Kazan

Understand

With a population of about 1.3 million (2011 census), rich history, deep culture and strong economic influence. Kazan holds the title of "The Third Capital of Russia" (after Moscow and Saint Petersburg), taking this title from the competing Nizhny Novgorod. By many measures, Kazan has the one of the highest standards of living in Russia only after Moscow and St. Petersburg. In the 2010s, Kazan earned the reputation of a sports city due to its investments in this domain. In 2018 it staged several games in the FIFA World Cup Finals. Kazan is also a university city hosting Kazan Federal University (KFU - formerly Kazan State University, TGGPU and the Kazan Finance Institute), Kazan State Technological University (KGTU), Kazan State Technical University (KAI) and "Energa" University. Many foreign students study in Kazan, adding color to the city's tolerant and diverse population. Schools in Kazan and wider Tatarstan tend to be some of Russia's best. Located between Europe and Asia having both Russian and Tatar populations, Kazan peacefully blends Muslim and Christian cultures. There are also many other religions represented in Kazan, for example, in the city center there is a synagogue and new Catholic church. This vibrant city with over 1,000 years of history is an excellent travel destination and the number of tourists visiting is rapidly increasing every year.

Climate is Continental, but not as severe as Siberia. Summers are pleasantly warm (and wet) and winters drop to around -10 C.

Getting there

By plane 1 Kazan International Airport (KZN IATA), ☏ +7 843 267-88-07. Serves many cities in Russia and operates charter flights from destinations like Turkey, Serbia,Egypt, Thailand, India, Spain, UAE. Aeroflot, S7, Transaero and UTAir fly between Kazan and Moscow, Rossiya Airlines and Pobeda also flies to Kazan from Saint Petersburg. The summer schedule has local flights from Samara, Saransk, Penza and other cities of the Volga Region. However, these flights are sporadic and may be interrupted at any time. Turkish Airlines and Air Serbia are the only international carrier that has scheduled flights to Kazan. Flights to Western Europe are very scarce while any Asian destination should be reached via Istanbul. As of 2013, all flights depart from Terminal 1A, which has cafes and free wireless connection. (updated Jul 2019) A reasonably priced Polyot Hotel (☏ +7 843 267-87-05, ☏ +7 843 254-01-12) is within walking distance from the terminal building. The airport is southeast of the city and quite far from the city center. It is served by Aeroexpress trains [1] that depart from the main station (Kazan-1) with a 2-hr interval. Travel time is 20 min, the 2nd class ticket costs 200 руб (2013). A taxi from the train station to the airport takes about 60–90 minutes and starts from 600 руб (when ordered in advance), although it may run well above 1000 руб when you hail a random cab at the terminal and refrain from bargaining. You can also take a taxi to the nearest metro station (Prospekt Pobedy) which is 15 min from the city center and continue by public transport. Or, reach this metro station in about 40 min with bus 97 that runs on a somewhat irregular schedule between 05:30 and 18:00 with 30-40 min intervals.

By train See Russia#By train 2 for general advice on travelling in Russia by train. Kazan has two major train stations:

1 Kazan-1 (Old Station, Zheleznodorozhnyy Vokzal Stantsii Kazan', Kazan Passazhirsky, Казань-1), Plosch. Pryvokzalnaya / Ulitsa Said Galiyeva (Привокзальная пл., 1/ул. Саид-Галиева, 5) (in the city center), ☏ +7 843 294-03-00. This is the downtown station and the terminus of all trains bound for Kazan (both long-distance and suburban); some through-trains call here. All station facilities can be found in the spacious new building (right hand side as you look from the street) - ticket offices, waiting halls, cafes, left luggage, ATMs, etc. The original red-brick building to the left has waiting areas and a cafe, but no ticketing or other facilities. (updated Sep 2017) Lots of food options close to the station: long-distance trains

Getting around

Much of the city centre is walk-able, and the main attractions for tourists - the Kremlin and Bauman Street - are only for pedestrians. Public buses are abundant and cheap, but you need basic Russian to read the signs or ask where the buses are headed. Bus system maps are hard to find. Taxis are available and operate mostly an on-call service, rather than plying the streets for fares. They also congregate at taxi stands in obvious places such as the railway stations. A great option is to install the "Yandex-Taxi" app. It is an easy way to get a reliable taxi for a fixed price. Payment can be made by cash or credit-card. The application is in Russian and English. Kazan's Metro system has just one line, the red line running from Aviastroitelnaya in the north to Prospekt Pobedy in the south. Visitors are only likely to use it between Kazan-2 railway station (Severny Vokzal «Северный Вокзал») in the north, Kremlyovskaya («Кремлёвская») ie the Kremlin in the centre, and Ploshchad Tukaya («Площадь Тукая») which has eating places and hotels.

