Host in a different country - Hectic and stress are foreign to the endless woods and small villages of Karelien
This region is often called the “cradle of Finland” because the mythical places and sites of the national epos “Kalevala” can be found here. The tradition of folk poetry, fairy tales, and passed on songs and dances lives on in this region. The former Eastern part of Karelien is a part of Russia today. The borders are slowly starting to get more penetrable. Trips across the border to lake Ladoga and the old convent of Valamo are worthwile, even though the entry regulations keep changing. As soon as you leave the urban areas and turn onto small roads, you are in the middle of unspoiled, vast nature and breathe the clean air above lakes and dense forests. The distances between the towns and villages are starting to get further. The people who live here are by no means hicks though but cosmopolitan and open-minded. Guests always receive a warm welcome in the pretty Karelic villages.
