Why go to an industrial city? Look at factories, pipes and listen to stories about production? Of course, you can do all this in Yekaterinburg. But a city that has developed to the title of “Third Capital of Russia” cannot be limited only to such leisure. We tell you about the sights of Yekaterinburg and its surroundings, visiting which you will forever fall in love with the Urals. We’ve added tickets and hotels to the guide to make it easier for you to organize your trip, as well as interesting restaurants for enjoyable meals and gift ideas.
How to get there
Flights Moscow – Ekaterinburg – from 5,500* rubles round trip. You will spend about 2.5 hours on the way. You can get there by train for 6,800* rubles in both directions, the journey will last just over a day.
Where to stay
“Hyatt Regency Ekaterinburg” 5* – from 14,500* rubles per night for two. Premium hotel on the waterfront. There is a spa area with a swimming pool, a bar with a fireplace and a mystical restaurant.
“Four Elements Ekaterinburg” 4* – from 5,900* rubles per night for two. Located surrounded by all the main attractions. The restaurants serve haute cuisine and dishes from four countries.
Roomy Hostel 0* — from 1,000* rubles per night for two. The hostel is located in the city center, next to the 1905 Square. The rooms can accommodate from 2 to 15 people.
When to go
The Ural climate is considered harsh, and Yekaterinburg itself is located quite close to Siberia, so the winters here are long, frosty and snowy. January is the coldest month, and then thaws can unexpectedly occur, giving way to new cold spells. But don’t let this scare you. The comfort of Yekaterinburg will not let you get too cold, and a large number of museums and restaurants will allow you to warm up in an interesting environment.
Winter recedes after March; by May the temperature rises to +17 ℃, but can be capricious. But blooming snow-white apple trees and fragrant multi-colored lilacs complement the dreamy landscapes of the Ural capital. In summer, the temperature rarely rises above +25 ℃, and sometimes there are frosts – the harsh region remains itself even in the warmest time of the year. Therefore, for the evenings it is worth taking at least a windbreaker with you.
Autumn in Yekaterinburg is rainy, but incredibly beautiful. Crimson and yellow foliage transforms the city, and in its surroundings the views become simply magical, as if straight from an artists’ painting. To enjoy all this properly, you need to dress as warmly as possible: from September the thermometer drops to 0 ℃, and in November stable frosty weather sets in.
What to see in the city
There is no need to look for the sights of Yekaterinburg on the map, just find the Red Line – a pedestrian tourist circular route through the historical center, marked with special markings on the asphalt. Its length is 6.5 km. You can start anywhere and cover the most interesting sights: from monuments and merchant estates to iconic streets and squares. We’ll tell you more about some locations.
Area 1905
This place has been the center of the city’s social and commercial life since its founding. At first, the square was called Kantselyarskaya because of the Main Directorate of the Ural Mining Plants located on it, then Cathedral – thanks to the Epiphany Cathedral, which now no longer exists. It is here that one of the most recognizable buildings is located – the city administration. It was built on the site of the former Gostiny Dvor. It is a neoclassical architectural monument with a tower, clock and gilded spire. And if you look closely at the entrance, you will see an association with the TV series “Santa Barbara”.
Plotinka
This location cannot be ignored, as it is considered the most “Ekaterinburg” one. The city pond was created back in the 18th century, and now it is a popular walking place for residents and guests of the city. Here dates are made and wedding photo shoots take place at any time of the year, holiday concerts are held, and in the summer visitors go boating. In the passage you can listen to the songs of local musicians and look at the portraits of Viktor Tsoi. Plotinka herself immortalized this transition in her video for The Prodigy. On the dam itself there is a block of rhodonite – a symbol of the land of minerals and gems. And around Plotinka there are several museums that are a must-see: the Museum of Nature of the Urals, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Architecture and Industrial Technology of the Urals, the Water Tower Museum.
