The capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, the ancient city of Kazan, attracts curious tourists not only from our country, but also from all over the world.
It is convenient to get to it by water, because Kazan is located at a kind of crossroads of two rivers, the great Volga and the Kazanka River. By the standards of Russia from Moscow, Kazan is located at a short distance, only 800 kilometers. Although the citizens of many European countries, this distance seems very significant.
How to get to Kazan
When planning a trip to Kazan, it can be difficult to choose a comfortable mode of transport. For guests who need to overcome significant distances, the best flight will be by plane. When booking tickets in advance, their cost will be quite affordable.
Kazan Airport is located outside the city, 25 kilometers. Passenger service in this international air harbor is always on top; there are many regular buses to the city. And for the services of guests who love comfort, a taxi is always ready.
You can start your trip to Kazan with a train ride. The city is one of the largest railway junctions in Russia, so choosing a suitable train is not difficult. Upon arrival of the train, you can immediately see one of the attractions of the city - the railway station. It is located in an old building, which after reconstruction has completely retained its flavor. The well-groomed station square with blooming flower beds and a huge fountain will also make a good impression.
Travel agency offers
One of the inexpensive, but interesting types of recreation can be a tour trip to Kazan.
The advantage of such leisure can be considered included in the tour excursion support. The choice is really huge, from weekend tours to trips lasting more than a week.
Most often, guests are invited to travel to Kazan on their own, usually by rail. At the station, a representative of a travel agency meets arriving tourists, places them in a pre-booked hotel. And from there, excursions and sightseeing are carried out by bus.
Spend a week in Kazan
A very exciting journey is called "Kazan - day after day." This tour is interesting in that for seven days guests can visit almost all the sights and historical places of both the city and its environs.
This tour belongs to the category of "national teams", you can join at any convenient time. The journey begins at the railway station in Kazan.
- On the first day after checking into the hotel and breakfast, guests are invited to an excursion to the city of Yoshkar-Ola, the capital of the Mari El Republic. This is a dynamic developing city, on the inspection of which one day is not enough. In the evening, the bus returns to Kazan, where everyone can visit the tour "Kazan Lights" and enjoy the beauty of the night city.
- In Kazan, an unthinkable number of green parks and squares, so the second day of the trip will be devoted to visiting the parks and visiting the museum of the poet E. Boratynsky.
- On the third day of the trip, a visit to the Kazan Kremlin is planned - the heart of the ancient city. On this territory Christian and Muslim cultures harmoniously merged. For example, the main mosque of the city of Kul Sharif and the ancient Orthodox Annunciation Cathedral are located very close by. In the evening, you can stroll along the historical streets of the capital of Tatarstan.
- On the fourth day, tourists will find a trip along the ancient Nogaevsky tract and a visit to two ethnic settlements. The tour is dedicated to the coexistence of two cultures that have long lived side by side. In one village, the famous Karavon ensemble will be greeted with bread and salt and will delight you with Russian folk songs. And in the neighboring village, the Sureke ensemble will surprise you with the sound of unusual Tatar musical instruments. At lunchtime, at the confluence of three rivers: the Volga, Kama and Mesha, guests will be offered a lunch of freshly caught river fish.
- The fifth day will be devoted to a walking tour of the historical center of Kazan. Planned visits to the Cathedral of Peter and Paul, a walk along the Kazan Arbat, famous for its monuments and fountains. In the afternoon, it is possible (for an additional fee) to visit the state museum Ostrov-grad Sviyazhsk - the ancient outpost of the Volga region.
- The two remaining days of travel to Kazan will also be filled with sightseeing of historical and cultural attractions. In your free time it will be interesting to see the falling tower of Syuyumbike, located on the territory of the Kremlin. Its top deviates by almost two meters from the vertical, and this is clearly visible. You can also visit the Bay House, in which the hospitable hosts will tell a lot of interesting things about traditional Tatar culture and customs.
Such a week spent in ancient Kazan is sure to be remembered for a long time.
River tours
In the warm season, a trip to Kazan from Moscow by boat can be very enjoyable. River cruises are carried out regularly, and their cost is not at all great. You can not only sunbathe on the deck and enjoy the fresh river air, but also learn a lot of interesting things about the cities of Russia.
The average duration of a river cruise will be ten days, during which you can visit more than a dozen cities and get acquainted with their ancient glorious history.
Such a trip to Kazan on hot summer days can be a wonderful option to spend time with family or in the company of friends.
Travel by car
If you want to relax without fuss and get additional impressions, it is better to travel to Kazan by car. It is optimal to go along the M7 federal highway, from Moscow to the outskirts of Kazan, about 818 meters.
The advantage of this type of movement is the ability to additionally explore the interesting places encountered along the road. And there are a great many of these in our country.
In addition, it is convenient to travel around Kazan by car. Many visitors to the city note the perfect condition of roads in the city, good marking and intuitive road signs.
Although some motorists warn that local drivers are very famously driving and are advised to be careful.
When planning a trip to Kazan by car, it is better to choose a hotel with parking in advance, because Kazan is a dynamic and densely populated city, so it’s very difficult to attach a car on the street.
Unusual sights of Kazan
Kazan is an ancient city in which the traditions of different peoples are bizarrely mixed. An example of this is the unique Temple of all religions, located on the outskirts of the city. In the future, the Center for Spiritual Unity will work here, and while the building is under construction. It is worth not taking the time to see this unusual building, in the architecture of which there are elements of sixteen world religions. There is definitely no second such thing!
A truly fabulous castle looks like the Tatar Puppet Theater "Ekiyat", working in an old building built in 1934. After the reconstruction, which took place over several years, it began to look like a real castle from children's fairy tales: snow-white towers, a figured facade, a hall with numerous columns. And on the open terrace there is a statue of the Little Prince - a symbol of eternal childhood.
One of the most beautiful places in Kazan - Lake Lebyazhye, is located right in the city. This is a favorite place for outdoor recreation among residents and visitors of the city. The lake is surrounded by centuries-old pine trees, its depth is relatively small, up to 4 meters. Here you can relax with children. And for the kids next to the lake, Polyana created fairy tales with characters from Russian and Tatar stories.
Wishful monuments
Local residents assure that if you support the falling tower of Queen Suyumbike for at least a few minutes, then success in business is guaranteed. Historians still do not know the approximate date of construction of this tower, nor its purpose. But it is definitely an unusual decoration of the Kazan Kremlin!
And also in Kazan there are several unique monuments. In the center of Bauman Street, on the bronze bench, the impudent Kazan Cat fell apart, bringing good luck to those who rubbed its thick tummy. And nearby is an exact bronze copy of the carriage of Empress Catherine II. If you sit down in a carriage and imagine a place where you really want to go, this trip will definitely happen.
Impressions from a visit to the city
In their many reviews, guests who visited the capital of Tatarstan admire the unique color and beauty of the city. Here you can get acquainted with the history and monuments of architecture or have fun in the numerous parks of the city.
The most enthusiastic reviews are about traveling to Kazan on your own, because you can visit more interesting places this way. For greater comfort, you can issue a KazanCityPass guest card. It gives you the right to free access to five museums of your choice, five trips by public transport and a city tour. You can buy a card at the airport, at any of the railway stations or at the tourist information centers of Kazan.