The City of Omsk in Russia
March 6th, 2010
Moscow and St Petersburg may be the most popular tourist destinations in Russia, but the city of Omsk is fast becoming a more widely recognised attraction. Omsk is located in south-western Siberia and is the administrative and industrial centre of the region. Despite its development, the city has preserved its fascinating history and culture.
Visitors to Omsk are spoilt for choice as far as sights are concerned. Lyubinsky Avenue (also known as Lenin Street) is one of the city’s main thoroughfares and provides an interesting mix of architectural styles. The old buildings of the Merchants Row (the Gostiny Dvor), the Drama Theatre and the lavish Dormition Cathedral are all to be found in and around this area.
The Omsk Museum of Fine Arts and the Pushkin Library are two more cultural highlights, as is the traditional and spectacular Omsk Circus. On warm summer days, the sandy banks of the Irtysh River become a prime spot for people watching. The opportunity to sunbathe on a beach in Siberia is one that shouldn’t be missed.
The area around Omsk also provides more adventurous outdoor activities. The forests and tundra are ideal for trekking and cross-country skiing, both of which can easily be arranged in the smaller towns outside Omsk or within the city itself.
Omsk can be reached by air from most of Russia’s major cities. Both branches of the Trans-Siberian railway pass through the city, making Omsk an ideal stop-off point for travellers on Russia’s most famous train line.