Volgograd

The mansion of Mikhail Aseev, opened after restoration in the autumn of 2014, is one of the most outstanding sights of Tambov. http://russiatrek.org/blog/architecture/the-mansion-of-mikhail-aseev-in-tambov/

Kazan Monastery. One of the highest bell towers in Russia (107 meters). http://russiatrek.org/blog/architecture/majestic-churches-of-tambov-in-spring/

Transfiguration Cathedral (1694) is one of the well known cathedral in the city of Tambov. http://russiatrek.org/blog/architecture/majestic-churches-of-tambov-in-spring/

One of the well known museum in the city of Saransk is the Museum of Mordovian Culture located at Sovetskaya Street, 19. http://russiatrek.org/saransk-city

A well known church is Cathedral of Fyodor Ushakov in Saransk. http://russiatrek.org/saransk-city

Circuit in the Olympic Park – is another interesting place for lovers of speed and cool cars. Currently offers several basic services for everyone. https://visit-sochi.org/sochi-autodrom/

Ulyanovsk Local History Museum named after I.A.Goncharov, located in the house-monument to I.A.Goncharov, was founded in 1895. The building was designed by the renowned Simbirsk architect A.A.Shode specifically for the museum in 1912-1916. http://russiatrek.org/ulyanovsk-city

The museum is located in the former estate of the priest I.A.Anaksagarov. It is not like an ordinary museum. There are several thematic rooms: ladies’ room with a miniature dressing table, elegant bottles etc. http://russiatrek.org/ulyanovsk-city

The Memorial Museum of Vladimir Lenin opened in 1941. The unique exhibition of the museum introduces the life and work of Lenin on the background of the political history of the Russian Empire in the late 19th - the early 20th centuries, his contemporaries, allies, opponents. http://russiatrek.org/ulyanovsk-city

An aquapark in the Kurortnii Gorodok of Adler. Barely glancing at “Amfibius” you will see a “city in a city”. I mean, there so many things to do at so big area – more than two hectares of land, it simply defies the imagination with its size. And, once inside, you realize that the organizers bothered that you get the whole range of services for the best, carefree holiday. The complex is surprising not only for its big area, but also for the variety of entertainment options available. It’s true to say that even the most sophisticated visitors can find here a pleasant pastime. Aquapark has 16 rides. Most of them will be interesting for both children and adults. First you will meet three fast tracks with spectacular name “Kamikadze”, each 15 meters high. Ride on them thrills even fans of speed. Then head toward the bright red “Laguna”, repeat some sharp turns, and then proceed to – to the quirky “Giant”, which gives a lot of vivid impressions. There is also a unique slide “Taboga” – a kind of water slalom. The main thing on it – resist falling. Finally, fans of extreme relaxation can try «Blue Hall». This blue tube of enormous size, spun on such a scale that sustain its sharp turns and bends can be tested by the bravest. At the end, the pipe will make you fly a distance longer than 100 meters. All these water attractions are located in one of the pool. Visitors on holidays in this part of the park, not only provided a riot of colors, but also a lot of pleasant sensations, fun, sun, and, of course, the warm water. Needless to say, once visited the water park “Amfibius”, you certainly will want to come back here again. https://visit-sochi.org/aquapark-amphibius/

It’s a beautiful area and is a place for exploring rare speciments both flora and fauna. A place for eco tourism, summer camping, mountain horse-riding, and some extremal activities – like mountain climbing. https://visit-sochi.org/caucasian-state-biosphere-reserve/

The former Turkish fortress Yeni-Kale, whose picturesque fragments stand on the coast in the eastern part of the city, is a valuable monument of architecture and is reckoned among the most interesting and symbolic attractions of Kerch. The powerful fort with original shapes was built by Turks in the early 18th century, during aggravation of the conflict between the Ottoman and the Russian empires, caused by longtime rivalry for dominance in the Black Sea. Fortress’s construction was supervised by an eminent Italian architect with assistance of French engineers. Built within several years, the fortifications were called Yeni-Kale, which means New Fortress in Turkish. Situated on the steep shore of the Kerch Bay’s narrowest part and armed with massive guns, the fort had a high strategic importance for Ottomans and brilliantly performed its primary function: prevented Russian Empire’s ships from moving in direction of the Azov Sea and the Black Sea. In addition, Yeni-Kale was a residence of the Turkish pasha. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/crimea/kerch/1409

