Lake Ladoga is one of the most interesting tourist destinations in the North-Western region of Russia. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the second largest in Russia, after Lake Baikal. On the shores of Lake Ladoga there is a large number of historical and natural attractions.
More than 35 rivers flow into Lake Ladoga, and only the Neva River flows out of it, which flows to the Baltic Sea. The maximum depth of the lake is 220 meters. Strong winds and powerful storms on Ladoga are quite common, and storm waves are more dangerous for ships here than in the seas. On Lake Ladoga, cold north winds meet with south winds, which leads to very strong waves. Long waves are replaced by short waves. Sometimes sailors can`t even figure out where the waves are hitting the ship from.
For this reason, Tsar Peter I ordered the Ladoga Canal to be laid along the south-eastern shore to Lake Onega, so that ships could not enter the stormy waters of Lake Ladoga.
Attractions on Lake Ladoga
On the southern coast of Lake Ladoga there are no island archipelagos and skerries, as in the north of Ladoga. In the south of Ladoga is located a defensive belt of fortresses, which in the era of the Novgorod Republic was built to protect against the Swedes. Directly on Lake Ladoga there are three fortresses: Schlisselburg, Old Ladoga and Korela. This belt also included fortresses on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland: Ivangorod and Koporye.
Until the beginning of the 18th century, these fortresses were constantly changing hands. In the fortresses of Shlisselburg and Korela, stone fortifications built by the Swedes in the 17th century have been preserved. In 1710, the troops of Peter I took the Fortress of Korela and Vyborg Castle. After that, the borders of Russia were pushed far to the west.
In addition to the fortresses in the south of Lake Ladoga, you can visit two monasteries: the Tikhvin Monastery and the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery. Both monasteries are pilgrimage centers in the Northwestern region. The Tikhvin Monastery houses one of the most revered icons, the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. In the Alexander-Svirsky monastery are the relics of Alexander Svirsky, one of the most revered saints in Orthodoxy.
On the island of Valaam, in the northern part of Lake Ladoga, there is the Transfiguration Valaam Monastery. It is one of the spiritual centers of Russian Orthodoxy. You can go to the Valaam Monastery on high-speed ships that depart daily from the berths in the cities of Priozersk and Sortavala.
On the Western shore of Lake Ladoga, the Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin on the island of Konevets, as well as the city of Priozersk, are of interest to tourists. There you can see the Fortress of Korela, as well as relax in the Recreation Park on the island of Stony. Here is a very beautiful Karelian nature: pine trees and granite boulders.
However, if you want to fully enjoy the beauty of Karelian nature, then you have to go to the north of Lake Ladoga to the Ladoga Skerries Nature Reserve. It preserves a unique ecosystem formed during the Cenozoic glaciation 30 million years ago. The reserve consists of 650 islands. The granite rocks were cut by the Ladoga water, which created an incredibly picturesque landscapes.
You can see the southern part of the Ladoga Skerries Reserve by taking a motor boat tour in the villages of Berezovsky or Lahdenpokhya. However, the most beautiful places can be seen in the north, if you go on a tour from the city of Sortavala. Here you will visit the picturesque islands of Havus, Honkasalo, Kaarnetsaari, Lehtosaari and Laukka.
