This is my home town. Pop 350,000. I grew up here until I was twelve, at which point my family moved to the US. It’s not a huge tourist destination, but it’s worth a visit for the northern nature and convenience. Petrozavodsk is an overnight train ride away from both Moscow and St Petersburg.
We ran out of time – and quite honestly didn’t feel like dropping $75 each on a day trip to Kizhi island, but we will be back, so I know I can take Sergey there. If you make it to Petrozavodsk, you have to go visit the island. It’s a short hydrofoil ride away, and the island is peaceful with a beautiful wooden church built in 1600s without nails. An architectural wonder and a pleasure to visit. That said, without pictures to prove my point, I will move to showcase some photos taken over the last two weeks on the embankment.
My house is just a 3 minute walk from Lake Onego embankment, so Sergey and I made quite a few trips here. The majority of foreign tourists who come to town are from cruise ships.
The embankment is pretty great anytime – but sunsets are the most beautiful. We had exceptional weather the two weeks we were there, these photos are from several different evenings.
Logistics
In order to fit in a trip to Kizhi and a walk on the embankment, all you need is a day.
Transport Links: If you come by train, the embankment is a straight shot from the rail station down the main drag – Lenina ulitsa – maybe a 20 minute walk (if that).
Stay: We obviously stayed at my grandmother’s flat, and had the pleasure of eating most of our meals at home. But if you make a visit, there are a number of hotels on the water, and the views will be worth it.
Eat: There are many cafes in the center – Zeigmund Freud and Begemot (Hippo) is where we went during the day to get some work done. Free wi-fi, standard prices on coffee (60-70 rubles for Americano), and very quiet. XXXX Bar and Pub has a nice patio close to the embankment, and Fregat restaurant is right on the water at a reasonable price point as well. If you want to sample Karelian fare, head to Karelian gornitsa– it’s expensive, Moscow prices, but you will get authentic and delicious food (Engels St. 13 – right off Lenina St).
There is free wi-fi almost everywhere in the center of the city, including on the embankment.
