Open the left menu Republic of Karelia. Large cities of Karelia and their sights How to get to Karelia

“For a long time Karelia will dream, They will dream from these spiky fir-trees eyelashes Above the blue eyes of the lakes.” Gin V.

Whenever I left or came home, to Karelia, this song accompanied me. It is always included on the train. I remembered her often when I lived in other countries - in France, and then in Tunisia. This little quatrain describes the nature of Karelia. These are forests, lakes (“lambushki” as small, forest lakes are called here), swamps, rivers, waterfalls, rocks.

I grew up among the forests of Karelia, so I'm not afraid to go there. They are family to me. Wild animals are also found here: wolves, chanterelles, hares and bears. It is the bear that is drawn on the coat of arms of the Republic of Karelia, as the personification of its nature. When we went for berries, we met one little bear cub in a raspberry. I saw both hares and chanterelles in the forests. My grandmother also saw wolves that prowl around the dachas in winter.

Karelia is a northern region. Summer here is short - only two months (and sometimes one month) - July and August. Yes, and in these two months the sky is often covered with clouds, and they are discharged with rain. Therefore, in Karelia, every resident receives a “northern” supplement to his salary, since the weather conditions here are far from mild.

How to get there?

Karelia can be reached from Moscow by plane, as Petrozavodsk, the capital of the region, has its own Besovets airport. By train or bus, it is also easy to get to Petrozavodsk or other major cities in Karelia from both Moscow and St. Petersburg.

By car is also not a problem, but keep in mind that the roads here, for the most part, leave much to be desired.

By plane

Airplanes to Petrozavodsk depart from the Domodedovo airport in Moscow. Flights are offered by RusLine, on whose website you can easily buy tickets or. Their price differs from the tariff - from 4,185 to 13,885 RUB. In 1 hour 40 minutes you will reach Petrozavodsk.

Planes arrive at the Besovets airport, from which you can drive to the city of Petrozavodsk in just 40 minutes. To do this, you can take a bus or use a taxi. A trip on the first one will cost only 40 rubles, and on the second - from 500-600 rubles. By bus you will reach the bus station in Petrozavodsk. It's almost the center of the city. Nearby there is a public transport stop, from where you can go to any part of the city.

Planes do not fly from Petersburg to Petrozavodsk.

By train

Trains depart from both Moscow and St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk and other major cities in Karelia. They often go to Petrozavodsk and there is more choice among them. You can get to other cities, but the trains there have a stricter timetable. They run on certain days and at special times.

What trains, when and how much travel time will you spend to Petrozavodsk if you choose the train option - all this is described in

They arrive at the railway station. It is located in the city center.

By bus

Regular buses to Petrozavodsk run only from St. Petersburg. A ticket costs about 1,000-1,050 RUB. They depart from the Obvodny Canal and the Northern Bus Station. On the way you will spend eight and a half or 11 hours.

In Petrozavodsk, they arrive at the bus station, which is located just 10-15 minutes from the city center.

By car

By car, you can easily reach any city in Karelia. I wrote about how to do this before Petrozavodsk. Many roads in the region are of very poor quality.

And if you are going to some village or small town, then it will not be the road that will lead you there, but some pathetic semblance of it.

By ferry

Maritime transport in Karelia has been developed since time immemorial. This is the land of lakes and rivers. And Lake Onega is the second largest body of water in Europe, after Lake Ladoga.

The largest ports in Karelia are Kem and Belomorsk. , as a city on the shores of Lake Onega, also has its own river port.

From St. Petersburg and Moscow, cruises depart with calls to, and the city. They are not cheap - from 20,000 RUB, but this price already includes meals and excursion services.

I described approximate routes in the article “How to get to Petrozavodsk?”

Clue:

Republic of Karelia - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 0

Kazan 0

Samara 1

Yekaterinburg 2

Novosibirsk 4

Vladivostok 7

When is the season? When is the best time to go?

Many tourists who are going to Karelia have the illusion that when they come here in the summer, they will choose the best season because of the heat. Should disappoint them. Summer in Karelia is short and, as a rule, with alternating cold and hot days. It rains often. The forests are full of mosquitoes and other insects.

When is it worth going? It all depends on your plans and what you plan to do. Do you want to Valaam or? Come early June or September. Do you want to go kayaking or rafting on our rivers? Then it is better to go in early May, because at this time the water in the rivers rises and it is a pleasure to ride along the rapids.

Going on a simple hike in the woods? Then June, July and August are the ideal months to visit our region.

Winter is also not the worst time to come here. It's very beautiful here in winter! When the snow covers everything around. You can ski, skate or snowboard.

Choose the time of arrival depending on the purpose of your trip. For me, Karelia is beautiful in any season.

Republic of Karelia in summer

Summer in Karelia begins in mid-June, and even then not always. Sometimes it is late in our area and comes only at the beginning of July. And by mid-August, the cold weather begins.

In June, the temperature can be as low as 10 degrees Celsius. Some days it drops below zero. At the very beginning of the month, it may also snow.

Ticks also wake up in June. This is one of those times when they are especially active. If you are going to the forest, then here's my advice: leave short shorts and tops at home. All skin must be covered. Long pants or jeans + a warm sweatshirt over a T-shirt is the best option. The sweatshirt can be removed if it's cold, but it won't hurt at night.

In July, very hot days are issued - up to +25 degrees. Sometimes there are thunderstorms with heavy rain and hail. It gets cool at night and in the evening, so a jacket or a warm sweater will not hurt to grab.

August will still delight you with warm days, but by the middle of the heat you should not wait. It becomes cooler - up to +10. Towards the end, another period of tick activity begins again.

Republic of Karelia in autumn

In early September, you will be pleased with the "Indian summer". The temperature keeps +15 or even +20. It lasts only a week (give or take a couple of days). Then the rains begin. The temperature is already +5 or 0 degrees. By the end of the month, that very golden time begins, which so admired Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin.

October is still that magical time when, walking through a park or forest, you will see trees, the leaves of which are of various colors - from gold to reddish-purple. I liked this time. You can still go hiking in October, but you need to dress very warmly already.

The first snow falls in November. This is the period that I can not stand in Karelia - snow falls, then it melts, and slush is everywhere. Then the same cycle begins. The air temperature is 0 and drops even lower. There may be freezing rain and snow. In the northern regions of Karelia, the weather is even worse.

Republic of Karelia in spring

In March, there is still snow all around in Karelia. Winter is in full swing and is not going away. Air temperature -25 degrees. It may be slightly higher or lower. The frost on the street is just as strong. Snow sometimes falls in large flakes.

In April, the snow begins to melt slowly. I hate this time in Karelia, because the streets are full of mud, slush, huge puddles of water. At the beginning of the month the temperature is -15 or -10. By the middle it rises to 0, and towards the end +5. Sometimes it may snow.

It's still cold in May. Temperature 0, and sometimes +5, +10. Snow still lies in the forests and melts very slowly. In cities, by the end of the month, it almost completely disappears. On May 1 or 9 it is still very cold. I remember that I always went out for a walk at this time in a warm jacket and even a sweater.

Republic of Karelia in winter

In December, snow often falls and a blizzard sweeps. Daytime temperature 0/-10. In the evening it still goes down. In early December, the snow either falls or melts immediately. Then the cold starts again, causing the puddles formed from the snow to freeze, turning the streets into a real skating rink.

January is cold, white and frosty. "Frost and sun - a wonderful day." This is how this month can be described. It is already possible to ski, as the snow cover allows it. During the day the temperature is -25, -20 degrees. The streets are covered with sand, but not everywhere. You need to walk carefully.

In February, the most severe frosts begin, when you don’t even want to show your nose on the street. The temperature reaches -30 degrees below zero. In some places it can be -35. It is imperative to dress warmly. I always went around at this time dressed like a cabbage. Because otherwise you will freeze quickly. Pros: Great for skiing or ice skating.

Clue:

Republic of Karelia - monthly weather

conditional areas. Descriptions and Features

Since Karelia is a land of lakes and rivers, the main tourist areas here are connected with water bodies - the shore of Lake Ladoga, the shore of Lake Onega, the shores of the White Sea.

Ladoga and its shores

• Near the shores of Ladoga there is a place famous throughout Karelia and beyond - "Ruskeala". The beauty of these places is simply breathtaking. We went there three times. The road goes past lakes and forests. There are a lot of rocks in this region. Near the "Ruskeala" are the famous Ruskeala waterfalls.

• Of the significant cities in this region, you can visit. This is a small town on the border with Finland. There is a beautiful park where it is so nice to take a walk. This is the city of my childhood, where I spent my holidays. He is well known to me. It is small but cozy.

• Another interesting city is Pitkyaranta. The international tourist route, the Blue Road, passes through it. It connects Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. It was named blue because it runs along lakes and rivers.

• Not far from the city of Lahdenpokhya is the famous island of Valaam, where the monastery is located. Once I was there. This is a very beautiful place. And the snow-white monastery fits perfectly into the general landscape of the island.

• The Olonets State Nature Reserve is also located here. This is a reserve, on the territory of which many typical representatives of the Karelian forest live. The visit is only possible for organized tourist groups.

Onega and its banks

• On the shores of Lake Onega is my hometown -. This is the capital of Karelia. Come there during the "white nights". You can walk around the city day and night, in full light. There are many parks, gardens, museums and fountains in our city. Be sure to go to the embankment - there is a whole collection of gifts from sister cities of Petrozavodsk in the form of various sculptural compositions. I wrote about them separately.

• Ships depart from Petrozavodsk to one of the pearls of Lake Onega - the island. It can be safely attributed to the “must see” list in Karelia. I have been there three times, but I would like to go there again. I wrote about Kizhi.

• From Petrozavodsk, an hour's drive is the city of Kondopoga. It is also located on the banks of the Onega. Small town. You can drive around it in 20 minutes. What's interesting here? In the city itself - nothing, but in its environs - yes. Reserve "Kivach" or "Marcial Waters". They will be discussed below.

Shores of the White Sea

• This is a completely different region of Karelia, with its own energy. From large and interesting cities here you can bring Kem or Belomorsk. The village of Rabocheostrovsk is very famous, where the film "The Island" was filmed. Ships depart from there to the Solovetsky Islands. They have been written about in detail.

