Kazan

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

Understand
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.

In the 2010s, Kazan earned the reputation of a sports city due to its investments in this domain. 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 color 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.

By plane


A reasonably priced Polyot Hotel is within walking distance from the terminal building.

The airport is southeast of the city and quite far from the city center. It is served by Aeroexpress trains that depart from the main station (Kazan-1) with a 2-hr interval. Travel time is 20 min, the 2nd class ticket costs ₽200 (2013). A taxi from the train station to the airport takes about 60–90 minutes and starts from ₽600 (when ordered in advance), although it may run well above ₽1000 when you hail a random cab at the terminal and refrain from bargaining. You can also take a taxi to the nearest metro station (Prospekt Pobedy) which is 15 min from the city center and continue by public transport. Or, reach this metro station in about 40 min with bus 97 that runs on a somewhat irregular schedule between 05:30 and 18:00 with 30-40 min intervals.



By train
See Russia for general advice on travelling in Russia by train. Kazan has two major train stations:

Lots of food options close to the station: long-distance trains may halt at Kazan-1 for up to an hour, so if you're slick you should be able to restock en route. As well as the facilities within the station, very close by is Dobraya Stolovaya (self-service cafe) and five minutes walk to the right as you exit brings you to the city market. You can also stock up in the Bakhetle supermarket located on the ground floor of the TsUM mall northeast of the train station. This is also your way to the city center and Kremlin. Kremlevskaya metro station is 10 minutes walk from the train terminal, straight ahead as you exit.



Kazan has good train connections to Moscow (2-3 overnight trains, 11–13 hours) and Saint-Petersburg (daily train, 22 hours). One of the Moscow trains is firmenniy, dubbed Tatarstan, with fancy new double-decker cars and Tatar-style on-board restaurant. Although Kazan is not on the classic Trans-Siberian route (which lies to the north), many trains from Moscow to Siberia and the Far East pass this way, rejoining the classic route at Ekaterinburg (15 hours). Cities like Izhevsk and Ulyanovsk are served at least twice daily (5–6 hours), and there is a suburban train to Yoshkar-Ola (3.5 hours).

By bus
Arriving in Kazan by bus is somewhat less common, unless you travel within Tatarstan, where buses and minibuses are by far the main mode of transportation. When coming by bus, you may find yourself at one of the two city's bus stations:

However, these bus station cater to less than half of bus traffic. Most routes are nowadays served by private-run ("unofficial") buses and minibuses that may terminate in different places, for example, at the train station (Kazan-1), at ploschad Tukaya, at Sovetskaya Sq. in the eastern part of Kazan, etc. The system is haphazard and impossible to track. If you arrive by bus, you will mostly likely find yourself at the train station, which is more or less in the city center. When you leave the city, check where the buses to your destination depart from.

By boat


Although not very active, the boat traffic in the vicinity of Kazan is the only local boat service in the whole Volga region. Hydrofoils sail from Bolgar twice daily and additionally serve a number of small boroughs on the western bank of the river. Boats to Sviyazhsk depart from pier 8 (fast boat in summer every day at 08:30, a slow boat departs at 09:00). But the most frequent boat connection to Kazan is the shuttle to Verkhny Uslon village on the opposite side of the river (see Go Next section). Navigation starts beginning of May and ends in late September or early October. A lot of cruise boats pass through Kazan or terminate here. One-way or return cruises may be reserved from practically any city along the Volga. Check Turflot and infoflot for information about these tours.

Get around
Much of the city centre is walk-able, and the main attractions for tourists - the Kremlin and Bauman Street - are only for pedestrians. Public buses are abundant and cheap, but you need basic Russian to read the signs or ask where the buses are headed. Bus system maps are hard to find. Taxis are available and operate mostly an on-call service, rather than plying the streets for fares. They also congregate at taxi stands in obvious places such as the railway stations. A great option is to install the "Yandex-Taxi" app. It is an easy way to get a reliable taxi for a fixed price. Payment can be made by cash or credit-card. The application is in Russian and English.

Kazan's Metro system has just one line, the red line running from Aviastroitelnaya in the north to Prospekt Pobedy in the south. Visitors are only likely to use it between Kazan-2 railway station (Severny Vokzal «Северный Вокзал») in the north, Kremlyovskaya («Кремлёвская») ie the Kremlin in the centre, and Ploshchad Tukaya («Площадь Тукая») which has eating places and hotels.

Kazan Kremlin

 * Just inside the gate to the left is the small
 * Next to the cathedral is the small
 * 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.
 * Next to the cathedral is the small
 * 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.
 * Next to the cathedral is the small
 * 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.
 * Next to the cathedral is the small
 * 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.
 * 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.

Obeservatories
In 2023, two observatories in Kazan were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the Astronomical Observatories of Kazan Federal University:



Do
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 buses 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

Events

 * 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.

Buy
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 need (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.

Eat
Self-caterers can find a large supermarket (one of the Bakhetle chain) in the TsUM building across from the Mirage Hotel. Please note that the Tartarian cuisine has a lot of meat to offer. It is not always easy to find fish or vegetarian food.

Budget

 * There are four student cafes at 22 Universitetskaya St. These are Salad, Marinad, Rita v Ritme and Blyuz-Rok.
 * 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.
 * 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.



Mid-range

 * 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.
 * 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.

Coffee

 * IQ Intellect Cafe: see IQ Bar below.
 * IQ Intellect Cafe: see IQ Bar below.

Stay safe
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.

Connect
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 ₽36/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 ₽48 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.

Consulates

 * 🇮🇷 Iran

Visa centers

 * 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇨🇿 Czech Republic 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇮 Finland 🇬🇷 Greece 🇮🇸 Iceland 🇲🇹 Malta 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇮🇹 Italy

Go next
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 BC. 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!