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We are planning a trip in a group of 30 ppl to Moscow and St Petersburg by Oct end to Nov first week for almost 10 days. Wanted to know whether we should also plan a trip to Finland in that timeframe or if you can suggest any other places near St Petersburg or Moscow for us to visit.

Both of those cities can easily fill five days.

Novgorod.

For me, Sankt Peterburg is one of the world's most beautiful cities. You can easily spend five or six days there.

The inner city of Moscow is surprisingly small but there is much to see in the outskirts of the city. Consult a good guidebook.

Be aware that traffic in Moscow is a nuisance and it might easily take two hours to get out of the city or into the city.

This said, you will probably fill your ten days with Sankt Petersburg and Moscow + surrounding region.

I personally never found Finland that interesting. Besides, the landscape north of Sankt Petersburg is pretty much the same as in Finland (lakes and forests).

With only 10 days, no, I would not add Finland. You might consider a day trip to Sergiev Posad outside of Moscow. Maybe Novgorod, but with only 10 days, it'll depend on what you want to see and experience.

Thank you so much for all the suggestions!

Looks like its sensible to be in moscow and st peterburg only from your suggestions. i have noted Sergiev Posad and Novgorod in my list now. Anything that I could visit? Also wanted to know whether cycling trips are available dur that period (Oct-Nov)

You can google cycle tours in Moscow and St Petersburg. The roads are not bike friendly but there might be other trails eg in parks that would be ok to cycle on. But winter will be well on it's way by end of October/beg November, there might be the first snow falls by early Nov.

Ten days is not a lot to see both those cities and travel between them so I would just focus on them.

Separately - are you talking about this year? If so do you still have time to obtain/get visas and make travel arrangements for all those people?

Yes, talking about this year. We have blocked the tickets and made arrangements for the visa processing.