This year, many prefer to stay in Russia. In our country no less beautiful places and cultural attractions than abroad, besides, there is the opportunity to travel without language barriers. The specialist online store travel DaTravel.com made a selection of the best Russian cities to celebrate the coming of 2016. I want to share with you! Just don't forget that Christmas vacation should be planned in advance, at least 2-3 months, because the closer the holidays, the higher the price. And options comfortable flights, free rooms at hotels.
Saint Petersburg
Fairs, theatre performances, street concerts, lots of restaurants and cafes, snow slides and skating rinks – all these attractions are waiting for you if you decide to go to the Northern capital of our country. New year in St. Petersburg there is a real atmosphere of fun and stories, seasoned with a romantic nostalgia "ironically...". Two weeks before the holiday Nevsky Prospekt thousands of flashing Christmas lights – an unforgettable sight in the evenings! On the main street of the city from time to time passing magnificent fantastic tuple, so there is a chance to meet a real Santa Claus. The walls of the Hermitage and the General staff "come to life" whimsical patterns laser show. And on the Dvortsovaya square on the eve of new year's eve, tourists waiting for the traditional fireworks.
Be sure to visit the Christmas market on Ostrovsky square to buy gifts for themselves and their families. But if you come with children, do not forget to attach them to a traditional Russian fun: during the holidays in the Alexander garden opened a Large and Small sliding hill free of charge for everyone.
Shopping enthusiasts can indulge in a range of "Gostiny Dvor" and "Passage", and every gourmet will certainly find a cafe or restaurant choice, because in St. Petersburg there are a great many. Well, and, of course, arrange a small cultural program. Great theatre, lots of trees and a variety of circus performance in St. Petersburg will delight the most sophisticated audience.
The most luxurious and prestigious hotel of Saint Petersburg, is covered to the same historical facts and legends, perhaps "Angleterre". A good combination of price and quality and also beneficial, from the point of view of the tourist, the location can be called "Nevsky Hotel Aster" at Bolshaya Konyushennaya is within a 10 minute walk from Palace square. Well, as a budget option, though quite decent in terms of comfort – Central Street hostel, two steps from Nevsky Prospekt and the Griboyedov canal.
Kaliningrad
If you want to spend new year holidays in one of the most beautiful and unusual cities of Russia, in Kaliningrad Is special, filled with her flavor of the place, combining the features of both the Russian and the European provinces.
Tourist center of the city shifted slightly away from the municipal center, however, and he and the other in the Christmas holidays become the focus of different kinds of fairs, street performances and other festive events.
In the tourist center, which is marked by the spire of the Cathedral, the major attraction of Kaliningrad, almost no "local life": offices, miscellaneous institutions and homes. The Cathedral is known around the world as the last resting place of the great German philosopher Immanuel Kant and located in the island Park, called, respectively, the Kant island. The foot bridge over the Pregolya river connects it to the Fishing Village – ethnographic cultural complex, recently built with funds from the German patrons and recreates the atmosphere of the old Koenigsberg. For tourists, these places are remarkable, among other things, the stalls that sell Souvenirs and jewelry made of amber, as well as a great author's restaurant "the Fish Club" – tables must be booked in advance.
Island and fishing Village even during the holidays remain places of peace and tranquility, the focus of new year's commotion will be the Central square. In Kaliningrad it's worth to visit the Maritime Museum, the Botanical garden, amber Museum; and to skate and to take in the Christmas extravaganza in Central Park of Culture and Rest. By the way, snow in the "amber edge" may not be: the climate here is rather soft, warm breath of the Gulf stream and must be in pairs of aromatic mulled wine, which in Kaliningrad, as in neighboring Lithuania, you can buy in the winter at every step.
Status and a very comfortable hotel in the city centre – Radisson on Victory square. The choice is easier – the hotel "Prussia", a 20-minute walk from the centre. A great option is to stay in the city, and in one of the suburban resorts on the Baltic sea, for example, in Svetlogorsk or Svetlogorsk. The sea and the pines will be a nice addition to exploring Kaliningrad.
Kazan
To celebrate the major holidays of winter in the Eastern style, visit the ancient Kazan. Colorful holiday lights, clean streets, cheerful festivities, and the intoxicating flavors of the national cuisine – all this new year the capital of Tatarstan!
In every area of the city is preparing a festive program, but the main celebrations are held at two venues: the Millennium Park and the Palace of agriculture. And to feel the real Christmas mood with a hint of Oriental flavor, go to the Tatar father frost – the residence of Kysh Babay and his granddaughter Kar Kyzy. In the residence of the Tatar Santa Claus will take you to your childhood and will be able to take part in an interactive programme with the heroes of the Tatar fairy tales. Will teach everyone to dance traditional dances and help to learn a few Tatar words. And for lovers of active rest on the territory of the residential area is lots of fun: sledging, horse riding, playing in the snow and much more.
Kazan is famous for its historical heritage: the Kazan Kremlin, a unique leaning tower Syuyumbike, the highest mosque in Europe Kul-Sharif and an Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation, an old merchant town, the architecture of which has kept the pedestrian Baumana street. So you should devote at least one or two days to exploring the city. Also, do not miss when you visit new year Kazan the opportunity to go from winter to summer! Be sure to go for family all year and the biggest in Russia Aqua Park Riviera. In the water area of the water Park has many pools of different sizes and depths, and more than 50 different rides and attractions for every taste. Year-round outdoor pool, Riviera water temperature is maintained at + 30 °C, here you get the unusual feeling of bathing on a cold winter day. Well, of course, don't forget to try the famous local pies echpochmak, sweets chak-chak, and to take something with you as gift.
