Kazan is one of the most attractive Russian cities for tourists. Thousands of travelers come here every year, and we understand them perfectly: there is a lot to see and do in the capital of Tatarstan. It doesn’t matter how many days you have to travel: you can spend a day or a couple of weeks here and never get bored. After all, the city combines rich history, modern technology and even developments from the future.
We have prepared a detailed guide: we have listed the sights of Kazan and tell you what to visit, where to go or go, where to eat and what to bring home as a souvenir.
How to get there
For travelers, there are several options for getting to the capital of Tatarstan: by plane, train, bus or car. So you can choose the most suitable one.
The fastest and often most convenient way to get to Kazan is by plane: dozens of flights from all over Russia arrive at the city’s international airport every day. The journey from Moscow will take from 1 hour 35 minutes, round-trip ticket prices start from 4,600 rubles. There are trains and buses from the airport to the city center.
View flight tickets
The journey by train takes longer – on average 11-14 hours, but there are many options. Several trains depart from Kazansky Station in Moscow every day; ticket prices are very affordable – from 1,900 rubles (one way). The station itself in Kazan is located in the city center, just a 5-minute walk from the Kremlin.
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You can also get to the capital of Tatarstan to see the sights of Kazan by regular bus: from Moscow they depart from the Shchelkovsky bus station or from Kotelniki, and arrive at the Central Bus Station of Kazan. You will spend about 13 hours on the road, ticket prices start from 1,600 rubles (one way).
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And of course, you can go on a real road trip and go to Tatarstan by car. The road is about 820 km long and takes about 11-12 hours. You will have to drive along the M7 Volga highway through Nizhny Novgorod.
Rent a car
Where to stay
If you are traveling to Kazan to see the sights, know that it is a major tourist city and there are many accommodation options available. You can book a room in a five-star hotel of a large global chain, rent an apartment, or stay in a guest house or even a hostel. We have chosen three hotels with good reviews for you.
Courtyard Marriott Kazan Kremlin Hotel, 4 stars, from 6,900 rubles per night for a double room. Rating 10 out of 10. A modern hotel of a famous global chain is located right behind the Kremlin wall, so it’s very convenient to see the sights from here. Guests praise the buffet breakfast and the excellent restaurant located in the hotel building.
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Hotel “Khanuma”, from 3,000 rubles per night for a double room. Score 9.6 out of 10. Budget hotel with excellent guest reviews, located in the very center of the city. There are many different rooms, including spacious lofts with kitchenettes.
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Hostel “Rabbit Hole”, from 780 rubles per night for a double room. Rating 9.4 out of 10. A stylish and atmospheric hostel for those who want to save money, but are not used to sacrificing comfort and want to live in the very center of the city.
Book a room
When to go
The capital of Tatarstan is located in a zone with a temperate continental climate, which means that winters here are cold and snowy, and summers are consistently warm. Local residents and numerous tourists say that Kazan is beautiful all year round, but each season still has its own nuances.
Exploring Kazan and its sights in winter may not be very comfortable, because the air temperature sometimes drops to -15 °C. In March it is still cool and sometimes it snows, but by mid-April the air warms up. The weather becomes comfortable for long walks in May, when the city turns green and blossoms. Summer can be hot and muggy, so check the forecast before traveling. Autumn arrives on schedule: the nights become significantly colder in September, the rains begin in October, and snow usually falls in mid-November. In winter, the weather in Kazan is often clear, but it can be quite cold – in this case, numerous cafes come to the aid of tourists, where you can warm up and have a tasty lunch (see their list below).
What to see in the city
How many days does it take to explore the capital of Tatarstan? It’s hard to say – some people manage to get to know Kazan in a day, while for others even a couple of weeks is not enough. We have collected the main attractions of Kazan with addresses and prices – and also added several unusual and interesting locations to make your visit to the city memorable for a long time.
Kazan Kremlin
We recommend starting your walk around Kazan with its heart and main attraction. Here you can see the famous leaning tower of Syuyumbike, the governor’s palace, and the Annunciation Cathedral. Also on the territory of the Kremlin are the Museum of Islam, the Museum of Natural History of Tatarstan and even a branch of the St. Petersburg Hermitage. In general, we recommend setting aside a couple of days to see all the interesting objects and exhibitions.
Entrance to the territory itself is free. You can get to the Kremlin through the Spasskaya Tower. On the territory, the large and beautiful Kul-Sharif mosque immediately attracts attention. This is the largest mosque in Russia, it can accommodate up to 8,000 believers. Tourists are not allowed inside, but you can go up to the observation deck, which offers a beautiful view of the Kremlin and the city.
