The oldest city in Karelia. Active rest in Karelia. In the realm of northern nature

Karelia is amazing beautiful region, which has long become a coveted place of pilgrimage for many tourists from all over the world. They are attracted not only magnificent scenery and but also architecture, as well as the sights of cities, unique and homely. Let's talk about them.

Large cities of Karelia: list

In total, there are 13 cities in Karelia with a relatively low population density. The list is headed by the capital of the region - Petrozavodsk, which is located on the shore Lake Onega and occupying 135 sq. km.

It begins long before 1777, when a small village became a city. The heyday came from the time of Peter the Great, by whose decree an arms factory was erected on the banks of the Onega. Picturesque lakes within the city, an abundance of museums, including famous island Kizhi, art galleries make the city amazing and unique. Here begin the most tempting tourist routes. capitals - 277.1 thousand people

The second largest city (31.2 thousand people) is a fairly young city Kondopoga(1938), located not far from the capital. Mentions of the first settlements in these places date back to the 15th century, and marble deposits have been discovered here since the 40s of the twentieth century. Unusual belfries - Dutch carillon bells - give a special flavor to the city.

Cities of Karelia

The list will continue Kostomuksha - a city with a population of 29.5 thousand people, formed in 1983 on the site of an old village of the same name. Kostomuksha is located on the shores of Lake Kostomuksha, and the mining and processing enterprise "Karelsky Okatysh" became the city-forming enterprise.

Another city that arose in 1943 and forms the Segezha urban settlement is Segezha with a population of 27.5 thousand people. Its location is Lake Vygozero, 267 km from Petrozavodsk.

Small but wonderful cities of Karelia are beautiful and attractive, the list of which is presented below:

Sortalava, included in the list of historical cities of Russia, was founded in 1632. Number - 18.7 thousand people. Sortalava is the second tourist center after the capital of the republic. This is the starting point of water routes to the famous Valaam.

Medvezhyegorsk - a city with a population of 14.5 thousand people, located 152 km from Petrozavodsk, was formed as a settlement of builders railway to the bays of the Barents Sea. It was recognized as a city in 1938.

The ancient Kem, located on and founded in 1785, and earlier the former volost posadnitsy, was donated in 1450 to the Solovetsky Monastery. Today the population of the town is 11.8 thousand people.

small towns

The smallest formations include the following cities of Karelia (list):

Pitkyaranta (1940) - a settlement with 10.7 thousand inhabitants;

Belomorsk (1938) - 10.1 thousand people;

Suoyarvi (1940) - 9.1 thousand people;

Pudozh (1785) - 9.2 thousand people;

Olonets (1649) - 8.2 thousand people;

Lakhdenpokhya (1945) - 7.5 thousand people.

The cities of Karelia, the list of which we have presented, are unique and amazing. All of them - both ancient and newly emerged - leave a wonderful mark on the soul and make you return to Karelia again and again.

In the northwestern region of Russia there is an amazingly beautiful region - the Republic of Karelia. Apart from natural beauty 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 independent travel How on own car, so on public transport from Saint-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 new road bypass Hiitola, through Kurkijoki, Ihala, Yakkima - to the city of Lahdenpohja.
By bus: scheduled 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 - small town Karelia, which has preserved several interesting buildings. Unfortunately, some of them are in a sad state, for example, the Lutheran church of 1850. From once upon a time beautiful building now only the walls remain.

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 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 offers tourists a walk along several hiking trails, go boating through the quarries, and 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 visiting ancient settlement Paaso, to Ruskealki waterfalls, and after the park you can visit Europe's largest zoo of artiodactyl animals - 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, Train 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. Open for history buffs National Museum Republic of Karelia. 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.

Special attention deserves Onega embankment, which is not only beautiful 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 Martial 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. Opens from the mountain beautiful view to the lake and 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 oldest cities 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 small island, where the Icon Cathedral is located Mother of God Smolenskaya, built in 1752.

It is also interesting to visit the Church of Frol and Lavr - 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 local history museum Karelia - Museum of Karelian Livviks named after N.T.Prilukin. Also in the city there is an Olonetskaya Art Gallery, 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 the station Bear Mountain(travel time 9 hours 56 minutes).