• Small villages and settlements are scattered along the entire coast of the White Sea. where the life and traditions of the peoples of the North - Pomors, etc. have been preserved. The coast there is rocky, but surprisingly beautiful.

• In the vicinity of Belomorsk there are famous petroglyphs on the Besovy Nos. These are drawings of ancient people that date back to the 4th-3rd millennium BC. They show how they lived and what kind of thinking our ancestors had.

What are the prices for holidays?

Prices in Petrozavodsk will not seem high compared to St. Petersburg or Moscow:

• A room in a hotel or inn will cost you from 1500 to 3000 RUB. During the tourist season, and this summer, accommodation prices rise. It will be cheaper to stay in a hostel - from 500-600 RUB.
• You can rent a room or even an apartment. The first one will cost you 5000 - 7000 thousand RUB, and the second - from 10,000 - 15,000 and more. These are prices without paying utilities and the Internet (this is another plus of 2000 - 3000 RUB). It is convenient to choose and book accommodation at. You can see the prices for apartments, and compare the cost of rooms in hotels by.

• Dine in a restaurant or cafe will cost 500-600 RUB, and drink coffee or tea on the road with buns - a maximum of 200-300.
• Excursions cost differently - from 5000 RUB. It all depends on the travel agency from which you choose them.

Main attractions. What to see

It is best to travel around Karelia by car, as not all sights can be reached by bus or train.

Karelia has a huge number of natural attractions. Although many enterprises, factories and firms are working hard to finally destroy the nature of Karelia, it endures all the blows of fate they inflict - deforestation, destruction of animals and fish, etc.

Top 5

In the top 5 attractions of Karelia, I would include these places: Kizhi Island, the island, Ruskeala, the Paanajärvi National Park and the Marcial Waters with the Kivach waterfall.

Kizhi Island

This is a pearl in the crown of Karelia. A green island that attracts tourists from all over the world. The wooden churches of Kizhi have long been the hallmark of Karelia. "Comets" and "Meteors" - special ships that deliver tourists to the island go there from Petrozavodsk.

It is divided into separate sectors, so it is convenient to visit it, discovering the life and traditions of the peoples of Karelia. It will take one day to see everything. About Kizhi written in detail

Valaam Island

When we sailed to Valaam, I saw the white building of the monastery among the trees. I've only been there once and not for long. But I still remember my impressions of this place. The monument of Russian architecture - the Valaam Monastery - delights everyone who has seen it. Blue domes with reddish walls against the background of gray rocks - that's what this monastery is.

In addition to him, there are many other sketes on the island that hide among trees and rocks.

Ruskeala

This is a huge mountain park, which is located on the territory of the Marble Canyon, where marble was previously mined for the construction of some historical monuments in St. Petersburg. We have been there with my family several times - about three times in summer and once in winter.

It is easy to find it - it is located near the city, so you need to move towards this city, and then turn towards the sign to Ruskeala.

Near the park there is a parking lot where you can leave your car. Opposite it are souvenir shops. After you buy tickets, you can start the route. He goes along the lake, which is located inside the canyon. The hiking trail is marked with signs, and there are fences and warning signs at the steep cliffs.

The path passes through one adit and past an underground lake. After walking, you can sign up for a boat tour. For 4-5 people, one boat with two oars is issued + life jackets for all passengers. It is completely different to see the Marble Canyon from the water. You will be able to see other adits at the same time, but also only from the water. You cannot go inside.

For fans of extreme sports, there is an opportunity to go rock climbing or fly over the Marble Canyon on special equipment.

Near the park, just a 20-minute drive from it, there are waterfalls called Ruskeala. Their visit is free, but it is very interesting to walk there.

Paanajärvi National Park

If you dream of a place where you can retire with nature, then Paanajärvi Park is just what you need. Waterfalls, cleanest rivers and lakes, mountains - everything can be found here. And you can drink water directly from the reservoirs! She is so pure! “There are traces of unknown animals on unknown paths.” The park is home to many animals and they are watched.

The park has a camping site, a sauna, etc. Park staff will be happy to help you if you need their help.

Getting there is not easy, as part of the road leading to the park is unpaved, so it can be long and difficult.

Marcial waters and Kivach waterfall

I did not accidentally combine them into one attraction. Most of the proposed excursions to the waterfall "Kivachu" immediately implies a trip to the Marcial Waters. This is due to the fact that they are close to each other. Therefore, it is very convenient to kill two birds with one stone.

The Kivach Reserve includes two waterfalls and a small park with an eco-museum, where stuffed animals that live in the Karelian forests are presented. I have been there both summer and winter. It is better to come in the summer, because in winter it is very cold there, and the paths are made bad - you can slip and fall. In summer, beautiful landscapes open up there. There is parking nearby.

Marcial Waters is a balneological resort, which was still appreciated by Peter the Great himself. There are springs with different water - ferruginous, nitric, slightly mineralized. Each individual source is located in its own wooden house. There is a sign with the designation of what diseases this water helps. It can be drunk in certain quantities. You can take it with you, but you can’t keep it for a long time - it can only stand for a day.

There is also a small museum near Marcial Waters, which tells the story of the foundation of this resort. Nearby there is also a sanatorium of the same name, where you can undergo a course of treatment for a fee.

Beaches. Which is better

The beaches near the White Sea are pebbly or strewn with boulders. Rarely where you will find beaches with soft, white sand. The White Sea is a northern sea, so it never warms up enough to swim safely there. In July near the coast and a little further it will be warm, but in August or June it is already cool.

The beaches on Lake Onega are better. Real beaches with pure white sand are more common here - you need to know the places and that's it. On the way from Petrozavodsk to Sortavala, there are such beaches. Many of the others are with stones. When entering the water, be careful, as the bottom can be littered with boulders or debris.

The coast of Ladoga is in many ways similar to the coast of Onega.

Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit

Finland

Karelia has a lot in common with this country - from history to nature. Many of my friends or acquaintances have moved there. According to them, traveling to Finland as a tourist is good, but living there for a Russian person is very boring. What to see in Finland?

I was in, and it seemed to me a very boring city. The center there seems to be copied from Peter, and you don’t even feel that you are abroad. But the shopping malls there are really impressive. According to friends, it's a good idea to go to Lapland to go skiing.

Arkhangelsk region

The border with this area runs in the east of the region. If Karelia is the north, then the Arkhangelsk region can be called "north-north". Minus temperatures there are even lower than in Karelia in winter.

It is to this region that the Solovetsky Islands belong, and not to Karelia, as some believe. I wrote about Solovki In general, the North is a special land where even harsh, but honest and fair rules apply.

Murmansk region

I have been to this area twice. I visited the city twice, which I really liked. I have memories of that area as an endless white desert (because I was there in winter).

Huge spaces, without any vegetation, lakes and hills - that's what you see when you leave Murmansk. We must not forget about the polar night. I observed this phenomenon - during the day it is light for only a couple of hours, and then immediately solid darkness.

Leningrad region

The pearl of the region, the favorite brainchild of the Great, -. But that's not the only thing to see there. I went hiking in the Leningrad region. We descended both in kayaks and in boats along the Tikhaya River, with access to Ladoga.

I was very impressed! It is like the sea - it can be restless and noisy, or it can gently beat the waves against the shore. On the banks of Ladoga there are very beautiful places - beaches with white, soft sand. The Quiet River is unusually picturesque, especially from the water.

Vologodskaya Oblast

In the capital of the region - Vologda - I had a chance to go on a sightseeing tour of the city. I was only on the embankment of the Volga River and on the square nearby. We were given a couple more hours to inspect the temple located on it.

If you climb to the very top, then from there a simply amazing view of the whole city opens! We passed the region itself by bus, and I noticed that it was all green - in the forests.

nearby islands

Among the islands of Karelia, the most popular are Kizhi and, which I wrote about above. There are many other small islands on Lake Onega, the Ladoga and White Seas, but they are not as interesting as the first two.

Food. What to try

The national cuisine of Karelia relies entirely on the most common and affordable food products here. The dishes of Karelia were influenced by the peoples living here - Vepsians, Finns, etc.

One of the typical dishes of Karelia is kalitki - cakes made from rye flour, in which mashed potatoes are wrapped. The edges are smeared with oil to make them softer. This is delicious!

Karelian dishes are prepared on the basis of lake fish, mushrooms and berries. As for meat, the Karelians did not eat fresh deer or elk meat, but dried it and salted it so that it could be stored longer.

The cuisine of Karelia was also influenced by the one adopted in central Russia. Ordinary, peasant dishes - "shchi and porridge - our food," as they say.

For tourists in Karelia, there are decent restaurants where you can try national cuisine. The price tag will be 600-800 RUB for 1 person. Since tourists from Finland often come to Karelia, restaurants try to keep it at the appropriate level. It's clean and tidy there.

In stores, you can buy products at reasonable prices. For 1000 RUB you can buy a lot for 1 person. It is better to buy vegetables and fruits there too. I have not seen markets anywhere for a long time. Fruits or vegetables are still sold in shops near the roads, but it is better not to buy them there, as the prices there are very high.

Features of the mentality

For the inhabitants of Karelia, as for any people of the North, restraint and relative unemotionality are characteristic. On the streets, people rarely smile at strangers, and express their emotions sparingly. Don't be surprised by this. The people here are calm and simple. They can be both cheerful and cheerful. But they don't show it to everyone.

Holidays

There are several national holidays in Karelia, but they are almost never celebrated. The same Day of the Republic of Karelia, which is officially celebrated on June 8, passes almost imperceptibly in the capital - Petrozavodsk. Of the big holidays: Days of the city, which are held differently in each city. On May 1 and May 9, fireworks are held in Petrozavodsk, and on the second of them, the Immortal Regiment action takes place.

Safety. What to watch out for

In my opinion, Karelia is a safe area. General rules apply here - do not walk at night, observe general safety rules.

In summer, if you go for rafting, then follow the instructions of the instructors who will accompany you. This is not a simple walk, but belongs to the category - an extreme sport. Therefore, do not neglect what the instructor tells you.

It is better to go to the forests of Karelia as part of a tourist group, since you can get lost alone or alone. Moreover, there are wild animals - bears, deer and elk. By the way, they are under state protection, so it is forbidden to shoot them. Even if you accidentally knock down an elk on the road, you will have to pay a fine for it.

