Introducing Kem
Kem, 470km north of Petrozavodsk, has a picturesque setting where the Kem River empties into the Kemskaya Bay, but the only real reason to stop here is the daily boats to the Solovetsky Islands from Rabocheostrovsk, 10km northeast of Kem, from at least early June to late August.
Advertisement
Kem used to belong to the Solovetsky monastery and has always had a close connection with the islands. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Solovetsky camps' administration was based in Kem and prisoners bound for the islands would be herded through the transit camp here.
Today, Kem is a relaxed low-rise town of mainly wooden houses, with plenty of open spaces (and greenery in summer). Logging and sawmills are the area's main industries.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
-
RE: Karelia - Petrozavodsk and Solovki
by everbrite 23 August 2011
I liked Petrozavodsk but others didn't find it all that interesting. You don't need to stop in Petersburg on the return unless you want…
-
RE: Karelia - Petrozavodsk and Solovki
by everbrite 23 August 2011
Given that the train from Moscow to Kem takes 21+-25 hours and the boat from Kem to Solovki takes a several hours as well, with a week,…
-
Karelia - Petrozavodsk and Solovki
by mikko11 23 August 2011
Hello, I have about a week to travel from Moscow, and was thinking to go north into Karelia. I have heard that Solovki is particularly…
