Russia is a huge country in which man-made beauties coexist with natural beauties. And if you are tired of the drab everyday life or are already wondering where to spend your vacation, we are glad to present photos of the most beautiful lakes in Russia.
10. Baikal, Buryatia, Irkutsk region
When it comes to the beauty of Russian lakes, the majestic Baikal is one of the first to come to mind. This is the second the largest lake in Russia, and one of the cleanest in the world. Its water contains very little mineral salts, which is why its composition is close to distilled. And about 100 endemic (unique for a certain area) representatives of the fauna live in Baikal.
The Blue Eye of Siberia is a popular tourist route at any time of the year. In winter, you can go skiing in the resort of Baikalsk, and in spring, summer and autumn - fishing, hiking and excursions.
9. Seidozero, Murmansk region
Translated from the Sami language, "seid" means "sacred". And although this name is found in other lakes in the Murmansk region, it is this Seydozero that has become a real place of worship for many ufologists and science fiction writers.
It is believed that Seydozero is one of the possible places where the Hyperborean civilization could exist. If so, then the Hyperboreans were lucky, because they had the opportunity to daily enjoy a variety of shades of greenery in summer and the northern lights in winter.
8. Raspberry Lake, Altai Territory
The pink-crimson shade of the water of this lake is not the result of human activity, but the titanic labor of many tiny bacteria Serratia salinaria. They secrete a red pigment called prodigiosin.
By the way, this feature is associated with one of the "miracles" that occurred in the Middle Ages. Since Serratia salinaria can live not only in water, but also on bread, she dyed the bread intended for communion in the church in the Italian city of Bolsena. This episode went down in history as the "Eucharistic miracle".
But back to Raspberry Lake. It is worth visiting it not only for the unique color of the water, but also for your own healing with the help of therapeutic mud. Or just for the sake of a good rest at the tourist base, which is located on the picturesque shore of the lake.
7. Lake Onega, Republic of Karelia, Leningrad and Vologda regions
Reed and reed thickets in which swans, geese and ducks nest, and taiga forests frame this beautiful lake. And its pearl is the Kizhi Skerries archipelago, which includes over 500 islands.
The most famous of them is Kizhi Island, a paradise for connoisseurs of Russian wooden architecture.
6. Kezenoy-Am, Chechen Republic and Dagestan
This alpine lake is the largest in the Chechen Republic. Around it are architectural monuments of different eras, such as ancient mosques, the unique medieval Chechen castle Aldam-Gezi, ancient burial grounds and crypts.
And on the shore of the lake there is a tourist and recreational cluster of the same name with a hotel, restaurant, bathhouse, sports complex and even a boat station. So if you want to explore the beauty and architectural sights of the North Caucasus in a comfortable environment, then Kezenoy-Am is a suitable option.
5. Shaitan, Kirov region
If you want to swim on the lake on your personal small island, then there is no better place than Shaitan in all of Russia. This circular karst lake is famous for two things:
- Rare fountains, which sometimes reach 10 meters in height, according to the locals. This phenomenon arises from the siphon circulation of groundwater.
- Small floating islands covered with bushes and small trees. Their number reaches 20. Floating islands are formed when the water level in the lake rises (usually in spring), when part of the swampy shore breaks off from the total mass.
The water in the lake is very clean, and you can swim in it all summer. And fishing on Shaitan is excellent.
4. Seliger, Tver region
Strictly speaking, this is not one lake, but a whole lake system, connected by narrow channels. Its coastline is very indented, here you can find wooded capes and islands of various shapes and picturesque bays, deeply cut into the land.
And the water in Seliger is clean, you can see what is happening at the bottom at a depth of 5 meters.
3. Lake Ladoga, Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Region
Just an hour and a half by train from the Finland Station in St. Petersburg, and instead of the buzzing metropolis, the pacifying beauty of the water surface of Lake Ladoga will unfold before you. It is so big that you can only see the opposite bank with binoculars.
The north of Ladoga is especially beautiful, where many interesting places are concentrated: Valaam Island, Ruskeala Mountain Park, Ladoga Skerries National Park and four Ruskeala waterfalls.
However, the tourist service in Karelia raises a lot of complaints from tourists, therefore, if you are planning a vacation near Ladoga, look in advance for reviews on various guest complexes in the Runet.
2. Lake Jack London, Magadan region
In its shape - elongated and narrow - this lake resembles a Norwegian fjord. And its shores are overgrown with dwarf cedar and larch forest.
Lake Jack London was named after the famous writer, but not because he was on its shores. According to one version of the origin of this name, the "discoverers" of the lake found on its shore a book by Jack London "Martin Eden".
According to another version, the geologist P. I. Skornyakov, who worked in the area of a beautiful and exotic Far Eastern lake, gave him the name of Jack London.
1. Lake Lotosov, Volgograd region
Perhaps the most beautiful and unusual lake in Russia is located just 20 kilometers from Volgograd, near the village of Krasny Buksir. And if the reservoir itself was created by the will of Mother Nature, then lotuses are the creation of human hands. At least that's what the local legend says.
It says that one of the local residents, wanting to surprise his beloved, decided to grow flowers for her, rare and exotic for the Volgograd region - Indian and Caspian lotuses.
At first, the flowers did not take root and the florist had already dropped his hands, but a few years later a miracle happened, and flowers of wondrous beauty bloomed on the lake. Gradually, they occupied the entire territory of the reservoir.
It is best to visit the Lotus Lake in July-August, during these months the peak of their flowering occurs.