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Kazan (Russian: Каза́нь kuh-ZAHN) is the capital of Russia's republic of Tatarstan and the center of the world Tatar culture. Kul-Sharif Mosque

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.

Kazan has recently earned the reputation of a sports city due to its recent investments in this domain and 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 colour 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.

Spasskaya Tower, the entrance to the Kremlin

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, but you won't get lost here. Free.
Just inside the gate to the left is the small Church of St Nicholas-Ratny.
Natural History Museum. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Has fossils, minerals, stuffed animals and interactive displays.
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 ( 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.
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 that can't be displayed there.
Warrior Spirit, Artillery Yard within Kremlin, +7 927 249 8008. Daily 10:00-19:00. Museum of archaeological finds relating to the weapons, armour and warrior culture of ancient & medieval Russia. Adult.
"Hazine" National Gallery of Art. Tu-Th Sa 10:00-17:30, F 11:00-20:00.
Annunciation Cathedral, within Kremlin. Hours as for Kremlin. 16th-century cathedral in Tsarist style, with blue onion domes and gold tower. With small museum about the cathedral (Tu-Su 10:00-18:00). Free.
Next to the cathedral is the small Church of All Saints.
The Palace of the President of Tatarstan may not be visited, except by VIPs in plush limousines. However the Palace Church, entrance next to the Tower, is open.
Suyumbike Tower, within Kremlin. Hours as for Kremlin. Söyembikä (various spellings, usually Suyumbike in English; in Cyrillic Сөембикә) was a Tatar princess, and regent of Kazan 1549-1551 during the minority of her son. In 1551 Ivan the Terrible captured the area, and the legend goes that he pressured the widowed princess to marry him. She consented to marry only if he could build the highest tower in Kazan in seven days, which he promptly did; so she jumped to her death from the top of the tower. In truth she was carted off to Moscow, re-married (her third) and died some time around 1554, while the tower was probably built at a much later date. It's 58 m tall, in tiers; it famously used to lean, but was stabilised and straightened in the 20th-century. You can admire it from the outside but you can't enter or climb it. Free.
Moonshine Museum, 56 Baumana St., +7 843 239 45 45. Daily 11:00-23:00. Museum "Moonshine" will show you in rare exhibits ancient, world-famous folk culture. You will feel the taste of history at the tasting. You will become participants of ancient rites and customs. Adult.

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, but you won't get lost here. Free.

Just inside the gate to the left is the small Church of St Nicholas-Ratny.

Natural History Museum. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Has fossils, minerals, stuffed animals and interactive displays.

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 ( 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.

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 that can't be displayed there.

Warrior Spirit, Artillery Yard within Kremlin, +7 927 249 8008. Daily 10:00-19:00. Museum of archaeological finds relating to the weapons, armour and warrior culture of ancient & medieval Russia. Adult.

"Hazine" National Gallery of Art. Tu-Th Sa 10:00-17:30, F 11:00-20:00.

Annunciation Cathedral, within Kremlin. Hours as for Kremlin. 16th-century cathedral in Tsarist style, with blue onion domes and gold tower. With small museum about the cathedral (Tu-Su 10:00-18:00). Free.

Next to the cathedral is the small Church of All Saints.

Suyumbike Tower, within Kremlin. Hours as for Kremlin. Söyembikä (various spellings, usually Suyumbike in English; in Cyrillic Сөембикә) was a Tatar princess, and regent of Kazan 1549-1551 during the minority of her son. In 1551 Ivan the Terrible captured the area, and the legend goes that he pressured the widowed princess to marry him. She consented to marry only if he could build the highest tower in Kazan in seven days, which he promptly did; so she jumped to her death from the top of the tower. In truth she was carted off to Moscow, re-married (her third) and died some time around 1554, while the tower was probably built at a much later date. It's 58 m tall, in tiers; it famously used to lean, but was stabilised and straightened in the 20th-century. You can admire it from the outside but you can't enter or climb it. Free.

Moonshine Museum, 56 Baumana St., +7 843 239 45 45. Daily 11:00-23:00. Museum "Moonshine" will show you in rare exhibits ancient, world-famous folk culture. You will feel the taste of history at the tasting. You will become participants of ancient rites and customs. Adult.

