What to see in Irkutsk in winter - photos, excursions, attractions, where to go in the evening or with children, reviews from tourists

Excursions from Irkutsk in winter Sights of Irkutsk Where to take a walk Where to relax in the winter evening Where to go with children Reviews of tourists Where to stay in Irkutsk

If you are traveling to Baikal in winter, Irkutsk will probably be on your way. The large city today surprises with its ancient buildings and interesting history, which the city guide will briefly tell you about. Find out what sights to see and how to spend a winter holiday in Irkutsk in this advice.

Weather in Irkutsk

Excursions from Irkutsk in winter

In winter, tourists come to Irkutsk while traveling around Lake Baikal . The lake attracts with its majestic beauty and amazes with its size and purity. In December-January, ice freezes up on Lake Baikal, and in February-March, guests go out onto the ice to admire its transparency, color, examine the bubbles and taste it.

The most popular areas are the Small Sea and Olkhon Island, the ice of which is characterized by the greatest transparency, and the rocks of Olkhon Shamanki , Cape Khoboy and Ogoy Island are overgrown with icicles so that they resemble ice castles. Peschanaya Bay , where people go by hovercraft (khivus) from Listvyanka, will also be interesting in this regard In the same way, they get acquainted with the landscapes of the ancient section of the Circum-Baikal Railway .

Shamanka Rock on Olkhon Photo: © Egor Vlasov

Excursions and tours to Lake Baikal are the most popular trips from Irkutsk at any time of the year, there is no shortage of them. But don’t forget about the possibility of a guided tour of the city itself. Guides' offers can be found in a special section of the site:

All excursions around Irkutsk and Baikal on Experts Tourist. RU

If you don’t have much time on your trip or are afraid of the long road to Olkhon, visit the village of Listvyanka , it is located only 60 km from Irkutsk. In Listvyanka you can also see the famous ice, skate and ride on husks, see ice sculptures, and take part in ice festivals.

Baikal ice Photo: © Egor Vlasov

In addition, there are several museums in the village. The Baikal Museum is the largest and most famous of them. He will talk about the appearance, structure and life of the lake, which stretches from north to south for more than 600 km. The observation deck of Listvyanka is also in great demand among guests: from the height of the Chersky stone , where the cable car of the Eastland ski resort , there is a wonderful view of the source of the Angara - the only river flowing from Lake Baikal.

By the way, if you are interested in active recreation and local mountains, take a look here:

Ski resorts of the Irkutsk region

Cable car of the Eastland Group of Companies against the backdrop of Lake Baikal Photo: © Klaudia Ziryukina

Not far from Irkutsk, on the way to Listvyanka, there is “Taltsy” - another popular destination, an open-air museum of wooden architecture, lying on the banks of the Angara. His extensive collection is collected throughout the Baikal region. Historical and ethnographic exhibitions are located inside ancient houses, mills, and churches.

The Taltsy territory is a convenient and interesting option for family recreation in nature and more. In winter, ice slides and winter photo zones are built here, dog and horse riding is offered, and there is a picnic area. On Maslenitsa, the museum becomes the most colorful platform for this. In addition to excursions, the complex regularly hosts master classes on crafts.

More about holidays outside the city:

What to see on Baikal in winter

Taltsy. Town hall building Photo: © Klaudia Ziryukina

Holidays in Lagoon

“Laguna” (0+) offers family, friendly and romantic holidays near Irkutsk, but far from the bustle of the city. The recreation center is located in a picturesque place on the outskirts of the village of Smolensk region near an artificial reservoir in which muskrats, crayfish and seagulls nest, and in 2007 freshwater jellyfish were discovered.

Here you can find entertainment for every taste. If you want to go downhill on a tube*, if you want to practice figure skating, if you want to organize a competition, they will help you with that too, they will give you clubs and a ball. Extreme lovers can rent ATVs and snowmobiles. They can organize a tour for you for an hour, two or even a day along the local islands of the Irkut River and from Lake Baikal to the Mamaia Mountains. There is a lot of entertainment, you can’t count them all, come and see, you won’t be bored.

You can have a snack in the panoramic yurt cafe. The menu includes shish kebab, chicken wings, kupats, poses, pastries, tea, coffee, other drinks and snacks. You can rent a yurt or gazebo for a group, 1000 rubles per hour.

You can warm up in the sauna. A cozy log cabin is built on pillars in the middle of the lake, and a sand island has been erected nearby. The spacious room allows you to come with a large group, without disturbing other vacationers at all. The hall has a large table, billiards, backgammon and karaoke and a relaxation room. There is a dry steam room, after which you can take a dip in the ice hole.

And if you want to extend the weekend, you can rent a guest house for a group of up to eight people. On weekdays, there is a promotion when you book a house for a day and get an hour of a Russian bath as a gift.

“Laguna” is waiting for you at the address: Smolensk region, Puteyskaya street 2. Opening hours: from 15:00 to 22:00, holidays from 12:00 to 23:00. Details and reservations by phone: 625-300, on Instagram, hashtag #tsolaguna. Please send your feedback and suggestions by email

*Under adult supervision.

Photo courtesy

Sights of Irkutsk

There are also interesting places in the city itself. Irkutsk in the past was a fort, a merchant city, the center of the province, a large cultural and industrial hub of Siberia. The sights of the city reveal its history piece by piece. Guests see bright cathedrals, monuments to important people and cozy streets where noble and merchant estates are still alive.

Monument to the founders of Irkutsk

It is symbolic to begin the description of the main symbols of the city with the Monument to the Founders of Irkutsk. It was installed on the Lower Angara embankment for the 350th anniversary of the city and appears in the form of a male figure dressed in the manner of the early 17th century - a traveler, explorer, hunter. Later, the monument was specified and given the name of Yakov Pokhabov, the founder of the fort. It stands on a high base and looks possessively at the center of Irkutsk - the place where they built a fortress.

