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Nizhny Novgorod (Russian: Ни́жний Но́вгород NEEZH-nee NOHV-guh-ruht), colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is Russia's fifth largest city, ranking after Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg. It had a population in 2005 of 1,297,600. It is the economic and cultural center of the vast Volga economic region, and also the administrative center of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and Volga Federal District.

From 1932 to 1990 the city was known as Gorky (Го́рький), after the writer Maxim Gorky. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the old name was restored.

Do not confuse Nizhny Novgorod with Novgorod (or, fully, Veliky Novgorod), which is a different city. In particular, do not shorten the name Nizhny Novgorod to Novgorod.

Understand

Map
56°19′43″N 44°0′7″E
Map of Nizhny Novgorod

History

The city was founded by Grand Duke George II of Russia in 1221 at the confluence of two most important rivers of his principality, the Volga and the Oka. Its name literally means Newtown the Lower, to distinguish it from the older Novgorod. A major stronghold for border protection, Nizhny Novgorod fortress took advantage of a natural moat formed by the two rivers.

Along with Moscow and Tver, Nizhny Novgorod was among several newly founded towns that escaped Mongol devastation on account of its insignificance and grew up into important centers of Russian political life during the period of Tatar yoke. For a short period of time it was the capital of the Suzdal Principality and competed with Moscow for the power in the region. However the competition with Moscow was lost and in 1392 the city was incorporated into Muscovy. Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin was built in 1508-1511 (under supervision of the Italian fortress engineers) and became one of the strongest Russian citadels. There is a legend saying that the project was initially developed with participation of Leonardo da Vinci. However there is no documented proof of Leonardo's work for that project, the only thing the legend is based on is the striking resemblance of Leonardo's sketches and the actual Kremlin schemes. The fortress was strong enough to withstand Tatar sieges in 1520 and 1536.

In 1612, the so-called national militia, gathered by a local merchant Kuzma Minin and commanded by Knyaz Dmitry Pozharsky expelled the Polish troops from Moscow, thus putting an end to the Time of Troubles and establishing the rule of the Romanov dynasty.

In 1817, the Makaryev Monastery Fair, one of the liveliest in the world the 16th-18th centuries, was transferred to Nizhny Novgorod, which thereupon started to attract numerous visitors and by the mid-19th century it turned Nizhny Novgorod into trade capital of the Russian Empire.

Under the Soviet period, the trade connections of the city were abandoned and Nizhny Novgorod became an important industrial centre instead. During the communist time the city was closed to foreigners to safeguard the security of Soviet military research. The physicist and the Nobel laureate Andrei Sakharov was exiled there during 1980-1986 to limit his contacts with foreigners.

Climate

Nizhny Novgorod
Climate chart (explanation)
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation+Snow totals in mm
Averages of Nizhny Novgorod
Imperial conversion
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1.7
 
 
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

The climate in the region is humid continental and it is similar to the climate in Moscow, although colder in winter, which lasts from late November until late March with a permanent snow cover.

Districts

█ Avtozavodsky
█ Kanavinsky
█ Leninsky
█ Moskovsky
█ Sormovsky 		█ Nizhegorodsky
█ Prioksky
█ Sovetsky

The city is divided by the river Oka into two major parts: the Upper city (Nagornaya chast) on the hilly right side and the Lower city (Nizhnyaya or Zarechnaya chast — what literally means "the part over the river") on the left bank of the river. The Upper city is the old historical part of Nizhny Novgorod, whereas the Lower city is larger, newer and consists of more industrial districts.

The Upper city is administratively divided into three districts (rayons):

  • Nizhegorodsky (the central historical part, plus the part along the river Volga)
  • Prioksky (is situated along the river Oka)
  • Sovetsky

The districts of the Lower city:

  • Kanavinsky (Kananvino)
  • Sormovsky (Sormovo)
  • Avtozavodsky (Avtozavod)
  • Moskovsky
  • Leninsky

Get in

By train

The train station in Nizhny Novgorod is located in the northern part of the city centre, near the Metromost Bridge. It is reachable via the metro. The main hall of the train station is beautiful and includes a chandelier as well as soviet-style mosaics symbolizing the life of Russian people.

See also: Trans-Siberian Railway

All Trans-Siberian trains stop at Nizhny Novgorod.