Things to do

On the territory of Karelia there are many rivers with rapids of different categories of complexity. Therefore, here is an ideal place for rafting, kayaking or catamaran rafting. Travel companies offer rafting for 8,000-9,000 RUB for a few days. There are also more expensive - it all depends on how long you want to go on such a trip.

Another option is to simply go hiking - to Mount Vottovaara or Girvas Volcano. Travel agencies also have different offers - from 4,000 - 5,000 RUB, depending on the number of days. It is very nice to be alone with nature and take a break from all the benefits of civilization.

In winter come to us to go skiing! Of course, we don’t, but nature is pure and pristine! Ski rental will cost you only RUB 300 per day, but what a pleasant feeling it is to hear how skis glide on the snow.

Another entertainment in winter is riding huskies - sled dogs. A fascinating trip can last from 15 to 20 minutes. For the price, it costs from 800 to 2000 RUB.

Shopping and stores

In the capital of Karelia - Petrozavodsk - there are many large shopping centers where they sell many brands of clothing from brands that are available throughout Russia: Mango, Concept Club, etc. Since it is very close, there are many stores or Second Hand shops throughout the region. selling clothes from Finland. Prices - from 500 RUB.

bars

For me, the coolest bars are in Petrozavodsk. Although in recent years, one often opens and others close. The establishments are constantly changing, so I don’t even dare to advise you something specific. Who knows - maybe in 2-3 months it will close?

There are bars in other cities of Karelia, but they provide some standard set of services. It's more like pubs or "glasses", as in St. Petersburg.

Clubs and nightlife

About the clubs, I would say the same thing that I wrote about the bars from above. There are a couple of good clubs in Petrozavodsk. For example, Vkontakte - there is such a club in the city center. He steadfastly endures difficult, crisis years. I really like the design there - red telephone booths, old telephones on the walls and a huge SUV right on the dance floor! Entrance - 200-300 RUB.

There are clubs in other Karelian cities, but they are the most simple and unsophisticated. Something like village discos.

extreme sports

An extreme sport is rafting or rafting on catamarans along the rivers of Karelia.

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

When you go to a souvenir shop or walk up to a souvenir shop, your eyes will simply diverge from the variety. What can be brought from Karelia?

Products from Karelian birch - these can be caskets, mirrors, combs, jewelry. They smell delicious and are of good quality. Prices - from 200 RUB.

Shungite products. It is believed that shungite, like a stone, has healing properties. I don't know how true this is, but on their own, they are beautiful. They have a special, deep black color. Shungite beads are very beautiful, but they may seem heavy. Their price is from 300 RUB.

Towels, potholders, aprons with Karelian embroidery. It is easy to distinguish it from any other. It is made with red threads, and represents patterns or scenes from straight lines. There are almost no curved or arched lines. Cost - from 150 RUB.

If we talk about edible souvenirs, you can grab a couple of jars of blueberry or cloudberry jam. Blueberries, lingonberries, cloudberries - all these berries grow in abundance in the swamps of Karelia. And what kind of jam do they make! Price - from 100 RUB.

And how not to remember here the famous Karelian balm! From other alcoholic, Karelian drinks, you can buy tinctures on local berries - cranberries or cloudberries. Prices - from 450-500 RUB.

How to move around the region

There is a bus service between the cities. For the most part, these are still old "loaves" or newer buses, but worn out. There are also trains, but they run according to a certain schedule - sometimes 1-2 times a day or even on certain days a day.

From Petrozavodsk organize excursions to Kondopoga or Sortavala with a visit to the surrounding attractions. They cost from 5,000 RUB. These are bus tours.

Taxi. What features exist

You can also travel between cities by taxi, but this is not very convenient. The distances are too long, and you will have to pay for gasoline and the work of a taxi driver, but also his accommodation, if necessary.

It is best to order from official services, as hitchhiking is both expensive and dangerous.

Taxi can only be paid in cash. Cards are not accepted.

Public transport

As I wrote above, from public transport at your service - trains or buses. Train tickets cost from 1500 RUB. This is a platzkart. There are also seats - they cost only 500 RUB. It is inconvenient to travel by train, because it has its own schedule, which everyone else needs to adapt to.

Buses are old. Until now, “loaves” are sent from Petrozavodsk to small surrounding cities. When you ride in them, it seems that they are about to fall apart. The price of a bus trip is cheaper - from 1000 RUB. But if you go to cities remote from Petrozavodsk, then the trip will seem very difficult for you.

Transport rental

In the cities, I have not seen special offices for car rental. Anything can be found in. Renting a car is not very practical, since remote areas of the republic are not very safe to move around. And the roads in Karelia are bad, so you don’t have to pay too much for rent later.

Karelian roads were built, as they say, according to the principle: "How a drunk driver drove." Turns, turns, potholes - just do not count. On such roads, not only to drive, but to stop.

Hotels and parking places are found, but rarely. There is a good hostel near Ruskeala. It is called "Kircha". This is an awesome hostel! Many hotels and hostels are distinguished by the fact that they are built from wood. These are wooden houses that are well heated in winter. Not far from Ruskeala, in winter, there is another hostel where we stayed in winter. I remember there was a fireplace in the lobby and the room was small but very cozy. Price per room - from 1500 RUB per day.

Republic of Karelia - holidays with children

With children, you can safely go to the waterfall "Kivach" or "Kizhi". You can also go to Ruskeala with them. They will definitely love it there! Ride boats, jump from rock to rock - it's very exciting for them!

It is better to go to Valaam with older teenagers, as small children will be bored there, and they will remember little from this trip.

Ski holidays

You can ski in Karelia, but there are no special, organized tracks in the region. In Petrozavodsk there is a place "Kurgan", where they provide ski rental (from 300 RUB). There will be organized trails. You need to walk around the region only on special skis, since there will be no tracks there.

Basic moments

Karelia, the northern pearl of Russia's international tourism, is a link in the Blue Road tourist route that connects the country with Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

The delightful nature of Karelia, the original culture of the peoples inhabiting it, architectural masterpieces and religious shrines attract travelers and admirers of beauty here at any time of the year. Here you can ski and sleigh, kayak and raft, hunt, fish, get acquainted with unique architectural, cultural and historical sights. In recent years, "green" ecological routes have become very popular, including visits to national parks and protected areas, as well as ethnographic tours that provide an opportunity to visit Karelian, Pomeranian, Vepsian settlements with a long history.

History of Karelia

Even in the 7th-6th centuries BC. e. people began to settle on the territory of Karelia. This is evidenced by the world-famous Karelian petroglyphs found on the eastern coast of Lake Onega, near the village of Besov Nos. There are also ancient images in the Belomorsky region of Karelia, at the mouth of the Vyg River. It is known that in the 1st century BC. e. Finno-Ugric tribes, Karelians, Vepsians and Saami lived here. At the beginning of our era, Slavic tribes appeared on the shores of the White Sea, bringing the culture of cultivating the land here.

With the emergence of Kievan Rus in the 9th century, the Karelian lands came under its influence. After the collapse of this ancient state, Karelia became part of the Novgorod Republic, and in 1478, along with other lands of Veliky Novgorod, became part of the Russian state.

In the XVI-XVII centuries, the Swedes, who claimed this territory, undertook another expansion to the east, and, as a result of a three-year Russian-Swedish war, in 1617 Russia ceded the Karelian Isthmus to Sweden under the Stolbovsky Treaty. In the next century, according to the Treaty of Nystadt (1721), which ended the Northern War, this part of the land returned to Russia.

Since 1923, Karelia had the status of an Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1990, the Supreme Council of Karelia adopted a declaration on the state sovereignty of the Karelian ASSR, and the following year it was renamed the Republic of Karelia. On March 31, 1992, the Republic of Karelia, having signed a federal treaty, became a full-fledged subject of the Russian Federation and became part of the Northwestern Federal District of Russia.

Karelia has its own coat of arms, anthem and flag, and its capital is the city of Petrozavodsk.

Capital of Karelia

The emergence of the main city of the Republic of Karelia is associated with the name of Peter the Great and the dramatic historical events of the early 18th century: Russia's access to the Baltic Sea, the reorganization of the state in the "European manner", the rapid development of industrial production.

In 1703, at the mouth of Lake Onega, on the banks of the Lososenka River, they began to build the Petrovsky Plant, which became the largest arms factory in Russia. Petrovsky Sloboda arose around it, where artisans, soldiers, and officials of the mining department lived. According to the decree of Catherine II in 1777, this settlement received the status of a city, and in 1781 Petrozavodsk became the center of the Olonets province. The first governor of the region was the poet and nobleman Gavrila Derzhavin.

The business card of Petrozavodsk is the Old Town, where architectural buildings of the 18th-19th centuries are located. Among the most famous are the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (1823), the Exaltation of the Cross Cathedral (1852), the Solomensky churchyard with the church of the apostles Peter and Paul (1781), and the Stretenskaya church (1798).

The capital of Karelia is the central hub of the republic's tourism infrastructure. Automobile and railway routes leading to the main attractions of the region diverge from here.

Station of Petrozavodsk

Historical and cultural attractions

The originality of the culture of Karelia is a symbiosis of the heritage of four indigenous peoples living together on this land for ten centuries - Karelians, Finns, Veps, Russians. Many architectural and historical sights located in the Republic of Karelia have the status of a national treasure of Russia, and some are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The three main treasures in the treasury of Karelia are Kizhi, Valaam and the Solovetsky Islands. These cultural and spiritual centers of world significance annually welcome hundreds of thousands of guests who want to get acquainted with the bright and original historical sights of the republic, visit unique museums, and learn about the artistic and folklore traditions of Karelia.

Kizhi

Kizhi is one of the one and a half thousand islands located in Lake Onega. On the island is the Kizhi Pogost, an outstanding monument of ancient wooden architecture in the north of Russia, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

This architectural ensemble was created in the XVIII century. In 1714, local residents built a magnificent twenty-two-domed Transfiguration Church here at their own expense. Half a century later, the Church of the Intercession grew near it, and then a slender bell tower, which gave the ensemble integrity and completeness. Art critics believe that this composition probably embodied the idea of ​​believers about the essence of the divine universe.

The architectural ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost, located in the southern part of the island, became the basis on which a huge open-air museum-reserve was created. It presents monuments of ancient architecture, household items (about 30 thousand exhibits), cult relics, including 500 icons of the 16th-19th centuries. All this has been created over the centuries in Russian, Karelian, Vepsian villages located in different regions of Obonezhye and in the villages of South and North Karelia.