The Kerch Peninsula was always famous for the multitude of ancient burial mounds, however, the Tsar's Burial Mound rightly bears a title of one of the most mysterious and mind-boggling ones. This unique monument of burial architecture, built on the natural 18-meter (60 feet) high hill in the 4th century B.C., is considered to be the true masterpiece of antique architecture. Amazing with its original perfect architectural forms, the Tsar's Burial Mound is the burial vault for one of the Bosporian kings. Historians believe that Tsar Levkon I, under whom the Crimean Bosporus reached the peak of its power and economic prosperity, was buried here. The burial mound strikes, in the first place, with its unusual construction, which was innovative for those times. Built from right-angled stone slabs, peculiar 37-meter long roofed corridor - dromos - leads to the burial room's entrance. Due to original construction, the corridor creates an interesting illusion: if you look down in it from the barrow's entrance, the way to the vault seems shorter and broader than if you look from inside. This illusion was attained through the different breadth and non-parallelism of the dromos' walls. In this way, the ancient builders wanted to show that the way to the after-death world is short, but the way out seems very long. Others believe that burial mound's corridor symbolizes soul's transferring into the next world. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/crimea/kerch/595

The Church of St. John the Baptist, located at the bottom of the Lviv High Castle near the Old Market (medieval Lviv’s major trade center), is one of the oldest monuments of architecture in the city. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/western-ukraine/lviv/1293

Mount Mithridat towers above the town for almost one hundred meters and is rightly considered to be Kerch’s main tourist attraction and its imperishable symbol. Different historical and cultural epochs interweaved in this wonderful place and left their landmarks in form of unique monuments on the mountain's slopes and at its foot. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/crimea/kerch/594

Kerch's Historical and Archeological Museum is one of Ukraine's oldest museums and has one of the largest collections of unique exhibits from different ages. Therefore, it rightly occupies one of the leading places among Kerch Peninsula's attractions. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/crimea/kerch/601

The Ivanova Gora (literally: Ivan’s Mount) is virtually a sacral place for Poltava locals: it is city’s historical core, where the whole complex of architectural and historical attractions, each having a status of Poltava’s highlight, is situated. This place is notable for being an excellent observation area that opens wonderful views of the city downtown and its most token structures. The Ivanova Gora is a high picturesque hill that towers above the Vorskla River. Historians believe that it is there that the citadel of the annalistic town Ltava, the predecessor of modern Poltava, stood in the 12th century. Later, the earthen fortress, which held back the Swedish troops’ assault for three months during the Northern War, was built on the hill. One of its fifteen wooden towers, the Podolskaya Tower, was recently restored and added to Ivanova Gora’s list of attractions. Another Ivanova Gora’s token monument and modern Poltava’s symbol, the monument to Galushka, is installed near the White Belvedere. It is a deep plate with twelve Galushkas (dumplings) and a large spoon, which stands on a pedestal shaped as a wooden tabletop. The monument was opened on the birthday of the most famous native of Poltava region, the eminent writer Nikolai Gogol, who immortalized this cult Ukrainian dish in his works. Every summer, an original Holiday of Poltava’s Galushka takes place near the monument. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/eastern-ukraine/poltava/1391

A lot of sights in Poltava are connected with the name of the classical Ukrainian writer and dramatist Ivan Kotliarevsky who lived the greater part of his life and created his most famous works here - among them the prominent poem 'Aeneid'. His Museum-Mansion at the town's historical center near the Assumption Cathedral is one of Poltava's most picturesque and most visited sights. The real mansion, where the prominent writer lived and worked didn't survive. In 1969, however - to Kotliarevsky's 200th anniversary - it was reconstructed upon watercolour sketches by another Ukrainian classical writer - Taras Shevchenko. The memorial complex, fenced with flower-twined paling, consists of a dwelling house - the typical Ukrainian hut from the 18h century - warehouse and well with a sweep. Fragments and details of Ivan Kotliarevsky's old house were embedded in the recreated mansion. Thanks to the recollections of writer's contemporaries, the Museum-Mansion's interior was renewed as accurate as possible. Kotliarevsky's personal belongings, awards, manuscripts and everyday knickknacks from the 18th - early 19th centuries are kept here. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/eastern-ukraine/poltava/622

