When compiling a rating of tourist cities in Russia, the three leaders are determined accurately. Three capitals - Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sochi - invariably occupy the top lines. A total of more than 35 million tourists. What cities are still of interest to travelers?
Kazan
One of the ten most popular tourist cities in Russia, regardless of the rating version, is another capital. Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, is one of the oldest cities in the Russian Federation. For more than 1000 years of history, Kazan has experienced many great and tragic events. The Golden Horde, Volga Bulgaria, the Kingdom of Moscow, the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union - each period left its mark on the face of the city.
More than 80 museums will help tourists get acquainted with the history of the city and its modern life. The Museum of the 1000th anniversary of Kazan, the Tatar settlement, the House of Tatar culture and crafts will tell about the life peculiarities of the traditions of the peoples inhabiting the city. Museum of weapons The spirit of the warrior and the Cannon Yard demonstrate military history from the time of the nomads to the present day. For lovers of contemporary art, the doors of the Gallery of paintings, the workshop of Glory Zaitsev and the Gallery of Modern Art are open. You can also visit Khazine and the Kazan Art Gallery, where the works of masters of various genres and directions of fine art are presented.
The obligatory excursion route includes:
- Visiting the Kazan Kremlin. A monument of history and architecture of the XII century, in which the Kul-Sharif mosque and the Orthodox Annunciation Cathedral, the Turkic tower and the palace in the classical European style are located on the same territory.
- Hiking along Bauman street. On the site of the old Nogai road, architectural monuments of different eras, cafes and restaurants, souvenir shops are located.
- Acquaintance with the Temple of All Religions - a modern building, uniting 16 religions, has exclusively symbolic meaning.
The Peter and Paul Cathedral, the Syuyumbike Tower, the Palace of Farmers and the Alexander Passage - there are enough attractions for everyone.
3 million tourists every year lay their routes through the ancient city.
Vladivostok
It is rapidly gaining popularity among the most tourist cities in Russia - the country's easternmost million-plus city. The APEC Forum, held in 2012, attracted the attention of investors, thanks to which the modern urban infrastructure is booming.
You can start exploring the city from the train station. The building of the 19th century has been the initial or final (it all depends on the chosen direction) station of the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway for 100 years. Then we advise you to take a walk along Aleutskaya Street and the Vladivostok Arbat, where many monuments related to the history of the city are installed, to visit the Vladivostok Fortress - one of the best coastal bastions in the world. Tourists prefer to relax in the Admiralty Square among the rare trees of the Ussuri taiga. In the evening, it is best to admire the panorama of the Golden Horn Bay and appreciate the grace of the new Golden Bridge.
Every year, about 3 million tourists make hours-long trips and flights to see Vladivostok.
Ekaterinburg
Another million-plus city among the most tourist cities in Russia. The distance from Moscow of more than 1.5 thousand km does not stop 2 million tourists coming here every year. In 2002, Yekaterinburg was included by UNESCO in the list of 12 ideal cities in the world.
The sights of the "mountain city" (so, according to the royal decree, is officially called Yekaterinburg) - this is an amazing fusion of history and a modern outlook on life.
The area of 1905 is the central square of the city, formerly called the Trading and the Cathedral. From here all excursion routes begin. Many tourists recommend visiting the Museum of the History of Architecture and Industrial Engineering of the Urals in their reviews. After all, the whole history of the formation of the city is the history of the industrial development of nearby mineral deposits.
The dam of the City Pond, built in 1723, affectionately renamed by locals to Plotinka, remains the most popular vacation spot for citizens today. The monument to the founders of the city, the House of Sevastyanov, the House of Metenkov are symbols of the grateful memory of descendants. The place of pilgrimage was the Church on the Blood, or the Tsar’s Calvary - a museum complex, which includes the Ipatiev House, an Orthodox church and the Museum of the Holy Royal Family.
Fans of selfies will be attracted by the monument to the keyboard, a land art object opened in 2005, and an obelisk on the border between Europe and Asia.
Astrakhan
Apparently, guided by the phrase from the famous film: "Kazan took, Astrakhan took ...", more than 2 million tourists went last year to the city on the Volga.
Many begin the tour with the Astrakhan Kremlin, one of the oldest in Russia. This military engineering structure was created in the second half of the 16th century on an island surrounded by the waters of the Volga, Kutum and Cossack Erik. Today, a museum is operating on the territory of the Kremlin, most of the exhibitions of which have a military theme.
History buffs will also be interested in visiting the Shatrov Tower and the Demidov Compound. The house of the merchant Tetyushnikov, the Kustodiev Museum, the Kirillov Chapel and the Velimir Khlebnikov House-Museum - acquaintance with the city will definitely not be limited to one day.
The number of tourists is 4 times the number of residents in the city, which gives the right to confidently add Astrakhan to the list of the most tourist cities in Russia. The tourist potential of the city is huge and the interest of travelers to Astrakhan continues to grow.
gold ring
Ancient Russian cities traditionally fall into the top tourist cities of Russia: Sergiev Posad, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Suzdal.
Each city tells its own story, each has its own legends and heroes. The main purpose of arriving in Sergiev Posad, as a rule, is to visit the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, an important symbol of Orthodoxy. But even outside the walls of the Lavra, tourists find objects of interest to themselves: the museum complex "Horse Yard" and the Museum of Toys.
In Yaroslavl, more than 800 monuments of architecture of Ancient Russia are ready to meet tourists. A city with a 1000-year history has managed to preserve them to our days, despite the storms of time.
Kostroma is the birthplace of the royal Romanov dynasty and the magical Snow Maiden. For adults, the Museum of Ancient Architecture has collected unique examples of past architecture. And the Terem Snegurochki and elk farm will be appreciated by the youngest tourists. The hallmark of the city is the Ipatiev Monastery.
Suzdal is an open-air museum city, almost every building of which is a monument of architecture. Walking around the city, you can see and visit the beautifully preserved Suzdal Kremlin, the Nativity Cathedral, the bishops' chambers, ancient wooden churches and monasteries. The lack of modern buildings in the city creates an amazing atmosphere of unity with history, travelers say.
Each of these cities can be called the most tourist city in Russia. 2 million tourists choose Sergiev Posad, 1.7 million choose Suzdal, 1 million choose Yaroslavl and 1 million choose Kostroma.
View from the outside
Tourists coming from abroad are traditional in choosing places to visit. The most tourist cities in Russia for foreigners are the same as for Russians.
Life is a book, who does not travel, reads only one page.
St. Augustine
Most of the "readers" come to us from China, Finland, Germany and the USA.