Kazan! Two cultures in one city, and some of the best food in Russia.
Shall I start with the Kremlin?
— Sasha
Kazan
Where Europe meets Asia on the Volga
A white-stone kremlin with a mosque and a cathedral side by side, and Tatar food you won’t find anywhere else.
Sasha's picks
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The Kazan KremlinUNESCO-listed walls with a mosque and an Orthodox cathedral side by side.Half a day
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Kul Sharif MosqueBlue domes and white minarets, rebuilt inside the Kremlin and opened in 2005.Two or three hours
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The Temple of All ReligionsOne artist’s life project: domes and minarets from many faiths on one building.Two or three hours
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Bauman StreetThe pedestrian street for an evening walk, street music and chak-chak.Two or three hours
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A Tatar dinnerEchpochmak pies, kazylyk sausage and chak-chak with tea.Two or three hours
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Sviyazhsk islandAn island town of monasteries on the Volga, about an hour from the city.Half a day
When to go
May to September. Sabantuy, the Tatar summer festival, usually falls in June.
| Season | Months | What it’s like |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | Dec–Feb | Cold and clear, with the Kremlin under snow. |
| Spring | Mar–May | The Volga thaws and the city warms up by May. |
| Summer | Jun–Aug | Sabantuy festival and long evenings on the embankment. |
| Autumn | Sep–Nov | Mild in September, quiet afterwards. |
A 2-day plan
Two days is right for Kazan.
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1
The Kremlin and dinner The Kazan Kremlin · Kul Sharif Mosque · Bauman Street · A Tatar dinner
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2
The island and the temple Sviyazhsk island · The Temple of All Religions
Getting there
About an hour and a half by plane from Moscow, or overnight by train.
ROTW prices every trip for your dates, hotel level and group size. Pin what you like, send it to me, and I'll come back with a real quote.
— Sasha
Questions people ask
What languages are spoken?
Russian and Tatar are both official, and many signs are in both.
How many days?
Two days covers the city and Sviyazhsk.
Is Kazan on the Trans-Siberian?
A popular variant of the route runs through Kazan, and ROTW often starts the rail journey here.
