Granite shores
The waters surrounding St. Petersburg are an invitation to a great journey. Here, at the intersection of historic trade routes, begins a world where city embankments give way to the vast expanses of the Baltic, and calm canals transition into the rugged romance of skerries. A voyage by yacht or boat across the Gulf of Finland or Lake Ladoga offers a unique opportunity to see the North-West from the water—the very element that has shaped its character for centuries.
The ideal starting point for such an adventure is the "Imperial Yacht Club of St. Petersburg (part of the Burevestnik Group ecosystem)." This is a quiet and well-protected harbor on the northern side of Krestovsky Island, offering easy and quick access to the Gulf of Finland. The club accommodates yachts up to 35 meters in length. Clients of other yacht clubs within the holding can use the guest berth for free under the "yacht roaming" program (available at all network marinas). At this and other marinas of the holding, they note that with each new season, the number of "guests" increases—coastal infrastructure across the country, although slowly, is developing, and people are actively traveling on their own boats. Moreover, not always is the entire journey made under their own power—some order the transportation of their boat or yacht to the desired water area ("Burevestnik," by the way, has long and successfully been transporting boats across the country using its own fleet of vehicles), while they themselves fly or drive in, launch the vessel, and relax at their leisure. This is a practical format for the North-West, where navigation conditions during an open-water crossing can be challenging, especially for novice boaters.
Route 1 (Gulf of Finland):
St. Petersburg — Kronstadt — Sestroretsk — Repino — Primorsk — Vyborg — Kivipark — Mayachny Island — Gogland Island
Kronstadt
Once a closed city of naval glory, today it has become one of the busiest harbors in the Gulf of Finland thanks to the opening of the "Island of Forts" tourist cluster. The entire park is steeped in naval history, recalled by the two restored guardhouses of Fort Peter the First and numerous art installations: "Sailor's Life," "Naval Aviation," "Interactive Sloops," "The Russian Eagle Doesn't Catch Flies," "Waves of Chains," and, of course, the "Lighthouse of Memory" with 200 names of naval heroes from the era of Peter the Great to the present day.
The Museum of Naval Glory has been operating in Kronstadt since 2023. Two carefully restored arsenals from World War I are connected by a futuristic exhibition space, originally created for one very unusual exhibit—the first Soviet nuclear submarine K-3 "Leninsky Komsomol." The legendary vessel served the fleet for about 30 years, then waited for its next shining hour for another three decades. Fortunately avoiding scrapping, in the early 2020s it made a unique journey: crossing two seas and even traveling along the streets of Kronstadt. The hull of the "K-3" was restored at a shipyard, while the interiors were restored and furnished already at the museum. Specialists were assisted by veteran submariners who served on this submarine and other first-generation vessels. Today, museum visitors can go inside the nuclear-powered ship, learn how it was built and how it traveled to the North Pole in 1962, see the control panel of the main power plant and its full-scale model in the reactor compartment.
In addition to berths, Kronstadt offers yachtsmen refueling, service, restaurants with terraces, and even its own diving club, exploring sunken historical objects. And for water sports enthusiasts—a wake park with a cable winch.
Sestroretsk
The next stop on our route is Sestroretsk. The town appeared on the map over 300 years ago by the will of Peter the Great. The struggle for access to the Baltic Sea required a lot of weapons, and for this purpose, an arms factory was built here. To operate it, under the guidance of engineer Benedict Beer, a dam was constructed, damming the bed of the Sestra River. This created the lake now known as Razliv. The water turned waterwheels, which in turn drove the machine tools of the gunsmiths. In the 1890s, it was here, at the Sestroretsk plant, that the famous rifle of Sergei Ivanovich Mosin was born.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Sestroretsk transformed into a highly popular resort, rivaling the best in Europe. And what resort is complete without white yachts! In 1905, on the Tarkhovsky shore of Razliv, near the lifesaving station of the Society for Saving on Waters, the Sestroretsk Yacht Club was opened. One of the founders was the Actual State Councillor Nikolai Tikhonovich Fedotov. In Soviet times, the Sestroretsk Yacht Club was located near Ugolny Island. In the pre-war years, homemade yachts sailed here. The most famous yacht builders were the Akhrapotkov family, who built vessels as early as the beginning of the 20th century. Evgeny Vladimirovich Akhrapotkov, a renowned yachtsman of the time, worked for a long time at the Sestroretsk plant as a toolmaker-turner. The last yacht, named "Uslada," was built by him and his nephew in the early 1950s. The Akhrapotkovs built not only yachts but also iceboats, races on which were popular in winter. Another iconic figure of Sestroretsk yachting was the Master of Sports of international class, Alexey Alekseevich Fedorov, also a factory worker.
