Karelia is a country of magnificent lakes and dense forests. Nature is especially beautiful in summer, during the period of white nights, when twilight light shawl covers the earth, and the air is filled with the aroma of coniferous trees. Snow is completely melting, and tourists can enjoy the pristine grandeur of the environment and the possibilities of the recreational sector without any problems.
Nature
Most of the territory of the republic is covered with forests, in which there are small streams and small waterfalls. Especially amazing if you stumble among the thick trees on a forest lake. Karelia, being a taiga country, will surprise with graceful Christmas trees, which, like girls, washing their legs, surround a reservoir. At the same time, water, with a light breeze of the wind, splashes and shimmers in waves, and around, wherever you look, ringing silence and grace. It is definitely worth stopping and relaxing on the lake shore, breathing in its coolness and the special aroma inherent only to Karelia.
Coniferous forests make up about 90% of all green spaces. In addition to the beautiful spruce trees, many graceful pines grow here. There are also deciduous thickets where birch, aspen and alder are comfortably located. In August, a rich harvest of mushrooms and berries will be presented to vacationers by Karelia. Lakes scattered around the perimeter of the country are filled with fish. It turns out that you definitely will not stay hungry: fragrant blueberries and lingonberries, supplemented with crucian carp or pike perch roasted on a fire, will be a wonderful dinner. And home as a souvenir and a useful vitamin supplement, you can bring a whole basket of cranberries, which grows in the local swamps.
sights
Of course, the main thing is the very nature of this northern distant land. Winding forest paths, fragrant forests and marble lakes ... Karelia primarily captivates with its almost virgin environment. No less beautiful are the islands, for example Kizhi, where travelers can get acquainted with the wooden architecture of Russian masters. Attention should be paid to the archipelagos: Valaam, where the Transfiguration Monastery and unique Karelian settlements are located, as well as Solovetsky, which keeps the memory of unfortunate prisoners caught in the barbed wire of the merciless Soviet Gulag.
Be sure to stroll through the Karelian cities. The streets of Petrozavodsk, Belomorsk, Kemi and other settlements are dotted with souvenir shops and shops where you can buy numerous gifts for the whole family. Locals especially praise alcoholic drinks made from Karelian berries and unique jam that you will not find anywhere else. Linen wraps, indispensable on hot summer days, and designer dolls serving as personal and family charms are also popular with tourists.
Tourism
There are many campsites and camp sites in Karelia, but hotels are located exclusively in cities. But if you are fed up with the dust of avenues and exhaust chokes of highways, it is better to stay in a small cozy wooden house located on the shores of any lake in northern Karelia. The price of a summer vacation here is rather big: the cost of a monthly vacation starts from 15 thousand rubles, you will have to pay from 3 to 12 thousand for a 10-day stay. For those who can not afford the corresponding waste, wild tourism is fully available. In any secluded corner you can pitch a tent, having previously bought funds from mosquitoes, which are many. There are annoying horseflies and dangerous ticks in the forests, as well as savage travelers.
Despite the inconvenience coming from annoying insects, it is in the thick one that there is often the opportunity not only to forget about the noise of the metropolis, but also to fully enjoy the gifts of nature. And also go rafting on local rivers or fishing, which invites the lakes of Karelia. The names of the best boarding houses, where favorable conditions for outdoor activities are created, will be prompted by local residents. They will also recommend coming here in June, when daylight hours last 20 hours, during which you can sunbathe and swim.
Lakes of Karelia
They are dotted with almost the entire power. For the great number of beautiful and huge reservoirs, this land has been affectionately nicknamed the "country of a thousand lakes." Although in fact there are much more here - as many as 60 thousand. In addition, there are about 27 thousand rivers that permeate and nourish, like arteries, the whole republic. In a word, all state water resources occupy a whole quarter of the total territory. Especially beautiful are the Ruskeal marble lakes (Karelia) - a real monument of nature and mining, as well as the pride of local residents. In the local quarries, valuable rock was mined since the 17th century, using minerals to decorate the buildings of St. Petersburg itself and Tsarskoye Selo.
The largest lakes of Karelia are Onega and Ladoga. Large are also considered: Vygozero, Vodlozero, Segozero, Kuito and others. Their mirror surface area exceeds one square kilometer. All reservoirs, both great and medium, are sewage, which positively affects the reproduction of different species of fish. In small lakes, living creature almost does not live, with the exception of small roach and burbot. The average depth of the reservoirs is 21 meters. In the abyss itself, there is usually a lot of silt, which also contributes to the active reproduction of fish and other representatives of the animal world.