Old Station
Now it is not used for its intended purpose, but it is still interesting to visit. The building was built at the end of the 19th century, and after a few decades, passenger traffic decreased significantly due to the opening of a new station. This station began to be used for military trains, and then it was restored and a museum was placed inside. The exhibitions tell about the history of the Sverdlovsk Railway. The outside of the Old Station building is also worthy of attention. According to the creator’s plan, the façade was designed in a pseudo-Russian style. Above the central porch there is a tetrahedral tower with a spire, decorated with kokoshniks and the city’s coat of arms. The decoration of the building still looks luxurious thanks to elaborate columns and low arches. And because of the high roof with windows, the station resembles a tower.
Sevastyanov House
There used to be a mansion here. It was built in the first quarter of the 19th century and reconstructed in 2008. It is famous for the fact that each of its owners contributed to its appearance, and there were many of them. The architecture combines several styles: eclecticism, baroque, neo-Moorish and a little gothic. Now the building houses the residence of the President of Russia. The building is called “gingerbread” because of the graceful patterns as if made of white glaze, and the green and terracotta colors add additional tenderness to the facade.
Several legends are associated with the house. According to one of them, the owner Nikolai Ivanovich Sevastyanov wanted to decorate the roof of the rotunda with gold, but since in those days only the domes of churches were covered with it, this was not allowed. And as punishment for the owner’s desire, he was sentenced to walk every morning to the nearest church in cast iron galoshes. According to another legend, Sevastyanov built a luxurious palace to the envy of the whole city, and he lived in a small house opposite and admired his creation.
Business center “Vysotsky”
There are many historical buildings in the former Sverdlovsk, but modern ones are not inferior to them in attractiveness. The city has several skyscrapers, and Vysotsky is one of the popular Ekaterinburg attractions visited in winter. The business center is called that because the musician himself lived in a hotel across the street. In the high-rise building on the ground floor there is a museum dedicated to Vladimir Vysotsky. It recreates a hotel room where the musician was a guest; there are his things, a Mercedes and a life-size statue of Vladimir Semyonovich. On the top floor of the business center you can visit the observation deck with a stunning panorama of Yekaterinburg.
Sverdlovsk Regional Museum of Local Lore
In the 70s of the 19th century, when the museum was founded, it was just a circle of natural history lovers who collected various exhibits that were in their personal storage and showed them to people. Now there are more than 700 thousand of them – the museum has grown so much, and the collection is still being replenished. The main exhibitions tell about the nature, history, and ethnography of the region. Temporary exhibitions dedicated to travel around the Urals and interesting events are often held. For a closer acquaintance with the region, this landmark of Ekaterinburg is a must-visit.
Yeltsin Center
There is a museum dedicated to the modern history of Russia. There are exhibitions highlighting contemporary art, concert and conference halls, which often host public readings, lectures, film and music festivals. When you come here, you can look into the shops, sit in a cafe, relax by the fountains, ride in glass elevators overlooking the embankment, and visit Newton Park, an interactive science museum. It will be interesting here for both adults and children. Guests are offered excursions and laboratories where they can create a spy gadget, conduct a chemical experiment, look at a super-powerful laser and much more. They even offer to celebrate birthdays on a scientific scale. By the way, the love of Ekaterinburg residents for knowledge is not limited to this museum. At the Quantorium educational center, located here, children are taught free of charge in various fields – from space to augmented reality.
Ekaterinburg Arboretum
This is not even one, but two parks. The first one opened at the beginning of the 20th century, when botanists collected and planted Ural plants. The second one appeared a little later – it held biology lessons for schoolchildren. The flora of the parks continued to be replenished, and Red Book specimens also appeared among the specimens. As a result, we managed to collect several hectares of different plant species from many regions of our country. Thanks to this, the arboretum has become not only a large-scale research station, but also turned into a beautiful place for nature walks.
International Art Center “Main Avenue”
Once there was a refinery here, and now a center has been built around this building, which regularly hosts exhibitions and where you can engage in creativity. The exhibitions are dedicated to outstanding artists, sculptors, photographers and other representatives of the arts; they are constantly changing. For example, works by Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, Henri Matisse and so on are exhibited here. Among the exhibits there are paintings and sculptures by modern masters – you can even find them at some regular exhibition. And in the Stone Museum, located here, you will see sections of stones that look like works of art.