Now, kites soar over Sestroretsk all year round—the local beaches and winds create one of the best kiteboarding spots on the Gulf of Finland. In the Kurortny District, on the "Dubkovsky" and "Sestroretsky" beaches, equipment rental and basic training are available.
If you prefer a more peaceful and measured relaxation, you can take a stroll along the well-equipped ecological trail through the protected Sestroretsk swamp, where dozens of bird species can be observed. Sestroretsk is also famous for its bathhouse traditions, admired by Mikhail Zoshchenko. In his story "The Bathhouse," the prose writer says: "in Sestroretsk, people are not vindictive, and the bathhouses are excellent." If you're tired of modern trendy saunas of all kinds and from all over the world and want a real rustic banya with a Russian spirit, you can easily find wood-fired saunas in Sestroretsk. In the future, on the outskirts of Sestroretsk, plans are underway to build a large resort cluster with a big modern marina, shipyards under the well-known Aurus brand, and a Museum of the Elements featuring the world's largest artificial whirlpool.
Repino and Komarovo
The route along the coast of the Gulf of Finland is the quintessence of the summer cottage life of the St. Petersburg intelligentsia. Here, pines meet the sea, and great painting meets great literature. You can pay homage to the cultural heritage in the village of Repino, the place of power of the artist Ilya Repin. Here are the famous "Penates"—the estate where the master lived and worked for three decades. Although the main house with its famous glass roof (to let in enough light for work) is currently under restoration, the magic of the place is fully preserved in the park: stroll to the "Sheherezade Tower," peek into the "Temple of Osiris and Isis" gazebo, and ascend to the master's grave on the hill. From the estate, descend towards the gulf to the "Chudny" beach to walk barefoot along the water's edge towards that very village of Komarovo from Igor Sklyar's song. Closer to Komarovo, the beach gives way to the dense forest of the "Komarovsky Bereg" reserve. Convenient wooden boardwalks of the eco-trail will lead you past giant anthills and the romantic ruins of ancient villas with overgrown stone staircases and fountain bowls. Exiting the trail towards the center, you'll find yourself among the Komarovo dachas of the creative intelligentsia, including Anna Akhmatova's "booth." The genius loci continues to inspire modern intellectuals. A few years ago, VGIK graduate, cinematographer, and entrepreneur Suzanna Musaeva opened the aesthetic restaurant Muze Garden in the main building of the Composers' Creative House in Repino. This is not just a place with good cuisine, but a full-fledged cultural space—concerts, exhibitions, and masterclasses are held here, and the landscaped grounds make you want to stay for the whole day—to lounge on deckchairs with a book from the local library, sit by the fireplace, or walk along the seashore. The Creative House itself is a truly special place. Vladimir Vysotsky and Marina Vlady lived here, Elizabeth Taylor visited Andrei Petrov here, and Bella Akhmadullina visited Leonid Desyatnikov. The grand pianos standing here remember Dmitri Shostakovich. In a letter to Boris Tishchenko dated June 15, 1967, from Zhukovka, the great composer wrote: "Dear Borya! I envy you that you are now living in Repino. It's very nice there. I want to go to Komarovo. So much in my long life is connected with this place."
Primorsk
Until 1948, Primorsk was called Koivisto. Why go to this border town on the shores of the gulf? The first and most obvious reason is the Church of St. Mary Magdalene. The church was founded in 1900 and consecrated in 1904. Over its history, it has been rebuilt five times. The cruciform building is faced outside with reddish granite from local deposits and lined with brick inside. The spire reaches 60 meters in height. Once, Nicholas II honored the church with his visit and granted the monks money, which was spent on installing a magnificent 31-register organ. During the Winter War, it disappeared without a trace. Rumors circulated that the Finns had hidden the organ in the surrounding forests. In the 1990s, the police detained a Finnish citizen named Toivo Kansanaho here, who turned out to be the last pastor of the Koivisto parish. Locals are convinced he was looking for the organ. Currently, the church houses a local history museum.
