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THE PUBLICATION “NATIONAL TOURIST ROUTES OF RUSSIA” MOSCOW The cosmopolitan capital welcomes millions annually ST. PETERSBURG The Venice of the North SAMARA The ancient city on the Volga river KALININGRAD The world amber capital SOCHI A major Black Sea resort and former host of the Winter Olympic Games 26 UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES are located in Russia ESCAPE THE ORDINARY Football Guide to the 2018 FIFA World Cup hotoWligdhoaeoyrne? MOSCOW REGION LAKE BAIKAL PRIMORYE KHABAROVSK YAKUTIA KAMCHATKA 

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РЕКЛАМА 

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General Director ANTON SEMENOV Editor-in-Chief ALEXANDER KRESTNIKOV Editor, English Edition KATHLEEN ZABELINA Managing Editor DMITRY FILIPCHENKO Deputy Chief Editor OLEG ZLOBIN Art Director ARNOLD PEPLOV Prepress NADEZHDA ROMASHKINA Advertising Director NELLY KLYAGINA Advertising Manager SERGEY GRIGORYEV Director for Distribution SERGEI SOLOVYOV Proofreader GALINA KRIKUNOVA Assistant DENIS KUZNETSOV Translation APRIORI LTD. THE PUBLICATION “NATIONAL TOURIST ROUTES OF RUSSIA” PARTNERS AND DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS Austria Russisches Kultur Institutin Wien Brahmsplatz 8, 1040 Wien Österreich Argentina Casa de Rusia Av. Rivadavia 4266 Buenos Aires, CF, Argentina Belgium Centre Culturel et Scientifigue de Russie 21, rue du Meridien - 1210 Bruxelles Brazil Alameda dos Jurupis, 900, Varanda das Bosques, apto. 173 Indianopolis / CEP 04088-002 / Sao Paulo / SP Avenida das Nacoes, SES Q.801, Lote A, Brasilia-DF Great Britain Representation of Rossotrudnichestvo 37 Kensington High St, Kensington, London W8 5ED, Great Britain Hungary OroszKulturálisKözpont Hungary1062, Budapest, Andrassy út 120 Germany Russisches Haus der Wissenschaft und Kultur 101117, Berlin, Friedrichstraße 176-179 Greece Οδ.Τζαβέλλα 7, Χαλάνδρι, 15231, Αθήνα, Ελλάδα Tzavella str.7, Chalandri, Athens, Greece Denmark Vester Voldgade 11,1552 Kobenhavn V, Denmark Israel 38 Geula St., Tel Aviv, Israel 63304 India The Russian Centre of Science and Culture 24, Ferozeshah Road, New Delhi 110 001 The Russian Centre of Science and Culture 31-A, Dr. Gopalrao Deshmukh Marg, Mumbai – 400 026. Maharashtra Indonesia Russian Center for Science and Culture Jl. Diponegoro, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat 10310 Jordan The Russian Centre of Science and Culture P.O.Box 2187, Amman 11181, Jordan, 7 Shahed Ismail St., First Circl Iran The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Iran, 39, Nofel Loshato (Neauphle Le Château) St, Tehran, Iran Spain Centrorusodecienciaycultura Calle Atocha, 34, 28012, Маdrid Italy Il Centro russo di scienza e cultura Italia, Piazza Benedetto Cairoli, 6 - 00186 Roma Canada The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Canada, 285 Charlotte Street, Ottawa ON, K1N 8L5 Cyprus Russian Centre of Science and Culture Alasias 16, Nicosia 1301, P.O. Box 24561, Cyprus Alasia 16, T.K. 24561, 1301 Λευκωσία, Κύπρος China PRC, Beijing, Dongcheng district, Dongzhimennei str., 9 (NAGA), building 2. Zip code: 100007 Luxembourg Centre culturel .S.Pouchkine 32, rue Goethe / 5, rue C.M.Spoo, L-2546, Luxembourg Malaysia Russian Center for Science and Culture, 205, Lorong Ampang 2, Off Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Mexico Embajada de la Federacion de Rusia Av.José Vasconcelos 204, Col.Hipodromo Condesa, Del. Cauhtémoc, C.P. 06140, Mexico D.F. U.A.E Abu Dhabi, P.O. box 8211, Khalifa street., East Plots 65/67, building of the Russian Embassy Poland Rosyjskie Centrum Nauki i Kultury w Warszawie 00-761 Warszawa, ul. Belwederska 25 Rosyjskie Centrum Nauki i Kultury w Gdansku 80-827 Gdansk ul. Dluga 35 Portugal Representaçao de Rossotrudnichestvo na Republica Portuguesa Av. Dugue de Avila 185, 6C, 1050-082 Lisboa Republic of Korea Embassy of the Russian Federation in Korea, 34-16 Chong-dong, Chung-gu, Seoul, 100-120, Republic of Korea Slovakia Ruské centrum vedy a kultúry v Bratislave Slovakia, 81105 Bratislava, Frana Kral’a 2 Slovenia Ruski center znanosti in kulture Ciril Metodov trg 1, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia United States of America Mission of Rossotrudnichestvo in the United States of America Consulate general of Russia in New York, 9 East 91 Street, N.Y. 10128, USA Russian Center for Science and Culture, 1825 Рhelps Place, N.W. Washington DC 20008, USA Turkey Rossotrudnıçestvo’nun Türkye Cumhuryeti Temsilciliği Yıldızevler mahallezi, Çankaya konakları, Blok F, 17/17 Finland Venäjän tiede- ja kulttuurikeskus (VTKK) Helsingissä Nordenskiöldinkatu 1, 00250 Helsinki, Suomi France Le Centre de Russie pour la science et la culturе 61, rue Boissiere, 75116 Paris, France Croatia Hrvatska, 10000 Zagreb Montenegro 8100, 1 Veliše Mugoše Podgorica Czech Republic Ruské středisko vědy a kultury v Praze 160 00 Praha 6 - Bubenec Na Zatorce 16 Chile Centro de Ciencia y Cultura de Rusia Ejercito Libertador 57, Santiago Centre, Santiago de Chile Switzerland Die Vertretung der Rossotrudnichestvo in der Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft Brunnadernrain 37, CH-3006 Bern, Schweiz Sri Lanka Russian Centre for Science and Culture Sri Lanka, Colombo-7, Independence Avenue 10 South Africa South Africa, Pretoria; 316 Brooks Street, Menlo Park Japan Japan, Minatoku, Tokyo, 106-0041, Azabu-Dai 2-1-1 Embassy of the Russian Federation in Japan ON THE COVER The face of this first issue of “Tourism & Leisure in Russia” is Alexandra Lapteva: although she is only 12, Alexandra is a passionate football fan. She is very excited about the FIFA World Cup matches that will be held at Russia’s main “Luzhniki” stadium in Moscow, which will host the opening match, one semi-final and the final. Alexandra is fluent in English and French, and hopes that she will be able to volunteer for the World Cup. She has an amazing voice, and plans to devote a song to the forthcoming competition. Photo by Alyona Kunda Address of the editorial office: 127006, Moscow, Tverskaya Street, 18/1, Office 820. Tel: +7 (495) 650-02-83, 650-28-26, 650-36-63, 650-26-30. E-mail: info@rustur.ru tlrussia.com Publisher Otdyh Media Ltd. Printed in the “Deviz” Printing Complex. 195027, St. Petersburg, Yakornaya Street, 10, block 2, letter A, room 44. Tel. +7 (812) 335-18-30. Order No. ТД 5969 SUPPORTED BY A GRANT FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION FOR CREATIVE PROJECTS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE IN THE FIELD OF CULTURE AND ART. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA.ORG 

