The picturesque landscapes of the magnificent northern nature of the Republic of Karelia, washed by the endless blue of Lake Ladoga, attract tourists from all over the world. A particularly impressive spiritual and cult place, saturated with an inexhaustible source of faith, is the island of Valaam. This is truly a holy and beautiful land with a long history, where one of the main Orthodox shrines of Russia, the Valaam Monastery, is located.

The land chosen by the monks cordially welcomes guests and pilgrims seeking to find peace of mind and receive blessings. Having learned how to get to Valaam on their own, tourists tend to quickly visit the ensemble of Orthodox architecture, located in the middle of an endless reserved forest.

Where is Valaam

Valaam Island is part of the archipelago of the same name, located on Lake Ladoga, 20 kilometers from the mainland. The territory of the reserve is part of the Sortavalsky district of the Republic of Karelia. Numerous huge stone capes covered with spruce forests form beautiful bays, gulfs, straits and inland lakes.

Continuous rows of majestic and thin pines with lush crowns, as well as ridges of smooth boulders, silently meet passenger and monastic ships mooring to the shore. Between the island and the nearest settlements, which are Sortavala and Priozersk, water communication has been established. Cruise water routes from the Northern capital of Russia – St. Petersburg are also made here.

Tourist boat cruise

In St. Petersburg, many travel agencies organize special river trips to Valaam. A fascinating journey is carried out on comfortable motor ships. This is one of the most optimal and convenient ways to reach the reserve.

A group of sightseers will be safely delivered to the island, where they will be accompanied by professional guides. The tour program includes accommodation in a cabin, meals, a full range of services on board the ship and an informative walking tour of the Orthodox holy places with a detailed sightseeing.

View prices for cruises to Valaam

During the journey, three-deck and four-deck ships cover a distance of 200 kilometers in one direction. They are not speedy. The average travel time is 11 hours.

Tourists wishing to enjoy the views of amazing pristine nature, temple complexes and cultural monuments can choose the terms of their stay in the holy land that are acceptable for themselves. There are tours both one-day and weekly.

Ride on a water meteor

From the piers of Sortavala and Priozersk, as well as from St. Petersburg, high-speed boat-rockets “Meteors” regularly depart. Water passenger transport reaches the pier in the Monastery Bay of the island in a few hours.

The hydrofoil vessel with a comfortable and cozy cabin can accommodate 120 passengers. Tickets are purchased from the captain directly upon boarding. Conditions for favorable navigation on Lake Ladoga directly depend on weather conditions. Often, a planned trip is postponed for some time due to a storm.

To Valaam from Sortavala

The settlement of Sortavala is located 40 kilometers from the island of Valaam. The water journey starts from the city pier, from here all ships leave for the sacred archipelago. The modern boat “Meteor” runs to Valaam at 9:00 and 11:00.

During the summer period, a high-speed boat runs every day. The boat departs from the island at 15:00 and 17:00. The schedule is not very convenient for travelers, since there is little time left to see all the shrines and sights. The journey takes about one hour one way.

An independent tourist should remember that there may not be tickets for the Meteor, since some of them are bought in advance by excursion companies for their groups. Other boats also depart from Sortavala to the island from 9:00 to 12:00.

There is no specific departure schedule, but there should be no problems with sailing. A sufficient number of ships line up at the pier, so there is enough space for everyone. The disadvantages of this type of service include the low speed of boats, which, as a result, can cover a short distance within 2.5 hours.

To Priozersk from St. Petersburg

The small town of Priozersk, located in the Leningrad region on the shores of Lake Ladoga, is adjacent to the Republic of Karelia. Most tourists come here to visit the island of Valaam. Passenger ships regularly depart from the pier to the archipelago.

Priozersk is located 160 kilometers from St. Petersburg. For independent tourists, it will not be difficult to first get to this original place, and then make an exciting river trip to the fertile places of the monastery.

Developed transport infrastructure allows you to get to Priozersk by rail, as well as by bus and car.