Those with a passion for maritime history should head north of Primorsk, to the village of Manola. Here, by the shore framed by a forest of "ship" pines, lies the "Stakan" test pier, where the world's first nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" (now moored in Murmansk) docked during power tests in the 1950s. On the day of the tests, the icebreaker demonstrated a maximum power of 44,000 horsepower. The pier is slightly tilted, reminiscent of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but remains intact. Interestingly, ships are still tested here today.
Vyborg
Vyborg is one of the few cities in Russia where medieval Europe feels not like a stage set, but like a native element. The magic of Vyborg lies in its chaotic, living soul. In the city, you enter a labyrinth of medieval streets and embark on a journey through space and time, spanning seven centuries of Vyborg's history. It is a very beautiful journey. You can stroll through the Esplanade Park, enter the fortress city through a cascade of squares, walk around the stone town, visit the 16th-century Round Tower, then step into the knight's house in the Bürger estate, touch the walls of the Clock Tower, hear the bell chime—which weighs 61 poods, almost a ton—and then proceed along Fortress and Catherine Streets to the Old Town Hall Square and from there to Castle Island. And this is just one, the simplest route, accessible to everyone visiting Vyborg. You can even take a Viking longship trip to a Viking village on a rock. For those with their own vessel, the possibilities are truly limitless. Vyborg is an ideal starting point for a "rocky" route. From here, it's convenient to plan radial excursions: navigate through straits, drop anchor at a deserted islet, have a picnic on a smooth rock warmed by the long summer day, or visit protected areas with pristine wilderness. You can go fishing at the cordon of Kuzmich—the very place where "Peculiarities of the National Hunt" was filmed, visit Monrepos Park, or traverse the Saimaa Canal. And if you're traveling with children, we recommend taking them to the equestrian park "Yavi-Navi," 25 km from Vyborg. There, various horse breeds live, from ponies to draft horses, there is a huge fire-breathing dragon and Baba Yaga's hut, and horse shows and performances are staged.
Kivipark
20 km from Vyborg, on the Gulf of Finland, lies the "Kivipark" nature reserve—a corner of harsh and mesmerizing northern nature. Hairy fruits and exotic birds from the Southern Hemisphere have nothing to do with it—in Finnish, "kivi" means "stone." Granite boulders of all shapes and sizes, brought here by glaciers from the mountains of Finland thousands of years ago, form whimsical ridges called selgas. The landscape, of indescribable beauty, is also shaped by outcrops of "rapakivi" granite—which translates from Finnish as "rotten stone." Despite the unappealing name, the stone is quite noble. It was used to build many architectural monuments in St. Petersburg, including St. Isaac's Cathedral. The reserve's territory includes not only the Gulf of Finland coast but also 11 large islands (Kubensky, Kormovoy, Novik, Igryvy, etc.) and many smaller ones. The reserve is home to about 140 bird species, many of which are Red Book-listed. Here you can find the golden eagle, osprey, white-tailed eagle, and the rare Caspian tern. To protect the peace of migrating inhabitants, some islands are closed to visitors from April 20 to July 15. During this time, the sky sometimes turns black with the sheer number of birds. Besides birds, Kivipark is home to wild boars, moose, foxes, hares, otters, lynxes, and even stoats. But the cutest resident of these parts is, of course, the seal—specifically the Baltic ringed seal. These mammals are most often seen on the rocks, where they haul out after feeding to bask in the sun.
Mayachny Island
Mayachny Island in Vyborg Bay is quite small but incredibly beautiful. Here stands a stone lighthouse, built in the 1920s, which is still operational. The rocky shores and abundance of greenery create a stunningly photogenic landscape. It's worth staying here overnight to admire the bay and the stars above the old lighthouse all night long. From Vyborg to Mayachny, it's about 20 km by water. However, on a boat or yacht, you first need to approach the neighboring Vikhrevoy Island and moor there, then proceed to Mayachny by dinghy or wading. On Vikhrevoy, you can see remnants of wartime fortifications, visit an abandoned border outpost, and enjoy the views of the surroundings from its observation platform.
