Kazan in Russian, it is Казань, capital of the semi-autonomous region of Tatarstan and one of the cities you must visit with Moscow and Saint Petersburg. This city is where Europe and Asia meet culturally, located next to the Volga and Kazanka rivers.
Kazan distinguishes itself for the Tatar culture present in the local daily life: on people’s traces, on dressing, on gastronomy, on architecture, and the Tartar language. Another particularity of Kazan is the presence of the Muslim religion, practiced in a very tolerant version without religious restrictions. In the streets, you hardly distinguish who is Muslim and who is Christian, since religion is taken only as a matter of faith.
And a very curious fact in Kazan: Muslims go for a shot of vodka after praying in the Mosque. Can you imagine it in Arabic countries, for example? Alcoholic drinks are usually very restricted in Muslim counties. Kazan is safe, I didn’t notice any sign of crime while walking day and night, even alone. As always, use common sense to keep your safety. How many days for Kazan? I recommend between 1 and 3 days, depending on how you plan your itinerary.
What to eat?
Horse meat, etchpetchmak, tchak-tchak are the dishes you have to eat when visiting Kazan. In another post, I have written about a list of dishes you must try when traveling to this city.
What to see in Kazan
Kazan Kremlin & Qul-Sharif Mosque, Ekiyat Puppet Theater, Soviet Lifestyle Museum, the football stadium of Rubin Kazan are the main places to visit. For things to do and landmarks in Kazan, click on this article.
Arriving and leaving Kazan
The train is the most practical and convenient way to travel inside Russia, that’s how I arrived from Moscow and move from Kazan to Nizhny Novgorod, and the railway station in Kazan is in the city center. Below, the time you take from Kazan to the presented cities.
By train
Kazan to Moscow: about 13 hours
Kazan to Saint Petersburg: about 22 hours
Kazan to Nizhny Novgorod: about 9 hours
Kazan to Ekaterinburg: about 14 hours
Kazan to Irkutsk: about 68 hours (2 days and a half)
Airport
The nearest airport is Kazan International Airport, located 26 km from the city. You can take domestic flights from the main Russian airports and international flights.
By Bus
Kazan to Moscow: about 14 hours
Kazan to Saint Petersburg: from 35 to 40 hours
Kazan to Nizhny Novgorod: about 8 hours
Kazan to Ekaterinburg: about 20 hours
Originally posted 2017-10-07 14:02:22.
