10 Russia’s most BEAUTIFUL streets (PHOTOS)

1. Ulitsa Stary Arbat (Old Arbat Street), Moscow

It’s considered to be one of the first “pedestrian” streets in Russia and is lined with dozens of office and residential buildings, theaters, museums, restaurants dating as far back as the tsarist times, as well as countless souvenir stores. And the ‘Arbat’ name has become a real brand and a common title, leading other pedestrian streets in other Russian cities to often be called their “local Arbat”.

2. Nevsky Prospekt (Nevsky Avenue), St. Petersburg

This is the main artery of the city, connecting two bends of the Neva River. The avenue is not pedestrian-only (though, parts are sometimes closed to traffic on holidays and weekends), but its wide sidewalks are always crowded with tourists admiring the beauty all around: On it, you'll find the Kazan Cathedral, the Singer House, the Anichkov Palace, the Stroganov Palace and much, much more. Every building is an architectural masterpiece with its own history.

3. Ulitsa Baumana (Bauman Street), Kazan

This strip is one and a half kilometers of pure aesthetic and culinary delight! This pedestrian street also leads straight to the Kazan Kremlin. It features numerous urban Instagram-worthy sculptures, like the Carriage of Catherine the Great or the Kazan Cat, tsarist merchant houses, the constructivist Press House building and the Epiphany Cathedral, with its unique bell tower in the Russian style. And, of course, many restaurants and bistros serving Tatar cuisine.

4. Prospekt Mira (Peace Avenue), Vladikavkaz

A pedestrian street with a tram line and an epic view of Table Mountain of the Caucasus, the main attraction for both tourists and locals in the capital of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. It's also lined with numerous commercial buildings, museums (including the main National Museum of Alania), restaurants and stores built in various styles, from Russian Modern to Stalinist Empire Style. You can also immerse yourself into the nice green area of the Khetagurov Central Park of Culture and Leisure.

5. Ulitsa Bolshaya Pokrovskaya (Big Pokrovskaya Street), Nizhny Novgorod

This pedestrian street leads directly to the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin and tour guides will often recount details of the city's history for hours at every building and landmark. Along its two kilometers, you'll find the most beautiful bank building in Russia (read more about it here), several theaters and cinemas, squares, stores and many restaurants.

6. Ulitsa Kirova (Kirov Street), Yaroslavl

This small pedestrian street in the very center of the capital of Russia's Golden Ring is a favorite spot for leisurely walks, including locals. It ends at the Church of Elijah the Prophet, one of the most beautiful in the city.

7. Sovetskaya Naberezhnaya (Soviet Embankment), Pskov

We deliberately don't include embankments in this list, because a beautiful view of water always wins. However, this is different, as the embankment of the narrow Pskova River opens up to a breathtaking view of the ancient Pskov Kremlin (Krom), as well as the powerful, rotund towers, walls and the golden domes of the Trinity Cathedral. Meanwhile, the low-rise pre-revolutionary buildings along the embankment itself are also fascinating: cozy, colorful little houses with hotels and cafes ready to accommodate all tourists.

8. Ulitsa Svetlanskaya (Svetlanskaya Street), Vladivostok

This historic street, stretching along the Golden Horn Bay, concentrates many of the most beautiful buildings of this Far Eastern city. These include the local post office in the Russian style, the Kunst & Albers Trading House in the Art Nouveau style and the impressive Income Building of the Society for the Study of the Amur Region, behind which rises the Golden Bridge. Walking along Svetlanskaya, you can essentially trace the entire history of the city and Russia as a whole. You'll find the Arch of Tsarevich Nicholas, built to honor the visit of the then-heir to the throne Nicholas II, and the ‘S-56’ submarine, which you can climb into and explore. Plus, you’ll also find churches, banks, museums and even a circus.

9. Prospekt Chumbarova-Luchinskogo (Chumbarov-Luchinsky Avenue, Arkhangelsk

Locals affectionately call this street ‘Chumbaryovka’ and love to walk along it. Partially pedestrianized, it allows you to immerse yourself in genuine antiquity: wooden houses with carved decorations and window frames, as well as low-rise mansions from tsarist times.

10. Ulitsa Dzerzhinskogo (Derzhinsky Street), Tyumen

This Tyumen ‘Arbat’ in the city's historical center is only about one kilometer long (with the pedestrian part even shorter), but you can spend hours here examining the details of the wooden architecture and merchants' mansions. Street stalls add color and, in the evening, the street is illuminated by thousands of lanterns. Turns out it’s just what's needed for the harsh Siberian climate!