She'll still be in your dreams! A Belarusian woman visited Karelia, and here's what she had to say.

Want to know where the Lyudiki and the Quiet Dawns live? What's it like to hide out and forge gates? Our correspondent visited one Russian region and is ready to tell you about it. Warning: after visiting, you'll dream about it for a long time. So goes the republic's unofficial anthem.

There are various ways to get to Karelia. One of the most comfortable is by train to St. Petersburg. From Russia's northern capital, take the high-speed commuter train to Sortavala or Petrozavodsk. From Sortavala, you can travel to Ruskeala Park by train on Russia's only retro steam train.

A lamp for everyone

Nature is the greatest treasure of this wondrous corner. It's worth a trip to Karelia just for its beauty. The north of the republic is compared to Kamchatka, and the south, home to the Ladoga skerries, to the Norwegian fjords. This region boasts approximately 60,000 lakes and 27,000 rivers. Therefore, locals joke that every family has its own pond or at least a "lamba"—a forest lake.

Karelia, by some estimates, has over a hundred waterfalls. The largest of these is Kivach, located in the nature reserve of the same name. In just one trip, we visited three tourist locations with waterfalls. First, we walked along the "Valley of Waterfalls" eco-trail, where a cascade of waterfalls flows along the Iijoki River. Then we explored the Ahinkoski (Ruskeala) waterfalls on the Tohmajoki River. Their cola-colored waters are due to the large amounts of iron and peat from the nearby swamps. Everyone has seen these places in the film "The Dawns Here Are Quiet." The higher the waterfall, the more powerful the sound. Kivach roars like a mighty beast. There, the water of the Suna River falls over four steps from a height of over 10 meters. The waterfalls are mesmerizing, offering not only beauty but also peace.

To see Karelia from a different perspective, it's worth taking to the water—preferably by raft or kayak. Under the supervision of experienced instructors, it's safe and doesn't require any special training. The Shuya River is considered one of the most beautiful and famous. It has rapids of varying difficulty. My team and I bravely conquered categories 3 and 4, two of which were easy to remember: Bolshoi Tolli and Mal'niy Tolli.

"There was, is not and will never be such a thing!"

The Kizhi Historical Reserve is a unique island home to masterpieces of ancient Russian wooden architecture, preserved in their original form. This site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The museum's core is the famous Kizhi Pogost, which consists of two churches—the Transfiguration of Our Lord and the Intercession of the Holy Virgin—as well as an 18th-19th-century bell tower.

According to legend, the Transfiguration Church was built without a single nail by Master Nestor with a single axe. He then threw his tool into Lake Onega, saying, "There never was, is not, and never will be anything like it!" This church is truly a treasure of the island. The guide told us about its unique architecture and construction, and I couldn't take my eyes off the birds circling the buildings. It seemed like hundreds of bells were ringing in the sky.

The Church of the Transfiguration has a complex structure—a multi-domed building with 22 domes of varying heights. Each line and dome reflects the genius of the craftsmen of the past, as carpenters back then primarily used axes.

The island museum houses rare examples of medieval architecture: houses, mills, and chapels brought from various regions of Karelia, as well as those preserved directly on this site. It's easy to be transported back a couple of centuries, thanks to the staff's unique ambiance. You enter a house, and there you'll find a woman in traditional costume spinning, embroidering, or weaving—as if she weren't a museum employee, but the real owner, and the house wasn't an exhibit, but her home. Near the hut, potatoes , beets , and carrots ripen in the garden beds , and sheep graze in the paddock. Near one building, girls in traditional costume sang songs. We asked to speak Karelian, and they accepted. It felt like I'd walked through a living village, not a museum. Especially when you know who the house belonged to—the Elizarovs and the Oshevnevs.

Another eye-catching feature of Kizhi is the slanted hedges. They're so picturesque that you'll want to take a whole photoshoot next to them.

Balaam

Many know Valaam as a spiritual center. But it's also a specially protected area—the Valaam Archipelago Nature Park. It encompasses more than 50 islands and a 2-kilometer radius of Lake Ladoga. The main island, Valaam, occupies two-thirds of the archipelago.