For details about the work of the Kremlin and exhibitions held in its museums, as well as up-to-date information on ticket prices, please visit the official website.
Bauman Street
Every major Russian city has its own Arbat – a pedestrian street lined with cafes and souvenir shops and where it’s nice to just walk, looking at buildings and taking photos with interesting monuments. In Kazan, this is Bauman Street – by the way, we can say that it is the same age as the Kazan Kremlin. Once upon a time there was a Nogai road here, after which the street was called Prolomnaya. And the current name appeared in the thirties of the last century in honor of the revolutionary Nikolai Bauman, who was born in Kazan.
There are several interesting sights along the street: St. John the Baptist Monastery, Drama Theatre. Kachalov, the beautiful building of the National Bank of Tatarstan and the House of Printing.
And every guest of the city tries to take a photo with the symbol of Kazan – the Kazan Cat. The monument to him is located at the intersection of Bauman and Musa Jalil streets. Local cats, by the way, are the ancestors of the famous St. Petersburg rat catchers, who have been guarding exhibits in the Hermitage for many years. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, during her visit to Kazan, noticed that there were no mice in the city, and ordered thirty cats to be sent from the city to the Winter Palace.
Palace of Farmers and Kremlin Embankment
Address: st. Fedoseevskaya, house 36.
This is perhaps the most controversial landmark of Kazan, which, nevertheless, is worth seeing with your own eyes – in order to decide for yourself whether the palace, built in 2007, is really discordant with the historical architecture of the city, as many say. Or maybe you will find yourself in the camp of those who consider this building, which houses the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Tatarstan, a worthy addition to the appearance of the city.
We recommend coming here in the evening, when the palace is spectacularly illuminated. This way you can take beautiful photos of the luxurious decorations of the facade and the 20-meter bronze tree in the central part, which is illuminated with green lights.
And then go for a walk along the walking area along the left bank of the Kazanka River. It was landscaped in 2010, after the construction of the Palace of Farmers. Now here you can admire the view of the Kremlin, and in winter you can also go ice skating – the longest skating rink in Europe is built here. There are also numerous cafes and attractions on the embankment.
Museum of Happy Childhood
Address: st. Universitetskaya, 9.
If you are looking for sights of Kazan for children, pay attention to this unusual museum. However, adults will also like it here – especially those who were born and raised in the USSR. They will probably remember their childhood here.
The museum’s exhibition is located on two floors. On the first one you can look at things familiar to Soviet schoolchildren: there are desks, stationery, books and textbooks, and posters and plaques from those times are hung on the walls. You can touch or try on many things.
On the second floor there is the “Life Line”: here you can go through the entire life path of a child from the 70-80s of the last century, from birth to student years. You will see toys and things that were in almost every family at that time, you will be able to look through magazines and try on a pioneer tie. There are also personal belongings of celebrities that they donated to the museum.
Observation deck at the Kazan family center
Address: st. Sibgata Hakim, 4.
The building itself also deserves your attention – it is built in the shape of a huge bowl. It was built in just 500 days and opened in July 2013. Today the registry office is located here, and in the fourth place there is an excellent observation deck, which offers a panoramic view of the Kremlin and nearby areas of the city.
Around the center of the family are sculptures of huge leopards and zilants – mythological creatures that are mentioned in Tatar legends and fairy tales. Leopards symbolize the power of the Republic, and zilants protect family unions from adversity. In addition, next to the Bowl you can take a walk in a nice park with views of the river and the Kremlin.
Temple of All Religions
Address: st. Staro-Arakchinskaya, 4.
This unusual building appeared on the outskirts of Kazan only at the end of the 20th century. It was conceived and brought to life by the sculptor, poet and public figure Ildar Khanov, and now anyone can visit the unusual temple. It is located in the village of Staroye Arakchino, which can be reached by train from the Kazan railway station. You need to get off at Staroye Arakchino station (the journey will take about 15 minutes) and walk about ten minutes.
The building is not a religious building; no services are held here. This temple is a symbol of civilizations and cultures, a unique architectural complex that combines Orthodox and Catholic churches, a mosque, a synagogue, a Buddhist temple and even a Chinese pagoda. There is also symbolism of disappeared civilizations. Today you can visit an art gallery and an art school here, and various creative master classes are also held here.
The complex is not completed, today the author’s relatives and like-minded people continue construction.