History is enough young city 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 railroad station Bear Mountain and History Museum railway transport are of particular interest to visitors to 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 lovers of nature will be interesting national park"Vodlozersky". There are pedestrian and water hiking trails, on the way of which there are monuments wooden architecture, parking and burial of ancient people.

In Medvezhyegorsk there is a City Museum in former building Office of the White Sea Canal of the NKVD of the USSR, where you can see various household items ancient population these places, get acquainted with the exposition " Small city V big war”, telling about the events of the Great Patriotic War, as well as 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 memorial cemetery 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).

Old northern city Kem is located on the banks of the river of the same name. City buildings 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, whose exhibits give full view about life 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": wooden church, a sunken barge, plank piers, stone shores - all this was left after filming.

Entertainment

troll park

Address: Kulikovo village, Lahdenpokhsky district, Republic of Karelia.
Website: 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

In the enchanted Karelian forest, on the ruins of a Finnish farm, a fabulous park Trolls. More than 50 figures from 40 cm to 4 meters presented under open sky. 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 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

Address: Sortavala, pos. Kirkkolahti
Telephone:+7 921 622-97-93
Website: 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 the city 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.

Zookeepers are not only different kinds deer and bulls, ponies, roe deer, fallow deer, but also many others interesting views, including those listed in the Red Book. In addition, in the zoo you can meet ostriches, different types and breeds of birds, as well as foxes, raccoons and other animals.

Open for kids on site petting zoo 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.

Excursions are organized at the zoo, 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 brief description its characteristics 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. Round trip fare includes walking tour: Mon-Fri and Sunday - 2300 rubles / person, Saturday - 2570 rubles / 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 - unique place with his unique nature, climate, architecture, 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 telling about the history of the island.

The island itself is very green, walking along it you can visit the sketes: Konevsky Igumen Skete, Resurrection (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.

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

Certainly the most grand building island is the Church of the Transfiguration. 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 is located picturesque waterfall White Bridges. Its height reaches 19 meters, which is almost 2 times higher than the famous Karelian waterfall Kivach. 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 Loukhi village, then along highway 110 km to the west to the village of Pyaozersky.
Website: http://paanajarvi-park.com/

The national park is located around 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. On the territory of the park there are several walking, water-pedestrian and snowmobile tourist routes of varying complexity and length.

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 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 - 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. Next on GPS coordinates to the nearest parking lot.

The most mysterious mountain Karelia Vottovaara is located near the villages of Sukkozero and Gimoli. Scientists consider this place unique geological monument, and the inhabitants of nearby villages - the concentration of evil forces. On the mountain are numerous stone structure, 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.

Get to know others at least interesting places Karelia you can in our article Monasteries, petroglyphs, quarries and other sights of Lake Onega

Despite its remote location, this Russian area has been well known to Europeans since medieval times. It was visited with tourist visits by the leaders of the Vikings, and later it became part of the wealthy Novgorod Republic.

Today this area is called the Republic of Karelia. This is the richest vast land of magnificent lakes, forests and numerous swamps.

Where is Karelia located? What does she represent? The answers to these questions and many others can be found by reading this article.

Tourists not only in Russia, but also foreign countries, have long been chosen by the amazing Karelian lands. This is due not only to its virgin nature and the presence of numerous unique monuments architecture. The tourist season in the republic is not limited only to the summer months, you can come here throughout the year. All year round it is possible to relax here, as for fans active tourism, and for lovers of a relaxing trip.

General information

The Republic of Karelia occupies the 5th place in Russia in terms of its territory. The main asset is nature with its mineral resources and interesting historical monuments.

Many tourists like to travel around Karelia. There are many reasons for this. Where Karelia is located, there are many interesting sights, known not only in Russia, but also abroad.

Wonderful, fabulous beautiful nature of these places, which gives not only rest and peace, but also heals people, has been attracting travelers since ancient times. It was here in 1718 that Peter I created the 1st Russian resort called "Martial Waters". In the 18th century, marble quarries (the oldest in the country) were discovered here. The marble of Karelia was used to create many architectural masterpieces of St. Petersburg, including the Kazan and St. Isaac's Cathedrals.