In addition to the monuments that represent the main exposition of the complex, there are several ancient villages here.

Kizhi shrouded in evening mist

For half a century of its existence, the museum has replenished with unique exhibits: one of the oldest surviving wooden churches in Russia, the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus of the XIV century, several chapels, more than twenty peasant houses were moved here. Among the transported structures are barns, rigs, baths and other outbuildings.

In the central part of the island there are the villages of Yamka and Vasilyevo, in the north there is an exhibition center, the exposition of which introduces tourists to the culture of the Russian population of Pudozhye, a separate sector is dedicated to the culture of the Pryazha Karelians.

The museum-reserve is not only a repository of masterpieces with a century-long history, but also a research center where they are engaged in the revival of folk traditions. Folklore holidays, folk games, Days of folk crafts are held in the museum.

Divine services are held in ancient temples today, and bells are shimmering on Kizhi belfries.

Infrastructural facilities - a cafe, a bar, souvenir kiosks, a post office and a first-aid post - are located in the southern part of the island. There is also a pier here, from where you can go on a boat trip along the route called the Kizhi Necklace. During the trip, you will be able to see a kind of round dance of ancient chapels scattered in different parts of the Kizhi island and on neighboring islands. Each of them is unique, not like the other, and is located in its natural and historical surroundings.

The tour takes 3 hours. Cost: 100 rubles per person.

Kizhi Island, Karelia

Recently, a new excursion route appeared on the island of Kizhi - an ecological trail. Considering that the museum-reserve is located in a unique natural region of Karelia, it was stretched for almost 3 km and equipped with viewing platforms, from where magnificent panoramas of the territory, cut by traces of ancient earthquakes and a glacier descended about 12 thousand years ago, open. From here you can watch rare birds and admire the herb meadows of Kizhi Island. Along the route there are information stands and places for rest.

The whole island is under the jurisdiction of the museum-reserve, and for an individual visit you need to pay 500 rubles to enter it. A ticket for pensioners costs 300 rubles, for students - 200 rubles, children under 16 can visit the island for free.

You can book a tour right on the spot. The choice of excursion programs is great, their duration is from a quarter of an hour to three hours, the cost is from 200 to 1000 rubles per person.

Balaam

In the northern part of Lake Ladoga, the Valaam archipelago is located, the name of which was given by the island of Valaam. The world-famous monastery erected on it also bears this name. The history of the Valaam Monastery dates back to the 10th-11th centuries. Since then, an outstanding landscape and architectural complex has gradually formed around it.

These places in Karelia were inhabited as early as the 10th century, and at about the same time the first Orthodox monks appeared here. It is authentically known that in the XIV century there was already a monastery here. In 1611, it was ravaged by the Swedes, and stood in ruins for more than a hundred years. The restoration of the monastery began only in 1715, but the wooden buildings were destroyed by fires in the middle of the 18th century. The large-scale construction of monastery buildings made of stone began in 1781. Churches, chapels, and outbuildings were erected here. Over time, roads were laid on the lands belonging to the monastery, dams were poured, channels were dug, bridges were erected and drainage facilities were equipped.

Christianly stubborn and patient Valaam monks literally manually created a fertile soil layer on the rocky slopes of the island, adding earth brought from the mainland. Here they began to grow outlandish trees and horticultural crops for these places.

The architectural decoration of the monastery and the man-made beauty of the surrounding landscape form a single whole with the unique nature of Valaam. It is so impressive that in the 19th century the island became a kind of workshop where Russian artists honed their skills in painting landscapes. Thus, the Valaam Monastery and the island itself were captured in many paintings that are stored today in famous museums.

The magnificent stone monastery complex is the high-rise and semantic dominant of the entire Valaam archipelago. The central monastic estate includes the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior, cell buildings framing it, hotels for pilgrims, the Holy Gates with the gate church of Peter and Paul, the temples of the Assumption and the Life-Giving Trinity.

Valaam Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, Karelia

The central estate is surrounded by the Intercession Chapel, the Church of the Reverend Fathers, near the walls of which the remains of the abbots of the monastery, sketes and other buildings are buried.

The active temples are open to the public, but you must be dressed appropriately. Women in trousers, shorts, short skirts, with an uncovered head will not be allowed to enter. Shorts, T-shirts and tracksuits for men are also not welcome.

Excursions to Valaam depart from Petrozavodsk and Priladozhye. As a rule, buses reach the city of Sortavala, from where, in the warm season, there are daily flights on the Meteor ship. The travel time by water is 1 hour.

When ordering a tour in this city, you can choose one of two options: a short program, which includes a transfer, a walking tour of the monastery estate (from 2300 rubles per person) or a full program, which additionally includes a tour of a large area called " New Jerusalem”, a visit to Nikonovskaya Bay, lunch in the refectory, as well as the opportunity to listen to church spiritual chants (from 3,170 rubles per person).

If you are traveling by personal or rented water transport, then you can moor at the pier in Monastyrskaya Bay.

In winter, travel companies organize ski tours and snowmobile trips on Valaam.

Valaam Island in winter

Solovki

The Solovetsky Islands administratively belong to the Arkhangelsk region, but historically they are connected with Karelia and are located at its northern administrative borders in the White Sea. The shortest way to Solovki lies just from the Karelian coast, and most of the tourist routes in Karelia include a visit to the Solovetsky archipelago.

It is located near the Arctic Circle and includes six large islands and about a hundred smaller ones. The Solovki coastline is uniquely picturesque: it impresses travelers with boulder deposits along the sea, similar to the ruined walls of ancient cities, a wide strip of mixed forests and lakes scattered among them.

The archipelago has the status of a specially protected area, historical, architectural and natural museum-reserve.

The architectural complex of the museum, the basis of which is the Solovetsky Monastery, is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

The most famous among the islands of the archipelago is Bolshoi Solovetsky Island. It is here that the only settlement of the archipelago and the main historical, spiritual and natural attractions of the museum-reserve are located: the monastery itself, the Voznesensky Skete on Sekirnaya Hill, Savvatievsky Skete, as well as Isaakovskaya, Filipovskaya and Makarievsky deserts.

Some other shrines of the Solovetsky Monastery - hermitages, deserts, as well as Stone Labyrinths are located on the islands of Bolshaya Muksalma, Anzer and on the Big Zayatsky Island.

The Solovetsky Monastery, which is one of the largest spiritual and cultural centers in Russia, was founded in the 15th century by the monks Zosima and Herman. The monastery is known for its outstanding role in the history of strengthening the Russian state in the northern territories.

The monastic architectural ensemble includes archaeological complexes of the pre-Christian era, the grandiose Kremlin - a powerful fortress built from wild boulders, monumental white-stone temple buildings, a system of man-made canals connecting island lakes, an ancient botanical garden.

In the 20s of the last century, the Bolsheviks considered the buildings of the monastery to be quite a suitable place for arranging places of detention for criminals and "unreliable" citizens. It should be said that within the walls of the Solovetsky Monastery and previously isolated criminals and heretics. But if over the previous four centuries about 300 prisoners languished here, then in less than two decades more than a hundred thousand people visited the prison cells of the “Solovki Special Purpose Camp” located here, most of whom never left Solovki. Their ashes rest in unmarked mass graves.

In 1990, the Solovetsky Monastery returned to the bosom of the Orthodox Church, gradually restoring its role in the spiritual life of Russia. Tens of thousands of pilgrims and tourists come here every year to see the majestic monastery complex covered with legends.

It is most convenient to get to the Solovetsky Islands from the cities of Kem and Belomorsk.

From the pier of the village of Rabocheostrovsk, located 12 km from Kem, motor ships leave twice a day from June to September. The cost of a one-way ticket is 1,500 rubles for an adult, 750 rubles for children from 3 to 10 years old, for children under three years old the trip is free. Travel time - 2 hours.

The same cost of tickets for passengers traveling to the Solovetsky Islands from the Rybny Port in Belomorsk. The ship, making trips daily from June to September, is on the road for 4 hours, there are 4 comfortable passenger lounges, a cafe, a promenade deck and even a library on board.

In the realm of northern nature

Karelia is a kind of georeserve. In this primeval region, traces of the geological history of Northern Europe have been preserved. Here you can see the consequences of cataclysms that shaped the face of the planet long before the appearance of people. Local landscapes, which keep the memory of prehistoric earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, giant meteorite falls, make a tremendous impression on tourists, and students of geological faculties come to these parts to study the classic traces of glaciers that once advanced on the continent from the North Sea. The colossal masses of ice that melted about 12 thousand years ago left their "visiting cards" here - huge boulders, deep furrows in the rocks, and ridges of stones, as if collected by a giant bulldozer's bucket - moraines. All these titanic transformations of the earth's surface have exposed many placers of useful minerals and even precious stones.

Almost half of Karelia is covered with forests, a fourth of its area is occupied by numerous lakes. The landscape is complemented by swamps and picturesque rocks covered with moss.

The main natural wealth of Karelia is the forest. Coniferous and mixed taiga forests are the habitat of reindeer, bears, wolves, lynxes, elks, wild boars, and there are about 270 species of birds.

Under the green canopy of pine forests, bushes of blueberries, lingonberries, wild rosemary, crows, forest grasses and mosses grow magnificently, among which there are many healing ones. These pine forests are the best places to pick porcini mushrooms. Willow, bird cherry, mountain ash, juniper, alder, including valuable species with black wood, grow in the undergrowth.

Another rare tree, Karelian birch, is found in small areas in the forests of the southern region of the country. This is a low tree, which can be recognized by its uneven, bumpy or ribbed trunk, and is one of the most valuable tree species on the planet. Its distinguishing feature is a very beautiful patterned wood. Karelian birch products adorn both simple Karelian houses and the most famous palaces in the world.

There are 27 thousand rivers in Karelia, and more than 60 thousand lakes. Figuratively speaking, each Karelian family owns one lake. Someone "got" Ladoga, and someone - the "owner" of the lambushka - this is how Karelians call forest lakes without sources.

The lake-river system of the country is unique: there is no such ratio of land and water surface anywhere else.

Ladoga (17.7 thousand km²) and Onega (9.9 thousand km²) lakes, most of whose water area is located on the territory of the Republic of Karelia, are the largest in Europe. Incredibly picturesque are the northern shores of these lakes - the Kizhi and Ladoga skerries - rocky islets separated by narrow straits and forming archipelagos.

