Seen in July 2019

When people travel across Russia, the common route is usually from west to east along the Transsiberian Railroad. Two years ago, I contemplated doing so, but at the last minute decided to go south down the Volga and into Kazakhstan instead. This year, I was also considering the trip for real, but instead got temped to do something else: travel north into the arctic. I was going to go by train from Moscow to the Arctic coast, and my first stop along the way was the capital of the Karelia region, Petrozavodsk. Here is what that was like.

Coolest Promenade Ever

The city itself is located on the shore of Lake Onega, the second largest in Europe and the inspiration for the name of Pushkin’s title character, Evgeniy Onegin. The whole city slopes downwards until it eventually reaches the water. There, you will find a large promenade stretching as far as the eye can see. Naturaly, I walked along the entire thing and quickly realized that it was amazing. First of all, the water is so clear and blue, with birch trees lining the way, adding to the whole beauty of the place. But even more, there are so many interesting and unique structures lining the way. All of which are connected to the traditions and folklore of the local people. This includes a statue of wire people fishing, a pyramid, a Nordic sailor, what I assume to be forest goddesses, and bizarre yet awesome wood carvings (see below).

Alongside that, there are also some small shops and cafes, as well as a small Soviet-era amusement park. From here, you can take a boat ride to the island Kizhi or rent a bicycle to ride around town. Finally, the one thing here that really stood out to me was a giant outdoor workout area sponsored by the Russian army. Usually these places just have one or two pull-up bars and a few couple of other things, but this one was the size of a huge gym. Pretty much everything you could imagine, it had. And there were dozens of townspeople there at any given time of the day.

Nature Looks Like Folklore

Welcome to the northern land of forests and lakes. Aside from the streets and building of the city,Petrozavodsk and the surrounding Karelia is covered with birch trees and gigantic lakes. So much so that it seems like it’s right out of Nordic legends. Clear blue water, white peeling bark, and green plants as far as the eye can see, all coupled with an ever changing sky and sporadic bursts of rain and sun. Also, since it is so far north, it never felt uncomfortable, despite being July (although I assume the winter probably feels pretty uncomfortable due to the cold). The presence of nature is everywhere, to the extent that I wouldn’t be that surprised to have come across an elf or a wood nymph during my wanderings. Plus the fact that there are only about 2 hours of darkness in the summer, all add to the feeling that the place comes right out of mythology.

Many Soviet Era Canteens.

Despite being the capital city of the region, there aren’t many standard restaurants in Petrozavodsk. However, there are actually many Soviet-Era styled canteens all over the place, which in my opinion, are really cool and give the city a unique feel. As someone who detests luxury, it’s nice to see these local spots seemingly around every corner. None of the prices are expensive at all, and for what they are (at least the ones I tried) the quality is pretty good, especially for the bakery items. It all feels very Russian, if that makes sense, which adds to the overall authenticity to the region.

Not So Much Infrastructure

Petrozavodsk, albeit small by city standards, had most of the modern amenities people use on a daily basis. Outside the city, however, it was entirely wilderness. Over 60% of the total area is covered by lakes and a majority of the remaining area consists of forests, leaving very little space for buildings or modern construction. There are no giant buildings here or luxury suites. It’s calming and seems to be a world itself away from the super modern Moscow and Petersburg. Come here and go back to nature. Get away from the noise and pollution for a bit and enjoy the green.

Very Few Travelers/Foreigners

Not only did I get the feeling that I was the only non-Russian citizen here, but it felt like I was the only non-Karelia resident too. When most people travel in and around Russia, they usually never go further north than Petersburg, and whenever they go distance, it’s almost always east. This is true for both Russians and foreigners… except me. It took a nearly 14 hour train ride from Moscow to reach the city, and almost all of my fellow passengers were Russian military heading up to the naval base in Murmansk.

Once there, I probably spoke less than five words in English throughout the entirety of my four day stay (excluding my Skype lessons). It was good overall language practice, plus since people were not used to foreigners coming, everyone I met was really nice, extremely helpful, and eager to get to know me. Case in point, I accidentally left my wallet (with all my cash, cards, and passport) in a bakery and didn’t notice until hours later. Not only did the lady who work there find it and keep it safe, but she even offered me a free snack when I came back to pick it up. We got to talking for a little bit and she told me all the best things to do and see throughout the city and region, which once again reinforced my belief that traveling to non-touristic places is the best way to go.

Mosquitoes

I’m all for respecting the animal world and nature, but there’s one thing in it I can’t stand: mosquitoes. They swarm, feast off of blood, make you itch for days, and kill more people that literally all other animals combined. I don’t see the point of them. And I know, some people will make the whole food chain argument, but couldn’t they just be replaced by flies? The worst thing they do it get slightly annoying at picnics. Anyway, I digress. The point here that I’m trying to make is that the only downside of Karelia is the abundance of mosquitoes. It’s alright in the day, but come dusk and they’re everywhere. Prepare yourself and never leave the windows open later in the day or else you’ll be in for a night of disaster.

Karelia Hostel

Ill get right to the point, if you’re coming to Karelia, this is the place to stay. It was my homebase in Petrozavodsk and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The staff was incredibly helpful and friendly, always ready to assist in any way, including finding the cheapest rides to the countryside, train station, or airport. And as a nice little sentimental touch, they even take a picture with each guest and hang it on the wall for a keepsake. There is a clean, shared living room, kitchen, and various sized dorm rooms, each with comfortable beds and individual curtains. It’s also pretty quiet and does not seem to get overcrowded, plus it’s in a quiet location close to the shore of the lake. It only costs 390 rubles ($6 or 5 euro) for the night, making it really affordable. However, just as a side note, English is very limited here, so some understanding of Russian helps a lot.