tent camp.
Book your accommodation and boat tickets at least a month before your trip. Tour operators are buying up places en masse.
You should take breakfast and snacks with you. On the island, food is 1.2-2 times more expensive, and cafes open late.
On the island, spare batteries for your camera or an external battery for your phone will come in handy. Otherwise, it will be a shame not to capture something incredible like belugas playing.
If the temperature rises above 15 degrees, you should prepare repellent and wear a hat with a mosquito net. Mosquitoes and midges are merciless.

Thanks to the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve, Pavel Mokhort, Alexey Pudov and Andrey Gulyaev for answering questions during the preparation of the article.

First day

Excursion Sights of Bolshoy Zayatsky Island (carried out for an additional fee, for a group of 25 people, cost - 700 rubles per person). A boat trip to Bolshoi Zayatsky Island awaits you. You will visit the first stone harbor in Russia, learn the history of St. Andrew's monastery, see stone labyrinths, religious and funerary buildings of the 2nd - 1st centuries BC.
Dinner (on your own)

Second day

Breakfast, check out of rooms.
Excursion to Sekirnaya Mountain
Excursion Botanical Garden - Makaryevskaya Hermitage (carried out for an additional fee for a group of 20 people, cost - 350 rubles per person). Makaryevskaya Hermitage, or Makaryevo, was founded in a very picturesque place, among lakes and hills covered with forest. At a distance from the sea, the sharp wind subsides here, and from the hills an amazing view of the Big Solovetsky Island, the towers and domes of the monastery opens. You will visit one of the northernmost botanical gardens in Russia and see a unique collection of various plants, which has been carefully collected over two centuries.

Recommended arrival days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday

3 days on Solovki

First day

Departure of the ship from the village of Rabocheostrovsk (Kem) to Solovki. Meeting at the pier about. Solovki, transfer to the hotel.
Lunch (on your own)
Sightseeing tour of the Solovetsky Monastery. A walking tour introduces the history of the Solovetsky Monastery. During the excursion you will visit existing churches, a gallery of the fortress wall, monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Transfiguration Cathedral, the Assumption Cathedral, the Church of the Annunciation, stone chambers, a water mill and a bell tower.
Dinner (on your own)

Second day

Breakfast
Free time. Our guides will conduct additional excursions of your choice:
Excursion to Sekirnaya Mountain (carried out for an additional fee for a group of 20 people or more, cost - 400 rubles per person). You will visit one of the highest points of the Big Solovetsky Island - Sekirnaya Mountain, from the top of which an unforgettable view of the White Sea opens. Get acquainted with the history of the active Holy Ascension monastery, where during the Solovetsky camp there was a punishment cell - a place for holding and punishing prisoners. See the unique lighthouse church.
Excursion “Botanical Garden - Makaryevskaya Hermitage”.
Dinner (on your own)

The third day

Breakfast, check out
Lunch (self)
Excursion to Sekirnaya Mountain (carried out for an additional fee for a group of 20 people or more, cost - 400 rubles per person) You will visit one of the highest points of the Big Solovetsky Island - Sekirnaya Mountain, from the top of which an unforgettable view of the White Sea opens. Get acquainted with the history of the active Holy Ascension monastery, where during the Solovetsky camp there was a punishment cell - a place for holding and punishing prisoners. See the unique lighthouse church.
Moving to the pier. Departure to Kem (Belomorsk).

Recommended arrival days: Monday-Wednesday, Wednesday-Friday, Friday-Sunday.

4 days on Solovki

First day

Departure of the ship from the village of Rabocheostrovsk (Kem) to Solovki. Meeting at the pier about. Solovki, transfer to the hotel.
Lunch (on your own)
Sightseeing tour of the Solovetsky Monastery. A walking tour introduces the history of the Solovetsky Monastery. During the excursion you will visit existing churches, a gallery of the fortress wall, monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Transfiguration Cathedral, the Assumption Cathedral, the Church of the Annunciation, stone chambers, a water mill and a bell tower.
Dinner (on your own)

Second day

Breakfast
Free time. Our guides will conduct additional excursions of your choice:
Excursion to Sekirnaya Mountain (carried out for an additional fee for a group of 20 people or more, cost - 400 rubles per person). You will visit one of the highest points of the Big Solovetsky Island - Sekirnaya Mountain, from the top of which an unforgettable view of the White Sea opens. Get acquainted with the history of the active Holy Ascension monastery, where during the Solovetsky camp there was a punishment cell - a place for holding and punishing prisoners. See the unique lighthouse church.
Excursion “Botanical Garden - Makaryevskaya Hermitage” (carried out for an additional fee for a group of 20 people or more, cost - 350 rubles per person) Makaryevskaya Hermitage, or Makaryevo, was founded in a very picturesque place, among lakes and hills covered with forest. At a distance from the sea, the sharp wind subsides here, and from the hills an amazing view of the Big Solovetsky Island, the towers and domes of the monastery opens. You will visit one of the northernmost botanical gardens in Russia and see a unique collection of various plants, which has been carefully collected over two centuries.
Dinner (on your own)