The largest rivers of Karelia are Vodla, Vyg, Kovda, Kem, Suna, Shuya. Karelian reservoirs are a habitat for 60 species of fish, including whitefish, pike perch, trout, brown trout, salmon, pike, bream, and burbot.

On the territory of the Republic of Karelia there is the only inland sea of ​​Russia - the White Sea. In ancient times, it was called the "Bay of Serpents" due to the curved, serpentine coastline. The picturesque rocky coast covered with beautiful deciduous and coniferous forests, healthy air, excellent fishing attract romantics, yachtsmen, sports fishermen to the shores of the harsh White Sea. Unfortunately, rest here is available only in a short summer, but most of the year the sea is covered with ice.

Traveling around Karelia is best in summer or winter, but keep in mind that the weather here is unstable at any time of the year, since the territory of the republic is located in the zone of cyclones. During the summer months, navigation is established here, and at this time it is pleasant to see the sights, many of which are located in rather "wild" corners. Another highlight of a summer holiday in Karelia is the white nights, in June the sun does not set 22 hours a day.

Summer in Karelia is usually cool: in July in the north of the republic, on average +14 °С; in the southern regions - about +18 °С, but here it happens that heat reigns for 2-3 weeks, and the temperature can exceed +30 °С. You need to be prepared for such a whim of nature as prolonged rains - in the summer they are not uncommon.

During the winter season, the weather can also be capricious. The Karelian winter can be called mild (the average temperature of the coldest months is about -13 °C), but there is always a chance that frost will hit and the temperature will drop to -35 °C.

Natural attractions of Karelia

In Karelia, almost a million hectares (5% of the territory of the republic) are occupied by state-protected national parks, reserves, and wildlife preserves.

Near the Arctic Circle, on the border of Karelia with Finland and the Murmansk region, on an area of ​​104 thousand hectares, the Paanajärvi National Park is spread. Travelers are attracted to this remote corner by virgin forests that occupy most of the park, the purest forest air, clear waters of rivers and lakes and the opportunity to be alone with nature.

In the park, you can climb to the top of Mount Nuorunen - the highest point in Karelia (576.7 m), go on a trip along the small but deep lake Paanajavari (124 m), hidden in a deep gorge, admire the view of the Olanga River with its amazing cascading Kivakkakoski waterfall, consisting of seven ledges. There are three more amazing waterfalls here - Mutkakoski, Myantyukoski, Selkyakoski, which also deserve attention.

For tourists, ecological paths are laid in the park, which are equipped with bridges through streams and swamps. Information boards and signs will guide you along the way.

Here you can rent a wooden house (without amenities) with a stove, bunks, in the yard you will find a place for a fire, a woodpile with firewood, boilers, axes.

Campsites and, of course, baths are equipped here for tourists. There is parking (in other places vehicles are prohibited). You can rent a motorboat, kayak, snowmobile.

Nearby is the village of Pyaozersky, where the visitor center of the park operates. Here you can get a permit for fishing, picking berries and mushrooms, a boat trip on Lake Paanajavari or a wooden sailing boat "Nadezhda".

Hunting, rafting, collection of medicinal plants are prohibited in the park. Minerals and rocks cannot be taken out from here either.

There is no electricity and cellular communication in this protected area.

Vodlozersky National Park

In the Vodlozersky National Park, which was awarded the status of a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, each guest can spend time according to their ideas about relaxation. Lovers of leisurely cognitive travel can settle down in cozy houses scattered on the shores of a lake or river, and from time to time make excursions on a motor boat around the islands of Vodlozero, admiring the boundless Vodlozero distances stretching under a low overhanging sky. During the trip, you can visit the villages located on the islands with a century-old history, where today the ancient rites of the locals are being revived, and the ancient temples are returning to their former appearance.

Fans of outdoor activities can go hiking and skiing along specially laid routes, they also offer snowmobile safaris, sport fishing.

The unique national park "Kalevalsky" was created to preserve a large array of natural forests and natural and cultural landscape, which became the environment in which the plot of the world-famous Karelian epic "Kalevala" develops.

The local landscape is like a mosaic made up of forests, swamps and lakes, the largest of which is Lake Lapukka, where game and fish have been hunted for centuries. Here you can see smokehouses for fish grown into the ground, burrows-baits for martens.

Bears live in the reserve, and in summer you can watch reindeer and their cubs mincing along the path along the river bank.

Reserve "Kivach"

In the southern part of Karelia, the Kivach nature reserve is located - the oldest in Russia. 85% of its territory is occupied by specially protected forests, hunting and fishing are prohibited here, but you can pick mushrooms and berries for your own consumption (commercial gathering is prohibited here).

The reserve is named after the waterfall, which for centuries attracted travelers to these places with its beauty. Approaching the waterfall, you will see how the waters of the Suna River, breaking out of the basalt rocks through which it flows, rush down with a roar from an eight-meter height in a heavy cast stream, forming a grandiose foaming whirlpool.

Waterfall "Kivach"

Today, this natural miracle is the main attraction of the reserve and is included in the main excursion programs in Karelia.

The waterfall owes its fame to the famous Russian poet and the first Karelian (at that time - Olonets) governor Gavriil Derzhavin, after visiting this place he wrote an ode, which he called “Waterfall”. Without the first lines of the work: “A mountain falls like a diamond”, - today not a single description of the Kivach waterfall can do.

Emperor Alexander II also honored the waterfall with his presence. On the occasion of his visit to Kivach, a road was laid. Across the Suna, below the waterfall, a bridge was built for the distinguished guest, and near the waterfall itself, on the right side, a gazebo and a house for the night.

A visit to the waterfall, as well as the Museum of Nature and the arboretum of the reserve will cost you 150 rubles (admission is free for children, schoolchildren and students). For the tour you will have to pay an additional 65 rubles.

Many people think that the best time for an excursion to this protected place is winter, so the museum staff has prepared a special program “Tales of the Reserved Forest” for the winter season. It includes theatrical performances in the open air, games, competitions, sleigh rides. For children - tea drinking with Santa Claus, meeting with the heroes of fairy tales, sweet gifts.

The cost of attending a two-hour show is 350 rubles.

The first Russian resort "Marcial Waters" is located 54 km north of the capital of Karelia. It was founded at the beginning of the 18th century by order of Peter I.

The healing power of the ferruginous mineral springs, on the basis of which the resort was built, was known to the locals for a long time, and in 1719 the healing properties of the water were confirmed by the studies of the court doctors.

The emperor, accompanied by his retinue, came here for treatment more than once. By his first visit, three wooden palaces and a large building with two dozen rooms were built here, along the long corridor of which one could go to the sources.

From pre-revolutionary times, pavilions built over the springs and the building of the church of Peter and Paul have been preserved here. On their basis, in 1946, the Museum of the history of the first Russian resort "Marcial Waters" was created.

Today, you can also spend time here with health benefits. The modern balneological resort "Marcial Waters" is the largest health-improving complex in the north of Russia, where there are well-equipped hydropathic clinics, mud baths with healing Gabozero mud, physiotherapy and other departments.

The sanatorium is surrounded by a forest, three sections of which are unique: a reserve where Karelian birch grows, a grove of elms and a deciduous forest with giant lindens.

Active recreation in Karelia

The expanses of Karelia are a paradise for travelers who love thrills and strive for an individual acquaintance with the unknown corners of the Earth, as well as fishermen, hunters and just sports lovers who flock here from all regions of Russia and neighboring northern countries.

At the service of extreme lovers and tourists who prefer outdoor activities - all-terrain vehicles and boats, ATVs, off-road bicycles, snowmobiles, helicopters. For them, river rafting routes, horse riding, skiing routes have been developed, skating rinks, paintball fields and vast territories for hunting wild animals have been equipped.

Lake Onega, Ladoga skerries, Sandal, Segozero, Keret lakes are reservoirs through which water routes pass for tourists traveling in kayaks, boats, boats, yachts.

A fascinating and exciting adventure - rafting on the rivers of Karelia. Desperate tourists raft on catamarans, kayaks, rafts - small inflatable rafts. Beginners are offered easy, short routes (3-5 hours), usually along the Shuya River, overcoming simple rapids, which end with a picnic with a well-deserved "combat 100 grams". This extreme entertainment will cost you at least 3100 rubles.

Rafting on the rivers of Karelia

Rafting along the Umba and Keret rivers with access to the White Sea, during which, in the intervals between overcoming the rapids, you will be able to admire the changing landscapes and even have time to catch fish, will require you to part with the amount of 10,000 rubles.

The best cycling routes run around the Onega and Ladoga lakes, in the Ladoga region, South and Central Karelia.

The winter season is the time of ski trips and snowmobile safaris, which provide an opportunity to visit the hard-to-reach sights of Karelia, located, for example, in Zaonezhie, and most importantly, to fully enjoy the wonderful beauty of the snow-covered Karelian expanses.

Most of the routes are equipped so that they can be passed by a person with average physical fitness: there are points for a planned stop where you can relax and have a snack. If you have gone on a long journey, you will always have the opportunity to stay at one of the recreation centers or guest houses located along your route.

The same high-speed transport that overcomes snow barriers will take you to one of the most famous islands of Karelia - the island of Kizhi. A two-day snowmobile tour from Petrozavodsk to Kizhi with one overnight stay in a hotel will cost from 26,400 rubles.

Karelian cuisine

From time immemorial, Karelians consider fish to be the most respected food. The most popular lake fish, which in Karelia is steamed, fried, salted, dried, dried and even fresh. From it prepare the first, second courses, add to salads.

The most revered dish of Karelia is fish soup, which you should definitely try. Here it is called "Kalaruokka". There are countless recipes for its preparation, but most often fish soup is boiled from whitefish, adding milk, cream, and butter to it.

The traditional stew cooked on the meat of white fish is called “Kalakeitto” in the restaurant menu. Ear from red fish (salmon) is a festive option, it is called "Lohikeitto" and is world famous. This dish, thanks to the addition of cream, has an excellent velvety flavor and is devoid of a fishy smell. In a good restaurant, this treat will cost you about 800 rubles.