When searching timetables and fares on the RZD website, enter "Nizhniy Novgorod" as the station for Nizhny Novgorod.

There are several options for train travel to/from Moscow including high speed Sapsan trains (3.5 hours, RUB1,200-1,700) and slower late night trains (7 hours, from RUB700). Trains are generally cheaper if purchased in advance. Most trains to/from Moscow arrive to/depart from Moscow's Kursky or Yaroslavsky train stations.

There are 2 daily overnight trains to/from Saint Petersburg (15-16 hours, from RUB900).

There are also direct train connections with Vladimir, Dzerzhinsk, Kazan, Samara, Kirov (6-7 hours, from RUB550), Yaroslavl (9 hours, from RUB450), Kungur (16 hours, from RUB1,200), Yekaterinburg, (20 hours, from RUB1,400), Novosibirsk (40 hours, from RUB2,500), Irkutsk (69 hours, RUB10,000), Astrakhan, Simferopol, Novorossiysk (52 hours, from RUB1,900), Vladivostok, Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and many other cities. Suburban commuter trains connect Nizhny Novgorod with towns within 200km of the city.

By plane

Strigino Airport, (GOJ  IATA), +7 800 100-03-33, also known as Nizhny Novgorod International Airport, is 20km southwest of the city centre. The airport serves over 1.2 million passengers per year. There are regular flights to many major Russian cities including Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Samara, Surgut, and Yekaterinburg, as well as international flights to Tashkent, Yerevan, Osh, Prague, Dushanbe, and Dubai. In addition, Dexter Air Taxi operates flights on small planes to nearby cities in Russia such as Kirov and Perm.

The airport is connected to the city by public transport including buses 11, 20, T-29, T-46. The journey by public transport to the city centre takes approximately 1 hour. A taxi ride takes around 30 minutes and should cost under RUB1,000 if negotiated in advance.

By car

Nizhny Novgorod is situated on the M7/E30 road. The road is in decent condition, although with traffic it can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours to drive to/from Moscow.

By bus

There are several stops for buses arriving in Nizhny Novgorod; however, departing buses leave from either Kanavinskaya bus station, near the railroad station, for buses going to points north and west, and the main bus station (Avtovokzal) near pl. Lyadova, for the buses going to points south and east.

Buses are generally uncomfortable and slower than the trains.

MR Trans operates buses to/from Moscow (9 hours, RUB600-1,000), Yoshkar-Ola, Kazan, Cheboksary, and other nearby cities.

By boat

Turflot, Infoflot, and many other companies operate multi-day river cruises down the Volga from early May to the end of September.

Many companies operate ferries between Moscow and Astrakhan, with stops at most cities along the Volga River.

Get around

By foot

The city centre is compact and walkable. However, there are many inclines or steps from the river banks. The bridges are not pedestrian friendly since the sidewalk is very narrow and cars drive extremely fast close to the pedestrians.

Via public transport

Metro in Nizhny Novgorod

There is a network of trams, trolleybuses, buses, marshrutkas and a 2-line metro system. Google maps can be used for directions via public transport.

The fare on public transport is RUB16 per ride and operating hours are generally 05:15am to midnight.

On surface public transport (trams, trolleybuses, buses and marshrutkas) you are expected to pay within one stop after you enter, the fare is fixed for one ride. A konductor who will come to you, take money and issue a ticket; if there is no konductor, you should pay directly to the driver. Both the driver and konductor will give change if needed, although notes of RUB1,000 and larger are sometimes denied. It is best to have exact change ready.

Marshrutkas do not stop at every stop. To indicate your intention to exit a marshrutka, press a button and to indicate your intention to enter a marshrutka en-route, you need to wave your hand.

The metro consists of 2 lines and 14 stations, with more stations planned in the future. The system was designed during Soviet times and stops are located near factories and industrial areas. However, the demographics have shifted and as a result, the metro is not as useful as it once was and surface transport is more popular and more crowded. The metro system uses tokens that can be purchased in the stations. The 2 lines intersect at Moscovskaya Metro Station. This is the only metro station in the ex-USSR with 4 adjacent tracks.

By bicycle

Nizhny Novgorod does not have any bicycle infrastructure such as bike lanes or parking and cycling is prohibited within the Kremlin and on part of Malaya Pokrovskaya Street. However, many locals still travel by bicycle.

