Stravropol (Ставрополь) is a city in Russia.

Understand

The city was founded in 1777. It was first a fortress to defend the Southern borders of Russia. The city's name is of Greek descent and translated as "the city of a cross". Stavropol is the capital of the Stavropol Krai (one of Russia's territorial districts). Its current population is around 350,000 people, it is a geographically and economically strategic city.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Stavropol Shpakovskoye Airport (STW  ^IATA) (15 km away from Stavropol). Small airport. Several airlines fly to Moscow, and Turkish Airlines to Istanbul. Fares from Moscow start around €35, with multiple airlines.  

You can also fly from Saint Petersburg or Moscow to Mineralnye Vody and then take a bus/minivan to Stavropol.

Or to Krasnodar with various low-cost airlines like UTair or Nordwind. Krasnodar is about 300 km from Stavropol, and it takes on average 5 hours to drive from there by bus or a minivan.

By train

• From Moscow there are three weekly departures, travel time 1 day and 9 hours. One-way prices start around 1500 руб 'Platzkart' and 2000 руб 'Kupé'. Tickets are available at the website of RZD (in English).

Eat

• "Novyj Rim" — a restaurant in the south-west district of the city, prices are relatively high;
• "Akropol" — a mainly Greek cuisine restaurant;
• "Piramida" — a new restaurant;
• "Skif" — a restaurant in the north-west district of the city;
• "Teatral'noye" — a cafe just opposite the Stavropol Drama Theatre, prices are in the upper medium range, a rather pleasant environment;
• "Shokoladnyj Pushkin" — (or Chocolate Pushkin) - a small club-like cafe almost in the city centre, prices are very affordable, witty interior, popular with the city's youth;
• Bar "Kazachok" — traditional Russian and Ukrainian cuisine;
• "Goodness" — a fast-food cafe just opposite the Salute cinema in the south-west district;
• "Flora Burger" — a fast-food cafe in the centre, the owners are Turkish, so there is some oriental touch about the American-like burgers and fries.

Drink

Night clubs and discos

• "Tovarisch" — house-cafe club
• "Amal'gama"
• "Frash"
• "Ermitage"
• "Novyj Rim"
• Molinari

Sleep

• "Novyj Rim"
• "Kontinent"
• "Turist"

Wireless internet

There was the WiFi-Anet commercial network in Stavropol.