National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan. Daily 11:00 to 20:00 till 15 July 2018; then Tu W F-Su 10:00-17:00, Th 13:00-20:00. Extensive museum of Tatar and local Russian history. The ground floor displays gifts to Tatarstan on the 1000-year anniversary of the city in 2005, a reproduction of the sultan's throne, and a reproduction of the mausoleum of the sultans. The upper floor depicts Tatarstan from the early settlement of the Volga-Bulgars to the early Tatar state to the Soviet Tatar ASSR to the present. With exhibition on the Revolution. .
Soviet Lifestyle Museum, Ul. Ostrovskaya 39/6 (Corner of Ul. Universitetskaya, one block off Ul Baumana. Daily 11:00-20:00. An original and eccentric museum: the exhibits are a jumble of Soviet artefacts and ephemera. But it's more of an interactive nostalgia trip than a museum, with Sunday afternoon jam sessions, stories and personal reminiscences of those dear days. Adult.
Slava Zaitsev Art Gallery, Bauman street, 51/50 (shopping center "GUM" 4th floor, +7 843 290-91-07.

National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan. Daily 11:00 to 20:00 till 15 July 2018; then Tu W F-Su 10:00-17:00, Th 13:00-20:00. Extensive museum of Tatar and local Russian history. The ground floor displays gifts to Tatarstan on the 1000-year anniversary of the city in 2005, a reproduction of the sultan's throne, and a reproduction of the mausoleum of the sultans. The upper floor depicts Tatarstan from the early settlement of the Volga-Bulgars to the early Tatar state to the Soviet Tatar ASSR to the present. With exhibition on the Revolution. .

Soviet Lifestyle Museum, Ul. Ostrovskaya 39/6 (Corner of Ul. Universitetskaya, one block off Ul Baumana. Daily 11:00-20:00. An original and eccentric museum: the exhibits are a jumble of Soviet artefacts and ephemera. But it's more of an interactive nostalgia trip than a museum, with Sunday afternoon jam sessions, stories and personal reminiscences of those dear days. Adult.

Slava Zaitsev Art Gallery, Bauman street, 51/50 (shopping center "GUM" 4th floor, +7 843 290-91-07.

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 will the city functions in eight languages: Russian, Tatar, English, French, Spanish, German, Turkish, and Chinese. However the busses 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 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.

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.

View of the Moskovskiy District

Kyrlay, Ulitsa Odnostoronnyaya Grivka (ул. Односторонняя Гривка), 1а (north of River Kazanky, near to Kremlevsky Dam, : Kozya Sloboda «Козья слобода» 600m North, +7 843 5624762. There are a lot of attractions - including a Ferris wheel, from which you can see all of Kazan.
Victory Park, Pr. Yamasheva / Ul. Bondarenko (пр. Ямашева / ул. Бондаренко) (: Kozya Sloboda «Козья слобода» and walk one km to east. The park includes a memorial to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. The Victory Column is 42 m high.

Kyrlay, Ulitsa Odnostoronnyaya Grivka (ул. Односторонняя Гривка), 1а (north of River Kazanky, near to Kremlevsky Dam, : Kozya Sloboda «Козья слобода» 600m North, +7 843 5624762. There are a lot of attractions - including a Ferris wheel, from which you can see all of Kazan.

Victory Park, Pr. Yamasheva / Ul. Bondarenko (пр. Ямашева / ул. Бондаренко) (: Kozya Sloboda «Козья слобода» and walk one km to east. The park includes a memorial to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. The Victory Column is 42 m high.

Galiaskar Kamal Theatre, Ul. Tatarstan (ул. Татарстан), 1 (: Ploshchad Tukaya «Площадь Тукая» further to SE 200m, +7 843 2930374.
Drama Theatre, Ulitsa Baumana (ул. Баумана), 48 (: Kremlyovskaya «Кремлёвская», +7 843 2923483.
Opera and Ballet Theatre, Ploshchad Svobody (пл. Свободы), 2 (bus 10а, 30, 35, 48, 54, 63, 83, 91, 99а or trolley 7, 17, 19, 20, 21 to stop 'Площадь Свободы', the nearest metro station : Ploshchad Tukaya «Площадь Тукая» cca. one km, +7 843 231-57-02.
Puppet Theatre, Ulitsa Peterburgskaya (ул. Петербургская), 57 (: Sukonnaya Sloboda «Суконная слобода», +7 843 2377009.

Galiaskar Kamal Theatre, Ul. Tatarstan (ул. Татарстан), 1 (: Ploshchad Tukaya «Площадь Тукая» further to SE 200m, +7 843 2930374.

