The coronavirus pandemic has made adjustments to Russians' vacation plans. Many now simply do not have the money to travel to foreign resorts. And willy-nilly, we have to look for alternatives within the country.
Otkritie Bank decided to find out which domestic Russian tourist destinations can compete with foreign ones. To do this, he conducted a survey among a thousand people aged 18 to 60 years, living in cities with at least 100 thousand inhabitants, and with a median income of 30-60 thousand rubles per month. And the publication "RIA Novosti" published the results of this survey.
7.Moscow
Pervoprestolnaya is an ancient and beautiful city with a lot to see. The sights visited by the majority of tourists who come to Moscow include: Red Square, the Moscow Kremlin, St. Basil's Cathedral, Alexander Garden and Ostankino TV Tower.
To make it easier for you to plan a family or solo tour of the capital, take a look at the list from top 30 sights of Moscow and top 10 strangest places in Moscow.
6. Kazan
The best city in Russia in terms of quality of life famous not only for high salaries, but also for many beautiful and interesting places. These include:
- Family center "Kazan". The name does not deceive him, the building is indeed built in the shape of a cauldron, and rests on an impressive foundation with high windows. At a height of 35 meters, there is an observation deck, where tourists can climb on days free from weddings.
- Kul-Sharif Mosque. The most famous mosque in the city took 9 years to build and was fully completed in 2005. We recommend that you enter it as part of an excursion group, then you will have access to an observation deck, which offers a beautiful view of the city.
- The temple of all religions, built at the expense of Ildar Khanov and his associates. This building was conceived as a center of spiritual unity, and combines the architectural features of Orthodox churches, Buddhist temples, pagodas, Muslim mosques and religious institutions of other religions.
- Bauman Street is the main tourist street in Kazan, stretching for 4 kilometers and containing many shops, museums, theaters and hotels.
The Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin is already preparing for the influx of tourists from other cities of Russia and has instructed the relevant services to follow the recommendations of Rospotrebnadzor so that people who come to Kazan feel safe.
5. Altai
To enjoy the clean air, beautiful nature and ancient mountains, you don't have to travel to a distant country like Bhutan. All this can be found inside Russia, in Altai, one of the best tourist destinations in the Russian Federation.
If you want to look at the true originality of Gorny Altai, experienced tourists recommend going beyond Aktash, in the region of the Kurai and Chuya steppes.
- There is a small Karakol natural park "Uch-Enmek", which has preserved traces of ancient cultures (stone steles, burial mounds, petroglyphs, etc.).
- A little-known landmark of Altai is the Adyr-Kan complex, where you can see ancient rock paintings.
- One of the most popular (and not in vain) places in Gorny Altai is the Katu-Yaryk pass. It is famous for its beautiful views and good tourist infrastructure, including cafes, toilets and a car park.
This is only a tiny part of those places in Altai that can be visited this summer. Whichever route you choose, you will not be disappointed, and numerous recreation centers will allow you to relax not only pleasantly, but also with comfort.
4. Lake Baikal
We have already listed interesting facts about Lake Baikal in one of the articles. And here is an interesting fact for you, directly related to the summer vacation in 2020: the cheapest package tour to Lake Baikal costs 50 thousand rubles for two. It includes a week's rest with a flight from Moscow on July 14-18.
For this money, you will be able to see the most popular places of the pearl of Russia, such as Olkhon Island and Shaman-stone, visit various museums and go on water and hiking trips.
3. St. Petersburg
The cultural capital of Russia is also the water tourist capital of the country. At least, this is the opinion of Sergey Korneev, chairman of the city committee for tourism development. And if you are going to visit St. Petersburg in the near future, be sure to take a ride on one of the water trams that have returned to the waters of the Neva on June 28.
If you don't like boat trips around Venice of the North, you can always visit a huge number of museums, over 100 parks and gardens, planetarium, zoos, or just take a walk around the city enjoying its architecture. Experienced tourists are advised to look into the New Holland culture and recreation park, where lavender blooms (a great place for photo shoots), there is a children's playground, concerts and lectures are constantly held.
2. Crimea
What other place in Russia can compete with popular foreign tourist destinations in 2020 if not Crimea? This is one of popular mystical tourism destinationsfull of beautiful corners. It is ideal for those who want not only to relax, but also to improve their health. The largest medical sanatoriums and boarding houses of the Crimea are located in the resort city of Saki.
And even after air communication with Turkey is restored (this will happen from August 1), the tourist flow to Crimea will not dry out, because according to representatives of the region's tourism sector, hotels for July and August have already been booked.
1. Sochi
Russians tired of quarantine will be cured by the hot sun, beautiful nature and warm waters of Sochi. Travel agents even predict that by the end of July there may not be enough places in Sochi hotels for everyone, and they recommend booking them now.
And you believe this, considering that on June 21, the day the quarantine was lifted in the Krasnodar Territory, 83 liners landed at the airport in Sochi. And the very next day, their number increased to 117.
As for the security measures during the holiday season, then everything is sad in Sochi. The beaches are full and social distance or wearing masks and gloves can only be remembered.
Other survey results
Many survey participants (and specifically - 42%) are going to spend their vacation in full accordance with the hashtag #besthouse, or at their summer cottage. 26% of respondents dream of visiting Russian resorts, and another 15% are going to discover new places in Russia.
Another 6% of those surveyed said they were ready to travel to any foreign country that would open its borders to Russian tourists. And 19% of Russians, apparently having already taken a full spoonful of "rest" during the so-called coronavirus vacation, do not plan to take a vacation this summer.