By train

Every day, electric trains No. 6582 and No. 6516 depart from the Finland Station to Priozersk. Travel time will take more than two hours. An exhausting ride on hard benches in an overcrowded carriage is fully compensated by the picturesque landscapes passing by the windows of the electric train. The railway track is laid in the middle of a magnificent forest area.

By bus

You can get from St. Petersburg to Priozersk safely and conveniently by bus. Transport departs from the Northern bus station, located next to the Devyatkino station.

Bus number 859 runs hourly from early morning to 20:30. Travel time will take about three hours. Passengers buy tickets at the ticket office of the bus station. Modern buses run along the route, equipped with spacious interiors with comfortable seats.

By train

A commuter passenger train, like an electric train, leaves for Priozersk from the Finland Station in St. Petersburg. According to the itinerary, the train travels a short distance to its destination in two hours.

There are carriages with seats, which allows you not to purchase expensive compartment tickets. Trains run on Wednesdays and Fridays. The trip will give passengers a lot of positive emotions, as the road passes through dense forests, crossing river valleys.

By car

Self-organized tourists who want to enjoy a quiet and secluded trip, as well as not depend on the schedule of municipal transport, can quickly and comfortably get to Priozersk by car. From St. Petersburg to the coast of Lake Ladoga, a good quality road surface has been laid.

In order not to get into a dense traffic flow, it is better to go on a trip early in the morning or in the evening. During these hours, the highway is practically not loaded. On average, the journey will take about two hours. The route passes through picturesque villages surrounded by forests and rivers.

Pilgrimage tours

Regular pilgrimage tours are organized to the unique island of Valaam, whose religious significance is known all over the world. Orthodox Christians visit the monastery with the aim of worshiping church relics, learning the essence of human existence and finding peace of mind.

A remote island from the bustle of the world attracts parishioners with the grandeur of diverse wildlife. Numerous shrines rise among the protected area, which are the most valuable architectural monuments and symbols of Orthodoxy for every believer.

The Valaam Monastery is subordinate to the Moscow Patriarch and All Russia. The temple complex, combined with enchanting forest expanses, encourages even the most religious tourists to think about the moral, ethical and spiritual values of human civilization.

The main constant flow of guests is observed from May to September. Pilgrimage tours include holding religious services of various dioceses, as well as a warm welcome to the guests of the island.

Visitors to the island of Valaam have the opportunity to find answers to the most intimate personal questions, touch the relics of the saints to strengthen faith, rest their soul and body from the bustle of the city, receive blessings and hope for healing.

Believers earnestly pray in sincere repentance. At the end of the service, guests can get acquainted with the conditions of monastic life, as well as learn the history of the monastery from the moment it was founded. Pilgrims stay in special hotels located on the territory of the monastery.

Tips for visiting the island

When planning a visit to the protected monastery, tourists are advised to allocate as much time as possible for this trip in order to feel as much as possible about the amazingly beautiful landscapes. Pilgrimage places, fanned by the Orthodox spirit, leave indelible impressions.

Valaam Island is framed on all sides by water, which creates a special microclimate. Please bring warm clothes and closed shoes. Tourists need to pay attention to their clothes.

It is strictly forbidden to enter the temples in shorts, T-shirts, tracksuits and elegant dresses. The fair sex is allowed to enter churches only in long skirts. In this case, the head must be covered with a scarf. Men, on the other hand, are required to remove their hats when entering a religious building.

Sights of Valaam

The main attraction of Valaam is the delightful architectural ensemble of the ancient monastery, surrounded by lush and flowering thickets of vegetation. The beauty and grandeur of the temple complex evoke feelings of admiration and delight among the parishioners.

The harmonious combination of the temple complex with the surrounding pristine nature of Valaam is striking. The first buildings of the Valaam Monastery were erected at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries. During the long history of its existence, the monastery served as a defensive fortress and a place of exile for clerics.

The ancient buildings of the monastery repeatedly suffered from fires, were devastated and plunged into oblivion for many decades. The main years of the heyday of the religious center fall on the 19th century, when the abbot of the monastery was the holy father of Damascus.