Karelians often eat fish soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the range of second courses here is not so great. Mostly among them are products made from rye and wheat flour, potatoes and all kinds of cereals. Pancakes and tortillas made from unleavened dough are served with cereals, mashed potatoes, generously flavored with butter.

In Karelia, porridge pies and fish pies are very popular, the unleavened dough for which is made from rye flour.

Delicious dishes here are prepared from the meat of wild animals - deer, elk, bear and forest gifts - mushrooms, berries. Be sure to try the local berry fruit drinks, kvass, delicious liqueurs. You should also treat yourself to fragrant Karelian honey.

The best restaurant in the Republic of Karelia serving national dishes is Karelskaya Gornitsa, located in the center of Petrozavodsk. Many even call it a city landmark.

In the remote corners of Karelia, as a rule, small establishments are at the service of tourists, where, however, as in any tourist region, international cuisine is presented: local, traditional European, Russian, Italian, oriental, Mexican, fast food. Prices depend on the class of the institution and the choice of dishes, a hearty lunch or dinner will cost from 500 to 3000 rubles.

Where to stay

Living in Karelia has its own nuances. Large hotels can only be found in the capital. Business people and tourists who have chosen Petrozavodsk as a base stop here, and from here they go on excursions. There are premium-class hotels here, where you will have to pay tens of thousands of rubles per day, but you can find a cheaper hotel - about 2,000 rubles a day, or choose one of the motels - about 1,000 rubles a day.

Basically, tourists prefer to stay in tourist complexes located in nature. As an elite holiday, you can choose camp sites that are located directly on the territory of nature reserves or historical monuments. And the most budget option in Karelia is spending the night in tents in places specially designated for such a holiday.

In general, tourist complexes have a wide price range of rooms from economy class to luxury.

One of the largest hotel complexes in Karelia is located in the village of Aleksandrovka (50 km from Petrozavodsk) and is located on the coast of Petrozero. Not far from it there are two attractions - the Kivach reserve and the Marcial Waters resort. The complex includes a hotel and several cottages. The cost of living in a comfortable double hotel room is 2500 rubles per day (for two). A day in a luxury cottage will cost 6400 rubles. (for four).

The tourist base "The Thirteenth Cordon" attracts travelers with its location on the shores of the magnificent Lake Ladoga. Here you can stay in two-story cottages, divided into categories "economy" (from 1500 rubles per person / day) and "luxury" (from 2000 rubles per person / day).

A paradise place where you can feel complete unity with the nature of Karelia is called the camp site "Kanapelka"located on the coast of the Rasinselka Strait. At the service of tourists here is fishing equipment, a bathhouse, boats, a campfire site equipped with everything necessary. You can pick berries and mushrooms right on the territory, and you will be fed here with products from our own eco-farm. The cost of living in a comfortable cottage is from 6000 to 9000 rubles per day.

Recently, the so-called farms have become popular. One of them is Karelsky farm, which is often called a male settlement. Avid fishermen like to stop here. All conditions have been created for them here, and the place itself is located in a pine forest on the banks of the Syapsi River, not far from a large reservoir - Syamozero. It offers guests - guest houses with all amenities and private parking. The cost of living is from 3000 rubles / day.

Karelia is one of the most beautiful regions of Russia, the land of taiga forests, lakes and ancient monuments

How to get there

The main airport of Karelia is located 12 km from Petrozavodsk and is named after the city (the old name is Besovets). It receives planes from different cities of Russia and foreign countries. The cost of a flight on the route Moscow - Petrozavodsk starts from 3600 rubles; travel time will be 1 hour 30 minutes - 1 hour 45 minutes. The airport accepts helicopters; they also have platforms located in small towns of Karelia.

A railway line runs through the territory of Karelia from south to north. Trains from St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk go through the Karelian Isthmus and the stations of the Northern Ladoga Region. The train St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha will take you to the west of the republic.

Bus traffic is well developed in Karelia. There are routes to St. Petersburg, Novgorod, Vologda and other cities.

The main highway passing through the territory of Karelia is the M18 highway St. Petersburg - Murmansk. The roadbed is well paved, but secondary roads are often bumpy dirt roads.

In the northwestern region of Russia there is an amazingly beautiful region - the Republic of Karelia. In addition to the natural beauty of forests, lakes, waterfalls, Karelia is famous for its ancient cities, temples and monasteries, as well as national parks.

Despite the fact that this region of northern nature does not have a warm climate, more and more tourists come here every year, each of whom is sure to find something interesting for himself.

Our article will help you plan an independent trip both by your own car and by public transport from St. Petersburg. And if you are going to have an organized rest, then you can choose and book a suitable tour.

How to get there:

• By car: from St. Petersburg along the ring road you need to get to the Vyborgskoye highway (exit Vyborg / Pargolovo). Further along the Vyborg highway to the traffic police post, turn right. We move through the villages of Yukki, Luppolovo, Vertemyagi to Agalatovo. Further along the A-129 highway to Priozersk. Further along the road to Sortavala, past the turn to Kuznechnoye, along the new road to the Hiitola detour, through Kurkiyoki, Ihala, Yakkima - to the city of Lakhdenpokhya.
• By bus: a regular bus from the Severny Bus Station (Murino) runs daily at 7.20, 9.20, 12.20 and 18.50. Travel time is approximately 4 hours, the fare is 550 rubles.
• By train: from Ladoga railway station by train 350A St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha to Yakkima station. Travel time 4 hours 32 minutes, fare - 1668 rubles. Then by regular bus to Lakhdenpokhya Bus Station.

Lakhdenpokhya is a small town in Karelia, where several interesting buildings have been preserved. Unfortunately, some of them are in a sad state, for example, the Lutheran church of 1850. Only the walls remain of the once beautiful building.

Another Lutheran church, built in 1935, also needs serious repairs. However, everyone can go inside and climb the bell tower, which offers beautiful views.

It will be interesting for guests of Lahdenpokhya to walk along the streets of the city, where there are old wooden Finnish houses, as well as to visit the Kurkijoki Local History Center, the exhibits of which tell about the history of the Northern Ladoga region.

Sortavala and Ruskeala

How to get there:

• By car: from St. Petersburg along the ring road you need to get to the Vyborgskoye highway (exit Vyborg / Pargolovo). Further along the Vyborg highway to the traffic police post, turn right. We move through the villages of Yukki, Luppolovo, Vertemyagi to Agalatovo. Further along the A-129 highway to Priozersk. Then follow the signs to Sortavala.
• By bus: a regular bus from the Severny Bus Station (Murino) runs daily. Travel time is approximately 5 hours, the fare is 689 rubles.
• By train: from Ladoga railway station by train 350A St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha to Sortavala station. Travel time 5 hours 33 minutes.

The city of Sortavala is a small European town that belonged to Finland until 1940. That is why on almost every street in the city you can find a lot of wooden and stone buildings in the Finnish style.

In addition to walking along the streets of the city, in Sortaval it is interesting to visit the Regional Museum of the Northern Ladoga Region, which contains various natural and industrial exhibits of the region, because the Sortaval region is famous for marble mining.

For tourists, Sortavala is also interesting because it is from this city that ships leave for the island of Valaam.

Not far from Sortavala is the famous Marble Canyon - Ruskeala. Marble has been mined in these places since the time when the Swedes owned the territory.

Ruskeala Park invites tourists to walk along several hiking trails, ride boats in quarries, and also bungee jump. And since April 1, 2017, a unique underground route through mines and adits has been operating.

On the way to Ruskeala Park, it is worth stopping by the ancient settlement of Paaso, the Ruskeala waterfalls, and after the park you can visit Europe's largest artiodactyl animal zoo - Zoo GreenPark.

How to get there:

• By car:
• By bus: Bus station No. 2 St. Petersburg, bus No. 965. Travel time 8 hours 23 minutes.
• By train: from Ladozhsky railway station in St. Petersburg by train Lastochka 806Ch St. Petersburg - Petrozavodsk (journey time 4 hours 55 minutes), train 012A (journey time 7 hours 40 minutes, cost from 800 rubles) or 022Ch St. Petersburg - Murmansk ( travel time 6 hours 41 minutes, cost from 1241 rubles).

The capital of Karelia, the city of Petrozavodsk, is the largest city of the Republic. It has its own airport, two water stations, and a railway station. It is from here that tourists go on a trip to the island of Kizhi.

It is pleasant to walk along the streets of the city. Here you can find many architectural monuments, as well as various museums. For connoisseurs of history, the National Museum of the Republic of Karelia is open. The Maritime Museum reminds residents and guests of Petrozavodsk of the times of Peter the Great, when a shipyard was built on the territory of the city. In addition, the city has the Museum of Industrial History of Petrozavodsk at the Tractor Plant, the Postal Museum of the Republic of Karelia, and the Museum of Precambrian Geology, the period of ancient fossils.

Particular attention deserves Onega embankment, which is not only a great place for walking, but also a kind of museum of modern art.

Petrozavodsk is home to the stone Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky, built under the guidance of an Italian architect.
Not far from the capital of Karelia is the village of Marcial Waters - the first balneological and mud resort in Russia, founded by Peter I.

How to get there:

• By car: along the M18 highway to Petrozavodsk. Then follow the signs to Kondopoga.
• By bus: Bus station No. 2 St. Petersburg, bus No. 965 to Petrozavodsk. Next, transfer to bus number 133E Petrozavodsk-Kondopoga. Travel time 10 hours 31 minutes.
• By train: from Ladozhsky railway station in St. Petersburg by train 022CH St. Petersburg - Murmansk to Kondopoga station (travel time 8 hours 4 minutes).

Kondopoga is the second largest city in Karelia after Petrozavodsk. Excavations on the territory of the city showed that the first human settlement in these places was formed around 1495.

On the territory of the city there is a wooden Assumption Church. In addition, in Kondopoga you can find several carillons, compositions of bells. Every hour they make a melodic ringing.

Near Kondopoga is the village of Kivach, famous for its waterfall of the same name, the highest flat waterfall in Europe. Another natural attraction of these places is Mount Sampo, which holds many legends and secrets. The mountain offers a beautiful view of the lake and the forest.

Also in Kondopoga it is interesting to visit the oldest hydroelectric power station in Russia and the Konchezersky iron-smelting plant, built by the order of Peter I.

How to get there:

• By car: along the M18 highway connecting St. Petersburg and Murmansk.
• By bus: Bus station No. 2 St. Petersburg, bus No. 965. Travel time 5 hours 15 minutes. The fare is 617 rubles.

