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Northern European Russia
Russia's far north, with its stunning and often harsh natural beauty, is a place of startling extremes, best typified by the perpetual darkness of polar night and the midnight sun of polar day.
The inspiration for the epic poetry of the Kalevala, this vast region contains some of Russia's most celebrated sights, including the iconic wooden architecture of Kizhi Island, the remote Solovetsky Islands whose monastery once housed a notorious Gulag camp, and the frigid shores of the Barents Sea. This is also one of the best places to witness the northern lights as well as to explore Soviet-era ruins.
Travelling in Northern European Russia takes a lot of patience at times, and the weather can be unpredictable, with blistering sunshine turning quickly into icy rainstorms. But the reward for perseverance is an insight into one of Russia's most mesmerising regions.
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Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Northern European Russia.
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Ice Bathers' Hut
Home to Murmansk's ‘ walruses ’ – hardy souls who swear by the health benefits of regularly bathing in icy waters – this wooden hut on the edge of Lake Semyonovskoe dates from the Soviet era. Wooden steps lead down into a hole cut into the ice for a genuinely chilled experience. Get off at the Semyonovskoe Ozero bus stop, cross the road, and track back some 250m to a path that leads to the lake. Bring a towel! While the hut is technically only open to club members, the ‘walruses’ are usually happy to explain their icy passion to curious visitors, especially if you call in advance. Ice bathing is oddly exhilarating, but newcomers are advised not to put their heads under the water. Be sure to check out the photos of happy Soviet–era bathers in the changing room. A taxi here from the centre costs around R150.
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Alyosha
One of Murmansk’s most memorable sights is a gigantic concrete soldier nicknamed Alyosha, erected to commemorate the Arctic fighters who perished in the Great Patriotic War (WWII). From his hilltop perch, Alyosha's stony visage stares across the Kola Inlet at the snow-speckled Arctic moors beyond. To the south, the port spreads out in all its magnificent industrial dreariness. The statue is a 20-minute ramble past Semyononvskoye Lake through the hilly park from one of the Ozero bus stops.
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Nuclear Icebreaker Lenin
Murmansk is a centre for nuclear icebreakers that carve their way to the North Pole, but even in port you can give in to your wildest seafaring–Arctic explorer–Cold War spy fantasies aboard the 1957 NS Lenin, the world’s first nuclear-powered icebreaker. You aren't allowed to wander freely, but there are three tours a day that take in the nuclear reactor (powered by uranium 235), the map room, the captain's bridge and the reception hall. Only open for tours. The pride of the Soviet fleet, NS Lenin was fitted out to impress, with a winding oak staircase at its entrance. Visitors to the ship over the years included Yury Gagarin, the first man in space, and a youthful Fidel Castro.
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Abandonded Soviet Train Station
This colossal Soviet-era train station stands abandoned and half-forgotten amid the harsh Arctic landscape. The two-platform station, which once took passengers as far as Murmansk and Leningrad (St Petersburg), was constructed in 1934 and operated until 1996. It was closed down as the local population declined following the Soviet collapse. The roof caved in long ago under the weight of winter snows. The inscription above the gradually crumbling columns reads ‘Kirovsk’. It's located behind the central clock-tower. You'll need to clamber over snowbanks to get to it in winter. In summer, simply follow the bridge from the clock-tower.
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Snow Village
Every November, ice sculptors from all over the region make their way to Kirovsk to chisel the snowy halls and tunnels of the Snow Village into existence, wowing visitors with ice sculptures and annually changing themed displays carved into walls – from snowy pharaohs in chariots to fairy-tale creatures. For extra thrills, ride a giant banana attached to a snowmobile or marry your sweetie in the Ice Chapel. The Snow Village is located just beyond the Botanical Gardens. There are no direct buses.
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Sami History & Culture Museum
This excellent museum delves into the Sami people's troubled history and their way of life, which continues to be threatened. It also celebrates the heroic efforts to keep Sami culture alive, and the revival of the Sami language and traditional Sami crafts. Traditional costume, hunting tools and photos of ancient stone labyrinths, rock carvings and Sami fighters during WWII also feature prominently in the museum. Here you can both admire and purchase knives in carved reindeer-antler sheaths, bone jewellery and wooden vessels inlaid with bone, leatherwork and beadwork and other beautiful, delicate creations by local Sami masters. The tour price includes the cost of admission.
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Mineralogy Museum
This museum has over 900 types of minerals and ores, many of them rare and unique. Entry is by an appointment made in advance; friendly academics speak English. Located on the top floor of the Kola Scientific Centre, it's an easy stroll downhill from pl Lenina on Apatity’s main drag, ul Lenina. Ring the bell to the left of the main door for entry.
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Regional Studies Museum
Comprehensive exhibits at Murmansk's oldest museum include one on Sami culture and handicrafts, a vast natural-history section with all manner of taxidermied beasts and Wait For Me – an exhibition on the fierce defence of the north during WWII. Delve also into the history of Arctic exploration, contemplate the region's mysterious ancient stone labyrinths, and get nostalgic over prehistoric radios and Zenit cameras in the 'Made in the USSR' section.
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Museum of the Northern Fleet
The mass of exhibits inside this crumbling turquoise anchor-flanked building covers everything from the founding of Russia’s first navy in Arkhangelsk, to 17th- and 18th-century Arctic exploration, to Murmansk convoys of WWII – a joint effort with British servicemen. A vast collection of Soviet naval equipment makes this a must for military history enthusiasts. Alight from bus 10 at the penultimate stop, Nakhimova (Нахимова), walk on for 300m then turn left and it’s 80m up ul Tortseva.