Petrozavodsk Things to Do

Something else tipical from Russia, vodka.
Well this is the right place where you can and have to try real vodka.

I'm not a lover of high alcohol beverages, but from time to time i enjoy a glass.
It consists of mostly water and ethanol purified by distillation.
originally the name wasn't vodka, but bread wine was used a therm and until the middle of 18th century, vodka remained relatively low on alcohol, not exceding the 40% of volume.
Now has usually an alcohol content of 35 to 50% of volume.

Personally i have found a pretty good brand, which is Parliament, not so expensive and not so "heavy".
If you are visiting some people in Russia, they will offer you eighter vodka or thea, those 2 beverages are really common.

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When talking about presents or souvenirs from Russia, this is really a must, something tipical from Russia.

The Matryoshka, also known as Babushka or Russian nested doll, is made by a set of dolls which size decrease the deep you go inside the doll, in fact they are one inside eachother.

The name Matryoshka is a derivative of the first Russian female name, Matryona, that was a really popular name among people in old Russia.
Matryona is related to the Latin "mater", Mother.

The more dolls you have one inside oeachother, the more the external doll is big, the can be incredibly big.
Paintings on the dolls are often hand made (of course those are the most "expensive" and the most beautiful).

Different colours, themes and sizes are so available, you just have to make your choice

While traveling to Russia, don't stop yourself in touristic cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Believe me, you can get the best taste of Russia, the real taste, going off the beaten path, out of touristic towns.

Out on those towns, you will find people who are not used to see so much tourism, still fully immersed in their day by day genuine life, and this is the best you can experience.

Beside what some people say, Russian people have a huge culture, a charming savoir-faire and their behavoir is really fantastic, specially with guests.

I really suggest to take the adventure and get somewhere outside Moscow and very known cities, without being afraid that something can happen, nothing bad will happen to you, of course better if you have somebody who speaks Russian or if you speak it yourself.

I've been traveling in some outside cities, not touristic at all, and i've been fascinated of the beauty and people i met.

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An exclusive Russian original tasty recipe.
Blini is a Russian traditional dish. The making was a real sacred mystery and people told fortunes on the dough and kept their recipes secret. The first Blinis were put on the window-sills for poor people and pilgrims. They are baked in a great quantity for holidays and foreigners are often surprised at how many Bliny Russians can eat!

Really something i suggest to try, you will not regret it, delicious, inviting and something you will not stop to eat.

You can eat them with marmelade, sour cream, chocolate, etc...
The most popular Blinis were made from buckwheat flour and good Blinis must be very, very thin. The thinner Blinis are, the better the cook's skill is.

Here's a website that will give you the recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Russian-Pancakes---Blini/Detail.aspx

The most accessible (and essential) day trip from Petrozavodsk is a visit to the island of Kizhi.

The Kizhi Museum-Reserve, in the middle of Lake Onega, is a 75-minute ferry ride away from Petrozavodsk. It is where you will find the Kizhsky Pogost (Kizhi Enclosure), a UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of two 18th-century wooden churches and a bell tower, as well as many other traditional wooden buildings from northwestern Russia.

Both the ticket office and the ferry terminal are located at the end of Prospekt Marksa, near the waterfront. It is recommended to buy your tickets in advance or, if you want to make sure you visit the island on a sunny day, to arrive early in the morning the day of your visit.

Check out my Kizhi page for more information.

One of the latest additions to Petrozavodsk's impressive list of public artworks is, curiously enough, a monument dedicated to Yuri Andropov, chairman of the KGB from 1967 to 1982 and ruler of the Soviet Union from 1982 to 1984.

Known as the "Butcher of Budapest" for his role in crushing the Hungarian uprising of 1956, Andropov served as chief of the Petrozavodsk's Communist party youth wing (Komsomol) in the 1930s.

Interestingly, across the street from the Andropov bust is the local branch of the FSB -- Russia's successor to the aforementioned KGB.

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One of the striking features in Petrozavodsk is the number of buildings bearing communist symbols. If you have time to walk around town, it can be fun to try and spot those decorations.

Many street names from the Soviet era have not been changed either. It is almost as if people here, unlike their compatriots in Saint-Petersburg and Moscow, did not feel the need to tear down all signs the past when the communism regime ended in the early 1990s.

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Petrozavodsk's waterfront along Lake Onega is a beautifully landscaped area with many sculptures. The promenade, called Onezhskaya Naberezhnaya, starts at the ferry terminal on one side at slightly past Prospekt Lenina on the other.

The most popular sculpture is called The Fishermen. A gift from Petrozavodsk's sister city Duluth, in Minnesota, it is either very cool or kind of scary, depending on your outlook. The other star attractions, aside from the view of the lake in itself, include a wishing tree and a statue of Peter the Great.