Gogland Island
Gogland is the easternmost point of Russia in the Baltic Sea. It lies right at the border—in winter, you could walk across the ice to Estonia or Finland—and visiting it requires obtaining permission from the border guard service. There are many trails on the island, all leading to the lighthouse. Previously, a keeper's family lived here; they kept goats, and at the foot of the lighthouse, there was a vegetable garden and flowers. Now, the island hosts military personnel and conducts exercises. Besides the lighthouse, the main attraction is the ship "Leonid Demin," aground near the shore since the early 2000s. Before the war, Gogland was a Finnish resort, and a casino was even built here. Rumors have it that a ship carrying wealthy tourists once sank nearby, leading treasure hunters to visit the island.
Route 2 (Ladoga):
St. Petersburg — Shlisselburg — Priozersk — Koyonsaari — Lakhdenpokhya/Sortavala — Ladoga Skerries — Valaam — Mantsinsaari — Staraya Ladoga.
The last ice age retreated, breaking down bedrock and leaving behind freshwater lakes in the depressions, which became the progenitors of the modern Lake Ladoga, or the "Ladoga Sea." We didn't misspeak. When you emerge from the skerries onto the open water, it's impossible to call Ladoga a lake—ahead lies the horizon line, beyond which is only sky. The northern shores of Ladoga are high and rocky, indented by bays and covered with forest. The southern shores are low, gently sloping, overgrown with willows and alders. The concentration of interesting, unusual, and simply beautiful places along the coast and within a short drive from the lake is simply staggering.
From a yachtsman's perspective, Ladoga is a true school of winds. The average wind speed in the central part of the lake reaches 6–9 m/s, but gusts can be much more severe: on Valaam, squalls up to 34 m/s have been recorded, and on Sukho Island, up to 28 m/s. Wave conditions also vary by area. The western shores (Priozersk area, Cape Osinovets) are a zone of relative comfort. Calm or waves up to 25 cm occur 64–74% of the time. The center and east (Valaam, Sukho) are zones of higher activity. Winds here whip up waves up to 3.85 m. The most favorable period for water trips is July and August. By autumn, the weather changes sharply: in November, winds reach peak values, and the number of stormy days increases manifold. In all seasons, it is not recommended to stray far from the shore if you have a small boat or RIB. But even in the Ladoga canals, you shouldn't relax or exceed the speed limit (over 10 km/h)—the danger is not a fine but hitting a sunken log, of which there are many.
Shlisselburg
The gateway to Ladoga on the route from St. Petersburg, or the "key-city," from where the Staraya Ladoga and Novaya Ladoga canals originate, and where ancient bridges, locks, and navigation signs are preserved. The journey up the Neva River from the Imperial Yacht Club by motor yacht or boat takes about 3 hours. Shlisselburg is convenient as a stopping point before heading out to Ladoga or immediately after the crossing. Experienced captains often pause here to assess the weather and decide whether to proceed into open Ladoga or take the canals. The main attraction of Shlisselburg is the Oreshek Fortress on an island right at the source of the Neva. Accessible only by water, the outpost was founded in 1323 by Prince Yuri Danilovich, grandson of Alexander Nevsky, and has the shape of an irregular triangle. In the early 18th century, the fortress was turned into a prison, housing many famous inmates, from Decembrists to the deposed Emperor Ivan VI. During the Great Patriotic War, the heroic defenders of the fortress held out for over 500 days, preventing the blockade ring around Leningrad from closing completely.
Passing the fortress, you can stop and rest at the "Koshkinsky Farvater" yacht club. You can also refuel there—they have a fuel dock.
