The enchanting beauties of Karelia
The Republic of Karelia (Республика Карелия) is a federal subject of Russia, located in the northwestern part of the country. It is not far from St. Petersburg, and its beauties often attract many tourists from the city.
Karelia is located between the Baltic and the White seas, and its water sources are a great touristic attraction: there are thousands of rivers and lakes in the region. Ladoga (Ладога) and Onega (Онега) are the largest lakes in Europe, and are a common swimming place during the summer. The nature is a great attraction for those who visit Karelia: for instance, the big Kivach reserve (Заповедник Кивач) in Karelian taiga offers great views like waterfalls on the river Suna.
Near the centre of Lake Onega is Kizhi Island (Кижи Остров). Now nearly uninhabited, it looks like an open-air museum with more than 80 historical wooden structures. In fact, churches and other buildings were moved there for preservation purposes.
The capital of the Republic, Petrozavodsk (Петрозаводск), was founded by Peter the Great, and it stands out among other towns in Northern Russia for its Neoclassical architecture. The city embankment, with a great view on lake Ladoga, is definitely worth a visit.
Don’t miss the chance to take a free weekend to visit the most beautiful places of Karelia. Any time is good, since the region is enchanting in every period of the year.
