This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel.
Petrozavodsk is surrounded by some of the most picturesque landscapes in Russia. The city itself is nice but it is small with a few sights; however, the great surroundings may take weeks to explore. The city is very well-structured and it is easy to find the hostels in Petrozavodsk, of which there are are few -- they are centrally-located and not far from the train station. Petrozavodsk is an easy, seven-hour train trip from St. Petersburg –- it is worth going on a short trip, as the price of hostels in Petrozavodsk is really low by any standards. There is as well an airport with a very few lines, which are also quite expensive.
As a capital of the Karelia republic, Petrozavodsk has many administrative buildings, including some monuments of Soviet architecture. These buildings are not pretty, but are interesting for tourists. There are great opportunities for rafting, climbing, and any kind of mountaineering around Petrozavodsk and even sailing in the Onezshko Lake. The view from the lakeside is amazing. Weather in Petrozavodsk is whimsical –- it rains a lot in the spring, summer, and autumn and is very cold in the winter. The Onezhsko Lake is frozen in the winter and you can skate on the lake for miles. Don't miss Kizhi, which has unique architecture that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. Book a hostel in Petrozavodsk at the weekend, as going to Kizhi on boat is cheaper on Friday and Sunday. You can go to Kizhi by helicopter in the winter.
Written by local expertz for Petrozavodsk
George Traveller