See

Kazan Kremlin

1 Kazan Kremlin, Ulitsa Kreml (ул. Кремль). Daily 08:00-22:00. The Tatar fortress here was destroyed by Ivan the Terrible when he captured the area in 1551. Over the next century, it was rebuilt in Russian style as a magnificent Kremlin, with new fortifications and a cathedral. It nowadays also contains a mosque, museums, galleries, shops and cafes, and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Enter through the white clock tower (Spasskaya Tower) at the top of Kremlyovskaya Street. Unlike Moscow's Kremlin, you're free to enter and stroll, but you pay for individual sites within the complex. These are lined along the central boulevard, mostly on the left as the buildings on the right are under reconstruction. They're listed below roughly south to north, in the order you'd come to them. Allow a full day to appreciate them all. Guided tours are available for 300 руб, but you won't get lost here. Free. (updated Jun 2018) Just inside the gate to the left is the small Church of St Nicholas-Ratny. 2 Natural History Museum. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Has fossils, minerals, stuffed animals and interactive displays. 3 Kul-Sharif Mosque, within Kremlin. Hours as for Kremlin, but mind prayer-times. Gorgeous mosque, completed in 2005, and named after the 16th-century Tatar imam who died at the hands of Ivan the Terrible's army. Usual dress code; women please cover hair, in prayer areas remove shoes or wear plastic shoe-covers (3 руб tip to attendant). Ground floor prayer hall is only open to men, second floor balcony is for women's prayers. Best view is from the third floor observation balcony. The dome is in the shape of a lotus flower and the many windows flood the prayer hall with light. Note the malachite columns on the minbar (the free-standing pulpit). Some of the 99 names of God are inscribed on the inside of the upper dome and on the window glass, and the name Mohammed is written in a blue disk at the front of the prayer hall. Verses from the Koran, including an incantation against envy, are written on tile in the four corners of the hall, and the names on disks suspended lower in the hall are those of the four rightly-guided caliphs and some of the early prophets. Below ground floor is an interesting museum of Islam in the region, including Tsarist repression, tolerance and more repression, the Tatar language in the Soviet era, and the building of the mosque. Free. (updated Jun 2018) 4 Kazan Hermitage, within Kremlin. Sa-Th 10:00-18:00, F 11:00-20:00. A branch of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, with changing exhibits of material t

Do

Kazan offers a lot of various events you can visit during your stay here - international opera and ballet festival, different types of music festivals, popular singers concerts and many other interesting things to do. A must-see event in Tatarstan is a national holiday Sabantuy - Tatar summer festival, which is celebrated in the beginning of June. In summer 2013 four double-decker buses began circulating along their routes in Kazan by "City Sightseeing" company. Tourists will ride on them through the city's downtown and see the main attractions, historical landmarks, and architectural beauties of Tatarstan's capital with their own eyes, and not merely see them, but also learn many interesting things about them. The two-level tour buses have been equipped with an audio guide. The audio recording designed to acquaint guests with the city functions in eight languages: Russian, Tatar, English, French, Spanish, German, Turkish, and Chinese. However the buses have not been seen in 2019. Stroll Bauman Street. The pedestrian zone that stretches between the Kremlin and Tokai Square and the Hotel Tatarstan. This is Kazan's Arbat, with boutiques, souvenir shops and kiosks, cafes, bars, and plenty of opportunities for people-watching. The statuary (such as a bronze carriage) is especially interesting. Watch football at 1 Kazan Arena. The home ground of FC Rubin Kazan, who play in the Russian Premier League. The arena was opened in 2013 and seats 45,379; in 2018, it hosted several World Cup matches. It's in the north-east of the city, at the junction of Yamasheva Avenue and Chistopol'skaya Street. The bus & tram stop right outside is "Football Stadium 'Kazan Arena'" ("Футбольный стадион «Казань Арена»"). It's served by trolleybus 7, trams 5 & 6, and multiple buses.

Events International opera festival named after Fedor Shalyapin - annually in February. Russian festival of Folklore "Karavon" - annually in May. International festival of classic ballet named after Rudolf Nuriev - annually in May. Summer Tatar festival Sabantuy - annually in June. International handicraft festival "Spasskaya Yarmarka" in Elabuga city - annually in August. International jazz music festival "Jazz v usadbe Sandetskogo" - annually in August. International open-air opera festival "Kazanskaya osen" (Kazan autumn) - annually in September or 30 August. Entrance is free. Kazan International festival of Muslim cinema - annually in September.

