Post in Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia

Yep, previous answer is true: we have perhaps not so old, but still great architecture. Cultural life could be not so rich as in some cities, but is still more, than enough. Nature is spectacular. I'd add, that night life locations are quite advanced, not as much as Moscow's, but balanced with city size and who wants to M anyway?))It's so bromidic.

Thanks for the responses. I think it's a bit cliche for a westerner to travel to Moscow or St.Petersberg. I'm curious to be exposed to the real everyday common Russia, what's normal for you might be completely new to me. The current plan would have me in Russia in the summer around July...hopefully it'll be warm around then.

Hi Robbie !

If you want to see the Russian urban culture then the St Petersburg is the best choice. But if you want Russian exotic then Yekaterinburg is a worthy choice such as Novosibirsk, Irkutsk and etc. Most exotic you can take in winter in January.

A lot of original Russian villages and small towns are situated around of Yekaterinburg. Like as Neviansk, Kasli, etc. https://yandex.ru/images/search?text=невьянск https://yandex.ru/images/search?text=касли

We have an unique nature - cliffs, caves, Urals river and ice fountains. We have fantastic fabulous views in the winter. https://tcdn.couchsurfing.com/k79FXSCINHysoW0nfrdPnnDJ7IY=/smart/https://s3.amazonaws.com/ht-images.couchsurfing.com/u/2002137037/069d7efe-ff02-499f-9d5c-ba22f13617c7 https://tcdn.couchsurfing.com/REkwe5iSLQD5sePzQPcmQaklExQ=/smart/https://s3.amazonaws.com/ht-images.couchsurfing.com/u/2002137037/9a6283d0-75de-40f4-b106-8bbb1995e076 https://yandex.ru/images/search?text=ледяной%20фонтан%20зюраткуль

hi, Robbie, if you have facebook account, there's good video about our city: ) https://www.facebook.com/TEkaterinburg/videos/535073490009842/?pnref=story

Robbie, hello! we have attractions such as the high-rise building, see http://visotsky-e.ru/smotrovaya-ploshchadka/o-smotrovoj-ploshchadke.html video, https: //www.ekburg.ru/aboutcity/pano/. http://www.ekbredline.ru/content_files/user/audio/00-intro.mp3-это tourist pedestrian zone, denoted in the city in the form of a red line, you just go for it) .Hram blood, built on the site of the house , gderasstrelyali royal family http://otpusk-zdorovo.ru/ekaterinburg-hram-na-krovi-na-meste-doma-ipateva/ .Ganina pit is the place where they found the remains of the royal http://ganinayama.ru/. Nevyansk tower http://www.culture.ru/institutes/10084/nevyanskaya-bashnya, is inclined, like the tower of Pisa in Italy .Many interesting things there are in the city, it is a pity that I could not meet and show flying to Thailand. Relax, drink and dance here http://james-resta.ru/, http: //www.doctorscotch.ru/.

Hi Robbie! We have weekly CS meeting at Wendesday here https://www.couchsurfing.com/events/weekly-wendesday-cs-meeting-ekaterinburg We would be glad to see you and talk about our life in Yekaterinburg, walk around the city and just have fun with you. It is a lot of events here during all summer right on the streets or out of the city so i'm pretty sure you won't be bored and regret about the choice to come here in the city on the border of Europe and Asia Cheers ^^

Hi, Robbie! Recently we were presenting Yekaterinburg on the Beijing Tourist Expo. Have some nice presentation materials. Send me your e-mail - I can send you some. One more option about our city - have some nice street art. Can also show you some nightlife place.

hey there=) Well actually If you've never been to Russia, I would suggest you to visit St Petersburg. May be it a cliche but there is some good reason for it. Like you know, some goood movies like green mile or the Lord of the Rings are somekind of cliche and tooo popular too but there is a reason for this. There are awesome. If you want something more exotic, you can visit cities like Kalliningrad or Sochi for example.

I really do not advice you visiting Yekaterinburg, cause it just an industrial provincial city in the middle of Russia.

Some of the people above told you about the city on the border of Europe and Asia. Well yes. Most travellers want to see this border. But actually it is not worth visiting. It is not picturesque. Not beautiful. Not cool or great. I would argue also about architecture. I don't really find it nice or awesome. It is just an industrial architecture. Not very good developed. Mediocre. I would say.

About night life - well yes and no. There is a night life here. Like in every big city around the world. The only thing I would agree with others - it is nature. So it is beatiful. But not really in Yeakaterinburg.

May be in 100 km from it. But there is a good chance that you won't even see it, if your host is not into going out for camping too much =)

So don't get me wrong. I don't really say that you will be dissapointed. But there are much more better options to visit. ( if we don't take in account Moscow and St Petersburg) - then Sochi, Novosibirsk, Kalliningrad - just for example)

The main advice I can give is don't visit Yekaterinburg in Spring (I mean March or April, sometimes the beginning of May also) because it's too dirty (you even have no idea as far as) and shitty. And I recommend St' Petersburg. If you don't like museums (like me for example) you can walk there and feel atmosphere of the city because it's too beautiful. I know some places nearby St' Petersburg wich deserve to be seen (like Vyborg, Sestroretsk). Recently I was there and trip was really great. If you want to see some picture just write me or google it. And I'm sorry my message turned out mainly not about Yekaterinburg –

Hey Robbie, there is a very cool article about our city https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/nov/23/insider-cultural-guide-yekaterinburg-russian-manchester Actually it is a quite unique place if you want to see and explore (I don't understand people, who is so blind about their own city, saying that it is not worth visiting). If you love street art, than you should know that Yekaterinburg is famous for street art, you can check it here https://streetart.withgoogle.com/en/world-collection

You can find interesting to play with geometry of the constructivism buildings for your photos. http://russiatrek.org/blog/video/monuments-of-constructivism-in-yekaterinburg/

Nature here is also great, from Yekat you can reach national parks and rocks, etc.