What to see outside the city
If you have time, we also recommend visiting the sights around Kazan: there are beautiful natural locations, ancient settlements, and cute old towns. The most convenient way is to rent a car, but you can also get there by public transport.
Island-grad Sviyazhsk
A small settlement is located on an island formed when the Sviyaga River flows into the Volga. Sometimes it is called the Russian Mont Saint-Michel: here are unique architectural ensembles included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Most of the attractions here are of a religious nature: the Assumption, St. John the Baptist and Trinity-Sergius monasteries, the wooden Trinity Church of the 16th century, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Makaryevskaya Hermitage.
There are also several museums where you can learn about the history of Sviyazhsk, as well as an art gallery with a good exhibition. It’s also worth a look at the craft settlement Horse Dvor – here you can buy souvenirs or attend master classes.
Intercity buses regularly depart from Kazan to Sviyazhsk from the Yuzhny and Stolichny bus stations. Travel time is just under two hours.
Raifa Mother of God Monastery
The beautiful white stone monastery is located just 30 kilometers from Kazan. People come here to admire the church with green domes and take a walk around the picturesque Sumskoe Lake.
The monastery itself has an ancient history: it was founded in the 17th century. In Soviet times, there were repair shops, a prison for political prisoners and even a colony for juvenile delinquents. But today tourists are greeted by restored and completely restored buildings.
You can get to the monastery by bus from the Severny bus station. Choose flights to Kulbashi and Urazly, they all pass by the point you need. However, from the stop you will have to walk a little.
Ethnic village of Tatar avyly
This is a great place to learn about the history of the Tatar people and just have a fun day. In the ethno-village you can see peasant huts, craft workshops and even merchants’ houses – the buildings span the period from the 15th to the 20th centuries. You can go inside, examine the tools and even try to make something.
Various events and celebrations are held here almost constantly for tourists. Take part in master classes: they will teach you pottery and leatherwork, show you how to plow the ground with a horse-drawn plow, grind flour and mow grass with a real scythe. Sometimes noisy and cheerful sabantuis take place in the village. And the local cafe serves traditional Tatar dishes and sweets.
The ethno-village is located 50 km from Kazan, on the way to Sviyazhsk. The easiest way to get there is by car, but you can also take a bus from the Stolichny bus station (note that it runs only once a day).
Elabuga
A small town 200 km from Kazan will appeal to those who are interested in the architecture and flavor of the merchant province of the 19th century. In Yelabuga, the buildings of those times are well preserved, and there are also several interesting museums: you can go to the house of Ivan Shishkin (the artist painted many of his paintings here), visit the estate of the cavalry maiden Nadezhda Durova and the memorial complex of Marina Tsvetaeva. The famous poetess spent the last years of her life in the town. And on the banks of the Kama you can see the remains of a fortified citadel of the 10th century.
The easiest way to get to Yelabuga is by car, but if you wish, public transport is also suitable: from the Vostochny bus station, buses depart daily to Naberezhnye Chelny, and there you will transfer to a local regular bus. You can also take the train to Mendeleevsk, and then take a taxi. We recommend spending the night in Yelabuga by choosing one of the local hotels, for example, the cozy mini-hotel Blackberry (rating 9.1 out of 10, room rates from 3,000 rubles per night), located in a real merchant house.
Bulgar
This ancient settlement is located 200 km from Kazan, but we strongly recommend setting aside a day for the trip. Bolgar (in some sources Bulgar) is a real monument of Muslim architecture from the mid-13th to 14th centuries. It is even included in the UNESCO World Heritage List!
Bulgar was once an important trading point that connected Ancient Rus’ with the east, and later – the capital of the Northern Ulus of the Golden Horde. Today in Bolgar you can see several restored objects, for example, see a fortified settlement from the times of the Golden Horde, as well as the ruins of a bathhouse and a mausoleum. And in 2012, the White Mosque was built here – a stunningly beautiful complex, built in strict accordance with the canons of Islamic architecture.
It is best to come to Bolgar as part of an organized excursion, otherwise you risk missing out on a lot. From Kazan, a bus with a guide departs from the Yuzhny bus station twice a day (at 10:00 and 17:00). If you wish, you can stay in Bolgar overnight – there are several comfortable hotels. For example, a night in the two-star Regina Hotel (rating 8.3 out of 10) will cost only 3,000 rubles.
