In the distant eighteenth century, in the area of the village of Ruskeala (Karelia), such a rare and expensive stone as marble was discovered. Near the local waterfalls, among coniferous plants, were these white-gray monoliths of incredible beauty. Since then, active industrial mining of marble began in Karelia, which was chipped and exported far beyond the borders of the modern republic. This natural material formed the basis for the construction of many temples and palaces, which are now considered a work of art in Russia. Among these, it is mainly worth highlighting the Winter Palace. However, industry in this northern region stopped with the outbreak of World War II, and since then, Ruskeale has remained a huge marble canyon filled with emerald waters of local lakes and waterfalls, which attracts tourists from all over the world.
Many modern citizens of Russia are sure that Karelia is an ideal place for a winter holiday. And they are absolutely right. Well, where else can you see such a fabulous beauty in which nature and human activity intertwine? Marble Canyon is a whole valley filled with the waters of lakes and submarine rivers that flocked here as a result of stone production. Amazing transparency, purity and emerald luster of local waters attract tourists from all over the world.
This marvelous place often hosts excursions, which include boat and boat trips along high cleaved coasts. Visiting the marble canyon, everyone can enjoy the beauty of nature both day and night. In this place, a complex lighting system is mounted on the mountain slopes and under water, so even in the dark, everything is fabulously beautiful. Guides also offer everyone a visit to the grotto through which marble was exported to other regions of the country.
You can get to this amazing place through St. Petersburg. If you look at the Marble Canyon on the map, you can roughly assume that by car to get to it from the Northern capital is quite real in 6 hours. The only drawback of such a trip may be the condition of the road surface - in Karelia all the tracks are in a “killed" state. Therefore, most often people get there on airplanes, which greatly saves their time.
It is worth noting that excursions in this village are not only on boats, but also on the tops of those artificial rocks that formed over two centuries. Especially in winter, the atmosphere here is literally saturated with magic: tall spruce and pine trees covered with snow, the marble canyon itself and the crystal clear frozen water - and all this is highlighted with colorful spotlights. The New Year spent in this region will be remembered by you and your family for many years as one of the best.
You can see the beauty here in the summer. Green nature, clear water of emerald color, the transparency of which is simply amazing, rocky shores - this and much more is what the Marble Canyon Forest Park boasts. The tour operator will tell you how to get here and settle in the hotel, and you just have to choose the route that you find most interesting.