The upper city is very hilly and full of steep inclines and even many locals will get off their bicycles and push their bikes up the hill by foot. Drivers can be reckless and pose a danger to cyclists. The roads can also be icy during the winter.

Bike rental

See

The Kremlin
Exhibition Hall of the Fair

Streets and squares

  • 1 The Kremlin (Кремль). Is worth a wander around and contains a church, war monument with eternal flame, a reasonable art museum and impressive views along the Volga River. Also you can take a walk atop (inside) the Kremlin's wall in summer (roughly from May to October), the entrance is by the stairs set a bit off the wall inside the Kremlin near the main entrance via Dmitrievskaya tower, the latter being one of Nizhny Novgorod's symbols. 
  • 2 Minin and Pozharsky Square (площадь Минина и Пожарского). The main square of Nizhny, at the south-east side of the Kremlin. A wide stairway (the Chkalov Steps) descends from the Chkalov Monument to the Volga waterfront to the north. Also take a walk along a path goes from the square round the western part of Kremlin wall. 
  • 3 Bolshaya Pokrovskaya st. (ул. Большая Покровская). A pedestrian street, the main street of the city. Street vendors, souvenirs, shops and main restaurants, and several museums including the museum of Russian traditional art. 
  • 4 Rozhdestvenskaya st. (ул. Рождественская). Parallel to Oka river under the hill, this street contains a lot of XIXth century buildings in rather good condition. The street was renovated in 2012, half-width becoming pedestrian, and now serves as a location for different festivals and events. 
  • 5 Ilyinskaya st. (ул. Ильинская). Merchant buildings of XIX century (and a few even older), some in good condition, some in rather worse one. The street is going to be renovated in 2013-14. Also interesting is the whole area around Ilyinskaya st., especially the small streets between it and Fedorovsky embankment — many old buildings, including wooden ones, still exist there, and the general quiet atmosphere of streets is quite different from what you see in other parts of central Nizhny. 
  • 6 Varvarskaya st. (ул. Варварская). Late XIX century houses, unfortunately intermixed with early-XXI century ones. 

Embankments

The Upper city is hilly and the slopes start not far from the waterfront, therefore in addition to embankments proper — the streets that run along the water — there is another kind of streets that are also called embankment. These are the streets running along the top of the hill slope, thus having a view of the rivers and opposite banks from about 100-150 meters above. The latter are great for walking, offering far-reaching views and good winds from the river.

  • 7 Upper Volga embankment (Верхневолжская набережная, Verkhnevolzhskaya nab.). Runs above Volga from Minin square to Sennaya square. Offers views over Volga, and also has some old, but mostly well-preserved buildings worth seeing. 
  • 8 Fedorovsky embankment and Zalomov street (Набережная Федоровского, улица Заломова). Above Oka, starting not far from Kremlin and going south. There are several ways of accessing it from Bolshaya Pokrovskaya, all involving going by small side-streets; the old buildings on these are worth seeing on their own. You can also attempt climbing any of numerous stairways from Rozhdestvenskaya street. The embankment itself offers views over the Lower part of the city, and northwestwards views along Volga. Some festivals and events are sometimes held there; the hill slope has lots of paths and is very walkable. Also there are two pedesterian bridges — and a third one from Zalomov street, which leads to a small area of old wooden houses. 
  • 9 Shveitzariya park (Парк Швейцария, literally Switzerland park), along Gagarin Ave, . Although not a street and not an embankment, the park is located on the slope of high Oka bank and has a lot of walking paths with views of the opposite Lower part of the city. The nature is said to be reminiscent of Swiss, and the park owns its name to this fact. Also contains a zoo, an observation wheel, and numerous cafes. 

