Chelyabinsk the Capital and largest industrial city located in the Southern Ural Mountains of Russia and also Elena’s hometown.
Population: 1,200,000 (1995)
Winter: December – February -10 – -20°C
Spring: March – May -5 – 10°C
Summer : June – August 19-32°C
Autumn: September – November 18- -10°C
Currency: Russian Ruble (RUB)
Power supply: Voltage: 220-240 Volts
What to do in Chelyabinsk?
As this is a hometown for us let us introduce you to the locals.
Kirova Street. Check out the local Main Street in the Centre of the city. It’s a thriving little place full of cafe’s and new western style shops are popping up everywhere.
Gagarina Park. The largest park in the city is at the eastern end of Lenin Prospect, just a shot trolley bus ride from the City Centre. While you’re here ride the miniature railway, one of the few remaining in the whole of Russia! it was built over 100 years ago.
Ay River Rifting. (summer only). Get out of town and take a 2 night river rafting weekend in the Ay River. It’s a 4 hour drive to the Ural Mountains and well worth the trip. The tour we took had only Russia Guides, however we can arrange an English speaking Guide should you not speak Russian.
Visit a summerhouse. these small blocks of 800sqm were given to families who had apartments in the cities for growing their fruit and vegetables during the soviet era, some have now been handed down through 3 generations and Russian’s are proud of their Datcha’s (Summer Houses). Talk to us and we can arrange a visit.
Local Circus. Most large cities in Russia have a Circus building and each region hosts each other so every time there is a little something different. This is a great place to spent on a winter evening as the atmosphere is warm and the entertainment is spectacular. You don’t need to know Russian to enjoy the humor of the clowns.
Lake Tyrgoyak is a beautiful place to visit in the summer. An hour’s drive toward the Ural Mountains leads you to the city of Miass and if you have time visit the Geological museum . There is a small Island in the lake that can only be visited in an organized tour, let us know and we can arrange the booking.
In 48 hours from now I will be out of Russia. It’s hard to believe that I’ve done do much yet feel cheated by time. I guess this is always the way when travelling to see relatives. Leaving a country is easy when you have no ties, but here in Chelyabinsk we do.
Elena grew up here. Living until she was 12 years old with her grandparents as her Mum and Dad were students in Moscow Universities. She tells me something new on each corner as we walked the city. I remember my first visit here in 1997; so much has changed yet so much is still the same. There are so many more foreign cars here now. In Elena’s childhood the roads were wide with more buses than cars, now its more of both.
We had the chance to look in on Elena’s old school, now closed for the summer and being repainted we were given permission to wander around. Split into three levels an with a coat room as big as a small house, Elena explained that in winter you need a room this size for all the fur coats. Even with the new coat of paint the building still echoes the old days. The soviet area is reflected in the architecture of many of the public buildings here as with many parts of Russia.