Olonets is one of the oldest cities in Karelia and Northern Russia. The uniqueness of this city lies in the preserved layout of the 18th century and in an unusual landscape - Olonets is located on a flat area between two rivers.

There are many churches and cathedrals in the city. In the center of Olonets, the rivers formed a small island, on which the Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk, built in 1752, is located.

It is also interesting to visit the Church of Frol and Laurus - a vivid example of wooden Novgorod architecture of the 17th century, the Church of the Holy Cross of the Church of Ingria, the Assumption Church. Not far from the city is the village of Interposelok, where you can visit the Vazheozersky Monastery, founded in the 16th century.

Connoisseurs of ethnographic collections should visit the first museum of local lore in Karelia - the N.T.Prilukin Museum of Karelian Livviks. Also, the Olonets art gallery has been opened in the city, where paintings by artists of Karelia are collected.

Medvezhyegorsk

How to get there:

• By car: along the M18 highway connecting St. Petersburg and Murmansk.
• By train: from Ladozhsky railway station in St. Petersburg by train 022CH St. Petersburg - Murmansk to Medvezhya Gora station (travel time 9 hours 56 minutes).

The history of a rather young city of Medvezhyegorsk began during the First World War with the construction of a railway connecting the Barents Sea and St. Petersburg. Later, the famous White Sea-Baltic Canal passed here. That is why the railway station Medvezhya Gora and the Museum of the History of Railway Transport are of particular interest to the guests of the city.

There are many sights in the city, and the nature in these places of Karelia is especially beautiful and surrounded by many legends and secrets. One of these places of power is the abandoned village of Pegrema. Also, for nature lovers, the Vodlozersky National Park will be of interest. Hiking and water tourist trails are laid here, on the way of which there are monuments of wooden architecture, parking lots and burial places of ancient people.

In Medvezhyegorsk, there is a City Museum in the former building of the Office of the White Sea Canal of the NKVD of the USSR, where you can see various household items of the ancient population of these places, get acquainted with the exposition "A small town in a big war", which tells about the events of the Great Patriotic War, and also learn the history of the construction of the White Sea Canal.

Another museum dedicated to the history of the White Sea-Baltic Canal is located in the town of Povenets. It is also interesting to visit the Sandarmokh tract and the memorial cemetery of the victims of the construction of the White Sea Canal.

How to get there:

• By car: along the M18 highway connecting St. Petersburg and Murmansk.
• By train: from Ladozhsky railway station in St. Petersburg by train 022CH St. Petersburg - Murmansk to Kem station (travel time 15 hours 7 minutes).

The ancient northern city of Kem is located on the banks of the river of the same name. The buildings of the city are mostly small wooden houses, which are vivid examples of the traditional architecture of the North.

The Assumption Cathedral is located in the center of the city. The wooden temple is over 300 years old, and it was built without a single nail. Not far from the Cathedral is the Museum of Pomorie, the exhibits of which give a complete picture of the life of the local population - Pomors.

There are also many interesting places in the vicinity of Kemi. For example, in the village of Krivoy Porog there is an impressive Krivoporozhskaya hydroelectric power station.

26 kilometers from the city of Kem in Lake Onega there are 2 unusual islands - German and Russian. On the islands, the places of vital activity of ancient peoples have been preserved.

In the village of Rabocheostrovsk on Popov Island, there is an equally interesting attraction - the scenery from the filming of P. Lungin's film "The Island": a wooden church, a sunken barge, piers made of planks, stone shores - all this was left after filming.

Entertainment

troll park

The address: Kulikovo village, Lahdenpokhsky district, Republic of Karelia.
Site: www.mishkina-skazka.ru
Telephone: +7 911 231 90 61
Price: 450 rubles - adults, 350 rubles - children. Local (Karelia, Priozersky district) - a discount upon presentation of a passport.
How to get there:
From St. Petersburg by car- along the highway (A-121) St. Petersburg-Priozersk-Sortavala, go to the border of the Leningrad region with Karelia. After 200 m. turn left, to Hiytola (Kulikovo). After 4 km climb up the hill, at the top of the hill on the right are pink stones, to the right into the forest. If you have reached the railway crossing, then you have already passed 700 meters.
From Sortoval by car- along the highway Sortavala-SPb (A-121), not reaching 200 m to the border of Karelia and the Leningrad region, turn right, to Hiytola, then as described above.
By bus- from the metro station "Devyatkino" (Severny bus station) at 9:20 a bus St. Petersburg - Petrozavodsk departs. Buy a ticket to Kulikovo and at 12 hours 40 minutes the bus will arrive in the village. Kulikovo, which is 5 minutes from the Troll Park.
By train- from Ladoga Station at 14:48 the train St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha leaves. Take a ticket to Hiytol (note that it does not run every day - check the schedule on the carrier's website).
GPS coordinates: 61°11’01.0″N 29°46’51.4″E , 61.183600, 29.780945

A fabulous Troll Park has opened in the enchanted Karelian forest on the ruins of a Finnish farm. More than 50 figures from 40 cm to 4 meters are presented in the open air. Mysteriously, the Trolls were taken by surprise by the dawn and they froze in unusual poses. What do we know about these mysterious creatures? Some say that the Trolls steal children and kidnap beautiful girls. Others say that the Trolls love wealth and hunt for gold and precious stones. Are they good or evil? Creepy scary or cute? Can they harm us, or are the tales of the Trolls just inventions of the Scandinavian elders? Here you will find answers to these questions.

• trail over 500 meters
• more than 50 figures (trolls, mermaids, sirens, nagas, dragons)
• a mini-farm with little piglets and rabbits, goats and chickens, you can pet them and feed them.
• hammocks
• children's trolling (rope riding)
• wild musical instruments
• master classes for children and adults
• secret troll trail
• interactive games (large slingshots, pillow fight on a log)
• colored crystal and treasure hunt (found crystal - as a gift)

Zoo Greenpark Karelia

The address: Sortavala, pos. Kirkkolahti
Telephone:+7 921 622-97-93
Site: http://www.zoogreenpark.ru/
Working mode: autumn-winter from 10:00 - 18:00 (ticket office until 17:00), from 05/01/17 from 10:00-19:00 (ticket office until 18:00)
Price: 400 rubles adult ticket.
How to get there: In the city of Sortavala, you need to drive in the direction of Petrozavodsk, following the main road. After the town of Sortavala, after about 10 km there will be a large crossroads, where you need to turn left following the sign to the village of Vartsila and pass under the railway bridge. In this direction, drive 31.5 km, then on the right there will be a sign for the recreation center "Black Stones", turn, drive 10 km, follow the signs, there will be three of them. Coordinates 61° 59′ 27.38″ N, 30° 46′ 22.97″ E

The Greenpark Zoo not far from Sortavala will impress both adults and children. This is Europe's largest artiodactyl animal zoo, located on an area of ​​30 hectares on the territory of the Black Stones recreation center.

The inhabitants of the zoo are not only various types of deer and bulls, ponies, roe deer, fallow deer, but also many other interesting species, including those listed in the Red Book. In addition, in the zoo you can get acquainted with ostriches, different species and breeds of birds, as well as foxes, raccoons and other animals.

For kids, a petting zoo is open on the territory, where there are no nets and fences, and animals can be stroked and fed. Dwarf sheep, deer, Cameroon goats, rabbits, Shetlen ponies and other animals live in the children's zoo.

The zoo organizes guided tours, but tourists are also offered independent walks. Throughout the territory there are route signs, and at each paddock there are signs with the name of the species and a brief description of its features and habitat.

Famous islands of Karelia

How to get there:

• From St. Petersburg by boat as part of excursion groups.
• From Priozersk on a meteor: travel time 1 hour, cost about 2000 rubles. There and back again.
• From Sortavala on a meteor - travel time 50 minutes. In summer, meteors go daily at 9.00, 11.00, 13.15 and 16.00 hours. The round-trip fare includes a walking tour: Mon-Fri and Sunday - 2300 rubles per person, Saturday - 2570 rubles per person.
• From Pitkyaranta, meteors leave from the pier of the Long Beach recreation center. Travel time 1 hour. The round-trip fare includes a walking tour: Mon-Fri and Sunday - 2460 rubles per person, Saturday - 2750 rubles per person.

Valaam Island is a unique place with its unique nature, climate, architecture and people. Pilgrims and tourists from all over the world come here every year to touch these holy places.

There are many spiritual places on the island. Of course, the main temple of the island is the Transfiguration Monastery, the construction of which dates back to the 14th century. On the territory of the monastery there is the Valaam Church, Archaeological and Natural Museum-Reserve, which tells about the history of the island.

The island itself is very green, walking along it you can visit the sketes: Konevsky Igumen Skete, Voskresensky (Red) Skete, Gethsemane Yellow Skete, Nikolsky Skete, St. Vladimir Skete. Another skete is located on the island of Putsaari. A visit to the skete is possible only with the blessing of the abbot.

The Kizhi Museum-Reserve is a unique open-air museum of wooden architecture. There are about 76 buildings collected here, which will take more than one day to inspect.

Of course, the most grandiose building of the island is the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The temple can be seen from anywhere on the island. Like all structures in Kizhi, the temple was built without a single nail. Especially beautiful look 22 domes made by hand from pine.

In addition to churches and temples, there are other buildings on the island: mills, peasant houses, baths, barns. In the interiors of these buildings, the life and traditions of the ancient northern settlements are maximally preserved.

The museums of the Kizhi Island contain unique collections of ancient Russian icons, paintings, weaving, and wood carvings. Also among the exhibits you can find various archival documents and drawings that give an idea of ​​how the main buildings of the island were built and restored.

Natural attractions of Karelia

Coordinates: 61.7551484, 31.4160496
How to get there by car: along the Sortavala-Petrozavodsk highway, turn to Lake Ruokojärvi. Then move all the time straight along the dirt road to the sign "White Bridges Waterfall". After that, you need to walk 2-2.5 km.

Not far from the village of Leppyasilta there is a picturesque waterfall White Bridges. Its height reaches 19 meters, which is almost 2 times higher than the famous Karelian Kivach waterfall. However, due to its inaccessibility (you need to walk about 2 kilometers along a forest road to the waterfall), tourists do not visit these places very often. The nature around the waterfall is very picturesque, you can often meet various forest animals here.