Buildings

  • 10 The building of State Bank (Здание Государственного Банка), 26 Bolshaya Pokrovskaya st (on the corner of Gruzinskaya Грузинская street). The building itself is notable for its architectural style. It was built in early XX century for the State Bank, and still is occupied by the Nizhny Novgorod branch of Central bank of Russia. The interiors of the building are also beautiful, but it is really difficult to get into; generally, the visitors are allowed only in groups with pre-arrangement. Only one day a year, in May, the building is opened to anyone wishing. 
  • 11 The main building of Nizhny Novgorod Fair (Главное здание Нижегородской ярмарки), 13 Sovnarkomovskaya st. Совнаркомовская ул. The XIX century building that used to be the main building of Nizhny Novgorod Fair, one of the main merchant's trading place in second half of XIX century in Russia. Now it is the center for different expositions, exhibitions and conferences. 
  • 12 Stroganov's church (Церковь Собора Пресвятой Богородицы (Строгановская)), 34a Rozhdestvenskaya st. One of the most famous churches in Nizhny Novgorod, built in late XVII century by the merchant G.D. Stroganov, and known after his name. Bears a distinctive architectural style. 
  • Several XVII-century brick houses:
    • 13 Peter the Great's house (Домик Петра (Дом Чатыгина)), 27 Pochainskaya st. ул. Почаинская. Here, as it is said, Russian emperor Peter the Great have stayed twice during his visits to Nizhny. 
    • 14 Pushkinov's house (Палаты Пушкинова), 52 Gogol street ул. Гоголя (near the end of the street, surrounded by Soviet-time and more modern buildings). 
    • 15 Olisov's house (Палаты Олисова), 7 Krutoy per. Крутой пер. Probably the most beautiful of these old houses. In addition, separated by a small park from the hill slope that goes down Oka and Volga, it is not so overdominated by neighboring modern houses. A church nearby is also of XVII century. 

Museums

  • 16 Museum-house of the writer Maxim Gorky, 19 Semashko st. ул. Семашко, ☏ +7 831 436 15 29. A big house with several rooms keeping the atmosphere of the 1900s. 
  • 17 Museum-flat of Andrey Sakharov, 214 Gagarin ave. (пр. Гагарина) (inside an apartment building), ☏ +7 831 466 86 23. The memorial flat of Andrey Sakharov, the father of the H-bomb, dissident, human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. 
  • 18 Russian museum of photography, 9a, Piskunov st. (ул. Пискунова), ☏ +7 831 434 25 23, +7 831 437 37 43. Old photos of Nizhny Novgorod, old photographic equipment, often different expositions. 
  • 19 Museum of steam engines (200m away from the suburb station "Nizhny Novgorod Sortirovochnaya"). 15 engines constructed before 1950 in various countries 
  • 20 History Museum of Nizhny Novgorod automobile plant (GAZ), 95 Lenin ave. (пр. Ленина). 8:30-16:00 Mo-Fr. 
  • Nizhny Novgorod State Museum of History and Architecture (Нижегородский государственный историко-архитектурный музей заповедник), ☏ +7 831 422-10-80, .  It's an organization running several museums each holding some exhibitions and organizing different events:
    • 21 Rukavishnikovs' house (Усадьба Рукавишниковых), 7 Upper Volga Embankment Верхневолжская набережная. One of the most beautiful XIX-century houses in Nizhny Novgorod which once belonged to one of richest Nizhny Novgorod men. With exterior and interior kept to its original state, the museum organizes tours of the house, keeps some exhibition of the history of Nizhny Novgorod, and often holds different events. 
    • 22 Nizhny Novgorod Povolzhye Peoples' Architecture and Life Museum (Музей архитектуры и быта народов Нижегородского Поволжья), 41 Gorbatovskaya st. Горбатовская ул. (Near the end stop of bus 28, on the edge of Schelkovsky Khutor park), ☏ +7 831 422-10-88. 10:00-16:00 except Mondays. A collection of old (1600s-1800s) wooden buildings (houses, churches, etc.) moved here from different villages of Nizhny Novgorod oblast. Many buildings are open, and you can walk in and see interior, etc. From time to time hosts different events. 
    • 23 Nizhny Novgorod oblast handicraft museum (Музей истории художественных промыслов Нижегородской области), 43 Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Большая Покровская (Entrance through the side arch). Exposition of old Russian handicraft. 

Monuments

  • Monument to Valery Chkalov, the famous test pilot of the 1930s, known for his ultra long flight from Moscow to Washington State via the North Pole.
  • Maxim Gorky, at the square named after him
  • Alexander Pushkin (at the entrance to the Theatre of Opera and Ballet)
  • Prince George and Saint Simon of Suzdal (inside the Kremlin).

Religious

  • Pechersky Ascencion Monastery, near Sennaya Square a couple miles east of downtown, halfway down the slope to Volga. With a cathedral and several churches surrounded by a restored stone wall, the monastery is the seat of the archbishops of Nizhny Novgorod.
  • A big variety of other churches and convents.

