5 UNDERRATED Russian cities for tourism

1. Salekhard

The only city in the world located directly on the edge of the Arctic Circle. This is marked by the Polar Circle obelisk and vibrant murals on residential buildings.
Every year, Salekhard hosts a very colorful festival – Reindeer Herder's Day!

Tundra dwellers come to the city with their reindeer herds to introduce urban residents to their culture (read more about them here).
You can also experience nomadic culture and see real reindeer at an ethno-park just outside the city.

2. Tobolsk

This small town in Tyumen Region is home to the only kremlin in Siberia, built in the 17th-18th centuries. And it’s magnificent!

The white-stone kremlin was designed by the ‘Siberian da Vinci’, Semyon Remezov, a traveler, cartographer and architect.

Inside, you'll find Siberia's oldest stone church from 1686 – the Sophia-Assumption Cathedral, the Prikaznaia Chamber, the Gostiny Dvor and a bell tower, where a bell exiled from Uglich "served its sentence". 

Fun fact: Until recently, Tobolsk was known as a place of exile (Nicholas II and his family lived here in exile, among others) and now the former prison castle houses a museum and even a hostel.

3. Yakutsk

The largest city in the world built entirely on permafrost! Want to touch real ice floes in summer? Be sure to stop by the underground laboratory of the Permafrost Institute, where tours are offered regularly.

Another place where you can experience cold year-round is the ‘Kingdom of Permafrost’ – a network of caves featuring ice sculptures. Read more about Yakutsk here. 

4. Perm

This ancient Ural city began with copper smelters and, today, it’s rightfully considered one of Russia's largest cultural centers.

The Perm Opera and Ballet Theater, founded in the 1870s, is the only one in Russia to have staged 10 operas and three ballets by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

Art lovers will surely enjoy the Perm Art Gallery, home to a unique collection of wooden religious sculptures and the PERMM Museum of Contemporary Art, with its huge collection.

5. Samara

Firstly, Samara boasts one of the most beautiful and longest Volga river embankments – over 4 km! There's a beach, bike paths and plenty of places to stroll with amazing views of the Zhiguli Mountains.

Secondly, Samara is the birthplace of the ‘R-7’ space rocket, which carried Gagarin on his pioneering flight. You can see the rocket on display next to the Samara Space museum.
The city's contribution to space exploration is also recalled by the Gagarinskaya subway station (yes, Samara has a subway, too!): dark-blue mosaics on the walls depict a starry sky, while the columns are shaped like stars.

What else is this Volga city of over a million known for? Read here.