Poltava Local History Museum is one of the oldest and the most interesting museums in Ukraine. It houses a unique collection of authentic items and antiquities that introduce the history, nature and culture of Poltava region, as well as true treasures of the world history, including artefacts from Ancient Egypt, India, China and Japan. The museum is reckoned among the most visited ones in the city: yearly, about half a million Poltava locals and guests visit its original expositions. The Local History Museum is situated in the building of the former province Zemstvo (elective district council in pre-revolutionary Russia) that was built in Ukrainian art nouveau style, in the early 20th century. Being recognized as an eminent architectural masterpiece, it is often called a stone flower, in which traditions of folk architecture, old Ukrainian ornaments and innovative designer forms interweave. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/eastern-ukraine/poltava/1390

Located in the Opukske Reserve, in the Kerch outskirts, Lake Koyashske is one of the inimitable wonders of Crimean Peninsula. There are several unique characteristics for which the lake stands out. Lake Koyashske is considered to be the saltiest in Crimea – a liter of its water contains 350 grams of salt. Therefore, the locals were used to extract this popular mineral here. But the lake’s main highlight is its changing-colour properties that depend on the season. So when it's hot, the water is pink-coloured – creating fantastic scenery it sharply contrasts with the white shores and blue buzzing waters of the Black Sea. The main reason for such an unusual colour of the lake is the microscopic algae that live there. They contain a special scarlet pigment in its structure that gives water such a characteristic color. The other reason of lake’s red colour is brine shrimps that also live here. https://discover-ukraine.info/places/crimea/kerch/2570

The Temple of All Religions is a cascade of buildings, combining various styles of buildings of different cultures and religions into one. This is the only place in the world where you can marvel at the Orthodox and Catholic churches, the Muslim mosque, the Jewish synagogue and the Buddhist temple harmoniously coexisting all as one building. The temple is decorated with all the iconic elements of world religions, as well as symbols of extinct civilizations. Visitors are invited to visit the rooms of Jesus Christ, Buddha, the Catholic Hall, the Egyptian Hall, the theatre hall, the picture gallery, and the tea room. The unique temple can be clearly seen from ships sailing along the Volga River, as well as from the windows of the nearby passing trains. https://visit-tatarstan.com/en/places/religion/hram_vseh_religij/

The Old Tatar Quarter (“Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda”) is the soul of the historical part of Kazan. With its streets preserved from the medieval period, this is considered to be the main area of the Tatar city culture. Dozens of monuments have found refuge on the shores of Lake Kaban and Bulak ducts, in the heart of the capital of Tatarstan. The Old Tatar Quarter is spread over an area of 87.95 hectares, and you will find a total of 75 monuments of history and culture of the 18th – 20th centuries throughout it, which form the settlement itself. Among these are the houses of Yunusov-Apanaev, Shamil, Marjani, Kayum Nasyri, Shamil Yusupov and many others. The long list of masterpieces of architecture, however, should not deter you from simply enjoying the atmosphere of this historical place – there is much more to see than simply buildings. In the 19th century, an Oriental Club functioned in this settlement, where famous poets would read their works and some of the very first Tatar plays were staged. Mosques that were built here, are now known around the world - Apanaeva, Blue, Galeev, Burnaevskaya, and Sennaya (Nurulla) Mosques. Other places also decorate the settlement - a literary museum of Tatar poet Gabdulla Tukay, the house-museum of educator and scientist Kayum Nasyri, Tatar Academic Theatre named after Galiasgar Kamal and the “Tatarskaya Usadba” hotel and restaurant complex, which also includes a museum of Tatar life, a gallery of art crafts and a souvenir shop. And, of course some of the more modern places to visit here – for example the Chak-chak Museum (Tatar national delicacy) eagerly await visitors. Here, you can drink a cup of tea with oriental sweets and learn the secrets of ancient recipes of national dishes. https://visit-tatarstan.com/en/places/attractions/staro-tatarskaya_sloboda/

