Yoshkar-Ola

Yoshkar-Ola (Russian: Йошка́р-Ола́ yahsh-KAHR ah-LAH) is the capital of Mari El in the Volga Region of the Russian Federation. The city was founded in 1584 during the reign of Ivan IV The Terrible as a fortification post with the purpose of controlling the newly annexed Kazan Khanate. In 2018, its population was about 270,000 people.

By plane
The city is just a few hours' drive from Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan, cities with international air connections.

By car
Yoshkar-Ola sits on the northward extension of one of the main highways of the Russian Federation leading from Moscow to the industrial areas of Tatarstan, the Southern Urals, and Siberia. Samara (560 km), Nizhny Novgorod (350 km).

Public transportation
Yoshkar-Ola transport structure is represented by extensive trolleybus system (rather old in outlook and yet bringing back nostalgy of the soviet epoch), buses, and minibuses (marshrutkas) and a few taxi agencies, so-called "gipsy" taxis, which are privately owned and potentially dangerous and thus not recommended.

The cost of travel in the trolleybus and the bus is ₽13, the payment is made by the conductor. Marshrutka costs ₽15, pay the driver at the entrance. The average cost of a cab ride in the city is ₽110-150.

See
The city is home to a few cultural legacy sites, ranging between wooden mansions dating back to the 18th century and soviet neoclassicism style municipal buildings of the 1920-1960.

The city center has been renovated, and has several landmarks, including the Kremlin, and Nogotkov-Obolensky square (in honor of the city founder) distinguished by such a curiosity as the religiously designed Mari automatic clock.

Do
The city can boast of a certain level of cultural activity exemplified by theatre performances based on classical and modern works (both in Mari and Russian languages).

Buy
Mari style embroidery, wooden items such as "mari matryoshka" are a local speciality.

Eat
There are a few worthy European style cafes and restaurants in the city centre, local mari food is represented at Podkogolnaya cafe, 166 Volkova st. Traditional plates are: - sokta, - lashko, - podkogylyo, - kazh, - komanmelna, - tuara, - podkinde, - salmaginde, - puro, - eran

Go next

 * Kazan - Capital of Tatarstan
 * Nizhny Novgorod
 * Cheboksary - only two hours away