Surely you have already heard something about Karelia: “the land of lakes”, Kizhi, Kivach, Lake Ladoga… But Karelia has more than that. Stunning landscapes with their grandeur and splendor, a marble canyon, multi-stage waterfalls, deer farms and the largest nursery of handsome huskies will not leave you a chance to put off your thoughts about the trip in the near future!
Where is Karelia
Photo: @ yaroslav_shuraev/Instagram.com
Karelia is located in the Northwestern Federal District, bordering the White Sea in the northeast, Finland in the west, and part of the Arctic Circle in the north. Half of the territory of Karelia is occupied by forests, a quarter by picturesque lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Therefore, the region acquired a second name – “land of lakes”.
The largest and most famous Karelian lakes are Ladoga and Onega. The Ladoga region has a very mild climate, there is the Valaam archipelago and a monastery, and the Ruskeala mountain park is stunning in its beauty. Lake Onega became famous thanks to the Kizhi nature reserve, petroglyphs (Neolithic rock paintings on capes) and the Vedlozersky National Park.
Karelia is part of the international tourist route “Blue Road”, which connects Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.
How to get to Karelia
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Travelers first come to Petrozavodsk, the capital of the Republic of Karelia, and then, after exploring the city, they go to get acquainted with natural protected areas and participate in traditional northern entertainment. Several trains run daily from Moscow or St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk.
Train ticket Moscow – Petrozavodsk from 1932 rubles.
Railway ticket St. Petersburg – Petrozavodsk from 1018 rubles.
How to relax and where to go
Petrozavodsk
Photo: @stepanovslava / Instagram.com
For many tourists, Petrozavodsk is not the goal of a trip to Karelia, but a transit point. But it’s worth staying here for at least a few hours to walk the streets and form your own impression of the character of the northern city, located on the shores of Lake Onega. The most beautiful place is considered to be the embankment, where a collection of sculptures donated to the city by its twin cities is collected, and the most historically important is the national museum, which is more than 150 years old. Among tens of thousands of exhibits, valuable archaeological finds are stored.
Ruskeala Marble Canyon
Photo: @naraleyman/@khlebka/Instagram.com
A marble deposit 30 km from the city of Sortavala was discovered more than 250 years ago and its industrial extraction was organized. Gray marble was used to decorate St. Isaac’s and Kazan Cathedrals, the Marble, Tauride and Winter Palaces in St. Petersburg.
The quarry worked for about 170 years, and then it was flooded by the Finns before the start of the Soviet-Finnish war. In the 21st century, private investment made it possible to create a mountain park on this site, and travelers began to come here.
The marble canyon, filled with water, is the largest of the entire complex, its area is equal to the area of six football fields. Therefore, the most memorable entertainment for tourists is flying down over the water on a steel rope, bungee jumping from a 20-meter height, diving or boat rides through adits and grottoes. In winter, the surface of the canyon is covered with a meter-thick layer of ice, which allows tourists to dog sled or skate carefree.
Kivach Waterfall
Photo: @marymmur/Instagram.com
Do you want to see the second largest waterfall in Europe? It’s right here in Karelia.
The Kivach waterfall, powerful and majestic, is located on one of the largest rivers in the Sune region among crushed rocks, and the height of the water fall reaches 10.7 meters.
When you arrive here, you will also be able to explore the nature reserve located nearby. From the observation decks you can take spectacular selfies and landscape shots.
Kizhi Island. Museum of Wooden Architecture
Photo: @dmitrii__shabanov/Instagram.com
Are you interested in ethnographic monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, or simply want to be transported into the past of Russia? Add the Kizhi Museum-Reserve to your itinerary list, located in the open air just 68 km from Petrozavodsk . The significance of the complex is due to the fact that all churches and other structures were built without nails and complex tools.
Dog sledding. Village Yarn
Do you want to leave even more exciting memories about your winter weekend? Then your path lies in the village of Pryazha – this is where dog sled races are organized. First, you will be taught the basic techniques of mushers to control the clever huskies, and then you will ride along the mesmerizing Karelian forests, covered with fabulous caps of snow. After such a walk, the original dishes of local cuisine will seem especially tasty.
Paanajärvi National Park
The park, located in the north-west of Karelia, was founded relatively recently – in 1992. People come here to see untouched natural landscapes: red rocks and multi-stage waterfalls, Lake Paanajärvi with a depth of 128 meters.
Entry into the park is limited, so it is better to book your visit in advance.
Karelian language
Photo: @ukkuu/Instagram.com
The Republic of Karelia is part of the Russian Federation, therefore the state language is Russian, but Finnish, Karelian and Vepsian are recognized as national languages - they are taught in educational institutions, several magazines and newspapers are published in them, and the names of streets, state institutions and signs are duplicated in Finnish. Take a look at our selection of popular phrases and expressions. When you go to Karelia, you will be able to pleasantly surprise the locals with your knowledge.
Hello! – Terveh teila! — tervekh teilya
What is your name? — Kuin Teida kucutah? — kuin Teida kucutah
My name is… – Milma kucutah… – Milma kucutah
Thank you! – Passibo! — thank you!
Yes. – Yes. — yes
No. — Ei. – Hey.
Goodbye! – Jiagia tervehena! — yIyagiya tervehenya!
We really liked it here! — Meila ves`ma mielduoci tiala! — mail
Very nice! Good luck, kindness and happiness in the New Year! — Huvia da ozakasta Uutta vuotta! — hYuvia da Ozhakashta Uutta wuOtta!
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