The famous clock on Bauman street do not just show the time - it's a true piece of art made of bronze, created by the famous Kazan architect Igor Bashmakov. Immediately after installation, it became a popular meeting place for couples, and has been lovingly nicknamed the "lovers’ watch". Beloved by all, be sure to take a photo next to it during your visit. The top of the composition features figures of a boy, a pegasus and a goddess. A little lower – the clock dials, face different directions. The name of the numbers in the Tatar language on the dial is translated into Arabic. At the ends of the hour hands, the sun and the crescent moon are depicted, and poetic lines in Arabic are displayed along the dial's circumference. https://visit-tatarstan.com/en/places/attractions/chasy_na_ulice_baumana/

On the pedestrian Bauman street, there is a place from which an incredible view of the central part of Kazan can be seen. This is an observation deck on the bell tower of the Epiphany Cathedral, the tallest ancient building in the city stands 74 metres tall. According to the Archpriest Alexei Derzhavin - abbot of the cathedral, the bell tower was made up of 2,000,000 bricks. Inside it, the Church of John the Baptist, the patron saint of heaven patron Ivan Krivonosov, was opened. The cathedral as well as the observation deck was closed down in the 1930s, and was only restored in 2016. https://visit-tatarstan.com/en/places/attractions/kolokolnya_bogoyavlenskogo_sobora/

Museum of childhood A.M. Gorky's “Kashirin’s House” was opened on January 01, 1938. House of Gorky's grandfather, Nizhny Novgorod tradesman, foreman of the dyeing shop, the vowel of the Nizhny Novgorod Duma V.V. Kashirin, - a monument of history and culture of federal significance, a place associated with the writer's childhood (1871–72); the scene of Gorky's autobiographical story "Childhood", one of the most outstanding works of world literature of the 20th century, a kind of encyclopedia of Russian characters and a national way of life. The house is a 1-storey log cabin, sheathed and unpainted, with 5 rooms: kitchen, grandfather's room, grandmother's room, Mikhail's room, art. son of the Kashirins, and uncle Alyosha Peshkov, underlining - the lower "working" room, where they lived in Aug. 1871 - in the spring of 1872 little Alyosha with his mother after their arrival from Astrakhan. Guided tours: "Alyosha Peshkov in the petty-bourgeois family of the Kashirins", The museum houses a valuable collection of publications of the story "Childhood" in the languages ​​of the peoples of the world (since 1914). During the Great Patriotic War, from the summer of 1941 to the spring of 1943, the most valuable exhibits of the museum were taken to the Tonshaevsky district of the Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod) region, where museum staff arranged exhibitions and lectured. The museum continued to work thanks to the museum staff - A.V. Sigorsky and S.P. Zimakov. In the post-war years, the museum’s household exposition expanded: 1968 — creating an exposition in the basement of the house, 1976 — re-exposure of Uncle Mikhail’s room — re-creating the room’s living environment. By the mid-1970s all dwellings in the house of V.V. are completely restored Kashirin (area - 95.1 sq.m.). At the heart of the exposition are genuine household items of the 19th century, including a memorial, belonging to the Kashirin-Peshkov family. The unique authentic atmosphere of the house in the natural historical environment, where the old wooden buildings and fragments of the memorial landscape have been preserved, allows us to fully imagine the lifestyle of the Kashirin family, in which the early formation of the future writer Gorky took place in early childhood; gives means. information about the life of Nizhny Novgorod philistinism of the XIX century. http://museumgorkogo.ru/muzej-detstva-a-m-gorkogo-domik-kashirina/