Parks

2 Kyrlay (Парк развлечений - Кырлай), Ulitsa Odnostoronnyaya Grivka (ул. Односторонняя Гривка), 1а (north of River Kazanky, near to Kremlevsky Da

Buy

Souvenirs from Kazan reflects Tatar culture and ethnic colour. You can buy items with national ornaments and scenes from Tatar folk tales, mosque figurines and many others. The most popular souvenir, that each tourist want to buy, is Tatar national male headwear "Tubeteika". Tatar national handicrafts is especially known for its unique leather art and tanning. This kind of very soft, yet long wearing leather called "safyan". Using ancient technologies, craftsmen make amazing items from leather - shoes, bags, slippers, keyfob etc. Shopping and entertainment centers you can visit are:

"Mega" is for a family holiday. It's really all organically combined: a relaxing atmosphere conducive to the implementation of the shopping, places for recreation and leisure, entertainment venues. "Koltso". The name of the shopping center "The Ring" was due to the location. It is an area that many residents of Kazan call the "Ring." It appeared in the city in 1768, and the project is creating the architect Vasily Kaftyrev. Historical background, and a convenient location shopping and entertainment areas account for its huge popularity. "GUM". Updated GUM is a 6 floors, which have clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry and watch showrooms, shops Perfumery and cosmetics. In restaurants and cafes you can find a wide variety of Russian, Tatar, European, Oriental, Chinese, Mexican and Syrian cuisine. "TSUM". was founded in 1940. The complex is located in the historical center of Kazan, and has a rich past. TSUM always changes with the city, and today it is a large shopping complex with a convenient location and ample car parking. Bazar: between the Kreml and the Railwaystation, you may find everything you need (from shoes to hats). Outside there are many fresh fruits and cheap berry sellers. Do not forget to have a try at the bakeryes in the morning and eat some fresh local bread.

Eat

Self-caterers can find a large supermarket (one of the Bakhetle chain) in the TsUM building across from the Mirage Hotel. Please note that the Tartarian cuisine has a lot of meat to offer. It is not always easy to find fish or vegetarian food.

Budget Dobraya Stolovaya (shown on Google Maps as "soup restaurant"). 07:30-21:00. Chain of very cheap self-service cafeterias. Food is everyday Russian style. 14 locations around the city, those central are at 21 Baumana St, and 13 Yakhina St near Kazan-1 railway station. 100 руб. (updated Jun 2018) 1 Dom Chaya (Tea House), 64 Bauman St.. M-Sa 09:00-20:00, Su 09:00-18:00. They sell tea in the shop, but what this place is better known for is inexpensive Tatar fare: e.g. meat-stuffed pastries (echpochmak, elesh, all baked here on the premises) and horse meat. The first floor is a self-service cafeteria, and the second floor is more like a restaurant. Mains: below 100 руб. (updated Jun 2018) There are four student cafes at 22 Universitetskaya St. 6 These are Salad, Marinad, Rita v Ritme and Blyuz-Rok. Govindas, 79 Chistopolskaya St. (right bank of the river near Kazan Arena). M-Sa 12:00-20:00. Here you can try borscht and the vegetarian version of Tatar ochpochmak pie. (updated Jun 2018) Syuyumbike is a chain of budget restaurants serving Halal Muslim food in Tatar and Uzbek style. Locals come for lunch, but they're mostly open 24/7. No alcohol. Don't expect something special. Branches include: 31 Gabdully Tukaya St, 1 km S of Kazan-1 railway station in Tatar district. 102 Gabdully Tukaya St, another km south in Tatar district 64 Bol'shaya Krasnaya St: 1 km east of Kremlin, open 08:00-20:00. Sofra Kebab, Baumana Street 51, 3rd Floor (In GUM, in the food court on the 3rd floor.). Daily 10:00-22:00. Small Turkish cafe within GUM. Wide variety of Turkish cuisine, which is otherwise hard to find in Kazan: doner or shwarma wraps, Adana Kebab, Beyti Kebab, Kulbasta grilled chicken, beef & lamb shashlik. Desserts include marinated walnuts and dates, vanilla rice pudding and bakhlava. They have a good "business lunch" special. They have other two outlets, at 97 Prospekt Yamasheva near Kazan Arena, and at 61 Chistpolskaya St north of the river. Cheap. (updated Jun 2018)