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DIRECT SPEECH Anton Semenov, General Director Otdyh Media Welcome to a new magazine that presents Russia and its tourism potential to a foreign audience in attractive full-colour format. It includes information on tourist routes covering the entire territory of Russia – including many that are new and, unlike the classic Golden Ring, not yet widely known abroad. I hope that the magazine’s informative stories and outstanding illustrations will both excite and absorb readers. Nikolai Drozdov, TV presenter, researcher, traveller I remember my journey on the icebreaker “Yamal” along the Northern Sea Route. We went onshore at the New Siberian Islands, Wrangel Island, and passed through the Bering Strait… I have been at the North Pole three times. The closer the icebreaker comes to the pole, the thicker the ice. The ship crushes it with its prow, pushing away three-meter ice blocks, which turn over with an incredible roar. The icebreaker pushes forward day and night, and you can always hear the noise, even in your cabin. You can’t help thinking, “How can the bulkheads stand it?” Kathleen Zabelina, Editor, English Edition As a foreigner who has considered Russia her fulltime home for the past eight years, it is easy to understand the growing interest in the country as an international tourist destination. Guests will be suprised by the country’s cosmopolitan cities, wealth of cultural landmarks, and plethora of natural wonders. Whether you are planning to visit Russia for business or leisure, I am sure that you will be inspired by the dynamism of Russian society and the creativity and hospitality of its people. Mikhail Kozhukhov, Journalist, traveller For a long time, I thought that the most beautiful place on Earth was the Polar Urals, with their unique mountains of amazing forms, and pure and severe beauty. Because it is difficult to get to, few people travel there. You have to go on foot for more than 100 kilometers, or fly by helicopter. But then I saw the Sikhote-Alin mountain range in autumn, and I fell in love with it. It is something incredible! Another amazing place is the Putorana Plateau. You can get there only by helicopter. Every way you look, you can always see three waterfalls. Leonid Marmer, General Director Intourist Thomas Cook Russia boasts some of the most dazzling cultural and natural sights in the world. In this issue, readers can discover some of Russia’s most popular tourist routes and destinations. Many are already famous – like the wonderful “Golden Ring” route, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017. One of the first Intourist packages, it is one of the most beautiful in the country. “Golden Ring” takes visitors to some of Russia’s most stunning and historically important towns and cities, which reveal so much about the country’s culture and traditions. Come and see it all for yourself! PHOTO FROM PERSONAL ARCHIVES 4 TOURISM & LEISURE IN RUSSIA NATIONAL TOURIST ROUTES 