Drama Theatre, Ulitsa Baumana (ул. Баумана), 48 (: Kremlyovskaya «Кремлёвская», +7 843 2923483.

Opera and Ballet Theatre, Ploshchad Svobody (пл. Свободы), 2 (bus 10а, 30, 35, 48, 54, 63, 83, 91, 99а or trolley 7, 17, 19, 20, 21 to stop 'Площадь Свободы', the nearest metro station : Ploshchad Tukaya «Площадь Тукая» cca. one km, +7 843 231-57-02.

Puppet Theatre, Ulitsa Peterburgskaya (ул. Петербургская), 57 (: Sukonnaya Sloboda «Суконная слобода», +7 843 2377009.

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 nedd (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.

Self-caterers can find a large supermarket (one of the Bakhetle chain) in the TsUM building across from the Mirage Hotel. The bakery across from the Milena Hotel on Tazi Gizzata Street has excellent bread and a few groceries. Please note that the Tartarian cuisine has a lot of meat to offer. It is not always easy to find fish or vegetarian food.

Dobraya Stolovaya. 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. .
Dom Chaya, 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.
There are four student cafes at 22 Universitetskaya St. 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.
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. Deserts 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.

Dobraya Stolovaya. 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. .

Dom Chaya, 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.

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.

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. Deserts 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.

Paramartha, 19 Mayakovskogo St. (near medical school, +7 843 240 3000. M-F 12:00-00:00, Sa Su 11:00-23:00. Indian vegetarian cafe, sort of: strict vegetarians or vegans should enquire closely before ordering. They do serve meat and alcohol. They are a branch of the health center offering yoga courses and similar stuff, hence the name. Mains.
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.
A'Rome, 8 Kavi Nadzhmi St.. Daily 10:00-06:00. Reliable Italian restaurant, crowded at weekends. Pizza.
Bilyar. Daily 10:00-22:00. An inexpensive reliable chain restaurant serving Tatar food. Interiors resemble a Tatar log cabin, and some even have salad bars that look like wells. Try their 'echpekmoks' with bullion, salad 'makhebet', and their Tatar version of 'ukha' or creamy fish soup. For desert, try their chak-chak. 3 locations in the city: Ulitsa Butlerova 31 (up the hill behind the Tatarstan Hotel), Ulitsa Vishnevskovo 15 and (some way out) Prospekt Pobedi 50a. Mains.
House of Tatar food, 31/12 Baumana St., +7 843 292 7070. Daily 11:00-23:00. Generally good reviews, but sniffy reactions from locals: to them Tatar food means home cooking, so they find this place tourist-trappy, over-fancy and over-priced. But as a foreigner, if you want to eat horse, it's not your daily bread 'n butter so you may as well gobble it up in style.
Western fast food: If you're homesick for this, it's available in Kazan most hours of the day:
McDonalds are at 4 Said-Galeyeva St (daily 06:00-00:00), 70A Bauman St and 1 Peterburgskaya, with another north of the river off Prospekt Yamasheva.

KFC are at 86 Baumann St (Su-Th 07:00-23:00, F Sa 07:00-02:00) and 1 Peterburgskaya St, plus north of the river at 69 Chistpol'skaya St and south-east at 51 Vishnevskogo St.

Burger King are at 4 Pushkin St (daily 07:00-03:00) and 48 Moskovskaya St, plus 56 Prospekt Ibrahimov north of the river, in Gorki Park shopping centre to the south, and at 141 Prospekt Pebody in the eastern burbs.

Paramartha, 19 Mayakovskogo St. (near medical school, +7 843 240 3000. M-F 12:00-00:00, Sa Su 11:00-23:00. Indian vegetarian cafe, sort of: strict vegetarians or vegans should enquire closely before ordering. They do serve meat and alcohol. They are a branch of the health center offering yoga courses and similar stuff, hence the name. Mains.

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.

A'Rome, 8 Kavi Nadzhmi St.. Daily 10:00-06:00. Reliable Italian restaurant, crowded at weekends. Pizza.

Bilyar. Daily 10:00-22:00. An inexpensive reliable chain restaurant serving Tatar food. Interiors resemble a Tatar log cabin, and some even have salad bars that look like wells. Try their 'echpekmoks' with bullion, salad 'makhebet', and their Tatar version of 'ukha' or creamy fish soup. For desert, try their chak-chak. 3 locations in the city: Ulitsa Butlerova 31 (up the hill behind the Tatarstan Hotel), Ulitsa Vishnevskovo 15 and (some way out) Prospekt Pobedi 50a. Mains.

