The Chelyabinsk region is not only industry and harsh Urals. It has its own small Lake Baikal, national parks with ecotropes, and in the city itself there is a walking street called Kirovka and a beautiful embankment. We tell you what to do in these parts and why it’s worth coming here. It is not for nothing that a meteorite fell in the Chelyabinsk region in 2013, apparently, the places here are really special.
How to get there
The fastest way to get to the capital of the Southern Urals from Moscow and St. Petersburg is by plane. The journey time will be about 2.5-3 hours. You can also go by train — on average, it takes about a day and a half to go.
By car on the road you will have to spend from 19 hours from Moscow and from 25 hours from the Northern capital. To save time, you can set your route via a toll road.
The fastest way to get to the capital of the Southern Urals from Moscow and St. Petersburg is by plane. Photo: nogkin/Shutterstock.com
Where to stay in Chelyabinsk
The Pokrovsky Hotel. Stylish interior with accents and unusual details in the lobby and rooms. It is located in the historical part of the city.
The Radisson Blu Hotel. A well-known network where they try to maintain the brand and international standards of service. Gagarin Park, zoo, museums and other places are a 10-minute walk away.
“Ibis Styles Chelyabinsk”. The rooms at Styles are colorful, with space and cartoon elements — for those who love everything bright and original.
The Pokrovsky Hotel.
Apartment on Kirov. An atmospheric apartment with a view of the local Arbat — Krovka. The surroundings of this apartment are vintage and soulful. It is somewhat reminiscent of the house-museum of the writer of the XX century, only with all the benefits of modernity.
What to do in Chelyabinsk
Take a walk around Kirovka
The pedestrian part of Kirov Street is called “Chelyabinsk Arbat”, its official name is Kirovka. There are establishments, shops, a chamber cinema, hotels, and museums. For example, the “Non—Museum of Garbage” is one of the unusual and useful spaces where the issue of awareness and environmental friendliness is raised.
Various genre sculptures have been installed on Kirovka, among them a firefighter, a television camera, an artist and a “Russian Hachiko” — a monument to a dog that waited two years for its deceased owner on tram tracks. At the beginning of the local Arbat there is a monument to the founders of the city, and the end of the street is decorated with city gates.
The pedestrian part of Kirov Street is called “Chelyabinsk Arbat”, its official name is Kirovka. Photo: LesdaMore/Shutterstock.com
Spend time in Gagarin Park
Get inspired in the public library
People come to the Lenin Public Library not only to read and work, but also to enjoy the interior decoration. These are red carpets, marble columns, stucco, and most importantly, shelves with books up to the ceiling. The library building itself is an architectural monument in the strict Soviet style. Various events are held in the public house: creative evenings, concerts, exhibitions, meetings, and photo shoots.
People come to the Lenin Public Library not only to read and work, but also to enjoy the interior decoration. Photo: LIDERO/Shutterstock.com
To meet the sunset on the embankment of the Miass River
The beautification of the walking area along the Miass River began in 2021. So benches, art objects, playgrounds and convenient descents to the water appeared on the embankment. Now tourists take photos here and all strollers enjoy the sunset in the evenings.
Walk to the Alexander Nevsky Temple
It is important: until December 2024, the temple is under restoration — specialists from St. Petersburg were even invited for this purpose. Despite the scaffolding, the monument has not lost its splendor. It is especially beautiful here in summer, when there is a lot of greenery around.
When the city is explored, and the soul asks for peace and a reboot in nature, the Southern Urals is what you need. There are national parks, mountains, and even its own Lake Baikal.
The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral of 1911 is located in the middle of the picturesque Aloe Pole Park. Photo: Mikhalis Makarov/Shutterstock.com
Lake Turgoyak
Turgoyak is called “little Baikal” because of its crystal purity – the water quality is not inferior to the older comrade. The bottom is transparent and can be clearly seen in clear weather at a depth of 10-17 meters. The South Ural Mountains are located around the lake, and centuries-old relict pines grow near its shores.
How to get there
It takes 2 hours to get from Chelyabinsk by car. The nearest city to the lake is Miass, with trains and commuter trains from different cities of Russia running to it. It takes 40-50 minutes by taxi from the train station to Turgoyak.
What to see
In addition to relaxing on the lake itself, you can go to the island of St. Faith, where megaliths dating back 6,000 years have been preserved. For beautiful shots and atmospheric sunsets, go to Cape Teschin Tongue, which is located in the village of Golden Beach. From there you can still walk to Lake Inyshko and climb onthe mountain of the same name. There is a beautiful view of the surrounding area.
