Sortavala & Valaam

A Finnish-flavored town on the north shore of Lake Ladoga – take a hydrofoil to the monastery island of Valaam and a retro train to the Ruskeala marble canyon.

Sortavala lies on the northern shore of Lake Ladoga in the southwest of Russia's Republic of Karelia, about 270 km from St Petersburg. Part of Finland until 1940, the town still has many buildings in the Finnish National Romantic and Functionalist styles. It's the base for exploring Ladoga's northern shore, with three main highlights: a hydrofoil trip to Valaam Island to visit Valaam Monastery, known as the "Athos of the North", and its hermitages; a ride on the retro-style Ruskeala Express to Ruskeala Mountain Park, where you can go boating in the marble canyon and explore underground caves; and boat or kayak trips through Ladoga Skerries National Park. The best season is Jun–Sep, when the White Nights bring long daylight and Valaam boats run on schedule; from late September the autumn colors are gorgeous. In winter Lake Ladoga freezes and Valaam boats stop running, but Ruskeala's snow-and-light show and frozen waterfalls have their own charm. Getting there: take the train from St Petersburg to Sortavala (about 4 hours), or the sightseeing train direct to Ruskeala; in summer there are also cruises from St Petersburg that call at Valaam. Allow 2–3 days: one for Valaam, one for Ruskeala and the waterfalls, and half a day for the old town and the skerries. Tips: dress modestly at the monastery (women should wear a headscarf and skirt); boat and train tickets often sell out in peak season, so book ahead; some lakeshore areas are close to the border, so check the latest regulations before you go, and bring mosquito repellent in summer.

Top sights

• Valaam Transfiguration Monastery – A famous Orthodox monastery on Valaam Island in Lake Ladoga. The blue-and-white Transfiguration Cathedral and its monks' choir are the high…
• Ruskeala Mountain Park – An emerald-lake gorge formed in an abandoned marble quarry, with boating and underground grotto tours. It is the most popular attraction in…
• St. Nicholas Skete, Valaam – A white monastic hermitage built on a small island, first seen by boats entering the monastery bay. It is Valaam's most photogenic view.
• Resurrection & Gethsemane Sketes, Valaam – A 'New Jerusalem' hermitage laid out after the holy sites of Jerusalem, with a red-brick Resurrection church and a wooden Gethsemane chapel…
• Saint Vladimir Skete, Valaam – A white stone hermitage built in the 21st century, with a cathedral modelled on Old Novgorod architecture, set among forest and lakes.
• Ruskeala Express – A retro sightseeing train pulled by a vintage steam locomotive, running from Sortavala station to Ruskeala Mountain Park.
• Ahvenkoski Waterfalls – A cluster of small stepped waterfalls on the Tohmajoki River, a filming location for the 1972 film 'The Dawns Here Are Quiet', often visite…
• Ladoga Skerries National Park – Granite islands and fjord-like channels scattered along the northern shore of Lake Ladoga, explored by boat or kayak and reminiscent of Nor…
• Sortavala Old Town – The centre of a small lakeside town with many early 20th-century buildings in Finnish National Romantic and functionalist styles. Suits a h…
• Mount Paaso Viewpoint – A rocky hill on the northern outskirts of Sortavala, with the remains of an ancient fortress on top and views over forests and lakes.
• Vakkosalmi Park – A lakeside forest park built during the Finnish period, with a singing ground, rock paths and viewpoints, just west of the old town.
• Museum of Northern Ladoga Region – A local museum introducing the alternating Finnish and Russian history, folk culture and nature of the Sortavala area.
• Yukankoski Waterfall (Belye Mosty) – One of Karelia's highest waterfalls, with a drop of about 19 metres over a rock face, freezing into an ice cascade in winter.
• Lumivaara Church Ruins – The ruins of a Finnish Lutheran stone church completed in 1935. Without a roof, its tall tower stands in open fields.

Where to eat

• Dom Berga – A popular café in a replica of the first mayor's house. Finnish creamy salmon soup and Karelian pies are the top picks…
• Järvikala – A fish shop and café using locally sourced lake fish. Its creamy salmon soup and fish dumplings are fresh and affordabl…
• Hunter Nordic Kitchen – A hunting-lodge-style grill bar with well-reviewed venison burgers and game steaks. It ranks among Sortavala's top spot…

Itineraries

• Karelia, Lake Ladoga & Lake Onega Loop – A self-drive loop from St. Petersburg around Lake Ladoga, connecting Valaam, Ruskeala, and Kizhi Island.