The Best Way to Spend One Day in Kazan, Russia - Feather and the Wind

Russia was full of surprises for us and I think that’s largely because of how we chose to approach each destination. We were inspired to rent bikes in Veliky Novgorod despite this not being listed in a single guide. We took a bus to Suzdal even with intimidating thunderstorms in the forecast (it ended up being a perfectly sunny day). We spent over 70 hours on third class trains and now those sleepless nights bring back fond memories.

These spontaneous adventures continued throughout our month in Russia that, by the time we arrived in Kazan, we were ready to embrace whatever was in store.

I hope I’m not alone in admitting I hadn’t heard of Kazan until we started planning our itinerary through Russia. Maybe this is why the city came to surprise me as much as it did. Whether you’re planning to visit or simply curious about what other destinations in Russia have to offer, we hope this guide to Kazan inspires you and helps you make the most of your time in the city.

Is Kazan worthy of a spot on your Russia itinerary?

If I were to recommend a third destination to visit in Russia (after St. Petersburg and Moscow), it would be Kazan. While the bigger cities are both beautiful destinations in their own right, you’re bound to come across the crowds, long lines and higher prices that are unfortunately inevitable in popular cities around the world.

Even though we visited Kazan in the middle of summer, we were thrilled to discover it was far less crowded than St. Petersburg and Moscow. Kazan is the 6th largest city in Russia and the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. Nearly half of its residents are ethnic Tatars so a visit allows you to experience the unique foods and traditions of Tatar culture. For those looking to explore more of Russia, you’ll find the Tatar culture, impressive architecture and peaceful parks of Kazan make it worthy of a visit.

How to Spend 24 Hours in Kazan

Despite not being on many people’s radar as a tourist destination, Kazan offers everything you need for an exciting and enjoyable city break. If you only have a day to spare, this itinerary is packed with impressive sights and unique things to do in Kazan. It can easily be adjusted or added on to if you’re spending two or three days in this underrated Russian city. As always, we encourage our readers to avoid getting too caught up in an itinerary. We find that the more you embrace your sense of wonder and curiousity in a new city, the more memorable a trip becomes.

This itinerary is completely self-guided and Kazan is relatively easy to navigate with minimal Russian. If you prefer to visit with a guide, you may enjoy this half-day tour of the historic city centre. It is led by a local and allows for a more informative and comprehensive tour of Kazan.

A Perfect Day in Kazan, Russia

9:00 to 11:00 am || Explore the Kremlin of Kazan

Start your day off right exploring the Kremlin which is arguably the most popular thing to do in Kazan. The word ‘kremlin’ roughly translates to citadel and there are many of these fortified complexes throughout Russia with the most notable being in Moscow. The Kazan Kremlin became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 and is among the most visited sights in Russia. It is completely free to visit the Kazan Kremlin, though some of the buildings within the walls do charge an admission fee.

We learned that this is the only remaining Tatar fortress in Russia and its majestic Kul Sharif Mosque was the highlight of our visit. Other notable buildings include the Annunciation Cathedral, the Kazan Hermitage, the leaning Suyumbike Tower, the Presidential Palace and the Museum of Natural History. The unique mix of mosques, churches and government buildings reflects the diversity and cultural heritage you’ll find in Kazan.

How long you need to set aside for your visit to the Kremlin really depends on your travel style and interests. We found that a couple of hours was ideal for us and we arrived to the Kul Sharif Mosque around 9:30am, shortly after it opened for the day. Visitors of any religion can enter the mosque provided they’re wearing appropriate clothing. No shorts or bare shoulders, your knees and head must be covered and scarves are provided. Be sure to take the staircase up to either of the two second floor balconies for a chance to overlook the mosque’s prayer room and intricate details.

Kazan Kremlin
Open daily
General admission is free
Some buildings within have an entrance fee which can be paid individually
or with a single 700 RUB ticket that includes entry to all buildings.

11:00 to 1:00 pm || Wander Along Bauman Street

From the Kremlin, make your way down Bauman Street. Kazan’s busiest pedestrian street goes on for several blocks and is where you’ll find the highest concentration of restaurants, cafes, monuments and souvenir shops in the city. It conveniently starts at the southern edge of the Kremlin and ends at Kol’tso Shopping Mall in Tukay Square.

This central street in Kazan is often frequented by fun performers, caricature artists and the occasional street festival. It’s a great place for people-watching and you can enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the street from the Epiphany Cathedral observation deck (100 RUB). Along Bauman, you might also notice the Alley of Tatar Stars, small plaques in the pavement that commemorate famous Tatar artists.