Osinovetsky Lighthouse
One of the tallest lighthouses in Russia (74 meters) and the ninth tallest in the world is located in the village of Ladoga Lake, about an hour and a half drive from St. Petersburg. It is an active lighthouse, its beam visible for 40 kilometers. The Osinovetsky Lighthouse witnessed and participated in historical events. It saw the chaos of revolution and sheltered Leningraders from German bombs (the Luftwaffe did not target the lighthouse, as it served as a convenient landmark for pilots). Its beam guided ships carrying grain to the besieged city and was a beacon of hope for hundreds of thousands of children and elderly leaving Leningrad via the "Road of Life." Near the lighthouse is the museum of the same name, as well as a recreation center with a restaurant and a yacht club.
Priozersk
Priozersk stands on the border with Karelia and is surrounded by water, hence the name. The city itself is a summer residence of Northern Art Nouveau, a striking example of which is the restored 1916 railway station. Nearby is the Karela Fortress from the turn of the 13th–14th centuries, with a ceramic map of the region and gates upholstered with parts of the armor of Swedes defeated by Peter I. The Lutheran church of Armas Lindgren (1930), made of red granite, is now accessible only from the outside, but the courtyard of the Valaam Monastery, with its church of unplastered brick, operates fully: services and its own cheese dairy. Tried-and-tested places to grab a bite: "Tochka na Karte" (Point on the Map) with perch sugudai and pheasant cutlets, "Ladoga" with venison carpaccio and strawberry soup, as well as the cafe of the "Aldoga" trout farm with Karelian craft beer and trout shawarma.
In the vicinity of Priozersk, on an island in the middle of the Vuoksa River, stands the Church of St. Andrew the First-Called (patron saint of fishermen and sailors), which seems to float on the water. The church is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the only one whose foundation is a monolithic rock protruding from the water.
In the same Vuoksa area, on the shores of Lake Sukhodolskoye, is another unusual place—the Troll Farm. This is a recreation center that will absolutely delight your children, if only because it features a stone troll and a labyrinth, also made of stones, where you need to make a wish—it will surely come true! From here, excursions are conducted to the largest complex of cup-marked stones in northwestern Russia, "Lapinlahti." In such stones, ancient inhabitants of these places carved bowls for offerings to the gods. Among the guides, they say, is a former participant in the show "Battle of the Psychics," so lovers of mysticism, conversations with spirits, and other thrills can expect an unforgettable experience.
Koyonsaari Island
Not far from the border between the Leningrad Oblast and Karelia, in the middle of Tervu Bay, lies a small island connected to the mainland by a wooden bridge—cars are not allowed on it. Koyonsaari is known for its sandy beaches, a rarity in the region. Some call this place the Karelian Maldives, others—the Ladoga Dominican Republic. In August, when the water in Ladoga warms up to 24 degrees, it becomes quite lively here, with entire tent cities springing up, but there is enough space on the pristine sand by the clear water for everyone. Inland, a forest rich in berries extends into the island's interior. From the heights of the local small hills (the highest is 50 meters), on a clear day, you can see Valaam.
Lakhdenpokhya and Sortavala
Small, quiet provincial towns with a wealth of interesting and atmospheric places in their surroundings—ecological trails, waterfalls, abandoned Lutheran churches, remains of ancient Neolithic structures, and so on. For example, three kilometers from the town of Lakhdenpokhya lies the semi-ruined Jääkkimä Church, on the ruins of which an unusual museum "City of Angels" was opened, featuring wooden sculptures from masters from Russia and Europe. Behind the church grows a 200-year-old pine, near which, according to legend, the compiler of the "Kalevala," Elias Lönnrot, created its continuation, the "Kanteletar." Next to the church, there is a cafe belonging to the local trout farm, which, quite amusingly, is called "Akulovka" (Sharkville). The farm itself is not far from here—in Kokoniemi.
From Sortavala (by the way, locals do not decline the name of their city), "Meteor" hydrofoils depart for Valaam, as well as a retro train to Ruskeala. Among the city museums worth recommending is the Local History Museum of Kronid Gogolev—the skill of this woodcarver is truly astonishing. On the outskirts lies the Paaso Hillfort—an archaeological site from the 12th–13th centuries on top of Mount Paasonvuori. This place is considered a fortified settlement of ancient Karelians who defended against raids. The height of the mountain is 80 meters. At the top are remnants of stone ramparts and ditches, and from the height, a view opens over the surrounding forests and Lake Karmalanjärvi.