The natural beauty of this place is astounding: over 500 plant species grow here—almost half of Karelia's flora. Valaam is a rocky island. The fact that anything grows there is largely thanks to the monks. They artificially created the soil. Being on the island, you understand why they say that every inch of land here is sacred. In these conditions, the monks grew vegetables and fruits that won prizes at exhibitions. The guide will tell you all about this. We were allowed to pick fallen apples from under the apple trees. I indulged in this pleasure: small, beautiful, sweet, and fragrant fruits.

The Transfiguration Monastery is considered the heart of Valaam. According to various accounts, it was founded in the 10th or 14th century. Its white-stone, five-domed cathedral towers over the island. We arrived on a clear day, and its light-blue domes were simply submerged in the matching sky.

The Valaam sketes are secluded monasteries scattered across the islands. Each one is unique in its architecture, landscape, and atmosphere. Not all of them are accessible, as these places are dedicated to prayer and monastic endeavor.

One of the most revered is the Nikolsky Skete. It reveals itself in all its splendor as you enter Monastery Bay. At the top of the hill stands the white-stone Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. It is said that its windows, illuminated by a lamp in the evenings, served as a beacon for ships. The views from the Nikitsky Skete are breathtaking: Lake Ladoga in all its glory and grandeur, magnificent bays, and cozy coves. The nature is so captivating that you want to pick up a brush. The artist Ivan Shishkin called Valaam a school for landscape painters.

To the right, as you approach Monastyrskaya Bay, the Chapel of the Valaam Icon of the Mother of God rises on Svetly Island. This icon, created in the 19th century by the iconographer Alipy, creates an optical illusion: from a distance, it seems as if a column of scarlet light with a golden glow is glowing before you. The lower church of the monastery's main cathedral houses a copy of the miraculous Valaam Icon, which has been to space.

On Valaam, you can stay in pilgrimage houses and even temporarily become a laborer—toil for the glory of God. This is perhaps the best way to experience this holy place, also known as the Northern Athos. Dozens of ships—"meteors" and small boats—depart daily, carrying pilgrims and tourists. There are many of them, so it's worth considering this when planning a trip.

To hide in the skerries

This isn't a swear word. The word "skerry" translates from Swedish as "rock in the sea." Skerries are groups of rocky islands scattered along the coast. They form narrow straits and bays, providing convenient shelter from the wind and waves. That's why sailors say "zaskheritsya," meaning to take refuge in the skerries from bad weather.

What a wonderful time we had stranded on Lake Ladoga! The islands of Ladoga are its true jewels. Small and large, rocky and wooded, with picturesque bays and coves. All of them are under state protection and are part of the Ladoga Skerries National Park. There are so many islands here that it would take several years to visit them all. Almost all of the skerries are uninhabited. Our ship's captain, Sergey, told us how his children and their grandfather used to play Robinson Crusoe on one of them when they were little. There are plenty of activities here: swimming, fishing, boating, kayaking, and rock climbing. And if you're lucky, you might even spot a Ladoga seal.

Lake Ladoga is almost the size of a sea, despite being a freshwater lake—the largest in Europe. In some places, it reaches 219 kilometers in length and 135 kilometers in width. Its maximum depth is 230 meters!

Even in Minsk, we were warned that the trip to Vaalam could be canceled at any moment—the lake is capricious. It can suddenly generate waves up to five meters high. Therefore, sailing on it is always risky. They say that in pre-revolutionary times, insurers refused to insure ships sailing on Ladoga.

This lake also has a heroic history: it was along this lake that the Road of Life ran – a waterway that helped Leningrad survive and achieve victory.

Have you seen the Marmoriki?

Ruskeala Mountain Park is an example of how an industrial site can be transformed into a tourist destination. Bungee jump, zipline over the lake, explore mines, grottoes, and caves illuminated by colorful lights—it's an amusement park with a rich history and stunning natural beauty!