Ladoga lake
With an area of 18 thousand square kilometers, it is the largest in Europe. The depth reaches 200 meters. "What is not the sea?" - note the residents of neighboring settlements. Many rivers flow into the lake, including Svir, Volkhov, Olonka and others. It is from here that the broad and mighty Neva originates, the source of which is located near Shlisselburg. A wonderful reservoir, its landscapes are stunningly beautiful - this is the whole treasure that Karelia has generated. Lake Ladoga is indented by more than one hundred islands that are known to the world as the Valaam archipelago.
On the shores of Ladoga lined up like mushrooms after the rain, numerous recreation centers and guest houses that kindly offer not only shelter, but also rental of fishing and sports equipment, a bathhouse, guide services, as well as many other entertainments. Being very deep, the lake does not warm up well. But in August, swimming is quite comfortable, experienced tourists say. In Ladoga, it is better to spend a vacation for fishing enthusiasts, as it is famous for trophy exhibits: pike, zander, grayling. And in the coastal areas there are a lot of pine forest, which will greatly delight real hunters.
Lake Onega
This reservoir is the second largest not only in Karelia, but also in Europe. Being half the size of Ladoga, Lake Onega occupies ten thousand square kilometers, its average depth is 30 meters. But the local water is much cleaner and warmer, so you can swim here without any problems. On the sandy shores, beaches are equipped for these purposes, where visitors like to lie on cozy sunbeds and sunbathe under the hot summer sun. A pleasant procedure does not have to be interrupted due to midday heat, as the thermometer rarely rises above 30º Celsius.
Karelia has rich fauna and flora. Lake Onega, for example, was chosen by trout, salmon, bream, zander, pike. They multiply rapidly, despite the hydraulic construction and timber rafting. The reservoir is popular among yachtsmen. Every year, the All-Russian Sailing Regatta starts here, sometimes the Blue Onego is held - a festival of wooden ships. And in Petrozavodsk you can visit the Polar Odyssey Maritime Museum. By the way, the people called the reservoir "Onego the Father". He is glorified in poetry and songs, especially the beauty of sunsets and dawns, which can only be seen on these shores.
Vygozero
Located in the middle of the republic. In terms of size, the reservoir is the third among all reservoirs with which Karelia is rich. Lakes Ladoga and Onega are much larger, so the gap in size is significant. The water area is 1.5 thousand square kilometers, the average depth is six meters. The lake has a slightly elongated shape, its surface is divided by islands into small bays and separate zones. In a word, the structure and relief of Vygozero are very complex and intricate.
On the shores of the reservoir, you can have a great time frying kebabs and potatoes at the stake. The landscapes are so picturesque that one gets the impression - you're visiting a fairy tale. There are also tourist camps that cordially open the doors for hunters and fishermen. Equipment rental, providing excellent places where you can do your favorite hobby, cleaning equipment, huntsman service - this is an incomplete list of the most popular services. The lake is navigable, so you can take a ride on the local tourist boat or rent a two-seater boat so that you can meet a romantic sunset in the middle of a huge reservoir with your second half.
Segozero
Karelia, the lakes of which are the country's national wealth, invites vacationers to visit this reservoir. It is quite deep-water - in some places the sandy bottom is located at a distance of 100 meters from the surface. Segozero's area is 750 square kilometers. It is an ideal place to relax, especially for people who are exposed to chronic respiratory diseases, have lung problems, and also suffer from asthma or bronchitis. The banks are framed by numerous conifers. Inhaling the aroma of pine trees, a person feels real relief. They say that regularly spending holidays here, patients suffer less from ailments, some even completely heal.
Swimming is not recommended, as the coastline is rocky, dotted with protruding cliffs and swamps. In addition, the lake is very cold - the ice surface begins to melt only at the end of May. But you can skate almost all year round, with the exception of the summer months. 17 species of fish live peacefully in Segozero, so be sure to grab a fishing rod and a spinning to rest. Interestingly, the lake is also famous for anomalous phenomena. Locals talk about regular tsunamis and the sudden disappearance of water.
Yanisyarvi
One of the most beautiful reservoirs that Karelia can boast of. The lakes of the republic often look like the sea and the turquoise color of the water, and cozy sandy beaches. And Yanisyarvi is no exception. It is clear that many entrepreneurs who opened tourist centers here took advantage of these advantages. And most importantly - this is one of the best places where you can spend several fine days with young children, as they have a lot of interesting entertainments.
According to legend, the lake was formed as a result of a meteorite fall. Until now, strange black stones have been scattered around the reservoir, which, according to the locals, are of unearthly origin. By the way, the residents of the nearest settlements will be happy to tell you where to go fishing, despite the fact that they bite here just fine. Those who are not interested in such a pastime can book an excursion to the White Rocks, where there are very picturesque places. Yanisyarvi is a fabulous reservoir, however, like other lakes of Karelia. It is impossible to list the names of all in this article, as well as to describe all their advantages.