Coordinates: 65.762970, 31.074407
How to get there by car: along the M18 St. Petersburg-Murmansk highway to the village of Loukhi, then along the road 110 km to the west to the village of Pyaozersky.
Site: http://paanajarvi-park.com/

The national park is located around the picturesque lake Paanajärvi. Its territory is a unique natural complex consisting of mountain peaks, deep gorges, numerous lakes, swamps and rivers with noisy rapids and waterfalls. Several hiking, water-walking and snowmobile tourist routes of varying complexity and length have been laid on the territory of the park.

Coordinates: 62°29’9″N 33°40’26″E
How to get there by car: along the M18 St. Petersburg-Murmansk highway to the sign for the Girvas village (70 km after Petrozavodsk), then at the central intersection in the village, turn left and follow for 10-15 minutes to the bridge and the hydroelectric power station.

50 km from Kondopoga in the village of Girvas there is a unique natural object with a history of more than 3 billion years - the Girvas volcano. It is the oldest paleovolcano on earth. It is surprising that it was discovered quite recently - about 60 years ago. Now there is neither a mountain nor a crater. However, scientists have found a lot of evidence of the once former activity of the volcano: in the channel of the Suna River, you can see a one and a half meter magmatic "tongue", the lava field extends for a thousand square kilometers, and the river bank is formed by solidified magma.

Coordinates: 63.106814, 32.641242
How to get there by car: Drive through Sortavala or Petrozavodsk to the village of Gimoly or Sukkozero. Further on GPS coordinates to the nearest parking lot.

The most mysterious mountain of Karelia, Vottovaara, is located near the villages of Sukkozero and Gimoli. Scientists consider this place a unique geological monument, and residents of nearby villages consider it to be a concentration of evil forces. On the mountain there are numerous stone structures, the history of which is full of legends and secrets. It is believed that in ancient times there was a cult complex here. Trees also amaze with their bizarre shape.

All this gives rise to the emergence of a wide variety of legends from shamans living on this mountain to UFOs.

You can get acquainted with other equally interesting places in Karelia in our article Monasteries, petroglyphs, quarries and other sights of Lake Onega

If you have not yet chosen where you will live and want to save money when booking, we recommend using the RoomGuru service. Firstly, there are hotels, apartments and guest houses from many different booking systems, and you will not miss a worthwhile option. Secondly, you can immediately compare prices for one place in different services and book where it is cheaper (not always this is Booking!).

The Republic of Karelia is located in the northwest of the European part of the RSFSR, bordering Finland, between the Baltic, Byl and Barents Seas. The republic has a vast area of ​​180.5 thousand square kilometers, and at the same time its total population is just over 700 thousand people. Only 13 cities are located on the Karelian territory, the largest is the capital - Petrozavodsk, the cities of Kondopoga, Segezha, Kostomuksha can also be attributed to large settlements.

Detailed map of Karelia

Online map of Karelia

This map allows you to explore the republic and individual cities in various viewing modes. For a detailed study, the map must be enlarged:

The main landscape of Karelia is a hilly plain with obvious traces of glaciers: the remains of ancient rocks, ridges, ridges, lake basins. To the west, the area rises, turning into the West Karelian Upland, on the sea coasts and in the vicinity of lakes there are wet, swampy lowlands.
The climate is of a transitional type (from continental to maritime), so the winter in Karelia is long, warm, humid, the summer is cool and damp, the climate is generally unstable, windy, the weather often changes. Average temperature fluctuations are -10-14 Celsius in winter - +14-16 in summer. Especially attract tourists summer white nights and the opportunity to see the splendor of the northern lights in winter.
Karelia rightfully bears the nickname "country of lakes and forests", forests of extraordinary beauty (about 50 percent of the total area) hide picturesque, cleanest lakes, of which there are more than 61 thousand, the water surface occupies about a quarter of the republic's area! The largest lakes are Ladoga and Onega (as well as Vygozero, Segozero, Topozero, Pyaozer, etc.), rivers (the total number of which is about 27 thousand) - Vyg, Vodla, Kovda, Kem, Shuya, Suna.
In terms of opportunities for hiking, skiing, cycling and water tourism, hunting and fishing, the region is in no way inferior to the popular Transbaikalia and the Urals. Two large protected areas: Kostumukshsky Reserve and Kivach, part of the Kandalaksha Reserve, three natural complexes that have the status of national parks - Vodlozersky, Kalevalsky and Paanayarvi, a huge number of various reserves - there is something to see in the region , even the most demanding tourist.
In addition, more than 4 thousand various cultural, historical, ethnographic, archaeological and natural objects are offered to the attention of residents and guests of the republic: two museum-reserves: "Kizhi" and "Valaam" with their unique history and architecture, complexes of petroglyphs of the White Sea and Lake Onega, rune-singing villages on the White Sea, the beauty of the Kivach waterfall, the healing springs of the Marcial Waters resort, the mysterious labyrinths of the Solovetsky Islands and the seids of Kuzovov and the Vottovaara mountains, the architecture of the ancient villages of Kinerma, Sheltozero, Rubcheila, Korza, Manga, ancient volcanoes, numerous monasteries and temples. You should not ignore the capital of the republic, which has in its luggage 205 different objects of historical and cultural heritage of Russia: original architectural ensembles, temples of the city, interesting residential buildings, many parks and squares.

The Republic of Karelia in the north of Russia is attractive for tourists with monuments of archeology, history and culture, pristine nature and low population density. There are 13 cities and about 800 towns and villages in the republic. The population of Karelia is 618 thousand people. About 80% are city dwellers. A third of them live in the capital, Petrozavodsk.

Also, large cities and tourist centers include Kostomuksha, Kondopoga, Olonets, Sortavala. Some of them trace their history back to the Middle Ages, and such cities as Sortavala, Kem, Olonets, Petrozavodsk have the status of historical Russian cities. A well-known tourist route connecting Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway passes through several settlements of Karelia. It's called the Blue Road.

The largest cities in Karelia

List of the largest cities in the region by population.

1. Petrozavodsk

By decree of Peter the Great, it was founded in 1703. The capital and the only major city in Karelia. Located on Lake Onega. It has access to 5 seas thanks to a system of canals and rivers. There are many lakes and springs within the city. Onega embankment with a park of modern sculptures, Kamenny Bor, Krestovozdvizhensky and Alexander Nevsky cathedrals are attractive for tourists. It was given the status of a city of military glory and a historical city.

The population is 279 thousand people.

2. Kondopoga

It is located 46 km from Petrozavodsk, on Lake Onega. First mentioned in 1495. In the 18th century deposits of marble and ore were discovered. In 1929, a hydroelectric power station was built. City status was granted in 1938. In 2001, the Ice Palace was opened - the only one in Karelia. In the vicinity is the Kivach waterfall and the Marcial Waters resort. The city sights include two carillons, for 18 and 23 bells.

The population is 30 thousand people.

3. Kostomuksha

The city is 30 km from the Russian-Finnish border. The history dates back to the 70s of the last century, when the development of a new ore deposit and the construction of the GOK began. In the status of a city - since 1983. The main attractions are the Kostomuksha Nature Reserve, the Kalevalsky National Park, ethnic villages famous for the art of rune singing. Every year the city hosts festivals of chamber and rock music, author's songs.

The population is 29 thousand people.

4. Segezha

City on the river of the same name, near Vygozero. The name translates as "light, pure." It was founded in 1914 as a small railway station on the Murmansk road. In 1943 it was given the status of a city. Since the 1930s, a plant producing paper containers has been operating in Segezha - a city-forming enterprise. Tourists are attracted by the waterfall "Voitsky Padun", an archeological monument - the village of Nadvoitsy, the Museum Center.

The population is 26 thousand people.

5. Sortavala

It was founded by the Swedes in 1632, although the settlement of the Karelians existed on this site as early as the 12th century. Until 1918 - Serdobol. Until 1940 - part of Finland. Located on Lake Ladoga. The only city in Karelia with surviving ancient buildings. In the list of historical cities. Of interest are the Ladoga Museum, the modern gallery of Kronid Gogolev, a wood carver, and the natural park Ruskeala. 40 km - the island of Valaam.

The population is 18 thousand people.

6. Medvezhyegorsk

City on the coast of Lake Onega. It was established in 1916 as a village near the railway under construction. Until 1938 it was called Medvezhya Gora. The railway station is still called that today. In the 1930s, the building management of the White Sea Canal was located here, 3 camps for prisoners were created. 15 km away is the Sandarmokh tract - the former place of execution of prisoners. The region is famous for its shungite deposits.

The population is 14 thousand people.

7. Kem

The name translates as "Big River". It was founded in the XIV century. It received city status in 1785. Located on the Kem River. Attractive for tourists by the Kemsky skerries - a group of rocky sea islands. Among the valuable monuments of architecture are the Assumption Cathedral, built 3 centuries ago from wood, and the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the beginning of the last century. The museum "Pomorye" was opened in the building of the former treasury.

The population is 11 thousand people.

8. Pitkyaranta

Until 1940 it was part of Finland. In the same year it was given the status of a city. The name translates as "Long Shore". Located on Lake Ladoga. Founded in the 15th century. It developed rapidly in the 19th century after the discovery of ore deposits. It is famous for the beauty of the Ladoga skerries, the Uksa esker ridge, the Yukankoski waterfall - the highest in Karelia. Of interest are fragments of the Mannerheim line, the local history museum.

The population is 10 thousand people.

9. Belomorsk

It is located on the White Sea coast, at the mouth of the Vyg River. The first mention is in 1419. In 1938 it was given the status of a city. Large railway junction and sea port. Part of the White Sea-Baltic Canal. Popular water tourism along the rivers Shuya, Okhta, Suma. The main attraction is the Neolithic petroglyphs. There are many monuments and memorials of the Soviet period in the city. Nearby are the Solovetsky Islands.

The population is 9600 people.

10. Suoyarvi

It was founded in the 16th century. It is located on the coast of the lake of the same name. The name translated from Finnish means "Swamp Lake". Until 1940 it was part of Finland. Railway junction. In the vicinity is the natural reserve Talvojärvi with an extensive network of lakes and swamps. Historical objects include the building of the railway station at the Kaipa station and the building of the House of Creativity built in the 1920s.

The population is 8900 people.