At the same time, “Main Avenue” is also an educational space. Lectures and master classes on art are held in the open lecture hall. On Thursdays, art breakfasts are organized here – conversations about artists, meanings and cultural codes. And the Gutenberg creative outlet is available to visitors for free. This workshop has a real etching press on which you can make your own engraving on paper or clothing.
Literary Quarter
The official name is “United Museum of Writers of the Urals”. Ancient houses are concentrated in a small area in the square of Proletarskaya, Pervomaiskaya and Tsarskaya streets. They were built two centuries ago, all in one way or another connected with literature. Now they welcome guests as museums, which were created to preserve residential buildings that once belonged to wealthy citizens – famous Ural writers.
There is a museum of Mamin-Sibiryak, Fyodor Reshetnikov, a museum of dolls and children’s books “Wonderland”, museums “Literary life of the Urals of the 19th century” and “Literary life of the Urals of the 20th century”, as well as a chamber theater. It still shows the very first production – “The Stone Flower” based on the fairy tale by Bazhov, a symbolic writer for Yekaterinburg and the entire Urals. The theater also stages other children’s plays, as well as those aimed at middle and high school age, for example, “Scarlet Sails” and “The Cherry Orchard.” The repertoire also includes films 16+.
What to see outside the city
The natural attractions of Yekaterinburg are a must-see if you want to properly get to know and understand the region. The Ural landscapes are unique; it is not for nothing that they have inspired many painters and writers. Here are a few places to visit that are worth adding a couple more days to your vacation in Yekaterinburg.
Ural Mars
This is a site of the Troitsko-Bainovskoye refractory clay deposit, with its landscapes reminiscent of the red planet. For this it is worth overcoming a rather difficult path along a dirt road. The local clays range in color from white and light gray to black-carbonaceous with multi-colored spots of iron oxides. There is almost no vegetation here, but it is not needed – the views are already amazing. The hills appear as ridges, and the water creates canyons. In those places where the clay dries out, picturesque crevices are created. This is a good location for fantastic photos.
Nature Park “Bazhov Places”
There are unique natural and historical monuments here. The most famous is Lake Talkov Stone, for which people mainly come here. It was formed as a result of the flooding of a quarry. The lake is surrounded by picturesque cliffs, and the beauty of the local forests instantly fascinates. Other bodies of water are no less attractive: Crystal Pond, Lake Bagaryak. The mountains are also impressive. And among the historical attractions it is worth visiting the ruins of an ancient ironworks, Crystal Mines, iron ore quarries and other objects of the Ural industry.
Devil’s Settlement
This is the name given to rocks that have a very unusual shape. So much so that it is hard to believe in natural origin. For ordinary peasants in the 19th century, this place seemed completely unusual. Some thought it was a stone city, some were convinced of the presence of demonic force, many were convinced of both. This is how the name of the attraction appeared with a reference to the dwelling of evil spirits. Tourists who come here want to climb to the very top – this can be done using a wooden staircase – to look at the panoramas of the Iset River and nearby lakes.
Cheese factory “Good Farm”
Guests enjoy the company of cute goats and delicious cheese. Intensive excursions are held here, where they talk about life in the village, where the farm is located, and how it was created. They also show production, where they introduce the stages of cheese creation. Next, of course, you will have a tasting of delicious products with various additions. Be sure to buy assorted items with you – it will be a wonderful souvenir. By the way, you can take a walk with the goats, feed them by hand, and take kindly funny photos.
Ekaterinburg Restaurants
“Pate”
Some compare it to a friends dacha, others to a grandmother’s apartment, and still others to a museum. But everyone talks about the incredible comfort and homely atmosphere. There are books, plants everywhere, and the Scottish cat Pasha will definitely meet you. The waiters will not only recommend dishes (I wish I could choose more, because everything on the menu is delicious), but will also be happy to tell you the history of the restaurant and give you a tour. People here like to fantasize about Russian cuisine, preparing completely unexpected dishes.
