Kazan travel guide

Countless mosques and churches, traditional wooden houses, soaring modern skyscrapers, museums, monuments and cultural centres are all evidence of Kazan’s ancient, fascinating and turbulent heritage.

Discover the legacy of Ivan the Terrible and the Tsars whilst enjoying the unique atmosphere of this modern yet historic city

Top things to see and do in Kazan

• Wonder at the beauty of the Kremlin – now a UNESCO World Heritage site - built as a fortress over 1,000 years ago and still towering over the city.
• Stroll down Bauman Street, known as Kazan’s ‘Arbat’, and take in the atmosphere and flavours of east and west.
• Treat yourself to an evening of world class music and dance at the city’s famous Opera and Ballet Theatre.
• Hire a small boat on the lake around the Raifa Monastery, just 20 minutes from the city and stunningly beautiful and tranquil.
• Sample the delights of the local Tatar cuisine in Kazan – the soups (sulpa) and sweet chak chak come highly recommended.
• Take a boat tripalong the Volga – Europe’s longest river which runs through the centre of the city.
• See where Tolstoy and Lenin studied with a visit to Kazan University, one of the oldest universities in Russia.

Tips for travellers

If you’re in the mood for adventure, why not take the Trans-Siberian Railway from Kazan and explore the beauty and culture of this vast country?

Get to know the Cyrillic alphabet before you go – it’s not as difficult as it looks, and being able to read signs and menus will help make your trip run much more smoothly.