Location, economy

Where is the Republic of Karelia located? It is located in the northwest of Russia and borders on Finland. To the south of it are the Vologda and Leningrad region, and to the east Arhangelsk region. A small part of the territory of Karelia (on the eastern side) is washed by White Sea. border with Murmansk region runs to the north.

The economy of Karelia today is based on the development and processing natural resources. It is pulp and paper woodworking industry, metallurgy, mining. The most extreme northern regions republics (four of them) have the status Far North, which, accordingly, gives benefits to the people living there.

Karelia has its own flag, coat of arms and anthem.

Where is Karelia located administratively? It is part of the Northwestern Federal District.

Half of the territory is covered with forest, ¼ of its part is a water surface. The so-called "Blue Road" passes through the territory of Karelia, which is an international tourist route linking several countries: Russia, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Nature, attractions

There are about 61 thousand lakes, 27 thousand rivers and 29 reservoirs in the region.

Where is Lake of Karelia freshwater? The largest such lake in Europe is Ladoga, located in the south of the republic. The second largest is Lake Onega. Major rivers- Unga, Kovda, Sunna, Shuya, Vyg, Vodla, Chirga-Kem, Kem and Onda.

Magnificent sights and pride of Karelia - Solovetsky Monastery, Kizhi and Valaam. All of them are included in the UNESCO list. Here you can also see the most ancient petroglyphs (rock images), you can take a trip along Lake Onega on a yacht, admiring the amazing landscapes of natural parks and reserves.

One of the most unique mystical places in Karelia - Mount Vottovaara.

Where Karelia is located, the relief is predominantly flat. Nuorrunen (most high mountain) rises only 576 meters.

Capital, cities

The largest city of Karelia is the capital of the Republic of Petrozavodsk (269 thousand people). It is located on the shores of the famous Onega Lake. The city got its name in honor of the arms factory, which was founded by Peter I in 1703. Since then pretty fast small town turned into a huge fortress.

Today, Petrozavodsk is the most important commercial, industrial and scientific center north of Russia. The city and its environs have excellent infrastructure, ecology and nature. The climate is rainy and cold.

Large tourist centers and the cities of Karelia: Kondopoga, Sortavala, Kem, Kostomuksha, Medvezhyegorsk, Pudozh, Belomorsk and Olonets.

Conclusion

You can perfectly relax in those places where Karelia is located. There are a lot of surprises in Russia beautiful corners but these are unique.

Main types of recreation: exciting excursion tours, river rafting, ATV safaris, fishing and hunting, hiking and skiing, jeep tours and bike tours, recreation for children and youth in camps, etc.

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. There are only 13 cities on the Karelian territory, the largest is the capital - Petrozavodsk, to large settlements the cities of Kondopoga, Segezha, Kostomuksha can also be attributed.

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, sea coasts and in the vicinity of the lakes there are wet, marshy 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 in winter northern lights.
Karelia rightfully bears the nickname "country of lakes and forests", of extraordinary beauty woodlands(about 50 percent total area) hide picturesque, the purest lakes, of which there are more than 61 thousand, the water surface occupies about a quarter of the area of the republic! by the most large 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.
According to the possibilities of hiking, skiing, cycling and water tourism, hunting and fishing, the region is in no way inferior to the popular Transbaikalia and the Urals. Two major protected areas: "Kostumukshsky" reserve and "Kivach", part of the Kandalaksha reserve, three natural complex bearing the status national parks- "Vodlozersky", "Kalevalsky" and "Paanajärvi", a huge number of all kinds of wildlife preserves - there is something to see in the region, even for 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, healing springs of the Marcial Waters resort, mysterious labyrinths Solovetsky Islands and the seids of Kuzov and the Vottovaara mountains, the architecture of the ancient villages of Kinerma, Sheltozero, Rubcheila, Korza, Manga, ancient volcanoes, numerous monasteries and temples. Do not disregard the capital of the republic, which has in its luggage 205 different objects of historical and cultural heritage Russia: original architectural ensembles, temples of the city, interesting residential buildings, many parks and squares.