Having spent close to six weeks in Issad, I summarise here the highlights of what to see & do. Enjoy!
5 things to do in Issad
Visit the local Orthodox Church (Tserkov Troitsy Zhivonachalnoy): Pretty run down and under some form of reconstruction at the time of writing, but if you have nothing else to do an option to consider.
Fishing on Volkhov river: Given limited indoor options in the village, a fishing trip is a must do. View of the Volkhov river are great and within walking distance from anywhere in the village. No fishing gear? Absolutely no problem since there is a fishing store right by the local supermarket. I got a fishing rod and some accessories for RUB700-800.
Eat in the roadside restaurant just outside Issad: I had food vouchers from the farm and went there twice a day. Typical Russian menu with good soups and generally tasty food. Much better than other cafes located roadside in the village. The one thing I didn’t like was that they serve food in plastic are open from 8am to 4am every day.
Have a BBQ: Sometimes its best to make your entertainment given limited options in the village – a BBQ is a great way of doing just that. All the kit you need can be bought on the 2nd floor above supermarket. Enjoy your meal!
Visit Cafe Britannia: The only place to go for non-Russian food (like pizza ‘standartne’) and a beer in the village. Styled in a London theme though doesn’t quite feel like a pub. Drinks are often not cold though maybe my time here has trained them a bit. Opened to 10pm Sunday to Thursday and 2am in Friday / Saturday. They have TVs and it’s possible to catch the odd football match though champions league is tough given games tend to start just before closing.
4 things to do around Issad
Staraya Ladoga: Located just on the other side of the river, the town is pretty stunning and one of the oldest in Russia. There is a fortress, monastery and some good views. I have written about my visit here.
Veliki Novgorod & Kayak on the Volkhov river: The town is located up the river Volkhov and a 3.5h drive away. Beautiful old town, many bars and decent nightlife options. See here for details. We decided to see the tour via kayak from the riverside – highly recommended. Best get I touch with Nikita (http://kayakvn.ru/). You are looking at about EUR20 per kayak per day including pick-up from wherever you finish.
Novaya Ladoga & Lake Ladoga: While the city of Novaya Ladoga underwhelms on a good day, the nearby lake is simply stunning (14th largest by area in the world and largest in Europe). Don’t miss it! For more details the lake have a look here. We rented a small motorboat for RUB2000/day at a lakeside camp side (www.krenitsy.ru).
Volkhov: Not that much too see there really beyond the hydropower station (best views actually from the other side of the river on the way to Staraya Ladoga). Has a Megafon shop (best network in Issad), a sushi area and an entertainment Center with pool, cinema, bowling and a decent restaurant called Ёлка (https://m.vk.com/elkacafe).
There are certainly more things possible (eg sauna, hunting, forest walks etc), but thats my best-of list.