Kazan recently actively involved in international sports competitions and representative Congress, therefore, with good hotels there are no problems here. The most pathetic and popular of the Korston Royal. For those who want to relax cheaply and comfortably, is an excellent option to stay in a hotel "Capital".
Sochi
If you are tired of winter cold and missing the heat and sun, then go to the new year holidays in Sochi! This is one of the few Russian cities where no slips real Russian winter, so no snow. New year's Sochi will welcome you with warm and mild weather, bright Christmas lights and a lot of entertainment.
Only in Sochi you will be able to receive a gift on New Year's a real slice of summer: many of the hotels have heated swimming pools with sea water, in which are arranged a Christmas swim and the spectacular show on the water. In combination with palm trees and other southern vegetation such exotic New year will long remain in your memory.
But if you want to ski and play in the snow – go to the "Russian Switzerland" - skiing resort Krasnaya Polyana, which has long been chosen not only Russian, but also foreign tourists. The slopes of Krasnaya Polyana are incredibly diverse, both for beginners and for professionals. Here you will be able to rent ski, snowboard and other equipment and also have room to store it. Those who are just taking the "first steps" in the conquest of the ski slopes can take the advantage of experienced instructors, and for families with children in Krasnaya Polyana is provided a small roller coaster that you can ride on a sled.
Well, and of course, celebrating New year in Sochi, do not forget to go to the first theme Park of Russia and the first Russian Disneyland "Sochi Park! Here you will find the highest in the country sledging hill with the effect of acceleration – the dragon, the highest tower free fall with the effect of a catapult – the Firebird and only in the European part of the continent of the gravitational slide, the speeds of up to 105 km/h is the Quantum leap, as well as lots of other entertainment, shows and circus performances.
A huge number of new hotels built for the 2014 Olympics, the Western level of service, swimming pools, saunas and plenty of entertainment – all this allows Sochi easily compete with the best foreign resorts of the world. Of hotels with a good ratio price-quality it is possible to allocate the hotel "Bogatyr", which is located in the Sochi Park, hotel complex Zhemchuzhina is in the heart of the city, as well as the Azimut hotel. The most pretentious and expensive hotels are concentrated in the resort of Krasnaya Polyana. I want to highlight a luxury five-star Sochi MARRIOTT popular among ski lovers –Gorki Panorama.
Nizhny Novgorod
This city is located at the confluence of two mighty rivers-the Volga and the Oka, and around it are scattered a majestic forest. Bridges, the mighty walls of Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, where Minin and Pozharsky gathered militia, merchant's house and the Volga embankments – all this combined with the Nizhny Novgorod hospitality and a vast array of festive lights will leave in your memory the most vivid memories spent here after the Christmas holidays!
Stunning views of the Volga river and the "lower city" opens from the viewing platforms: the Azimut hotel and the monument to the pilot Chkalov, near the Kremlin. In General, an observation deck in Nizhny Novgorod it is no exaggeration to call the whole street – upper Volga embankment, – the facades of the houses which look at the Volga and Transvolga gave.
Not long ago, a unique opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the winter city, and paralyzed by the ice of the Volga from the height of bird flight appeared with the launch of the cable car, connecting Nizhny Novgorod with Zavolzhsky city of Bor. Many locals admit that I'm afraid to use it: it is very breathtaking! No wonder, because of the Nizhny Novgorod cable car is not only the longest in Europe and among cable roads used as public transportation (its length is 3 661 metres), but still the highest is 95 meters!
Walk along the main pedestrian street Bolshaya Pokrovskaya (the people it is called "Arbat of Nizhny Novgorod"). Here you can not only explore the historical centre of the city, but also to buy Christmas Nizhny Novgorod Souvenirs. Also a must to visit the Christmas street, which the citizens called "the Museum under the open sky". In the street Christmas the most important religious building of the town is the Church of the virgin Mary and the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist. Feature of the streets that all the houses were built of stone, and the oldest was built in the XVIII century.
Cafes and restaurants of Nizhny Novgorod offer their visitors a terrific new year's menu with a variety of traditional Russian dishes and original dishes from around the world. On Bolshaya Pokrovskaya you will find many beer bars, including "rest stops for tractor", "USSR", Asian restaurants and a typical European cafe, for example, Veranda. In the restaurant "Pyatkin" offers Russian native merchant of dishes - quail, sturgeon, lamb and very tasty local liqueur of blueberries and cranberries, and the restaurant "Vitalich" you can taste wild boar, moose or hare.
But if you want to charge winter energy, head out to the suburbs: in the vicinity of the Bottom, there are many hotels and sports and entertainment complexes, where you can ride on a snowmobile or sleigh pulled by three horses, enjoy a barbecue in the fresh air, to ski or to join the extreme sports, such as snowboarding and kite surfing.
Among the prestigious hotels of Nizhniy Novgorod such as the hotel Alexandrovsky garden, just a 15-minute walk from Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin and Grand Hotel Oka Premium. Among the most affordable and interesting lodging options in the immediate vicinity of the city center - hostel features original interiors, loft-style Fabrika Hostel & Gallery. The hostel is in the heart of Nizhniy Novgorod, just a 10-minute drive from Moscow train station.
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