House of Tatar food, 31/12 Baumana St., +7 843 292 7070. Daily 11:00-23:00. Generally good reviews, but sniffy reactions from locals: to them Tatar food means home cooking, so they find this place tourist-trappy, over-fancy and over-priced. But as a foreigner, if you want to eat horse, it's not your daily bread 'n butter so you may as well gobble it up in style.

Western fast food: If you're homesick for this, it's available in Kazan most hours of the day:

McDonalds are at 4 Said-Galeyeva St (daily 06:00-00:00), 70A Bauman St and 1 Peterburgskaya, with another north of the river off Prospekt Yamasheva.

KFC are at 86 Baumann St (Su-Th 07:00-23:00, F Sa 07:00-02:00) and 1 Peterburgskaya St, plus north of the river at 69 Chistpol'skaya St and south-east at 51 Vishnevskogo St.

Burger King are at 4 Pushkin St (daily 07:00-03:00) and 48 Moskovskaya St, plus 56 Prospekt Ibrahimov north of the river, in Gorki Park shopping centre to the south, and at 141 Prospekt Pebody in the eastern burbs.

Chateau, 59 Volkova St., +7 960 049 3000. An upscale banquet hall boasting cod-baroque decorations. Hired for corporate and big-bash events, e.g. weddings, it's not clear if smaller parties are accommodated. Mains from.
Baker Street, 25/22 Kremlevskaya St., +7 843 292 0158. Daily 11:00-23:00. Eccentric attempt at British cuisine, with Sherlock Holmes references known only to Russians. The game's afoot, maybe stick to chicken? Mains from.
Malabar, 13 Malaya Krasnaya St, +7 843 236 7433. Daily 11:00-23:00. Well, it makes for a change. Indian cuisine, sort of, pricey by Kazan standards. Mains from.
Rubai, Universitetskaya 23/12, +7 843 292 6464. Su-Th 11:00-23:00, F Sa 11:00-00:00. Uzbek cuisine is similar to Tatar and there are several Uzbek restaurants around the city. Rubai is a good example with hearty central Asian fare. Mains from.
Sakhara, Peterburgskaya 1 (by Ploshad Tukaya Metro. Daily 10:00-02:00. An odd mixed menu, but they're aiming for Moroccan ambience.
Priyut Kholostyaka, Ulitsa Chernishevskovo 27a (500 m S of Kremlin. Su-Th 11:00-00:00, F Sa 11:00-01:00. Restaurant with an eclectic menu of European and Russian dishes. Clean, quiet, this is a good place for relaxing and having tea. Its name suggests something sleazy, but no, it's decent. Mains from.
Los i Losos, 27 Chernyshevskogo St., +7 (937) 779-67-67. Su-Th 11:00-00:00, F Sa 11:00-02:00. A unique style of Art House and an open barbecue will create unforgettable impressions. Here, for the first time for Kazan, dishes of the south and the Caucasus will play in unison with the latest gastronomic trends. Mains from ..

Chateau, 59 Volkova St., +7 960 049 3000. An upscale banquet hall boasting cod-baroque decorations. Hired for corporate and big-bash events, e.g. weddings, it's not clear if smaller parties are accommodated. Mains from.

Baker Street, 25/22 Kremlevskaya St., +7 843 292 0158. Daily 11:00-23:00. Eccentric attempt at British cuisine, with Sherlock Holmes references known only to Russians. The game's afoot, maybe stick to chicken? Mains from.

Malabar, 13 Malaya Krasnaya St, +7 843 236 7433. Daily 11:00-23:00. Well, it makes for a change. Indian cuisine, sort of, pricey by Kazan standards. Mains from.

Rubai, Universitetskaya 23/12, +7 843 292 6464. Su-Th 11:00-23:00, F Sa 11:00-00:00. Uzbek cuisine is similar to Tatar and there are several Uzbek restaurants around the city. Rubai is a good example with hearty central Asian fare. Mains from.

Sakhara, Peterburgskaya 1 (by Ploshad Tukaya Metro. Daily 10:00-02:00. An odd mixed menu, but they're aiming for Moroccan ambience.

