Journey to Karelia Automatic translate

Karelia is an amazing place that has preserved its virgin beauty in its original form. Until now, the region is surrounded by dense forests, clean rivers and deep lakes. Tours to Karelia are often bought to take a break from the gray city everyday life, breathe in clean air and delight the eye with local beauties.

You can relax in Karelia all year round. In the summer you will be met by unforgettable festivals, hiking and rafting. And in winter, you can ride a snowmobile, dog sled or go ice fishing with a breeze.

Many camp sites located in places of incredible beauty are ready to offer you a huge number of excursions. Living conditions will satisfy the most demanding tourist.

What to see in Karelia

* A trip around Karelia most often starts from Petrozavodsk. The city is located on the shores of Lake Onega, sailing along which you will get to the island of Kizhi. Here is the only 22-domed Church of the Transfiguration of the early 18th century.

* Throughout the island there are many wooden architectural monuments - houses, chapels and even mills. On the embankment of Petrozavodsk there is a collection of art objects donated to the capital by sister cities.

* Arriving in June, you will catch the white nights and see an unforgettable sight - the sun rising over the mirror surface of Lake Onega.

* After you go around the whole city up and down, you can go to the mountains. Here they are considered not high, but this does not make them less picturesque and amazing. Climbing to the top of Mount Nuorunen, you can touch the seid - a huge boulder standing on small stones. The Saami, the indigenous inhabitants of Karelia, believe that spirits that fulfill wishes live in them.

* Be sure to go on an excursion to Valaam, to the oldest active monastery, on Lake Ladoga. This place attracts not only believing pilgrims and historians, but also people who appreciate the ancient architecture and history of the 18th-19th centuries.

* If you are an avid fisherman, then you should definitely go to Karelia, because this is the land of thousands of rivers and lakes, which are home to a myriad of fish. For your convenience, use the services of tourist centers, where all conditions for a comfortable stay are created. And often there is also a reservoir in which valuable varieties of fish are specially bred. So you definitely won’t be left without a catch.

Karelia is a wonderful ancient land where pagan customs are closely intertwined with Christian culture and traditions.

In Karelia, in addition to all-Russian holidays, national ones are also celebrated. And this is not just a concert and fireworks, but an incredible celebration, saturated with the traditions, culture and history of this region. Having got to such a celebration, you will get a lot of emotions and feel all the charm of Karelian life and traditions.

If you are a fan of outdoor activities, there are also many options for you.

Rafting on lakes and rivers will remain in your memory for a lifetime. An experienced team of instructors will select the best route for everyone, so that you can not only get a dose of adrenaline and unforgettable emotions, but also enjoy the incredible beauty of the Karelian landscapes.

Another type of recreation for extreme sportsmen is jeeping. On a powerful off-road vehicle you will drive through forests and swamps, cross river rapids, climb to the tops of mountains, from which you will see a truly fantastic view that will take your breath away.

If you cannot imagine life without a bicycle, here you will be offered a bicycle tour to Lake Ladoga. On the route, you will pass ancient villages, swim in a waterfall, admire the marble quarry and recharge your batteries and drive for the whole next year.

A trip to Karelia cannot be considered complete if you have not visited the Ruskeala park. This is one of the most popular places in the republic. Here, amazing marble rocks are reflected in the purest waters of the quarry, and around the pristine nature and the purest air.

For tourists, many excursions are organized here: walking, water and even underground. You can enjoy the local beauty by flying over the quarry on a zipline or climbing to its top.

In general, there are so many interesting and surprising things in Karelia that you definitely won’t be able to see everything in one weekend, but you can visit the most interesting places.

What to bring from a trip

Traveling in Karelia, tourists not only enjoy the incredible beauty of the local nature and explore the sights, but also absorb the spirit of the local culture, history and traditions. It is not surprising that many people want to take a piece of this region with them.

* One of the most popular souvenirs is Karelian birch products. The wood of this tree is famous for its strength and beauty. They make anything out of it, from dishes to chess. A souvenir made of Karelian birch will take pride of place in your home.

* Karelia is a place where shungite is mined. It is named so in honor of the place where it was discovered - the village of Shungit. The locals endow it with healing properties and make not only jewelry and souvenirs from the stone, but also add the powder to cosmetics. Shungite products are an excellent souvenir from Karelia for relatives and friends.

* "Chip" of the Karelian folk culture is embroidery. From time immemorial, special patterns have been decorating clothes, utensils and dishes. The enterprise "Zaonezhskaya embroidery" managed to keep this tradition up to the present day. Now the national ornament can be found on many things from potholders to national costumes. Having bought such a souvenir, every time you will “return” to the wonderful world of Karelia.

* Birch bark souvenirs are not exclusive to the republic, but only here they are made in the traditional folk style. Therefore, a set of beret tueskas will be an excellent souvenir from Karelia.

* Karelia is a region where ancient traditions and beliefs are still revered. Therefore, dolls - amulets are of great importance here. Each doll has its own purpose. The doll can charge for prosperity, success or health. Bring such a gift to your relatives or close people and introduce them to the culture of Karelia.

* It is simply impossible to visit Karelia and not bring a marble souvenir. Here, a great variety of products are created from it, and everyone will choose a souvenir to their liking.

* Rare Devonian clay is also mined in Karelia, from which a huge number of a wide variety of souvenirs are made. Handmade products painted with national ornaments will be a truly wonderful gift.

* An excellent gift will be the book "Kalevala", which contains Karelian fairy tales - legends about ancient unique people. If you have music connoisseurs and collectors of musical instruments among your friends, bring them a kantele, a traditional plucked instrument.

* You can take a piece of Karelia with you in an edible form. Tourists bring all kinds of balms, tinctures and teas, jam from local berries and mushrooms, fish and national dishes from Karelia.

Karelia is an amazing colorful region. Rich in tradition, with a special culture and history. The incredible beauty of these places fascinate and stun. Rest in Karelia will become one of the most memorable in your life.