The first marble mining operations began here as early as the 17th century. This exquisite natural stone was sent to St. Petersburg for the decoration of St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Kazan Cathedral, and the Winter Palace. In 1998, the deposit was declared exhausted, and by 2005, a unique mountain park had been created here. Its main attraction is the flooded Marble Canyon. Its sheer cliffs, up to 25 meters high, frame turquoise water saturated with minerals. Trails with picturesque views wind along the canyon, and in the evening, the entire space is illuminated—a truly magical sight.

The park is home to White Mountain, popularly known as the Stone Garden. Here you can see stone pyramids, or "tours," left by visitors. They say that if you build a tower like this and make a wish, it will definitely come true. The park is home to marmoriki—small guardian figurines. Their name comes from the word "marble." We found one—Grandma Valois, sitting on a ball of yarn, knitting a scarf.

What's worth trying?

Kalitka. These aren't gates in a fence, but rather oblong, open pies with a variety of fillings: fish, berries, or traditional options like millet and potatoes. They're filling and delicious. You can buy them everywhere.

Vendace.A whitefish of the salmon family, common in Karelia. It prefers clear waters and is considered a deep-sea fish. Vendace has a pleasant, delicate flavor. It can be served fried, baked, salted, smoked, and more. It's also a great gift option—an excellent substitute for sprats.

Cloudberries. Their unique flavor is a true gift from northern nature. Incidentally, this was Pushkin's favorite berry. In Karelia, cloudberries are used to make jam, compotes, desserts, and even alcoholic beverages.

Ice cream . It's produced in Petrozavodsk.Ice cream with a variety of ingredients, including bold combinations like porcini mushrooms, seafood, and shungite. There are over 50 varieties in total.

Frequently asked questions after a trip to Karelia

Did the swarms of mosquitoes ruin your vacation?

Tour operators recommended stocking up on mosquito repellents, but they remained unused. According to locals, Karelia truly has more mosquitoes than any other place on the planet. Their numbers are due to the abundance of water, butInsects only attack during warm weather. In September, not a single one was buzzing in my ear.

Just step into any forest and you'll pick a bucket of berries and a basket of mushrooms?

We visited the forest twice: during a rafting trip down the Shuya River and near the monastery. There were truly plenty of berries there; we even ate blueberries and lingonberries straight from the bushes in early September. And this was right by the road; what if you head deeper into the taiga? The forest is one of the region's greatest treasures. During the season, many people come here to earn money, so there are plenty of procurement offices. Probably everyone in Karelia is involved in gathering forest gifts. They sell the collected and processed products near every tourist attraction.

What peoples live in Karelia?

The Republic's titular ethnic group is the Karelians. They are divided into three main ethnic groups: the Karelians proper, the Livviks, and the Ludiks. The Ludiks are the indigenous people of the Kondopozhsky District. Their village of Kindasovo is recognized as the most cheerful settlement in Karelia, hosting a humor festival every June. Mikhail Perkhin, one of the finest jewelers at the House of Fabergé, is considered the most famous Karelian Ludik. An honorary badge has even been established in his honor.

What souvenirs and gifts to choose

Shungite. An ancient rock, approximately 2-3 billion years old, discovered in Karelia near the village of Shunga, from which it takes its name. It is used in many areas: in cathedral cladding, as jewelry, for water purification, in cosmetology, and much more. There is a nearly fantastical theory about the origin of shungite: the stone is fragments of the once-exploded planet Phaeton.

Kantele. One of the archaic Karelian instruments, which caught my attention after attending a short workshop. It resembles a gusli and can have anywhere from 5 to 24 strings. The magic lies in plucking the strings and creating your own soulful melody.

Karelian birch products. This tree is considered a symbol of the republic. However, not every birch growing in Karelia is Karelian. In fact, it is a mutated tree. It is prized for the wavy texture of its cut, reminiscent of marble. Elegant souvenirs made from it are sure to please everyone.

Gifts of the forest and water. Almost the entire region is covered in forests, rich in berries and mushrooms. Karelia is also famous for its fish, with trout farming well-developed here. All these gifts of the forest and lakes can be purchased in various forms: fresh in season, and dried, canned, and so on.

| Svetlana KIRSANOVA, newspaper "7 Days". Photo by the author.

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