Bauman shops allow for the perfect opportunity to get your hands on some authentic Tatar souvenirs. Keep an eye out for embroidered tubeteika caps, sweet packages of chak-chak, and unique Central-Asian jewelry pieces. If you’re looking for a central part of the city to base yourself from, accommodations around Bauman Street put you close to the action in Kazan.

Things to do in Kazan, Russia - Bauman Street

1:00 to 2:00 pm || Local Cafeteria-Style Lunch with Locals

One of my most memorable experiences from our month in Russia was the very first time we dined at a local stolovaya. These cafeteria-style eateries are found throughout the country and can offer a pretty memorable dining experience. The concept is simple enough: you join others in line, pick up a tray and cutlery, point at the various soups, salads, mains and desserts on display before proceeding to the register to pay.

Truth be told, it can be intimidating at first (especially when there isn’t a single English word in sight and a line-up of hungry people starts forming behind you as you’re contemplating what to order). The food itself is nothing fancy (think coleslaws, rice and chicken cutlets) but you can easily get a full meal for less than $6 CAD. It’s an experience to say the least and a fun way to immerse yourself in the culture.

Along Bauman street, you’ll find a handful of these casual restaurants including Khanuma and Stolovaya No 1. Another Tatar chain we enjoyed in Kazan is Tubatay. They offer a variety of sweet pastries for breakfast as well as affordable lunch combos that include soup and dessert.

2:00 to 4:00 pm || Soviet Museum and Lakeside Stroll

After lunch, continue exploring the city with a quick visit to Kazan’s Museum of Soviet Life. I say quick because it’s less of a museum and more of a collection of Soviet artifacts and memorabilia. We found the admission to be a little steep when compared to other attractions in Kazan so Wes went in on his own. If browsing through a couple of rooms of eclectic Soviet items doesn’t interest you, this stop might not be worthwhile.

Muzey Sotsialisticheskogo Byta
Ulitsa Universitetskaya, д. 6, Kazan
Open Daily from 10:00am to 6:00pm
Admission: 250 RUB

Continue your perfect day in Kazan with a leisurely stroll around Kaban Lake and Millennium Park. We were pleasantly surprised to see such large and well-maintained public spaces with impressive fountains, clean walkways and beautiful views. You can walk along the boardwalk to the Old Tatar Quarter where and see examples of the traditional wooden houses and colourful architecture. During the summer months, there are paddle and row boats available for rent as well as boat tours that take you around the lake.

4:00 to 5:00 pm || Experience the Local Market

One of my favourite ways to experience the local atmosphere in a new city is with a visit to the market. Kazan has an authentic, no-frills central market offering everything from local spices to fresh produce and even pets. There are definitely more locals than tourists but we enjoyed exploring the various stalls and couldn’t resist buying a loaf of freshly baked bread from a corner bakery.

Kolkhoznyy Rynok
Ulitsa Martyna Mezhlauka, 13, Kazan
Open Daily from 7:00am to 7:00pm
(closes earlier on Sundays)
Free to visit

5:30 to 6:30 pm || Visit Kazan’s Chak-Chak Museum

Perhaps the highlight of my time in Kazan was the experience of learning all about a cherished Tatar sweet called chak-chak. You’ll find this deep-fried, honey dessert almost everywhere in Kazan and it plays such an important role in Tatar households that there’s a whole museum dedicated to it. Here visitors can learn how chak-chak is made before getting to sample some with tea.

I’ll admit I found the presentation a little underwhelming at first but things picked up about halfway through and it’s amazing what you can learn about a city by listening to stories of its local foods and traditions. Chak-chak is vaguely similar to Rice Krispies treats and a definite must-try dessert when in Kazan.

You can learn more about the various workshops and offerings on the Chak-Chak Museum website (Russian only) and I would definitely recommend calling or writing in advance to inquire about their English demonstrations. They’re only offered a couple of times a week so you’ll want to make arrangements to ensure your time in Kazan coincides with an English tour.

