Russia is abundant not only by its area but also by a variety of tourist attractions. Many Russians do not even aware of 80% of them. But still, they are as beautiful as the most famous ones. If you want to see Russia from other perspectives and visit less crowded places, read on for our list of 5 hidden gems of Russia you have to know about.
Hidden gems: The Marble Canyon, Ruskeala, Karelia
The Marble Canyon is surrounded by sheer cliffs, grottoes, and adits.with a pool of crystal clean water at the bottom. This means its transparency reaches 15-18 meters and in some places you can even see the bottom. Once there, you can sail a boat along the canyon, jump from its cliff, or diving in the abandoned mines. From the depths of Ruskeala architects took marble for the decoration of St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Mikhailovsky Castle, and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. This picturesque place is also often used for movie scenes.
Hidden gems: Gamsutl’, Dagestan
This is the oldest settlement of the Caucasus region, spread out at the very top of the mountain and is also sometimes referred to as the local Machu Picchu. Legend has it that the ghost aul was erected at the crossroads of the Great Silk Road to meet traders, and eventually the settlement fell into decay and the locals left it. From the top of the aul, a view of the mountains, rocky gorges, and the nearest villages open up. Here you can walk along the silent medieval streets and, if you’re lucky, meet the “last resident of Hamstul” Ziyavudi. He doesn’t officially live here but he comes every day from his village to restore the house in which he plans to meet and give tea to tourists.
Lake Elton, Volgograd
Lake Elton is a salt lake near the border of Kazakhstan.It is not only the largest mineral lake in Europe but one of the most mineral-dense. A ring of snow-white salt surrounds the lake and the seaweed gives the lake all the colors of precious stones: from gold to pink and bright indigo. That is why it is also called the Golden Bottom. The lake is so shallow that you can literally walk on it since the average depth in summer is only 5 cm.
This is a great opportunity to take beautiful reflective photos, creating the illusion of walking across the sky. Here you can also see flocks of cranes and waders, and if you’re lucky, catch the flowering of rare Schrenk tulips.
Lake Elton also attracts tourists who want to improve their health. There is a sanatorium in the nearest village. Moreover, you can also relax and enjoy your time like a savage, staying with local residents.
Kizhi Museum, Karelia
Kizhi Museum is an architectural complex of two wooden churches and a bell tower. The earliest mention of wooden buildings dates back to the 15th century, but only became known in the 18th century. The complex got its popularity due to the special way of construction: buildings were built without nails. It is located on an island in Lake Onega and is part of the Kizhi State Historical and Architectural Museum. It is a great place to learn about folk history and crafts and see how people lived in the regions out of the capital.
Fishing, picking berries and mushrooms and licensed hunting is allowed in this area. An exception is a period from April to July (animal breeding season), during this time hunting and camping are prohibited.
Dargavs’ City of the Dead, North Ossetia–Alania
“Anyone who, out of idle curiosity, dares to enter the crypt, will pay with his life.”
This belief has existed in the village of Dargavs in the Caucasus Mountains. Locals never go to the “City of the Dead” after sunset, instead visiting in the daytime to clean around the crypts. But they never look inside crypts in order to not disturb the souls of the dead. Legend has it that there is a special geomagnetic zone. Each crypt is built in the center of the geomagnetic grid, and the shape of the buildings contributes to the rapid mummification of the bodies of the dead.
The first burials in Dargavs date back to the beginning of the 17th century. Each family has its own family crypt with one crypt having the capacity to fit more than a hundred bodies.
The plague epidemic that raged in this region in the 18th and 19th centuries took the lives of thousands of locals – even whole families were dying out. The population of Ossetia decreased from 200 000 to 16 000 inhabitants. When someone got sick, they went to the family crypt to live out their last days to prevent the spread of infection. Otherwise, they could not stop the epidemic at that time. Sometimes the whole family went to the “Town of the Dead”, together with children and old people.
During the first excavations, which began in the 60s, scientists worked with caution, fearing to find the causative agent of the plague. Nevertheless, they discovered a large number of archaeological items from the end of the 1st millennium AD.