Under his leadership, numerous chapels and various church buildings were erected, roads were laid, and water supply was installed. On the territory of the reserve garden and garden plots were broken. Handicraft workshops, pharmacies, hospitals and bakeries also appeared.

In fact, a monastic state arose on the island of Valaam, in which only monk brothers worked and lived. There were over 1000 of them. On the rocky island, industrious monks learned to grow vegetables and even fruits.

For the development of horticulture, tons of fertile soil were brought to the island from nearby mainland lands. Today, guests of the island can see the most valuable architectural monuments, a complex of chapels and other unique buildings.

A pleasant walk along well-groomed alleys with deciduous, coniferous and fruit trees will complement the impressions of a blessed visit to shrines.

Valaam Savior Priobrazhensky Monastery

One of the main attractions of the island is the Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior, highly revered throughout the Orthodox world. The architectural complex in those days was the main citadel of Northwestern Russia. The monastery was founded by people from Novgorod at the beginning of the 14th century.

Difficult years fell on the share of the first buildings. Chosen to found a religious center, the island was dangerously close to the enemies of the Russians. The monastery in different eras was subjected to barbarian raids by the Swedes several times, became a war zone, was part of different states and was in disrepair.

The Valaam monastery is a unique ensemble of various utility and residential buildings built in the form of two closed concentric quadrangles. The outer square is intended for the habitation of lay novices, and the monks live in the inner buildings.

Temples and small chapels reflect the diversity of the richness of classical Russian Orthodox architecture. The central composition of the monastery is the grandiose Transfiguration Cathedral.

Church-Archaeological and Natural Museum-Reserve

In 1979, a research natural museum-reserve was founded on the islands of the Valaam archipelago. The institution impresses with the presence of a rich collection of the most valuable exhibits, the number of which is more than 5,000 items of various directions.

These are works of painting and graphics, arts and crafts, church utensils, icons, books, ancient coins, products of local artisans, ancient tools, clothing and numerous monastic household items.

The main asset of the museum is the expositions reflecting the history of the Valaam Monastery. The basis of the museum fund is an extensive collection of copper castings, fragments of red-clay and white-clay dishes, as well as samples of building materials.

St. Vladimir Skete of the Valaam Monastery

The most modern structure of the entire architectural ensemble of the island is St. Vladimir Skete. The building was erected in 2002 and is the residence of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

Separate cells are assembled into a single whole building, the appearance of which embodies the ideas of traditional elements of Pskov architecture of the 15th century. The beautiful white-stone facade of the complex is decorated with domes, arched window openings, elegant fine ornamental elements, ceramic paintings and carved pediments.

In the skete there are fraternal cells, an icon-painting workshop, a refectory, a library and utility rooms.

Resurrection Red Skete

On a high hill, where, according to legend, the Apostle Andrew the Primordial established a stone cross, rises the Resurrection Red Skete. Massive red brick buildings were laid at the beginning of the 20th century. Most tourist routes start from this architectural ensemble.

Nearby is a picturesque bay where cruise ships and boats moor. Behind a brick fence with beautiful figured gates, there is a well-groomed green area with neat paths lined with paving stones. Among the abundance of trees, shrubs, flower beds, there are one-story and two-story cells, as well as utility buildings.

The central composition of the Red Skete is the temple, the architecture of which combines elements of the Byzantine and classical Russian styles. The church with a bell tower is crowned with two turquoise domes. A porch with columns connected by arches serves as a passage to the upper, superbly finished bright room.

Noteworthy is the two-tier porcelain iconostasis with gilding. The colorful and fine art work of the icon painters is impressive. Under the luxurious hall is the lower chapel, where one of the valuable Christian relics is kept – a particle of the crypt where the body of Jesus Christ rested.

Hefsiman skit

Many objects of the Valaam Monastery are named after sacred places located in Israel and Jerusalem. So the island has its own Mount of Olives, at the foot of which stands the Gethsemane Skete. This is a golden-yellow wooden church of the Assumption of the Virgin with blue domes and roofs, as well as two small outbuildings with a well-kept garden. The exterior of the chapel is decorated with magnificent fine wood carvings.