Address: st. Tolmacheva, house 23
“BarBoris”
Located in the Yeltsin Center, the menu is as important as the exhibits. Here you will be treated to modern national cuisine with an emphasis on Ural specifics. They prepare dishes in their own smokehouse and bakery; there is even an oven in the hall. They also make their own pickles. The creators of the menu say about themselves that they “don’t take a classical approach to classic national dishes.” For example, it features smoked mackerel pate with onion jam and beef tails on pumpkin risotto.
Address: st. Boris Yeltsin, house 6
Metis
Unexpectedly for the Urals and Russia as a whole – a restaurant with cuisine that is one of the most mixed in the world. It would be more accurate to say that the culinary traditions of several countries come together here: Peruvian, Mexican, Brazilian, Caribbean and others. The restaurant recreates iconic dishes of Latin American countries and reveals the flavor facets of trends that arose at the intersection of cultures and history – they are conveyed in prepared “exhibits”. Every time you come here, you will take a new gastronomic journey.
Address: st. Weiner, house 9
Sekta
The restaurant is called a secret place, but that’s not all that’s fascinating. The interior here is unusual – with constellations, zodiac signs and alchemical symbols. You will have dinner under a nine-meter dome in the form of a heavenly atlas. The menu is varied. The attitude of the staff is reverent. And the specialty of the establishment is organic, biodynamic and natural wine, which is produced against the rules, using traditional pre-industrial technologies, taking into account natural cycles and abandoning the chemical impact on our planet.
Address: st. Verkh-Isetsky Boulevard, 15
“Vertical”
Panoramic restaurant in the Vysotsky business center. From the height of 51 floors you will fall in love with the city in a new way. And in the restaurant itself you will feel in a world of beauty and elegance: you will be surrounded by a snow-white interior, elegant tables, crystal chandeliers – an “airy” romantic atmosphere. Every evening there is live music, because there is a grand piano in the hall. The menu includes Russian, Pan-Asian, European and seafood dishes.
Address: st. Malysheva, house 51
What to bring from Yekaterinburg
Sysert porcelain
Local art craft, work done by hand. They are painted using a special technique, often using scenes from Bazhov’s fairy tales. There are services, tea and coffee sets, figurines, boxes, colorful iconostases.
Birch bark dishes
There are many birch groves in the Sverdlovsk region. Local residents believe that the symbol of Russia protects them from evil spirits, and therefore, products made from birch bark too. Baskets and sugar bowls will become more than just souvenirs, they will come in handy around the house. And if you don’t want to limit yourself to dishes, you can buy bast shoes or toys for children.
Stone products
It is impossible not to bring stone-cutting products from Yekaterinburg, because the region is famous for the mining of gems and minerals. Over several centuries of mining, more than 200 species have been discovered in the Ural Mountains. Among them there are rare stones and quite common ones. But it’s useless to list the products; everything is made from stone here, from jewelry to household items.
Gingerbread “Tales of Bazhov”
Bazhov’s works reflect the traditions, culture and life of the indigenous Ural people. Therefore, plots are used not only in feature films and masterpieces of art, but also in cooking. And local bakers still make gingerbread according to old recipes.
Ivan-chai
Ural herbs have amazing healing properties. They can not only be brewed for drinking, but also taken care of hair and skin using decoctions. The collection of fireweed tea here is made by hand, collecting herbs at a certain time – all this is necessary for it to properly reveal its taste and aroma and bring maximum benefit to the body.
Conclusion
We have collected the sights of Yekaterinburg with descriptions to make your visit to the city rich and interesting. When you’re ready to travel, tickets and hotels can be booked online in the OneTwoTrip app and website. We are sure you will bring many pleasant impressions. We wish you a pleasant stay!
*Prices are current at the time of publication.
