VISITING KARELIA IN WINTER: Petrozavodsk, Kivach waterfall. A slow Russian vlog for foreigners

00:47 - On December 24, we got up early in the morning, filled up a full tank of gas and drove to Petrozavodsk. The distance between St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk is 427 kilometers. By car it is 5 hours, maybe more. We stayed at the Fregat Hotel, which is located on the picturesque embankment of Petrozavodsk.

01:16 - We had dinner at the hotel restaurant and walked along the embankment of Lake Onega. On the embankment you can see original art objects that the twin cities presented to the capital of Karelia. After the walk, we returned to the hotel. On Friday we got up early and decided to take a walk around the city, see the quarter of the historical buildings of Petrozavodsk. In the quarter there are scientific departments of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve: a scientific library, a blacksmith’s workshop, a chapel and a building of the provincial hospital.

02:02 - Petrozavodsk is the capital of the Republic of Karelia. The city is called “the port of five seas” because it ​​is located on the shores of the second largest lake in Europe - Onega, from which the Karelian capital has access to the Baltic, White, Barents, Caspian and Black Seas through a system of rivers, lakes and canals. In Petrozavodsk, you can see real white nights, which are both longer and brighter than in St. Petersburg, and in winter you can watch the northern lights.

We walked through the park, entered the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. I didn’t take pictures there, because there is a very intimate atmosphere, and there is a sign that it is forbidden to shoot, although usually in churches it is allowed to make videos. And now we are heading to the Yagel restaurant to have lunch. I hope it’s delicious there.

03:21 - If you come to Karelia in winter, be sure to dress warmly! I was wearing a windproof down jacket, a hat and mittens. I also recommend bringing a scarf with you. Even Lenin in Petrozavodsk stands not with a cap in his hands, but with a hat with earflaps. You can also come to Petrozavodsk for Russian as a foreign language courses. I heard about Enjoy Russian school, you can find their site on Google.

03:56 - Friends, if you are going to travel around Karelia, be sure to come to Petrozavodsk! In principle, one or two days is enough to see the city and sights. There are several museums here and the food is delicious! I especially liked the Karelian pastries (kalitki). It’s delicious! Here, cranberries and lingonberries are added to (almost) every dish, which is also great. There is a large selection of meat and fish dishes, and there are even such delicacies as, for example, moose steak or bear cutlets, but I’m not a fan of such dishes, I still feel sorry for both bears and moose.

If you want to try, you can find such dishes here.

04:51 - On Saturday we went to the Kivach waterfall, which is about an hour’s drive from Petrozavodsk. We were surrounded by a picturesque forest, the snow crunched under our feet, and it felt as if we were in a real winter fairy tale. I recommend everyone to visit this place, I think that it is beautiful at any time of the year.

05:45 - Why come to Karelia in winter? To look at the snow, first. Secondly, in order to feel a pleasant frost - now, it seems to me, approximately -7C, maybe -10C degrees, a very comfortable temperature. We are in mittens, in gloves, and in principle it is not cold and pleasant. It is very pleasant, the air is very fresh, I want to walk, breathe, enjoy. What a beautiful waterfall! I am speechless now, I don’t even know what to say, how to describe my impressions, because I just want to walk, breathe and enjoy.

I don’t want to say anything, so when you come here yourself, I think you will feel the same as me. While there is slush in St. Petersburg, and there is practically no snow, Karelia, on the contrary, pleases with such a snowy pillow. It’s very cool here! Come on over. The entrance ticket to the reserve costs 200 rubles per person, there are preferential rates. There is also a museum, a cafe, now it does not work because of the pandemic, but in principle it is good and comfortable here, and not far from the city.

We will now drive further - to Medvezhyegorsk, because we had an idea that we might see the northern lights tonight. I doubt it a little, but maybe we’ll get lucky, who knows? Therefore, we will go to a small house in Medvezhyegorsk, and tomorrow we will go to Sortavala and possibly visit the Ruskeala marble canyon. In the next video I will show you Medvezhyegorsk and also tell you about Ruskeala marble canyon. .