Izhevsk
Izhevsk (Russian: Иже́вск ee-ZHEHFSK) is the capital and principal city of Udmurtia. Very few tourists make it to this city, but is an interesting destination for anyone interested in the Udmurt people or, for that matter, the world's most popular assault rifle, the AK-47 Kalashnikov. Izhevsk is a big industrial city (700,000 residents) most famous for its armaments factories. For its military importance, Izhevsk was a closed city to all foreigners until after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It is not the most attractive city, but there is exotic food to eat, Udmurt folk dances to watch, and friendly locals who probably have never met anyone from your country!
Get in
Flights arrive in Izhevsk from Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg. The flight from Moscow takes about 2 hours.
Trains run to Izhevsk from Moscow (daily, 18 hours), Saint Petersburg (~31 hours), Yekaterinburg (11 hours), Kazan (6 hours), and Perm (10 hours).
It is also possible to arrive in Udmurtia via the Trans-Siberian Railway and take a regional train or bus from the main stop at Glazov.
Get around
Izhevsk has an efficient, regular tram service around the central city. There are also trolley buses, buses and micro-buses. Taxis are also plentiful and reasonably priced.
See
- Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
- Trinity Cemetery Church
- Kalashnikov Museum
- Circus
- Esplanade and Izhevsk Lake Embankment
- The People's Friendship Monument
- The Square of the 50th Anniversary of the October Revolution, including The Arsenal, a neoclassical building, which houses the Museum of Local Lore
- Izhmash Museum — exhibits featuring all sorts of locally produced armaments to motorcycles
- Udmurt Zoo
- Statues of Lenin, Pelmeni, Crocodile Gena
Do
- Go see the popular local ice hockey team, Izhstal.
Learn
Udmurt State University [1] has Russian language programs for interested students. It is also possible to get a teaching position in a Russian grammar school through Svezhy Veter. [2]
Buy
At the central market (beside the bus station) you can purchase many things, fruits, vegetables, meat and fish, or outside you will find clothing, fur hats and gloves household goods and a variety of other items.
Eat
- Club Kino — upscale pool hall with good Japanese food
- Kama, 3 Sovetskaya St, ☏ +7 3412 781651. 12:00–24:00. upscale Russian cuisine with a cigar bar
- Bistro Russian Bliny, 281 Kommunarov St, ☏ +7 3412 782690. Great cozy spot for delicious bliny and stuffed blinchiki
- Bistro U Nevskovo, 3 Sovetskaya St, ☏ +7 3412 782929. 11:00–23:00. Cheap, good food with karaoke
- Central Cafe, 223 Pushkinskaya St, ☏ +7 3412 435490. In the Central Hotel
- Coffee House Cafe Seven, 133 Krasnaya St, ☏ +7 3412 780831. 10:00–23:00. Good cheap spot for breakfast, cake, and/or espresso
Drink
- Babylon — upscale dance club with an internet cafe and food
- Pyatnitza (Friday) — large sports-themed dance club
- U-Dance — an older club in a bomb shelter; fairly laid back with pool rooms and gambling
- Iskra — dance club/bar/bowling alley
- Light Zone — popular dance club for the Izhevsk youth
Sleep
- Central Hotel, 223 Pushkinskaya St, ☏ +7 3412 434090. Has a billiards room
- Hotel Telekom, 36 Dzerzhinskogo St., ☏ +7 3412 445208, fax: +7 3412 445204. Has a gym, swimming pool, games room, and internet cafe
- Park Hotel, Yakshur-Bodinsky Highway (5km outside the city center), ☏ +7 3412 593759, fax: +7 3412 599475. Located in a wooded park, has a restaurant, sauna, swimming pool, gym, and tennis courts
- Hotel Okolitsa, 23a Zhivsovhoz Izhevsk, ☏ +7 3412 710183. Business traveler-friendly hotel
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