Priyut Kholostyaka, Ulitsa Chernishevskovo 27a (500 m S of Kremlin. Su-Th 11:00-00:00, F Sa 11:00-01:00. Restaurant with an eclectic menu of European and Russian dishes. Clean, quiet, this is a good place for relaxing and having tea. Its name suggests something sleazy, but no, it's decent. Mains from.

Los i Losos, 27 Chernyshevskogo St., +7 (937) 779-67-67. Su-Th 11:00-00:00, F Sa 11:00-02:00. A unique style of Art House and an open barbecue will create unforgettable impressions. Here, for the first time for Kazan, dishes of the south and the Caucasus will play in unison with the latest gastronomic trends. Mains from ..

Red Grain, 52 Tatarstan St.. Daily 12:00-02:00. Not many other coffee places in the Tatar district of Kazan. In an odd kiosk tacked onto a bland modern block. Turkish-style coffee, no food.
Agafredo. A chain of reliable, inexpensive coffee places. Breakfast for 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, 09:00-00:00
17 Chernyshevskogo St, central off Baumann St, 08:30-00:00.
28 Chistpol'skaya St, north of river, 08:00-23:00
IQ Intellect Cafe: see IQ Bar below.
Kapital, 5 Pushkina St. Su-Th 08:00-00:00, F Sa 08:00-02:00. That's as in Das Kapital, Marx's seminal work on economics. The cafe doesn't refer to Marx, but they do exploit retro style, old newspapers, dated kitchen tools, and the like. Altogether, it's a nice spot for coffee or a meal. Free wifi. Pasta, mains.
Shokoladnitsa, 3/36 Pushkina St., +7 843 292 2712. 24/7. Bland chain cafe, safe choice for coffee, a sandwich, or even a full meal at any time of the day and night.
Other branches are at 1 Peterburgskaya, 22 Chistopol'skaya, and 141 Prospekt Pobedy.

Red Grain, 52 Tatarstan St.. Daily 12:00-02:00. Not many other coffee places in the Tatar district of Kazan. In an odd kiosk tacked onto a bland modern block. Turkish-style coffee, no food.

Agafredo. A chain of reliable, inexpensive coffee places. Breakfast for 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, 09:00-00:00
17 Chernyshevskogo St, central off Baumann St, 08:30-00:00.
28 Chistpol'skaya St, north of river, 08:00-23:00

Kapital, 5 Pushkina St. Su-Th 08:00-00:00, F Sa 08:00-02:00. That's as in Das Kapital, Marx's seminal work on economics. The cafe doesn't refer to Marx, but they do exploit retro style, old newspapers, dated kitchen tools, and the like. Altogether, it's a nice spot for coffee or a meal. Free wifi. Pasta, mains.

Shokoladnitsa, 3/36 Pushkina St., +7 843 292 2712. 24/7. Bland chain cafe, safe choice for coffee, a sandwich, or even a full meal at any time of the day and night.
Other branches are at 1 Peterburgskaya, 22 Chistopol'skaya, and 141 Prospekt Pobedy.

IQ Bar, 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.
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.
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.
Ugly Coyote, 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.
Barin bar, 25 Chernyshevskogo St., +7 843 203-45-54. 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.

IQ Bar, 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.

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.

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.

Ugly Coyote, 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.

Barin bar, 25 Chernyshevskogo St., +7 843 203-45-54. 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.

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.
Barsuk, 27 Chernyshevskogo St., +7 967 366-69-99. Daily 22:00-06:00. A place where gorgeous girls will stir your imagination with unsurpassed skill to undress while dancing on stage. this is real art that only those who can relax will appreciate Entrance.

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.

Barsuk, 27 Chernyshevskogo St., +7 967 366-69-99. Daily 22:00-06:00. A place where gorgeous girls will stir your imagination with unsurpassed skill to undress while dancing on stage. this is real art that only those who can relax will appreciate Entrance.

Since the '70s, Kazan has long the reputation of being one of the least safe city of Russia. The "Kazan phenomenon" of street gangs even became a journalistic and sociological concept. However, since the late 1990s, situation change fundamentally. Kazan has become host city for a lot of large international events. As a result there was a modernization of police, so crime rate decreased significantly. For example, during the World Summer Universiade in 2013, a lot of citizens and guests shared their impressions, that they felt safe like never before, even walking in the city centre in the night.

Internet cafes and restaurants with Wi-Fi are found throughout the city. Probably the most useful internet cafe for travelers is a small one across from the train station. From the main station building, cross through the park and cross the main street. It is at the corner to your left, but hidden behind a newspaper stand and some kiosks.