Mid-range 2 Zhiguli, 42/9 Baumana St.. Su-Th 12:00-00:00, F Sa 12:00-01:00. Retro bar recalling the good old USSR, when you quaffed Zhiguli beer and slugged vodka out of a graneny stakan - a tatty beaker. Simple food suitable for Soviet proles. Mains 200-300 руб. (updated Jun 2018) 3 A'Rome, 8 Kavi Nadzhmi St.. Daily 10:00-06:00. Reliable Italian res

Drink & nightlife

Coffee Agafredo. A chain of reliable, inexpensive coffee places. Breakfast for 140 руб gets you coffee or tea, fresh squeezed juice, pancakes or toast, a few vegetables, and then eggs and meat. Lunch is Italian-style. Free wifi, non-smoking sections. Branches are:6 Galyaktyonova St, just off Pushkinskya St, opposite Kazan Federal University, 09:00-00:0017 Chernyshevskogo St, central off Baumann St, 08:30-00:00.28 Chistpol'skaya St, north of river, 08:00-23:00 (updated Jun 2018) IQ Intellect Cafe: see IQ Bar below. 1 Skuratov, coffee roasters, 5 Pushkina St, ☏ +7 986 929-50-56. daily 06:55-23:05. Coffee, frappes, yogurt, snacks. Pasta 200 руб, mains 300 руб. (updated Jun 2018) 2 Gruzinskiye Istorii, 3 Pushkina St., ☏ +7 843 205-55-50. 24/7. Coffee and pizza and borscht. (updated Jun 2018)

Bars 3 IQ Bar (IQ бар), 60 Baumana St.. M-F 10:00-00:00, Sa Su 10:00-02:00. IQ offers all types of entertainment, including books, table games, and hookah, as well as a full menu with a decent selection of main dishes. On the downside, there's loud music and obtrusive smoke. For a quiet rendezvous or light bite with coffee, you'll do better next door at 62, the IQ Intellect Cafe. Free Wi-Fi. Mains 200-300 руб. (updated Jun 2018) 4 Cuba Libre, 58 Baumana St, ☏ +7 843 253 5532. Su-Th 12:00-02:00, F Sa 12:00-05:00. Popular central bar claims to serve Cuban revolutionary food: it's basically Mexican. Disco starts around 22:00. Mains 600 руб. (updated Jun 2018) 5 i-Bar, 46/11 Profsoyuznaya St., ☏ +7 843 236 9390. Su-W 11:00-00:00, Th 11:00-02:00, F Sa 11:00-05:00. Meals, cocktails and hookahs. No i-technology is involved and the source of the name is elusive. (updated Jun 2018) 6 Ugly Coyote (Gadkiy Koyot), 13 Baumana St, ☏ +7 843 292 4508. Daily 20:00-06:00. Franchise club with girls dancing on the bar, body-shots, and the like. Guard your wallet very carefully. (updated Jun 2018) 7 Barin bar (Russian bar), 25 Chernyshevskogo St., ☏ +7 843 203-45-54, [email protected]. Daily 18:00-06:00. Exclusive and no one else like the Russian bar for a wide soul. Elite, but not arrogant format of recreation for lovers of Russian culture. With dancing girls on the bar. (updated Dec 2018)

Clubs Drive, 58 Baumana St., ☏ +7 843 2922050. Same building as Cuba Libre, this small club is in the basement and boasts a huge, wall-size image of John Lennon and a vivid rock scene, where mostly local bands are playing. 8 Barsuk, 27 Chernyshevskogo St., ☏ +7 967 366-69-99, toll-free: +7 8 800-100-600-7. Daily 22:00-06:00. A place where gorgeous girls will stir your imagination with unsurpa

Sleep

Budget 1 Fatima, 2 Karla Marksa St (next door to Kremlin), ☏ +7 843 292 0616. Hard to believe, but this is a decent two-star hotel in the very centre of Kazan. Customer reviews are mostly positive. Double from 4000 руб. (updated Jun 2018) 2 Happy House Hostel, 39/6 Ostrovskogo St, ☏ +7 843 225 8882. Cheap but very cramped. Singles from 2000 руб, doubles 4000 руб. (updated Jun 2018) 3 Hostel Pushkin, 1/55A Pushkin St., ☏ +7 843 225 8765. Cramped rooms that barely fit the beds, but scores well for comfort, cleanliness and efficiency. They also offer conference facilities. Free Wifi. Single from 1000, Doubles 2000 руб. (updated Jun 2018)