Turgoyak is called “little Baikal” because of its crystal purity – the water quality is not inferior to the older comrade. Photo: Nickola_Che/Shutterstock.com
Where to stay
Recreation center “Cote d’Azur”. For those who want to relax and listen to the silence. The country club has its own private sandy beach with sun loungers.
Recreation center “Ethno-complex Turgoyak”. The complex offers different categories of rooms: from austere rooms with a shared bathroom to one-room rooms with all amenities and appliances. The most interesting thing is that you can stay in a real yurt!
The Krutiki Hotel. The hotel has spacious rooms with a cozy renovation, as well as cottages for a large company. A heated pool with lake views is available for guests.
The Krutiki Hotel.
Taganai National Park
Mountain ranges, unique plants, birds and animals, rare natural attractions — all this is about the Taganay Nature Reserve. It is good here both in summer and in winter, and the most picturesque is the golden autumn. You can walk in the national park for one day, or go on an adventure with tents for several days.
How to get there
Taganay is part of the city of Zlatoust. It takes about 2.5 hours to get to it from the capital of the Southern Urals. As well as to Miass, you can get here by train or by train, and to the national park itself — by taxi or by bus in half an hour. By the way, it’s about a 40-minute drive from Miass to Zlatoust, so these two places can be visited in one trip.
What to see
There are two main routes in Taganay: upper and lower. The upper trail is steep, with ascents, and the lower one is more gentle. To reach the farthest point — the top of Dalny Taganay, it is necessary to lay a few days. Many tourists still choose to walk for several hours along a simpler path, for example, to the Kamennaya River. If you don’t have the energy and time to go far, you can go on a Seven—day trip – the new and easiest route. Only his start is not in the same place where the main trails begin, but in the southeast of the reserve. The landmark on the Zlatoust — Miass highway is the sign “Observation deck”.
Many tourists still choose to walk for several hours along a simpler path, for example, to the Kamennaya River. Photo: Aleksey Matrenin/Shutterstock.com
Sights of Zlatoust
Our guide will help you to walk around Zlatoust with good knowledge and choose your route among the endless trails of Taganay.
Where to stay
Apartments at 35 Karl Marx Street. Choose these apartments if you want not only to walk around Taganay, but also to see the city of masters. The apartment has everything to relax before hiking.
“White key”. The recreation center is a 4-minute walk from the Central Manor, the main entrance to Taganay.
Lesnaya Usadba Guest House. A log house for a large company in the village of Medvedevka with several bedrooms and two bathrooms. It takes 20 minutes to get here from Zlatoust by taxi.
Lesnaya Usadba Guest House.
Zyuratkul National Park
Another amazing nature reserve in the Southern Urals is located in the Satkinsky district. Tourists celebrate the magic of the natural places of Zyuratkul. Unlike Taganay, people usually drive to the eco—routes here – but it is important to keep in mind that the road is gravel and sometimes bad. Travelers come here to relax their souls, recharge their batteries and even test their strength: some climbs are quite difficult.
And here are the simple routes for tracking in Russia that a beginner can master, we recommended in this collection.
Travelers come here to relax their souls and recharge their batteries. Photo: DeVaul/Shutterstock.com
How to get there
From Chelyabinsk by car to the village of Zyuratkul is a little more than 200 km and 3 hours on the way. In the navigator, you need to choose the road through Magnitsky, otherwise you can get lost. Take the bus to Satka from Ufa, Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk, and from there take a taxi to the park.
What to see
Among the attractions are the mountain lake Zyuratkul at an altitude of 734 meters, the only one in the Urals, the mountains Golaya Sopka, Lukash, Bolshoy Iremel and the Yuryuzan River, along which active tourists like to kayak. From the village of Zyuratkul, you can walk along the eco-trail with gazebos. And in the house of the moose “Sochatka” — to look at the animals rescued from poachers.
Among the attractions is the mountain lake Zyuratkul at an altitude of 734 meters. Photo: Anton Buymov/Shutterstock.com
Where to stay
Guest house Home Sweet Home Zuratkul. The owners of the guest house promise a homely atmosphere and comfort. Indeed, it seems as if you are visiting your grandmother in the village.
The Zyuratkul Ecopark. The recreation center has a large territory with its own farm, rope park and Russian bath. You can stay in one of the rooms or rent a house.
Well, it’s time to be inspired by the urban and natural beauties of the harsh Southern Urals and discover the Chelyabinsk region from an unexpected side!
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Cover photo: Andrey Savelev/Shutterstock.com