Blue Lakes
This nature reserve in the vicinity of Kazan is best visited in summer or winter: in the off-season it is not so beautiful. There are only three lakes – Bolshoye Goluboe, Maloe Goluboe and Protochnoe. They are called blue for the characteristic color of the water – it is sky blue due to the high concentration of sulfates. True, not everyone can appreciate the healing properties: even in summer, the water temperature in reservoirs does not exceed 7 °C.
It will be nice to just walk around the territory of the reserve around the reservoirs: they are surrounded by a beautiful forest. And next to the lakes there are specially equipped areas for barbecue.
The most convenient way to get to the park is by car: follow the M7 highway to km 808 and turn into the equipped parking lot. You will have to walk a little along the path to get to the lakes themselves. You can also get there by public transport: either by bus No. 40 from the Severny Vokzal metro station, or by bus No. 20 from the Aviastroitelnaya metro station. Get off in the village of Shcherbakovo and continue on foot.
Restaurants and cafes
In Kazan you can find different cuisines of the world – it’s easy to have borscht for lunch, order excellent burgers for lunch, and try chak-chak for dessert. We recommend that you definitely get acquainted with traditional Tatar cuisine.
Local dishes are hearty and the portions are large, so sometimes there is enough for two. People in Tatarstan love meat, choosing lamb, beef and horse meat. It is difficult to imagine a feast without traditional pies called echpochmak – these are triangles of dough with meat filling. Another dish that you must order while in Kazan is beshbarmak – lamb with dough and vegetables. They usually eat it with their hands. And if you like soups, try tokmach – noodle soup, which is usually prepared with chicken broth.
As for popular restaurants and cafes in Kazan, the following are worth visiting:
“House of Tea” (64 Bauman St.) – an inexpensive cafe in the very center of the city. It has been in business since Soviet times, so the interior is simple, but this is where many locals dine. All traditional national dishes are served here.
“TATAR by Tubetey” (Sheinkman St., 5) is a restaurant-museum located right in the Kazan Kremlin. It’s beautiful here and very tasty. The menu includes traditional dishes in an unusual design, for example, rich broth with echpochmak, koymak pancakes, kystyburgers and salad with smoked duck.
“Fairy Tale” (Bauman St., 58) – a family cafe with Tatar, Russian and European cuisine. Operating since 1970. Located on the central pedestrian street and great for lunch, especially if you are traveling with children. During the warm season there are tables outside.
“Tyubetey” (Kremlyovskaya St., 21) is one of five cafes of this chain. Here you can have a quick and tasty snack. They cook very quickly, and the prices for national dishes will surprise you.
Medina Food (Spartakovskaya St., 12) – a halal cafe for pleasant gatherings. The interior is minimalistic, and the menu includes not only Tatar cuisine, but also pizza and cocktails. There is a play area for children.
“Bachelor’s Shelter” (27a Chernyshevskogo St.) – one of the most popular restaurants in the city. The menu offers dishes from different cuisines, from European and Tatar to Japanese.
What to bring
The most popular sweet souvenir is the traditional Tatar delicacy chak-chak. This is a kind of cookie made from deep-fried pieces of dough, which are then mixed with honey. Sometimes nuts or dried fruits are also added to chak-chak. It’s easy to bring such a souvenir home, and it can be stored for a very long time without a refrigerator.
Another sweet that is suitable for a gift is talkysh-kaleve, or small airy pyramids made of flour, honey and melted butter. They are not too sweet, but they melt in your mouth. Sold in beautiful boxes in almost all stores.
If you want to bring something tasty, but not sweet, you can buy dried or smoked duck or horse sausage (it’s called kazylyk). In Kazan they also make an excellent cheese called “Tatar Deluxe”, which tastes a little like Parmesan.
One of the symbols of Kazan is a cat, a monument to which is even erected on Bauman Street. In the city you can find a lot of souvenirs with the image of this animal – keychains, magnets, T-shirts. You can also buy a figurine or a soft toy.
Tableware, such as traditional porcelain or ceramic tea cups, would be a good gift. Choose one with a tulip pattern – this is another symbol of Tatarstan. And to go with your cup, buy a package of local tea, which is comparable in quality to English tea. For a unique aroma and taste, oregano, or mәtrүshkә, is added to it. Choose packages with the inscription “Brew with the name of Allah.”
Conclusion
We hope that thanks to our article you have a detailed map of Kazan with attractions and cafes, and you will be able to see all the most interesting things in the city, try delicious local cuisine and bring home cool souvenirs. And it’s easy to buy tickets and book hotels on OneTwoTrip.
You can find a suitable hotel on the website or in the OneTwoTrip application.
