Things to do in Novosibirsk & Tomsk Regions
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Zhili Bili
Prices are relatively reasonable in the very central, Disney-esque 'Siberian village' Zhili Bili, with English menus, a salad bar and great stuffed bliny. It's above fast-food eatery GrillMaster; go upstairs through a central wooden door.
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Vechny Zov
Named after a popular Soviet TV serial, this is one of Tomsk’s top dining options and boasts a mock Siberian ranch outside and a cosy antique-filled home feel inside.
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People’s Bar & Grill
The preferred hang-out of Novosibirsk’s would-be rap stars and models. Descend the stairway opposite St Nicholas chapel.
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Philharmonia
Concerts here range from classical symphonies to Dixieland jazz. Ticket prices are between R100 and R450.
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Resurrection Hill
When founded in 1604, Tomsk's original fortress sat atop Resurrection Hill. For the city's 400th anniversary, an impressive replica of its 'Golden Gate' was rebuilt in wood complete with domed central tower. Beside it, the well-presented but sparse Tomsk History Museum has resprouted its wooden lookout tower: try to spot the seven historic churches from the top.
Olde-worlde charm continues up cobbled ul Bakunina (named for a 19th-century anarchist) past the Italianate 1833 Catholic Church and on towards the Voznesenskaya Church. This Gothic edifice with five gold-tipped black spires has great potential as a Dracula movie set. A truly massive bell hangs from its new lurid-…
reviewed
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Ploshchad Lenina
Central pl Lenina isn't really a square so much as a jumbled collection of beautifully restored historic buildings interspersed with banal Soviet concrete lumps. The frustrated Lenin statue, now relegated to a traffic circle, points at the ugly concrete of Tomsk Drama Theatre apparently demanding 'build more like that one'. Fortunately, nobody's listening. The theatre is flanked instead by the splendid 1784 Epiphany Cathedral, the former trading arches and the elegant 1802 Magistrat Hotel.
Topped with a golden angel, in a second circle beside Lenin, is the recently rebuilt Iverskaya Chapel whose celebrated icon is dubbed 'Tomsk's Spiritual Gateway'. The 1000 Melochey Shop…
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Wooden Architecture
Tomsk's greatest attraction is its 'wooden-lace' architecture - the carved windows and tracery on old log and timber houses. The city combines endless examples of these fine wooden mansions, some grand century-old commercial buildings and a dynamic, modern outlook. The most notable concentration of the wooden lace architecture is along ul Tatarskaya, accessed via steps beside the lovely old house at pr Lenina 56.
Several lesser examples line per Kononova, including number 2 where communist mastermind Kirov lodged in 1905. Close by (but hazardous to reach from per Kononova across a slippery pipe) is the splendid, recently restored Shishkov House. There's even a wooden-lace…
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Oppression Museum
The gloomy 1898 brick building is supposedly a haunted former school. Closed following the murder of a pupil, it later became the prison for the cruel NKVD (proto-KGB). The building’s eerie dungeon is now a memorable Oppression Museum. Tours are recommended but are only in Russian. Failing that you can just wander round yourself. Look out for the stunning Gulag map, the system of Soviet labour camps depicted as an uncountable mass of red dots across the territory of the former USSR.
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Tomsk University
The classically colonnaded main buildings of the Tomsk University lie in resplendently leafy grounds, giving Tomsk the soubriquet 'Oxford of Siberia'. Tomsk is one of the most enjoyable cities in Siberia and has flourished in recent times as a university city and now has half a dozen major academic establishments hence the youthful, intellectual atmosphere during term time. Tucked away in unmarked rooms, Tomsk University hosts several quietly intriguing museums covering zoology and ethnography.
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Voznesenskaya Church
Olde-worlde charm continues up cobbled ul Bakunina (named for the 19th-century ‘father of anarchy’ who studied in Tomsk) towards the Voznesenskaya Church. This Gothic edifice with five gold-tipped black spires has great potential as a Dracula movie set. A truly massive bell hangs in its new lurid-pink belfry.
reviewed
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The Four Churches
Tomsk has many fine churches, including the scoop-domed 1844 Trinity Church (Troitskaya tserkov), the very active Kazansky Icon Church of a former monastery, the pretty new Nevsky Church and the Byzantine-style brick Peter & Paul Cathedral (Petropavlosky sobor) from 1911.
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Sibirsky Pub
Siberia’s first British pub was founded over a century ago by a certain Mr Crawley, an Anglo-Egyptian albino who’d got stuck in Tomsk after touring with a circus freak show. Today’s pub is no relation. Bands play live at weekends (cover charge).
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Sibalp
Focusing on Altai exploration trips for small-groups and independent foreign travellers, this is a helpful, personal travel service that can also arrange English-speaking homestays and city tours in Novosibirsk. Multilingual staff will meet clients at their hotel.
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Jazz Café
A hip and literally underground basement hangout with an extensive drinks and food menu (meals R200–550) and screenings of old black-and-white films. Live music most evenings (cover charge R100 to R300). Also boasts a large book and music shop.
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Tomsk History Museum
The well-presented Tomsk History Museum has resprouted its wooden lookout tower : try to spot the seven historic churches from the top. The stone just outside the museum entrance marks the founding of the city.
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Tbilisi
Despite growing competition, this atmospheric tavern-cavern still offers the most authentic Georgian cuisine in town. Try the filling, oozingly cheese-filled khachapuri po-imeretinsk(Georgian bread stuffed with salty cheese).
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State Art Museum
The State Art Museum has an extensive collection including icons, Siberian art, Braque-esque works by Nikolai Gritsyuk and numerous distinctive mountainscapes by celebrated spiritual Russian painter Nikolai Rerikh.
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Lanch Kafe
Within the same building as fast-food eatery GrillMaster, but entered from the rear (park side) is the super-popular Lanch Kafe , above which is a great Italian restaurant and a chilled-out, cushion-floored DJ-bar serving sushi.
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FoodMaster
Despite the ill-fittingly banal name, this is a wonderful café with painstakingly restored plasterwork tracery on the high ceilings. The menu (in English) ranges from Chinese to Mexican – try a Siberian burrito!
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Chapel of St Nicholas
The pretty little Chapel of St Nicholas was said to mark the geographical centre of Russia when it ws built in 1915. Demolished in the 1930s, it was rebuilt in 1993 for Novosibirsk’s centenary.
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Irish Pubs & Wild West Bars
Plentiful Irish pubs and Wild West bars are easy to find. Just stroll down ul Lenina, Krasny pr or Vokzalnaya magistral for a block or two from pl Lenina. Almost all serve decent if pricey food as well as drinks.
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Spartak Stadium
This 12,500-capacity venue is the current home base of local football team, Sibir. Games are usually played on Saturday, and tickets cost from R100 to R500. Matches are advertised on posters around the city.
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Atashev Palace
Built for gold-mining entrepreneur Ivan Atashev in 1842, the Atashev Palace was once used as a church, hence the incongruous steeple tower and wonderful organ hall where concerts are held.
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Mexico Kafe
Dangling chillies, Aztec icons and a big charcoal grill add atmosphere while Los Gringos serenade. Great Mexican food and twice winner of the ‘Best Russian Bar-B-Q’ award (2006 and 2007).
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Iverskaya Chapel
Topped with a golden angel, in a second circle beside Lenin, is the recently rebuilt Iverskaya Chapel whose celebrated icon is dubbed ‘Tomsk’s Spiritual Gateway’.
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