Do

  • 1 Zeleny Gorod (Зеленый Город, lit. Green City) (By bus from Sennaya bus station, or by car in the direction of Kstovo and Kazan. There are two roads leading from Nizhny to Kstovo, one along Larin street, the other along Rodionov street; you need to turn to Zeleny Gorod right before the two roads merge). Formally a part of Nizhny Novgorod, this forested area is located south from Upper part of the city, on the slope down to Kudma river and contains many resort facilities. It is a good place to go hiking in summer and to swim in the small Kudma river. There is also an artificial waterfall (concrete dam) in the upper part of Kudma, which is a good hiking destination if you are already in Zeleny Gorod (although definitely not worth a separate trip from Nizhny). You can also attempt bathing there, although be aware of lots of dangerous objects in the stream. 
  • Jet fighter flight on Sokol Airbase in MiG Jets, Nizhny Novgorod, MiGFlug & Adventure GmbH, Badenerstrasse 286, 8004 Zurich, ☏ +41 44 500 50 10, . Very nice but expensive experience. The customer can fly itself under close watch of the pilot. Supersonic flights and stratospheric Edge of Space flights are possible €12,500 for a MiG-29 Fulcrum flight including transfer from Moscow and all preparations. 
  • Go to Bor. Bor Бор is a town on the opposite bank of Volga river. There is nothing particularly interesting in the town itself, but a trip across Volga to Bor and back is worth doing for its scenery. There are two worth-taking ways of reaching Bor, you can combine them, although in such a case you will have to navigate the town to find the path from one station to another:
    • 2 Nizhny Novgorod cable car (Нижегородская канатная дорога), 8a Kazan embankment Казанская набережная (Nizhny Novgorod station); 12 Lunacharskogo st. ул. Луначарского, Bor (Bor station), ☏ +7 831 411-9268, +7 831 424-90-09 (autoinformer). Cable car goes above Volga, offering views of Nizhny Novgorod and opposite bank of the river. From any place on the Upper Volga embankment you can see in the distance to the East the supporting towers and the cabins. The Nizhny Novgorod station itself is not easy to find, but look for two high round-shaped apartment towers near Sennaya square, and go past them along Sechenov street ул. Сеченова, then past a mosque towards the Volga bank; also look for signs "Канатная дорога". Note that the service is often interrupted, both due to weather such as strong winds, or for maintenance. RUR 80 single ride. 
    • 3 Logoprom's air-cushion vehicle (Судно на воздушной подушке (Логопром)), ☏ +7 831 229-99-99. Air-cushion vehicle depart from a berth under Alexandrovsky sad and arrive to a berth on the opposite bank of Volga. Free buses take passengers to Minin square in Nizhny and to Market square in Bor. Runs all year except short breaks in spring and late autumn. RUR 90 one ride. 
  • Team Gorky (Команда Горький), 40 Let Octiabrya street, 1A, ☏ +7 831 278-94-04, . Apart from different adventure tours all over Russia, they offer some canoeing and flatwater rafting within Nizhny Novgorod region along small rivers flowing through forests and fields. From 6500 RUR for a weekend tour. 
  • 4 Nizhny Novgorod planetarium (Нижегородский планетарий), 20 Revolutsionnaya st. (ул. Революционная), ☏ +7 831 272-50-94, 831 246-70-65, . Different programs, mainly for children, but some for adults too. Has also a simulator for space rendezvous of Soyuz spaceship and the International Space Station. 
  • 5 Nizhny Novgorod circus (Нижегородский цирк), 32 Kommunisticheskaya st. (ул. Коммунистическая), ☏ +7 831 246-40-00, +7 831 246-246-1. 
  • 6 Limpopo zoo (Зоопарк Лимпопо), 7B Yaroshenko st (у. Ярошенко, 7Б) (on the edge of Sormovo park), ☏ +7 831 271-67-37, +7 831 416-14-14, . 10:00-20:30, ticket office closes at 19:30. A zoo with different animals, features a "contact zone" where you can walk among different non-dangerous animals. The area consists of two separate parts within 60 meters walking distance, one ticket is valid for entering both areas. You can access the entrances to the zoo both from Yaroshenko street and from Sormovo park via a pedestrian bridge. 300 RUR. 

Winter sports

During winter, with permanent snow cover, Nizhny offers different possibilities for winter sports. Some of them are listed below.