Muzey Chak-Chak
Ulitsa Parizhskoy Kommuny, 18, Kazan
Open Daily from 10:00am to 8:00pm
English demonstrations require booking in advance
Tours starting from 450 RUB

6:30 to 9:30 pm || Sunset at the Kremlin and Evening on the Esplanade

It’s not often we suggest someone go to the same attraction twice in one day but we’d highly recommend revisiting the Kremlin again as day turns to night. Kul Sharif Mosque was especially beautiful at sunset and it’s worth walking through the Kremlin a second time on your way to the river bank. Kazan has a beautiful esplanade along the Kazanka river and this would be an ideal spot for to get dinner or simply take in the city lights and picturesque skyline.

Before ending your day in Kazan, be sure to catch a glimpse of the Ministry of Agriculture building. The front entrance is adorned with a beautiful wrought-iron tree. It makes this government building look like a palace and seeing it lit up at night was a memorable way to wrap up the many surprises we came to find in Kazan.

More things to do in Kazan, Russia

If you find yourself wanting to stay longer in Kazan (as we did), there are plenty of day trip options and things to do in the surrounding area. We received quite a few recommendations that we didn’t get a chance to check out during our first visit and have labelled these in purple on our map:

Tatar Dance Folk Show || On Saturday evenings during the summer, Tugan Avylym Restaurant performs a traditional Tatar folk show geared toward Russian tourists. 1700 RUB per person, advance booking recommended.

The Millennium Bridge || The bridge was constructed to celebrate Kazan’s widely celebrated thousandth anniversary in 2005. It spans the Kazanka River and the photogenic “M” can be viewed from the embankment on either side.

Temple of All Religions || A colourful complex of several religious buildings including a mosque, synagogue and church. Approximately a 20 minute drive west of the city centre.

Kazan to Raifa Monastery Day Trip || This is an ideal day trip option to see beautiful churches and monasteries in a natural setting. Most enjoyable during the summer months when you can walk along the lakefront, pack a picnic and go on a boat ride (150 RUB). Approximately a 40 minute drive northwest of the city centre. Can be combined with a visit to the Temple of All Religions.

Kazan to Bolgar Day Trip || Take a boat from Kazan’s river port and head south along the Volga river to spend a day in the town of Bolgar. It’s home to many architectural wonders and UNESCO World Heritage sites including the stunning White Mosque.

Kazan to Sviyazhsk Day Trip || Those particularly interested in the region’s history can visit the island fortress town of Sviyazhsk. It’s believed the entire fortress was built in less than 4 weeks during the 16th century. Today visitors will find over 30 cultural monuments and the fresco paintings inside the Assumption Cathedral are said to be particularly impressive. Best enjoyed with a local guide. The island can be accessed by boat from the Kazan River Port or via trains from Kazan to Sviyazhsk station (which is roughly 16kms from the island village).

Things to Know Before Going to Kazan, Russia

• The population of Kazan is nearly evenly split between Tatars and Russians meaning you’ll hear both languages spoken in the streets. Signage is also posted in Russian, Tatar and (occasionally) English.

• The predominant religions in Kazan are Islam and Orthodox Christianity. Remember to dress conservatively (shoulders and knees covered) when planning to visit mosques and churches.

Getting In || Kazan is located about 800 km east of Moscow and easily accessible by train. We took an overnight train from Nizhny Novgorod and arrived at Kazan’s Central Railway Station just after 5:00 am. Sure enough, a cluster of eager taxi drivers was there to greet us.

• Kazan’s train station is fairly large and well facilitated. It’s clean, has a few waiting rooms, lockers available to rent for luggage storage, vending machines and plenty of security.

• Hungry and a bit groggy from the long train ride, we walked over to a nearby McDonald’s which was the only thing open at the time. The restaurant itself doesn’t open until 6:00 am but we did as the locals were doing and ordered some McMuffins from the drive-thru window.

Getting Around || The city of Kazan is quite large with nearly 2 million residents in the metropolitan area. As with most cities we visited in Russia, we found ourselves doing quite a bit of walking and easily passing our 10,000 step goal each day.

• The main sites and attractions listed in this post can be reached on foot provided you’re wearing comfortable shoes (and breaking up the day with snacks like chak-chak and piroshki). As a tourist with a day to spare, you’ll likely spend all your time in the circular region east of the Volga river, north of Kaban Lakes and south of Reka Kazanka.

• The city is serviced by trams, buses and a singular metro line with fares starting at 25 RUB per ride. For those who may be intimidated by taking public transit in a foreign country, we recommend using the Yandex Taxi app. Yandex Taxi is the equivalent to Uber in Russia and the app is very easy to use for travellers. We only found ourselves using it twice in Kazan (to and from the railway station).