20 km from Sortavala towards Petrozavodsk, on the shore of Kirjavalahti Bay, lies the dacha of the pharmacist Jaskeläinen—a striking and well-preserved monument of Finnish architecture in the Ladoga region from the first third of the 20th century. Previously, it was called the Rantala estate. The structure, located at the foot of a forested rock and made of logs, brick, and stonework, was used by the Union of Composers in Soviet times, and Shchedrin, Svetlanov, and Solovyov-Sedoi visited here. It was here that the famous anthem-like piece "Karelia will be dreamed of for a long time..." was created. Today, the building is part of the Rantala landscape hotel.
Ruskeala Mountain Park
The former marble quarry is one of the most beautiful and famous sights in Karelia. From Sortavala, you can get here on the retro train "Ruskeala Express." At the head of the train is a steam-belching locomotive; in the dining car, there are ficuses and a gramophone. Previously, stone from the Ruskeala quarries was used for the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral and other architectural monuments of St. Petersburg. Twenty years ago, the site was transformed into a tourist complex. Its main object is the Marble Canyon, a deep body of water with clear water, surrounded by sheer cliffs. Pedestrian paths traverse the park, there are suspension bridges and viewing platforms, and you can also walk through marble adits to the Great Column Hall and the Underground Lake. In addition to walking tours, diving is available in the park. Visibility in the quarry reaches up to 12 meters, and in the adits—up to 17. At the bottom of the quarry, equipment left behind by the Finns in 1939–40 remains: cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles. You can also bungee jump here and ride a 400-meter zip line 10–30 meters above the water. In the warm season, you can rent a boat and paddle along the canyon walls, exploring the grottoes. The park hosts the Ruskeala Symphony music festival, held right in one of the canyons, renowned for its unique acoustics.
Filina Mountain
"Filina Mountain" in the Lakhdenpokhya district has been welcoming visitors since May 2016 as a military-historical and geological museum. The site itself is unique—a huge man-made bunker inside a massive granite rock with two entrances. In the 1940s, the grotto housed a command and staff bunker of the Finnish army. While exploring the underground halls of the museum, visitors can familiarize themselves not only with military-historical artifacts and documents but also with a collection of rare minerals of Karelia, including muscovite, biotite, quartz, garnet, kyanite, andalusite, and the rare rock sortavalite.
Belye Mosty Waterfall
The highest waterfall in the Northern Ladoga region, located in the Pitkyaranta district of Karelia, consists of two cascades with a total height of 19 meters. Its Finnish name, Jukankoski, comes from the name of the nearest farm and the word "koski," meaning "river rapid." In the 1970s, locals named it "Belye Mosty" (White Bridges) because of the former stone bridges on the Kulis Majoki River. The road to the waterfall is poor, so it's best to get there by off-road vehicle or on foot. In summer, the streams gradually become shallower, while in autumn and spring they are at their highest water levels.
Ladoga Skerries
The Ladoga Skerries are an archipelago of hundreds of islands and rocks scattered across the waters of Lake Ladoga. Granite cliffs, formed by glaciers thousands of years ago, create a whimsical landscape reminiscent of Norwegian fjords. Many islands are covered with pine forests, and the narrow straits between them are perfect for boat or kayak trips. In summer, boat excursions and fishing are popular here; in the cold season, the skerries attract winter hiking and ice fishing enthusiasts. Some islands have equipped campsites. There are many beautiful places in the skerries to visit during large "radial" excursions: Lauvatsaari, Linnamäki (Fortress Mountain), Cape Raha Niemi (Money Cape), the Palosaaret archipelago, Kocherga Bay, and others.