Mid-range Hotel Shushma, Narimanova Street 15 (next door to Milena Hotel), ☏ +7 843 292 3309. Decent 3-star near railway station. Doubles from 3500 руб. (updated Jun 2018) Hotel Volga, 1 Said-Galeeva (500 m north of Kazan-1 railway station), ☏ +7 843 292 1469. Decent 2-star option, very central. Not plush but you get what you pay for. Doubles from 4000 руб. (updated Jun 2018) 4 Ibis Kazan, 43/1 Pravobulachnaya St (Ploschad Tukaya metro station), ☏ +7 843 567 5800, fax: +7 843 567 5801, [email protected]. Reliable chain choice in city centre. Free Wi-Fi. Double from 3200 руб. (updated Jun 2018) 5 Berison Hudyakova, Khudyakova 7, ☏ +7 905 316-33-03, toll-free: 8 800 775 2847 (in country only). In run-down surroundings, but this 2-star hotel is good value. Free Wi-Fi. 1031 руб. (updated Jun 2018) 6 Mini-Hotel Prazhskiy Klub (Пражский клуб), Prospekt Ibragimova, 89А (very close to metro Koz'ya Sloboda.), ☏ +7 843 562-53-83. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Very good rooms, extremely good quality for the prices. Friendly people. However only Russian language. But, Google Translate does miracles. Breakfast costs RUB 300 a person. Rooms have airco, and free wifi. The hotel has a small spa. For RUB 1500 you have a private place for an hour a sauna and a big wirlpool. The hotel has a very good affordable restaurant too. Doubles 3300 руб. (updated Jul 2019)

Splurge Courtyard by Marriott Kazan, 6 Karl Marx St (just west of Kremlin), ☏ +7 843 210 0150. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 12:00. The rooms have large windows with Kremlin views. The hotel's Lobby Bar has an innovative setting and relaxed atmosphere and a free Wi-Fi. Breakfast buffet in main restaurant. Roof Bar with city views and tasty cocktails. (updated Jun 2018) 7 Grand Otel, 1 Peterburgskaya St. (1 km south of Kremlin), ☏ +7 800 100 0780, [email protected]. 4-star hotel dominating Tukaya sq. in the centre of Kazan. Lower floors are connected to a lar

Go next

The Raifa Monastery 30 miles from Kazan, on the shore of a beautiful lake, in the middle of the forest, behind a white granite wall, in the center of a great National Park you will find one of the pearls of 17th-century Russian architecture: the Raifa Bogoroditsky Monastery. The greatest object of this monastery is the Georgian Mother of God icon, which in its day was venerated as a miraculous object with the power to heal the sick. Today the Raifa Monastery is among the most-visited in the world. The grounds of the monastery are located within the Volga-Kama National Park, where the terrain is a combination of southern taiga and deciduous forests. The park's botanical garden features more than 400 species of exotic plants from North America, Asia and Europe Ancient city of Bolgar The National Park of Bolgar is one of few historical-architectural complexes left by the Volga Tatars. It is located on the bank of the Volga 120 km away from Kazan. Bolgar is related with the such names as Pushkin, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, Kul Gali and many other famous people. It is a sacred place for all Tatars, a place of pilgrimage for Muslims, and a place generally steeped in legend and history. The National Park of Bolgar is an object of historical and cultural significance. In 1998 the Bolgar Historical-Architectural Complex was included in the provisional list of UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Russian Federation. In National Park of Bolgar you can visit Museum of Bakery, museum of archaeology, monuments of Islamic architecture from the 13th-14th centuries. Island-town Sviyazhsk The place where the Sviyaga River flows into the Volga forms the idea for Push¬kin's lively tale of the Island of Buyan. Sviyazhsk was built by Ivan theTerrible as a fortress for the siege of Kazan, and it went on to become the first Orthodox Christian city in our area, the center of the spread of Christianity. The island also became home to the Uspensky monastery and the Ioanno-Predtechensky nunnery. The architectural composition of today's Sviyazhsk includes perfectly preserved churches, such as the antique wooden Troitskaya Church (built in 1551), Nikols¬kaya Church, and Uspensky Cathedral. When Alexander Pushkin first saw Sviyazhsk, he was overjoyed. It seems the city was exactly what he imagined for an ideal fairytale setting: beautiful island on a tall mountain, located exactly in the middle of a great river. This island with its surprising history cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Take the fast boat at pier 8 at 08:30. Elabuga This charming 1000-year-old trade