The third day

Breakfast
Free time. Our guides will conduct additional excursions of your choice.
Excursion to Sekirnaya Mountain
Visit to the Solovetsky Maritime Museum (on your own)
Dinner (on your own)

Fourth day

Breakfast, check out from the hotel.
Lunch (on your own)
Moving to the pier. Departure to Kem (Belomorsk)

5 days on Solovki

First day

Departure of the ship from the village of Rabocheostrovsk (Kem) to Solovki. Meeting at the pier about. Solovki, transfer to the hotel.
Lunch (on your own)
Sightseeing tour of the Solovetsky Monastery. A walking tour introduces the history of the Solovetsky Monastery. During the excursion you will visit existing churches, a gallery of the fortress wall, monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Transfiguration Cathedral, the Assumption Cathedral, the Church of the Annunciation, stone chambers, a water mill and a bell tower.
Dinner (on your own)

Second day

Breakfast
Free time. Our guides will conduct additional excursions of your choice:
Excursion to Sekirnaya Mountain (carried out for an additional fee for a group of 20 people or more, cost - 400 rubles per person). You will visit one of the highest points of the Big Solovetsky Island - Sekirnaya Mountain, from the top of which an unforgettable view of the White Sea opens. Get acquainted with the history of the active Holy Ascension monastery, where during the Solovetsky camp there was a punishment cell - a place for holding and punishing prisoners. See the unique lighthouse church.
Excursion “Botanical Garden - Makaryevskaya Hermitage” (carried out for an additional fee for a group of 20 people or more, cost - 350 rubles per person) Makaryevskaya Hermitage, or Makaryevo, was founded in a very picturesque place, among lakes and hills covered with forest. At a distance from the sea, the sharp wind subsides here, and from the hills an amazing view of the Big Solovetsky Island, the towers and domes of the monastery opens. You will visit one of the northernmost botanical gardens in Russia and see a unique collection of various plants, which has been carefully collected over two centuries.
Dinner (on your own)

The third day

Breakfast
Excursion to Sekirnaya Mountain (carried out for an additional fee for a group of 20 people or more, cost - 400 rubles per person) You will visit one of the highest points of the Big Solovetsky Island - Sekirnaya Mountain, from the top of which an unforgettable view of the White Sea opens. Get acquainted with the history of the active Holy Ascension monastery, where during the Solovetsky camp there was a punishment cell - a place for holding and punishing prisoners. See the unique lighthouse church.
Visit to the Solovetsky Maritime Museum (on your own).
Dinner (on your own)

Fourth day

Breakfast
Excursion “To the strict hermitages of Anzer Island” (carried out for an additional fee for a group of 20 people or more, cost - 400 rubles per person) You will visit the second largest island of the Solovetsky archipelago, where in the 17th - 18th centuries. Strict prayer monasteries were organized - Holy Trinity and Golgotha-Ruspyatsky, you will see the diverse natural landscapes of the island, visit active monasteries, learn the history of the monastic, camp and modern periods of the island. The length of the walking tour is 12 km; all necessary things, including food, must be taken with you. The excursion is conducted with the blessing of the abbot of the monastery; tourists are required to comply with the requirements of the monastery charter and be properly dressed.
Dinner (on your own)

Fifth day

Breakfast, check-out from the hotel
Excursion “History of the Solovetsky camp” (carried out for an additional fee for a group of 20 people or more, cost - 400 rubles per person) You will learn about the tragic time in the history of the Solovetsky Islands - the period of existence of the Solovetsky special purpose camp. ELEPHANT was the largest forced labor camp of the 1920s, through which thousands of prisoners passed through.
Lunch (on your own)
Moving to the pier. Departure to Kem (Belomorsk).

8 days on Solovki

First - eighth days

The program is identical to “5 days on Solovki”, with additional accommodation and meals. Additionally, it is possible to go on excursions: “Solovetsky Fortress”, “Lakes and Canals of Solovki”, “History of the Solovetsky Young School”, “Sea Excursion to Kuzova”, etc. (for a fee).