  • Skating is possible on many open ice rinks, starting from a hockey-rink-sized ones, often located near schools, poorly-maintained, lacking any room where you can left your belongings, but free for entrance, up to soccer-sized (and more) stadiums with proper infrastructure, skates rent and paid entrance.
    • 7 Trud stadium (Стадион Труд), 30 Yubileyny bulvar (бульвар Юбилейный) (The access to the stadium is via a bridge over a small river), ☏ +7 831 225-68-94, +7 831 222-27-57, fax: +7 (831) 225-12-73. Fri-Sun evenings. A big open stadium with cooling machines allowing to maintain ice quality even when the air temperature is above freezing (up to 10 C); therefore it is open roughly from end of October to start of April and has probably the best ice in the city. During this period, the stadium is a place for lots of competitions and sport events, but on Fri-Sun evenings (roughly from 16:00-18:00 till 20:00-21:00, better check before you go) it is open for public skating. It is also open for public skating every evening during public holidays, most notably in the first week of January. Have skate rent service and a cloakroom inside a small building; also rooms where you can change your boots to skates. You will also find stalls selling hot tea and snacks inside. Being the most popular of skating venues in Nizhny, it is often overcrowded. Come early if you want to experience good ice, as it is renewed every day before the stadium opens, and then gets worse (and really bad) during the evening with all the crowds rushing there. 150 RUB entrance, 100 RUB per one hour skates rent. 
    • 8 Dinamo stadium (Стадион Динамо), 53 Bolshaya Pokrovskaya (Большая Покровская) (entrance through the arch to the left of October (Октябрь) cinema), ☏ +7 831 433-78-73, fax: +7 (831) 278-01-74. Another big open stadium with public skating almost every evening during winter. There is no cooling machines, so there is no skating in October and November and usually December too; only when day temperatures settle below freezing they make ice on the stadium. Even after this, the ice quality may be not the best, especially during periods when air temperature rises back to freezing. However, for its location in the city center and because it is open almost every day and for longer hours than Trud, it is also popular. Has skate rent service and a cloakroom inside a small building, you can change boots to skates in a long hall there. 
    • Mega shopping mall has also a very small skating rink at the main hall, but it's of interest only during summer, when big skating rinks do not work.
  • Cross-country skiing is possible in many Nizhny Novgorod parks and in many forests surrounding the city; almost in every park you will find a circular ski track for classical skiing. Bigger forested areas, primary Schelkovsky Khutor (Щелковский Хутор) and adjacent Ankudinovsky forest (Анкудиновский лес) in the Upper city, and Dubravy forest (Дубравный) in the furthermost Sormovo have much more of classical and skating ski tracks. However, the infrastructure for ski rent is not widespread. Note also that most of the tracks have no lighting, so skiing after roughly 15:00, when it starts becoming darker, will not be pleasant.
    • 9 Ski rent at school 135 (Прокат лыж в школе 135), 22 Koreyskaya st. (ул. Корейская) (in the basement, entrance from the back side of the school building). A ski rent office near Schelkovsky Khutor forest. You can leave your belongings there and have a cup of hot tea on return. 
  • 10 Khabarskoye sport club (Спорткомплекс Хабарское), Khabarskoye village, 1 Nagornaya st. (деревня Хабарское, ул. Нагорная, 1) (roughtly 30 km from the city boundary, near Bogorodsk town, on the high bank of Oka), ☏ +7 831 438-66-05, +7 910-873-11-82, . Downhill skiing on a steep hills of high bank of Oka river outside of city. However, it is not that simple to reach them. 

Buy

Souvenirs

Apart from simple souvenirs like thick pencils with city name, which are present in every Russian city with just the name changed, and have nothing to do with Russian traditions, there are some souvenirs that are really Russian and really Nizhny-Novgorodian. The most important and famous are Khokhloma gold-red-black painted wooden items such as tableware and furniture; Khokhloma is actually a village in Nizhny Novgorod oblast, a traditional center for the craft.

Also there are other traditional Russia souvenirs such as Gorodets-style painted wooden items, and lots of different Matryoshkas.

You can find lots of souvenirs on street stalls along the pedestrian part of Bolshaya Pokrovskaya street (especially in its upper and further from Kremlin part), and in some stalls inside Kremlin. There are also several stands inside the train station building, both on the ground floor and in the basement.

