Sortavala, also known as Serdobol, is a town located in the Republic of Karelia, Russia. It is situated at the northern tip of Lake Ladoga near the Finnish border, approximately 246 kilometres (153 mi) west of Petrozavodsk, which serves as the capital city of the Republic of Karelia.
The town is positioned relatively close to the Finnish border, with Joensuu being the nearest city on the Finnish side at a distance of 136 kilometres (85 mi). As of 2021, Sortavala had a recorded population of 19,215 residents.