The structure is crowned with blue onion domes and two octagonal tents. Window openings are framed with decorative platbands. A two-tiered bell tower adjoins the western part of the temple. The interior decoration of the shrine expresses the ascetic and humble way of life of the novices.

There are no luxurious wall paintings and gilded images of saints. A small iconostasis framed by an elegant wooden ornament will stand out. The main altar harmoniously looks against the background of the walls painted in blue.

Nikolsky Skete

One of the most picturesque sketes of the Valaam Monastery rises on the small Nikolsky Island. It is located at the entrance to the bay, where ships and boats arrive. When ships pass between the rocky shores of the Lake Ladoga archipelago, passengers can see a surprisingly beautiful temple built in the middle of the 19th century to the left of the course.

For a long time, Nikolsky Island served as a monastic customs point, where all ship cargoes were carefully checked. The import of tobacco and alcohol into the sacred monastery was strictly prohibited, so the inspection of goods was a mandatory procedure.

On a hill among the lush crowns of tall trees, a stone hipped temple dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker rushes up. From the inside, the walls and the dome of the shrine are lined with magnificent frescoes. Wax-oil paintings, made in delicate light colors, depict the life story of St. Nicholas. Near the church there are cell buildings surrounded by an apple orchard.

Skete of All Saints

The largest architectural complex of the island of Valaam is the skete of All Saints. The white-stone church and six cell buildings of novices were erected in the 18th century. This is the strictest skete of the monastery.

You can visit its territory only with the permission and blessing of the abbot of the monastery. Getting here for tourists of a different faith will be very difficult and most likely impossible. The courtyard of the skete is framed by powerful fortress walls with corner tower structures.

The temple of All Saints dominates the picturesque place. The white-stone church reflects in its appearance the features of traditional ancient Russian and Byzantine architecture. The five domes, the hipped bell tower and dome drums, decorated with arched openings, give the building a special solemnity.

The interior of the church is amazing. The main hall, with its vaulted ceiling, carefully preserves colorful wall paintings from the 19th century depicting apostles and angels. A small iconostasis is decorated with openwork wooden ornamental elements.

To the south of the temple there is a well with cold, purest water. Its depth is about 5 meters. Large cell buildings lined up around the perimeter of the skete. Pleasant surroundings of the area are created by green spaces and tall trees.

Transfiguration Cathedral

The pearl and the main architectural composition of the Valaam archipelago is the Transfiguration Cathedral. This is the most visited place by pilgrims and tourists. The magnificent two-story temple, which is an elongated rectangle with three naves, was erected in 1896. Its height is 42 meters.

The guests of the monastery are struck by the graceful beauty of five spherical domes of sky-blue color, mounted on white-stone massive drums with arched tops. The facade of the church impresses with a harmonious combination of white, bright red and soft blue shades. A three-tiered bell tower topped with a pointed spire stands out.

The relics of the holy fathers Sergius and Herman, who founded the Valaam Monastery, rest in the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior. The halls of the temple, separated by high arched arcades, are richly painted and decorated with exquisite stucco.

Walls, columns and ceilings are covered with bright images of saints, apostles and angels. Noteworthy is the four-tiered carved iconostasis framed with gilded ornaments.

Konevsky Igumen Skete

On the shore of the lake, in the thicket of the forest, the Konevsky Skete is comfortably and separately located, in which the future abbot of the Valaam Monastery, Father Damaskin, first lived. Of all the numerous church buildings on the island, this is the smallest building in size. The central decoration of the skete is a modest miniature wooden chapel with two small domes.

The temple was consecrated in the name of the icon of Our Lady of Konev. An excursion tourist route has been laid in the vicinity of the skete. The area is conducive to a pleasant scenic walk. Majestic larches, the smooth surface of the lake, water lilies and ecological cleanliness can win the hearts and souls of tourists visiting Valaam.