  • 1 Khudozhestvennye Promysly (Художественные промыслы, lit. Handicraft), B. Pokrovskaya, 43, ☏ +7 433-61-63, toll-free: 800-250-46-48, . 10:00-20:00. Lots of Khokhloma items, matreshkas, and other traditional craft items. Also some simpler souvenir stalls inside. 

Grocery

There are many small local grocery shops (продукты) in Nizhny Novgorod, but you are advised to shop in slightly more respectable chain self-service supermarket stores listed below. There are lots of stores for each chain, so only a couple of center-most are listed for each chain. The quality of food is generally good in every store, but you are advised to check the expiry dates on the items that do not last long (such as dairy products). Also note the common trick employed by store owners: on the shelfs you will often find the same items, but with different production dates, and facing you on the shelf are the oldmost items, while the freshmost are somewhere in the back of the shelf.

  • Магнит (Magnit, lit. Magnet) are cheap but basic stores. Do not expect anything beyond simple food (some stores also have basic household chemical goods). But if you want just a slice of bread, a bottle of milk or yogurt, simple cheese or cookies, beer or water, etc., this will always be the cheapest place. Also, they often have unexpectedly good and cheap selection of vegetables and fruits as compared to other small stores. There are no Magnit stores in the very center, but some of them just out of center: 160 Gorky st. (ул. Горького), 118 Belinsky st. (ул. Белинского), 26 Sovnarkomovskaya st. (ул. Совнаркомовская), etc.
  • Spar (some shops are named Eurospar; the signs are in latin script). Store sizes vary from really small to big ones, but generally they offer somewhat wider selection than Magnit (and in big stores — a much wider selection, up to own bakery providing bread), accept credit cards, but are somewhat more expensive. Most have also some household chemicals, etc. There are really plenty of shops in city center: 8/1 Alekseevskaya st. (ул. Алексеевская, inside a small shopping mall), 16a Minin st. (ул. Минина), 144 Gorky st. (ул. Горького), a two-storey shop at 9 Dobrolyubov st. (ул. Добролюбова), a big shop at 124 Belinsky st. (ул. Белинского, in Chocolate shopping mall), and some more. 
  • Seven (the signs are also in latin script). Similar to Spar, they also have stores ranging from small ones to rather large, accept credit cards, have wider selection than Magnit, but are somewhat more expensive. In contrast to Spar, they do not have really much shops. Some stores in the center are: 41 Piskunov st. (ул. Пискунова, inside a shopping center known as Нижегородский универсам Nizhegorodsky universam) — this is probably the centermost of large stores; 4 Vaneev st. (ул. Ванеева), 63 Belinsky st. (ул. Белинского, inside the Etagi shopping mall). 
  • Also almost every shopping mall (see below) has a grocery store. In addition to the mentioned chains, you may meet Auchan (Ашан) stores there. If you are looking for a really wide selection and cheap price, head to one of these, but you will have to go out of the city center.

Shopping malls

  • Меgа (Meгa), Fedyakovo (Федяково) village south of Nizhny. 10:00 - 22:00. The biggest shopping mall in Nizhny Novgorod (located in Fedyakovo, a south-eastern suburb on the road to Kazan). Auchan, IKEA, OBI and 160 other shops. 
  • Chocolade (Шоколад), 124 Belinsky st. (ул. Белинского). 
  • Etazhi (Этажи), 63 Belinskogo st. (ул. Белинского). 
  • Respublika (Республика) (opposite the railway station). 
  • Fantastika (Фантастика), 178 Rodionov st. (ул. Родионова). 
  • LP Fashion Gallery, 10/16, Alexeevskaya st. (ул. Алексеевская). A premium shopping mall in the city center 

Eat

There are 4 centrally-located McDonald's restaurants in Nizhny Novgorod.

