Travelfood

Addition on May 1st 2022 to the article originally published on August 26th 2013: The intention of this article is not to promote tourism to a country that brutally attacks its neighbour.

Those parts of Carelia that Finland had to give to the Soviet Union after the second World War have become popular travel destinations for evacuated Finns that had to leave their homes behind the border. Also other travel enthusiasts take part in organized bus tours to Russian Carelia. I myself had the golden opportunity to travel with talkative, spontaneously enthusiastic Carelians to the towns of Sordavala, Käkisalmi (Priozersk nowadays) and Vyborg. Other popular sights in the area are the city of Petroskoi and for example the Valamo island monastery in the middle of the vast Lake Ladoga.

Vyborg used to be one of Finland’s largest cities during the first half of the 20^th century and the architecture of the city does indeed remind you of Helsinki. During the Soviet era the buildings were in bad shape but they have now been refurbished. That is unfortunately not the case in similar Sordavala. The charm of Vyborg is completed with an old castle from the Swedish rule. A similar castle used to be in Käkisalmi as well, but that is nowadays a ruin. The roads are being renewed in Russian Carelia, but some of them are still in such a bad shape that it will take forever to reach your destination.

The Russian visa requirements are quite complicated and the contemporary rules need to be checked before going to the border. The visa fee might be expensive but that is compensated by cheap tax free purchases at the border. Otherwise the price level is not very low in Carelia and the urge to do shopping is suppressed even more by sour-looking, only-Russian-speaking, ignorant customer servants. At the countryside there are nevertheless friendly, hospitable Russians that gladly help visitors on their trek for Carelian roots.

Finnish Carelia is proud of its rice or potato pies (or pirogi). The Carelian casserole is a blend of pork and beef meat that has been stewed for hours. These dishes are hard to find on the Russian side, where typical Russian food rules. I had seljanka, a rich vegetable soup (to which meat or fish can be added), and trout from Lake Ladoga with caviar sauce. Veal tongue with horseradish was so delicious that I wish I could have that dish again!

Europe, Finland, food, Russia, travel, travel experiences