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Contents ESCAPE THE ORDINARY PHOTO: ISTOCK / PYOTR NIKITIN / TASS PHOTO AGENCY / VISUALRIAN 17 Solovki 12 A Treasure Map A tourist route is not just a line connecting several points on the map: cities and sights are united by a important in the life of the “leader of the world proletariat”, Vladimir Lenin: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ulyanovsk and Kazan. shared idea and concept. Learn more about Russia’s famous “Golden Ring” 36 Five Jewels Close to Moscow More than 6,000 cultural and other national tourist heritage sites are concen- 26Ural routes. trated in the cities and 34 The Red Route This is a cultural and educational tour, which includes a visit to four cities towns around the Russian capital. The most popular 50 The Bright Colours tourist destinations are of Primorye Sergiyev Posad, Kolomna, The warm sea, high Istra, Klin and Dmitrov. mountains, unique sites Sakhalin 40 A Gateway to Russia’s Illustrious Рast of nature, modern health resorts, nature reserves and national parks all come together in the Far 52 Situated in the centre East region. of St. Petersburg, the 62iconic Belmond Grand Hotel Europe is a short walk from the city’s most famous sights. 42 The Bay of Red Pebbles Vladivostok landscape photographer Vitaly 54 On the Banks of the Amur River Khabarovsk Territory is one of the most interesting, beautiful and mysterious regions of Russia’s Far East. 58 Marvels of Kamchatka Berkov climbs the highest Yakutia peaks in Primorye, crosses Immerse yourself mountain ranges, and goes in the bright and on extreme expeditions – unusual world of one sometimes all for the sake of the most mysterious of a single, unique photo- regions of Russia – the graph. Republic of Sakha. 

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76 000Kazan Taking part Finlytihneg”“EkaitsКeyазань fnfcd“eeaKomeusmnaartbitrziinaelvatygnsanhtklct”e,h.meoвУфФлзвnenмроеeчееtезгеntасrскдhмеeтtсто,вуeтияи”ншв“всиавЛаонлцлреКыяаьтеахаввзт-оаьни нований на набережной у центра семьи “Казан”. 

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58 Yakutia The Summer fes tival “Yhyakh”, with the traditional Algys rite of blessing – feeding the fire. Kumys (fermented mare’s milk) and Siberian pancakes are given to the spirits of the upper world. 

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Contents ESCAPE THE ORDINARY 62 The Land of Bears Pyotr Nikitin recently went to the Kronotsky Reserve as a volunteer and is now taking photographs of the volcanoes of Kamchatka, the Kurile Lake, geysers and brown bears. 68 Football for Everyone! In the summer of 2018 the FIFA World Cup will take place in Russia. “TLR” has prepared a guide to the 11 cities that will be hosting World Championship matches. 98 Ulyanovsk – Centre of Hospitality The city of Ulyanovsk will be a connecting link between the host cities of the World Cup. In the city and its surrounding areas, there are approximately 100 hotels and tourist bases. 100 The Moscow Region Awaits Fans Guests coming to Russia to attend World Cup matches can experience different facets of Russian culture. 102 “FGolokldSehnowRing” The Russian folk show “Golden Ring” allows viewers to see the diversity of Russian traditions and cultures, without leaving Moscow. 104 The Sanduny “Palace of Bathing” Public Russian baths are an amazing, deeply national and cultural phenomenon. They are a trademark of Russia along with samovar, balalaika, vodka and caviar. 106 Lake Baikal Who doesn’t dream of visiting the deepest lake on the planet, Lake Baikal, at least once in their life? Photographer and traveller Anton Agarkov shared his impressions with us. 114 An Unconquered Mountain Pass How two Russians rescued three foreign motorcy- clists who got stuck in the Caucasus mountains this summer. 120 Handmade Masterpieces Here is our “Top 10” list of most popular handicraft items, some of which have traditions that date back centuries. 124 Let’s Go to Russia! How to apply for a Russian visa? What is the difference between a tourist visa and a private visa? What kind of visa do children need? What are the rules for bringing in medicines and currency, and exporting valuables? 126 Calendar of Events Around the regions: some of the holidays and festivals that tourists can enjoy in 2018. 126 Yaroslavl Shrovetide week. The ancient Slavic holiday people still love to celebrate. 88 Samara 102Moscow 96Sochi PHOTO: ARTHUR DEMCHENKO / ISTOCK / TASS PHOTO AGENCY 