  • Tinkoff, Belinskii Street, Etazhi Shopping Complex (Bus stop : Opera Theatre (Operny teatr) or Poltavskaya Street). variety of food including Japanese cuisine. Its cheaper to go on weekdays from 12 — 4PM to order their "business lunch" which is like a bento meal. moderate to high. 
  • Planeta Sushi, Belinskava Rd. Really good Japanese food served at a reasonable price. Fused together with Italian restaurant Il Patio. 
  • Yaponamama. Another sushi chain store, cheapest set lunch found in town. With 7USD you can get a bento, a soup and a drink.Can be found at Minin Square (opposite the Kremlin), Fantastika (2nd floor) and Gorky Square (just below new york pizza) 
  • Biblioteka (Библиотека, lit. Library), 46 Bolshaya Pokrovskaya (3rd floor, entrance through the same door as Dirigible Дирижабль book store), ☏ +7 831 433-69-34, fax: +7 831 430-94-11, . 11.00-22.00. Excellent Italian restaurant situated at Pokrovskaya Street. Good atmosphere, great food and reasonable price, but very often packed. On weekdays during lunch time till 15:00 you can get 20% discount on all menu. The Dirigible book store is also worth a visit, having several specialized sections, and in particular a section with souvenirs and literature about Nizhny. Both the cafe and the book store has a branch at 2 Kanavinskaya street near the railroad station. RUR 400. 
  • Gariachy Obed (at the Medical Street Station at Gagarin Prospect). 8AM-4PM. Here you can get a typical Russian meal at a very cheap price. 
  • Yakitoria. Located at Gordkovo Street near to Svabodi Square, here serves Japanese and Chinese cuisine. Reasonable priced set lunch serves at noon. 
  • Bocconcino, 10/16, Alexeevskaya Str. (800 meters from the Kremlin), ☏ +7 831 296 55 73. 12:00-00:00. Located at LP Fashion Gallery near with Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Str. Here you can get a typical Italian food. Reasonable priced (350 rub) set lunch served at noon. 
  • Stolle (Штолле), 1 Alekseevskaya St (on the corner of Alekseevskaya st. and Minin square), ☏ +7 831 439-1460, +7 831 413-1468. 09:00-21:00. Different traditional Russian pies, with different meat and different berries. Very tasty in contrast to small pies found in many shops and cheap cafes. Do not expect the full assortment at the evenings, as they sell out everything they have baked during the day. From RUR 150 per meat pie piece and tea. 

Drink

Sleep

All hotels and hostels offer free WiFi and many have computer terminals. Almost all accept credit cards. Hotels and hostels will usually provide a visa invitation and registration for an additional fee.

Budget

Hostels

  • Sweet Hostel, Kozhevennyy per., 3, ☏ +7 800 700-02-05. -bed dorm: RUB400; 4-bed dorm: RUB500; Double room: RUB1,800; RUB90 extra per night on weekends. 

Mid-range

  • HoAzimut, ul. Zalomova, 2 (At the intersection of the 2 rivers), ☏ +7 831 461-92-42. 157 rooms. From RUB2,400; 15% discount for 7-day advance booking. 
  • Hotel Oka, Gagarina avenue, 27 (Bus stop: Hotel Oka (Gostinitsa Oka)), ☏ +7 831 275-94-49. Next door to a supermarket. From RUB2,800. 

Connect

Phone

For information on purchasing a SIM card in Russia, see Russia#Connect.

Note that Nizhny Novgorod is in the Volga region zone, and SIM cards purchased elsewhere, such as in Moscow or Saint Petersburg, may be subject to roaming charges.

There are payphones in the streets; however, you can only buy phone-cards in the post offices and in a few newspaper kiosks.

Internet

Free WiFi is available in most hotels, shopping malls, university buildings, restaurants and cafes, the airport as well as several metro stations. There is also free public WiFi on B. Pokrovskaya street.

Cope

Originally built by an Old Believer (ultra-Orthodox) Christian millionaire A.P. Bugrov as a homeless shelter, the former "Bugrov Flophouse" now houses the local office of the Federal Migration Service, the Russian passport and immigration authority

Consulates

Visa Centers

  • Bulgaria Denmark Greece Iceland Malta Spain Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Malta, and Spain (EU Visa Center), Osharskaya street, 16. Mon-Fri 9AM - 4PM. 

Go next

  • Gorodets - a town founded in the XIIth century, famous for its Museum of samovars.
  • Makaryev Monastery is located 100km southeast of Nizhny Novgorod. It was constructed between 1651 and 1667. Approximately 20 nuns live there. It is the last resting place of its legendary founder, Venerable Macarius, of the Miracle of the Moose fame.
Routes through Nizhny Novgorod
Moscow ← Vladimir ←  W  E  → Kirov → Yekaterinburg


This city travel guide to Nizhny Novgorod is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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