Valaam
The Valaam archipelago in Lake Ladoga is the spiritual center of the Russian North and one of the country's holiest sites. Besides the main monastery, it's worth visiting the sketes hidden in the forests on the various islands of the archipelago and the apple orchards. Incidentally, besides apples, they also grow exotic fruits and berries here—grapes, watermelons, melons, and even pineapples (in greenhouses). The flowering state that the Valaam inhabitants have achieved is especially impressive considering that the fertile soil layer here is nowhere more than 15 cm thick, with bedrock below. The monastery also has its own trout farm. Valaam is not just a stopover. It's a shift in inner rhythm. After the windy and stormy Ladoga, the suddenly enveloping feeling of peace and inner grace is especially palpable here. However, to ensure nothing disrupts this harmony, you need to take care of mooring, berthing, overnight stays (if planned), and other practical aspects in advance by contacting the monastery's pilgrimage service, as mooring in some bays is restricted or requires approval (partly due to the rules of the natural park). Although Valaam is a place where rushing is not customary, getting around the island is more convenient not on foot, but by renting golf carts and electric bicycles. This not only saves energy but also allows you to reach places that the foot of an organized tourist does not reach.
Mantsinsaari Island
The picturesque uninhabited island, 14.4 km long and about 4 km wide, off the northeastern coast of Lake Ladoga is very popular with esotericists—they engage in spiritual practices here and swim naked in the cleanest warm waters. The island has many cozy coves surrounded by dense forest, ideal for anchoring boats and swimming. One of the island's beaches is considered the largest in Karelia. The deciduous and coniferous forests abound with raspberries, lingonberries, and unusually sweet wild strawberries. Incidentally, the name "Mantsinsaari" translates from Finnish as "Strawberry Glade."
Staraya Ladoga
Today, Staraya Ladoga is a quiet settlement on the banks of the Volkhov River, but its historical and cultural significance is enormous. Founded in 753, it was not only the oldest settlement in Rus' and its first capital (it was here that Rurik was summoned in 862) but also the most important trade hub on the route "from the Varangians to the Greeks."
The Ladoga Fortress, founded in the 12th century, is the main visual landmark. Its walls are, in places, up to seven meters thick. Inside the fortress are ancient temples. As early as the 11th–12th centuries, white-stone churches were built here, and the St. George Cathedral, erected around 1180, is still considered the northernmost Russian stone church of the pre-Mongol period.
In the 19th century, Staraya Ladoga experienced a cultural renaissance, becoming an artistic mecca for the Imperial Academy of Arts. A particular phenomenon was the "Uspenskoye" estate of the patron Alexei Tomilov. He created a unique intellectual environment in Ladoga, where peasant everyday life coexisted with elite culture. The estate housed the largest private collection of Rembrandt etchings in Russia and a rich art library. Ladoga served as something of a private academic dacha for young and established artists. Artists came here for the living antiquity and the opportunity to work en plein air. Key figures included Orest Kiprensky, a close friend of Tomilov, who created his famous portraits of the estate owner here; Ivan Aivazovsky, who visited the estate in his youth and depicted himself with an album on the banks of the Volkhov; and Nicholas Roerich, who saw the Ladoga churches and hills as a sacred place and a source of national identity. After 1917, Tomilov's collection from Staraya Ladoga became the foundation of the graphic arts collection of the Russian Museum.
Here you can visit the holy spring of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, the burial mound of Oleg the Prophet, and Varangian Street—the oldest street in Russia. The museum's exhibitions include over 3,500 artifacts from the Neolithic to the 17th century, archaeological finds, and materials on military-political history. A visit to Staraya Ladoga is an opportunity to see unique objects that have shaped Russia's history for over 1270 years. It is an immersion into the mysticism and legends of the ancient capital. However, Staraya Ladoga is alive not only with the "traditions of deep antiquity." Every year in May, a unique cucumber aroma begins to spread over the Volkhov River and Staraya Ladoga—the Smelt Festival takes place, where the traditions of merchant hospitality intertwine with modern gastronomic art. Gourmands await the star of the celebration itself, as well as unexpected combinations of local flavors, masterclasses from chefs, and a fish fair with all the riches of the northern waters—from silvery vendace and pike with tender flesh to Narva lamprey, trout, and sturgeon.
In 2027, Staraya Ladoga plans to begin creating the "Oleg the Prophet" historical and cultural park. Several leading design bureaus are participating in a competition to create its architectural concept. Plans include not only recreating the image of the 9th–10th centuries era but also making the park environment an intellectual attraction: pedestrian routes, Viking-era legends, and interactive museums will enhance the perception of history on site.
