Sortavala

Understand

Stolbovo belonged to Sweden 1617–1721 and became a charted town in 1632. It was devastated in the war in the early 18th century, was ceded to Russia and lost its importance. It was united with the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812, and thus became part of independent Finland in 1917. From the late 19th century Sortavala developed as the cultural centre of Ladogan Karelia. It was the seat of the orthodox arch bishop from 1925. It also had significant industry for such a small town. The area was evacuated and ceded to the Soviet Union after the Winter War 1940 and again after the Continuation War 1944. Until 1940, the Ladoga shore southwest of Sortavala had been one of the very few relatively densely populated areas north of the Karelian Isthmus populated by Karelians.

Getting there

By car The road A121 along Ladoga's western shore leads to the town from Saint Petersburg. The road from Petrozavodsk and Olonets towards the Vyartsilya/Niirala border checkpoint to Finland (in Tohmajärvi) passes north of the town. Stretches close to Ladoga shore between roughly Lakhdenpokhya and Rautalakhti are pretty dangerous with lots of turns and persistent fog at night.

By rail The town is on the railway between Saint Petersburg and Kostomuksha.

1 Sortavala railway station. (updated Nov 2019)

By bus 2 Sortavala bus station. (updated Jun 2024)

See

1 Atelier of Gogolev, Komsomol'skaya Ulitsa, 6, ☏ +7 (81430) 4-56-75. 10:00-20:00. Exposition of woodcuts and wooden reliefs from private collection of Kronid Gogolev. Renowned local artist who toured extensively first in Soviet Union and later also in Scandinavia and Germany. 400 руб. (updated Nov 2025) 2 Saint Nicholas Church. The orthodox cathedral from 1873. 3 Statue of the folk poetry singer (Рунопевец). By Alpo Sailo, erected in 1935 in the 100-years celebrations of the Finnish national epic Kalevala (possibly partly collected from here). The statue is modelled after the folk poetry singer Petri Shemeikka (1821–1915), whom Sailo had met earlier, doing sketches and taking photos. 4 Vakkosalmi park. Park located to the west of the city behind rail line. Some sculptures, large amphitheatre and a scenic viewpoint on the top of the hill. On western side of the hill several abandoned ski jumping ramps constructed during interwar period by Finns can be found. (updated Nov 2025)

In Ruskeala 5 Ruskeala Church (Рускеальская церковь). A Lutheran church. 6 Ruskeala marble canyon (Рускеала Мраморный Каньон). Beautiful canyon. (updated Jun 2024)

Do

1 Lagoda Skerries National Park (by the shores of Ladoga). 1,220 km² national park Ruskeala Express (Рускеальский экспресс). Daily. Steam train from Sortavala to nearby Ruskeala. 350–1000. (updated Jun 2022)

Buy

1 Yarmarka (Ярмарка). Daily 10:00–20:00. A shopping centre. (updated Jun 2024)

Eat

1 Magazin-Kafe Dom Berga (Магазин-Кафе Дом Берга), Ulitsa Lenina, д 6, ☏ +7 921 010-22-23. A café in Finnish style selling very good local specialty 'kalitki', Karelian dumplings. A must visit. (updated Nov 2025)

Sleep

1 Dacha Wintera (Дача Винтера) (8 km southward), ☏ +7 921 012-90-46. Newly built resort along the shore of Lake Ladoga, just south of town. (updated Apr 2016) 2 Hotel Kaunis (Отель Каунис), Ulitsa Lenina, 3, ☏ +7 921 467-34-15, [email protected]. (updated Jun 2024) 3 Hotel Sortavala (Гостиница Сортавала), ☏ +7 921 604-04-60, [email protected]. (updated Jun 2024) 4 Tsar Gory (Царь Горы), ул. Лесопильная, д.1а (in Ruskeala), ☏ +7 921 010-40-05. A guest house. (updated Jun 2024) 5 Wild Chocolate (Дикий Шоколад) (in Kirjavalahti; along the road A-121), ☏ +7 921 011-98-11. A gourmet hotel. (updated Jun 2024)

Go next

The Valaam archipelago with Valamo Monastery Impilahti, a small town near Sortavala