Visit Irkutsk
- Romantic
- Music
- Essential
Irkutsk: How to get there?
More than 5 hours by plane from MoscowIrkutsk: When to go?
From May to SeptemberIrkutsk: For how long?
3 to 5 daysLearn more about your destination
Irkutsk Vacations
3 reviews
Irkutsk is Russia's biggest eastern city, and it will draw you into its fascinating history. It was founded in the 17th century and was the point of departure from numerous expeditions towards Lake Baikal, as well as home to numerous exiles.
Irkutsk: What to see in the surroundings?
What our travelers think about their stay
Irkutsk is Russia's biggest eastern city, and it will draw you into its fascinating history. It was founded in the 17th century and was the point of departure from numerous expeditions towards Lake Baikal, as well as home to numerous exiles.
My suggestion
Try kvass, a thirst quenching Russian drink made from fermented bread. It's sold from yellow coloured tanks on the street corners. It's quite surprising at the beginning, but you quickly get used to it.
A town with beautiful churches in the middle of Russia.
My suggestion
If you are taking the Trans-Siberian then stop there, it's easy enough to get another train to go almost anywhere.
Not far from the Mongolian frontier, Irkutsk is the biggest town in eastern Siberia.
My suggestion
Irkutsk isn't an unpleasant town, but its interest is limited. You're better off having planned to see its surroundings, like Lake Baikal for example.
Russia: our articles for your vacation
Lake Baikal
If there is one place you should explore in the immense territory of Russia, it is Lake Baikal. A land of conquests, marked by trouble and history, a land soaked in Shamanism, where you feel sucked in by the translucent water of the lake. It's called the "pearl of Siberia" for good reason. Lake Baikal is an endless source of fascination for the travellers who go to see it.
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An enchanting visit to lake Ladoga
The largest lake in Europe and the second-largest in Russia offers fantastic Nordic scenery, made up of rocky coastlines and both dense and sparse coniferous forests. With its strong, although Nordic, light, its natural areas of great serenity and an absence of urban areas on its shores, despite the proximity of St. Petersburg, Lake Ladoga is an enchanting setting.
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Seaside fun at the Black Sea
With its subtropical climate, beaches and beautiful mountain landscapes, the Black Sea coastline is perfect for a coastal trip in an exotic setting. With its datchas and dynamism, Sochi is the Black Sea resort par excellence along the Russian Riviera, though it's so close to the Krasnaïa Poliana ski resorts; other people perhaps prefer Adler which is frequented by a less affluent crowd.
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A day at the Hermitage
Alongside the Louvre or the British Museum, the Saint Petersburg Hermitage Museum is amongst the best in the world. A sumptuous neo-classical palace built on the command of Peter the Great, it holds an impressive collection of paintings. Playing host to some of the most beautiful works of European art, this must see is likely to keep you there for days and days.
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