The post office in Kremlyovskaya St. has seven computers with internet access, for around /hour. Pay in advance at the register. Your unspent minutes will be refunded.

Tattelecom on the corner of Baumana and Pushkina, opposite the Koljco mall, has computers with ok Internet for per hour. Up Pushkina there are a few cafes and restaurants with free unprotected Wi-Fi. Also, outside of the Subway restaurant further up on Pushkina there is free unprotected Wi-Fi. Mcdonalds also has free Wi-Fi (on Baumana and by the train station).

A simpler way to get connected to the big world is to buy a SIM card. SIM cards are cheap and give you a constant fast and reliable connection.

Iran Iran, Spartakovskaya street, 6, +7 843 526-5849.

Iran Iran, Spartakovskaya street, 6, +7 843 526-5849.

Bulgaria Czech Republic Denmark Finland Greece Iceland Malta Netherlands Spain Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Malta, Netherlands, and Spain, Tazi Gizzata street, 4. M-F 09:00-16:00.
Italy Italy, Ostrovskogo street, 87, +7 843 5671102. M-F 09:00-16:00.

Bulgaria Czech Republic Denmark Finland Greece Iceland Malta Netherlands Spain Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Malta, Netherlands, and Spain, Tazi Gizzata street, 4. M-F 09:00-16:00.

Italy Italy, Ostrovskogo street, 87, +7 843 5671102. M-F 09:00-16:00.

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 center on the shore of the river Kama and surrounded by natural beauty is one of the oldest cities in Tatarstan. Throughout its history the city was the cradle of Russian trade, where diverse waves of remarkable people flowed together. Most of its buildings have been preserved in their original condition to this day. Examples include the memorial house museum of Ivan Shishkin and the homestead museum of N. Durova, a famous heroine of the Fatherland War of 1812. Tragic circumstances led the city to become the last refuge of the poet Maria Tsvetaeva. Not far from the Elabuga is the famous Elabuga mound “Chertovo gorodishe” - the remains of a fortified settlement from the Volga tribes of the first millennium ВC. The surviving stone tower is a symbol of Elabuga. On the banks of the river Toima, five kilometers from Elabuga, archaeologists discovered the Ananinsky burial ground, which lends its name to an entire Iron Age culture.

Kysh-Babay Residence (Tatar Santa Claus) The residences of Kysh Babay and Kar Kyzy are located in the village of Yana Kyrlay, in a pine forest on the bank of the river Iya, 60 km from Kazan. The fairytale journey begins with the forest ”customs” where Shaitan leads you into the estate of Kysh Babay. The map of Shurale leads guests to path filled with adventures. Among the tales, mysteries, miracles, and fairytale characters you will meet Shurale (the Wood goblin), Shaitan (the Devil), Uburly Karchyk (the Witch), Azhdaha (the Dragon), Batyr (the Kinught), Altynchech (Goldilocks), Tahir and Zuhra (Romeo and Juliet).

Chistopol The historic town of Chistopol was founded in the 18th century. This town is truly a living museum, with streets and buildings that preserve the spirit of past days. A walk around Chistopol introduces you to the quiet, very special beauty of the Russian countryside. The Melnikov House, the grounds of Uspensky Monastery, St. Nicholas Cathedral - these places all enhance the feeling that the city was built with care and love. You can find very interesting Boris Pasternak museum here. A few kilometers from Chistopol you'll find the remains of Juketau, a city of the ancient Bolgar Kingdom which served as a trade center during pre-Mongol period.

Tetushi The pearl of Tetushi is historico-architectural natural park “Dolgaya polyana”. Tourists visited this place say that you feel peace and calm. Local people claim there is anomalous zone with positive energy. Even Khans of Ancient Bolgar used to come to this place for several days to recover peace of mind. There are a lot of old buildings, dated from 1700s. You can even be lucky to see real archaeological excavation! And of course you can enjoy beautiful and splendid nature of Tetushi. Fond of historical reconstructions? Then summer reconstruction of battlefield on Vshiha mountain is definitely worth visiting! You can not only watch, but also participate!

Laishevo At the end of May, there is a big ethnic festival called Karavon. For 9 years annually more than 10,000 people come to take part. And according to legend, this festival exists more than 300 years! Here you can dance in a round, have a look at the town of craftsman, take part in national amusements and feel cheerful and holiday atmosphere among wearing national costumes people. This festival is definitely worth seeing!