Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Karelia
Why Go?
If you're looking for wilderness, powerful history and even the Finnish soul, your search
starts here.
Densely forested and gloriously remote, the region is a paradise for nature lovers. Bears,
wolverines and wolves roam freely across the Russian frontier, and animal hides allow vis-
itors a close encounter. Opportunities to get active abound: the landscape is threaded by
hiking routes, whitewater rapids and waterways navigable by canoe, and lakes offer idyllic
kayaking and boating. In winter outdoor pursuits include fantastic skiing, dog-sledding,
snowshoeing and ice-fishing.
Karelia straddles both sides of the Finnish-Russian border, with a distinct culture, lan-
guage, religion, cuisine, music and architecture. In Finland's Karelian regions, lakeside
Lappeenranta is still strongly connected to its sister cities that have been part of Russia
since WWII. Once-battle-scarred Joensuu is now a vibrant university town, and Imatra still
recalls its 18th-century golden age as a Russian aristocracy playground.