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NEWS Regions Elbrus A RECORD ASCENT Zinovy Slavinsky from Nizhny Novgorod has climbed Mount Elbrus at the age of 87, breaking the world record for that ascent. The previous record had belonged to the Ukrainian alpinist, Vladimir Monogarov, who in 2006 conquered Elbrus at the age of 80. For Slavinsky, climbing Elbrus is not his first such climbing record – in 2016, he climbed to the top of Mount Kazbek. During daily training he climbed the Volga slope, with a height about 40 meters, 25 times. In addition, over the past 50 years Slavinsky has never used lifts, and eats just once a day. PHOTO: ISTOCK / LADY.MAIL.RU / ROMAN ASKAROV / RUSSIAN MOUNTANEERING FEDERATION St. Petersburg ST. PETERSBURG LEADS AGAIN The award ceremony of the most prestigious international tourism competition, the World Travel Awards, took place at the Ethnographic Museum in St. Petersburg. The city received the right to host the ceremony due to the fact that it had already won prizes in the competition twice before. This year Russia’s Northern Capital was the victor in the “Best European City Direction 2017” nomination. “Tourism is an excellent means of communication between countries and peoples, it makes our world brighter and kinder,” said Georgy Poltavchenko, Governor of St. Petersburg. The 190th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian writer Count Leo Tolstoy will be marked on 9 September 2018. THE FLOATINGArkhangelsk Moscow DELICACIES FOR DARRA Darra Goldstein, the American professor of Russian who is an author of popular cookbooks, came to the Arkhangelsk Region to study Pomor cuisine, the cooking of Northern Russian. The first stop on her trip around the Russian North were the Solovetsky Islands, where she was treated to herring, salted herring, halibut, cod, salad from kelp with carrots and marmalade on agar-agar, and wicker nuts with blueberries and cottage cheese cakes. Darra herself admits that she adores cloudberries, and her favourite dish is salmon pie. Her impressions and materials collected from the trip will form the basis of her new book. BRIDGE CELEBRATIONS OF THE 870TH ANNIVERSARY OF MOSCOW INCLUDED THE OPENING OF THE NEW ZARYADYE PARK IN THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL. T he first major park created in the city for 50 years, its construction cost the city some $250 million. On the territory of the park, there are four landscape zones that are typical of Russia – forest, tundra, steppe and flood meadows. The park also houses a concert hall, a scientific and education centre, an “Ice Cave”, an exhibition and cultural complex, and a media centre. Its most impressive construction is the “floating bridge” observation platform which offers majestic views of Moscow, stretching 70 meters in length without supporting structures. 10 T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S 

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GUIDES National Tourist Routes Marble canyon in the “Ruskeala” mountain park in the Sortavala district of Karelia. 12 T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S 

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PHOTO: VISUALRIAN MapA TREASURE A TOURIST “ROUTE” IS NOT SIMPLY A LINE CONNECTING DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ON THE MAP. CITIES AND SIGHTS ARE UNITED BY A SHARED IDEA OR CONCEPT THAT SETS THE MOOD FOR ANY TRIP. EVEN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES, WHEN CONNECTED ON A WELL THOUGHT-OUT ROUTE, WILL SPARKLE IN NEW COLOURS – LIKE PRECIOUS STONES THAT SHINE MORE BRIGHTLY WHEN LINKED IN SOME ORNAMENT. IT IS NO ACCIDENT THAT THE NAMES OF SOME OF THE BEST KNOWN RUSSIAN TOURIST ROUTES ARE NAMED AFTER JEWELLERY. Text: ANNA MAKAROVA N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A 13 

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