The Kazan Cat regularly appears on lists of the most interesting and unusual monuments of Russia. Its place is in the centre of Kazan, on the pedestrian Bauman street. It is a sculptural and architectural composition three metres high in the form of a well-fed cat lying on a couch with a mouse, under a tent roof. The history of the Kazan Cat begins with the reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Based on historical legends, it is widely known that the Russian Empress learned that there are no mice in Kazan. The fact is that in those days, the cats of Kazan were excellent mice hunters of a special breed - strong, active, with a large head, a muscular neck and a short tail. By the highest order made on October 13, 1745, 30 Kazan cats were transported to St Petersburg to catch mice that had proliferated in the unfinished Winter Palace (also known as modern-day "Hermitage" Museum). Given their bestowed new role, the cats did their job, having saved the palace from harmful rodents. https://visit-tatarstan.com/en/places/attractions/pamyatnik_kotu_kazanskomu/

The city's atmosphere is created by its streets, especially pedestrian streets. In Kazan there is such a street, beautiful, crowded, where every day you can meet musicians, and in the summer even dancers. http://visit-tatarstan.com/locations/sights/places/baumanstreet

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin is a historical centre of Nizhny Novgorod, the city heart, and the place that the history of Nizhny Novgorod was started. Nowadays Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin is said as the grandest and the most majestic medieval fortress extant in the central Russia. http://www.nizhnynovgorod.com/tourism/sightseeing/city_sights/nizhny_novgorod_kremlin/

The National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan is the leading museum center of Tatarstan, one of the largest cultural and historical museums of the Volga region and the oldest museum of the republic. http://visit-tatarstan.com/locations/sights/museums/nationalmuseumrt

One of the most beautiful religious buildings in Nizhny Novgorod, the 18th century architectural monument. http://www.nizhnynovgorod.com/tourism/sightseeing/city_sights/church_of_nativity_of_most_holy_mother_of_god/

The park is located in the historical and business centre of the city, near the Kazan Kremlin and University. In the eastern part there is a garden, the main entrance to which is through the romantic "lovers arch". It has an elliptical shape that gives it an interesting acoustic effect: if two people walk up to the opposite sides of the arch and whisper into the arch corners, they hear each other perfectly on either side. Most often, lovers pronounce their love for eachother, hence the name. The park often hosts festivals and concerts on the white-wash wooden flooring in the centre of the park, and city dwellers like to come here for picnics. There are two street food cafes with a snow-white pergola and a large playground. Jogging here has also become a popular way of working out right in the centre of the city. Next to the park, you’ll find various pastry and coffee shops, the Murgasovskiy house and the "City Panorama" offering virtual walks around the city. https://visit-tatarstan.com/en/places/attractions/chernoje_ozero/

It is impossible to come to Kazan and miss the Kremlin. It majestically stands on a hill which, according to legend, was once home to the fire-breathing Zilant dragon, guarding the underground kingdom. Today, the Kremlin complex spanning across 150 thousand square metres, houses the residence of the President of the Republic, various administration buildings and the "Kazan Kremlin" Reserve Museum among others. In 2000, this architectural and historical site was added to the list of World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites of UNESCO https://visit-tatarstan.com/en/places/attractions/kazanskiy-kreml/

The Kazan Family Centre is a new wedding palace built on the bank of Kazanka River in 2013. The double-story observation deck on the roof, 32 metres up, is a great place to see the city and truly feel its scale. The panoramic view of the riverbed of Kazanka River, Volga, The Kremlin, and the old and new parts of Kazan can all be seen from here. A multi-level green lawn stretches across the front of the centre, with benches where you can sit and enjoy the view. In 2016 a sculptural composition "On I Ona" ("He and She" in Russian) by Dasha Namdakova was erected here. A pair of zilants (city symbols), leopards (symbols of the republic) and their cubs stand guard over family values, embodying the fidelity and strength of marriage ties. In the evening, the building lights up with red lights: creating a feeling of burning, everlasting love. After the building’s construction, its viewing platform has become a popular place for photographers, who come here to take amazing photos and film the panoramic views of the city. https://visit-tatarstan.com/en/places/attractions/centr_semi_kazan/