159 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Russia - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Russia

Dargavs, Russia

Dargavs Village: City of the Dead

This ancient village and its adjoining cemetery have a beautiful history of death and remembrance.

Bunker-42

Dr. Strangelove-esque tours inside a bunker under Moscow's streets once reserved for Stalin himself.

Izmailovo Kremlin

Moscow's other, lesser known kremlin is a fairytale-like cultural complex modeled after Old Russia.

Lenin's Mausoleum

Embalmed remains of the leader of the Bolshevik Revolution.

Yekaterinburg, Russia

Psychedelic Salt Mines

It's hard to believe the dizzying patterns covering this abandoned mine are completely natural.

Moscow Metro Stations

The gorgeous entrances into the city's underbelly look more like grand halls than subway stops.

Children are the Victims of Adult Vices

Thirteen sculptures in central Moscow graphically depicting vices of the modern world.

Museum of Soviet Arcade Games

Immortal combat in a Moscow museum.

See All 159 Things to Do in Russia See All 159 Places

Unique Food & Drink in Russia

Pine Cone Preserves

Soft young cones make a sweet jam believed to have health benefits in Russia and Georgia.

Karelian Pie

Though its home region has been split by war, love for this hearty pastry transcends borders.

Kartoshka

Soviet cafeterias whipped up this chocolate “potato” to use leftovers.

Russian Napoleon Cake

This traditional dessert commemorates the country's sweet taste of victory over the French emperor in 1812.

See all 25 things to eat in Russia See all 25 things to eat in Russia

Atlas Obscura Trips

Searching for Russia’s Northern Lights

Bear witness to the ethereal glow of the Northern Lights, explore Arctic Russia, and see life in the Polar Circle up close.

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Stories About Russia

A homegrown Paul Robeson tomato.

Why Soviet Russia Named a Tomato After an American Celebrity

Singer, actor, activist ... tomato?

by Debra Freeman

Ancient Hot Pots Helped Hunters Survive the Siberian Ice Age

16,000 years later, they still contain traces of cooked meat and fish.

by Matthew Taub

February 3, 2020

Actor Alexander Khvylya plays Ded Moroz at a New Year performance the Kremlin in 1969.

How Santa Survived the Soviet Era

Of all the variations on the beloved character, Russia's Ded Moroz might have the strangest history.

by Dan Nosowitz

December 19, 2019

The Omsk Metro sign, installed when officials still expected the subway to open, still crowns the entrance.

This Siberian Subway System Has Just One, Non-Functional Station

Omsk was promised a Metro system in 1979. Forty years later, locals salute a subway that never saw the light of day.

by Yuri Litvinenko

December 18, 2019

The "Valley of Death" in Kamchatka, Russia.

The History and Mystery of Russia’s 'Valley of Death'

A volcanic gorge in remote Kamchatka has given up some of its secrets—but not all of them.

by Robin George Andrews

December 3, 2019

Vostok 1 Microdistrict, Minsk, Belarus.

A Photographer's Ode to Everyday Soviet Architecture

Arseniy Kotov finds inspiration in urban exploration and concrete cityscapes.

November 5, 2019

Behind the Iron Curtain, shelves were empty but champagne was affordable.

How Stalin and the Soviet Union Created a Champagne for the Working Class

In 1936, the Party suddenly switched from denouncing bubbly to mass producing it.

by Jessica Gingrich

November 5, 2019

A crowd looks at different kinds of vodka for sale in a Moscow street kiosk.

How Vodka Became a Currency in Russia

Since the 16th century, the spirit has been the country's gold standard.

by Susie Armitage

October 23, 2019