Kazan

Kazan is, in my opinion, one of the great surprises of Russia. The capital of the Republic of Tatarstan is about 11 hours from Moscow on an overnight train (or an hour-and-a-half flight) and is a real crossroads between Europe and Asia: Orthodox domes and minarets just metres apart, Cyrillic and Tatar lettering on the signs, chak-chak in the markets. Here you’ll find my practical guides on what to see in Kazan, how to get there from Moscow, the Tatar cuisine you won’t taste anywhere else in Russia and how to plan your visit in 2 or 3 days. If you only have time for one city beyond Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Kazan is my recommendation.