Read more: monument to the Founders of Irkutsk

Monument to the founders of Irkutsk Photo: © Klaudia Ziryukina

Moscow Gate

On the Lower Embankment of Irkutsk stands a triumphal arch - the Moscow Gate. They are decorated in Empire and Renaissance styles, decorated with symbols of strength and abundance. The arch is a gift to the city for its 350th anniversary, a modern reconstruction of the original gate built for the 10th anniversary of the reign of Alexander I. They greeted all those arriving from Moscow. It housed a teahouse, a water rescue society and an archive, until it was dismantled due to disrepair under Soviet rule.

Epiphany Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Epiphany is an Orthodox church and one of the oldest stone structures in Irkutsk and Siberia. It’s difficult to miss it on the Lower Embankment: its festive appearance is akin to a fairy tale. The white walls of the cathedral and the hipped bell tower are decorated with colored cornices and platbands. The wealth of forms and architectural elements makes it a prominent representative of the Siberian Baroque. Opposite the cathedral stands the Church of the Savior, on the eastern facade of which external frescoes have been preserved.

Znamensky Monastery

An important shrine and monument to the history and architecture of Irkutsk is the Znamensky Convent, located at the confluence of the Ushakovka River with the Angara. It was built at the turn of the XVII-XVIII centuries. and, having gone through the vicissitudes of the atheistic years of the 20th century, today it acts again.

At the monastery there is a necropolis, which became the last refuge of eminent people of the past. Among them are the wife of the Decembrist E. Trubetskaya and the founder of the Russian-American company G. I. Shelikhov. In front of the entrance to the monastery there is a monument to A.V. Kolchak , the leader of the White movement, the Supreme Ruler of Russia: here during the Civil War he was shot together with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers V.N. Pepelyaev. The removal of Kolchak marked the complete establishment of Soviet power in Eastern Siberia.

Kazan Church

The Church of the Mother of God of Irkutsk in the name of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is a prominent religious symbol of the city. The temple was erected in the Russian-Byzantine tradition at the end of the 19th century, when the surrounding area could no longer accommodate parishioners. The church turned out to be spacious; against the backdrop of its low-rise surroundings, it impresses with its volume and symmetrical composition. The main red color of the temple complements the blue and decorates the white, making its appearance even more noticeable due to the contrast.

Monument to Babr

At the beginning of the historical 130th quarter of Irkutsk there is a sculpture of Babr holding a sable in his teeth. The monument to the unprecedented beast was erected for a reason: it is the coat of arms symbol of the city. It appeared in 1878 due to an error when approving the coats of arms of the Russian Empire: when the letter “a” from the word “babr” was corrected to “o,” the stripes disappeared on the coat of arms of the tiger and the tail and flippers of a beaver appeared. Apparently, the old Russian “babr”, which denoted large wild cats, was not familiar to everyone even then.

Church of the Exaltation of the Cross

Hidden behind the trees of the square across the road from Babr is the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross - a real pearl of the temple architecture of Irkutsk. It was built in stone by the middle of the 18th century. This is an important and unique representative of the Siberian Baroque: the decoration of the facades combines Orthodox and Buddhist motifs, and the decoration is replete with their variety. Inside the temple you can see the decoration of the 18th century, including valuable icons and the only one in the city that has been completely preserved.

Read more: Church of the Exaltation of the Cross

Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Photo: © Natalia Tarasova

Monument to Alexander III

The monument to Alexander III is a significant detail of Irkutsk, central on Gagarin Boulevard (Upper Angara embankment). It is dedicated to the emperor, under whom the city stood on the path of the Trans-Siberian Railway, which allowed it to develop and grow. This monument is new, but made similar to the one that was demolished under the Bolsheviks. The figure of the emperor is not the only one: the base of the monument is decorated with bas-reliefs of those who played a big role in the history of Siberia - N. N. Muravyov-Amursky, M. M. Speransky and Ermak.

City history museums

Irkutsk has collected so many events over three and a half hundred years that they could not fit into one museum. Winter in the city is a great time to get to know the history of the city closer.

The Museum of Local Lore and the Museum of the History of Irkutsk will delight you, first of all, with stunning ancient buildings where their collections are located, and then they will tell you about the times when Siberia was just being developed, when the city became a significant cultural center and stood on the path of the Trans-Siberian Railway, and, of course, about those who made it history of people. The city also has the Decembrist Museum , which occupies the elegant estates of the Trubetskoys and Volkonskys. In the park nearby there is a Monument to the Wives of the Decembrists .

About iconic places also in the articles:

Sights of Irkutsk Museums of Irkutsk

Museum of the Decembrists. Volkonsky House Photo: © Natalia Tarasova

Icebreaker Museum "Angara"

The icebreaker "Angara" is a living history that anyone can touch. The ship is moored in the Solnechny microdistrict of Irkutsk, on the right bank of the Angara River not far from the hydroelectric power station. The icebreaker was assembled from parts made in England and launched in 1900. It served for more than 60 years, ferrying passengers and cargo across Lake Baikal, and today has become a museum revealing its role in the history of the city. Its exhibitions are dedicated to navigation on Lake Baikal, crews and commanders. In addition, visitors can get acquainted with the technical content of the vessel.

Sukachev Art Museum

The Irkutsk collection of graphics, paintings, decorative and applied arts began with the private collection of philanthropist V.P. Sukachev and today belongs to the Regional Art Museum. It is presented on four sites, in a collection of more than twenty thousand items. This is Siberian, Russian and Western European art from the 17th century, examples from China, Japan, Mongolia from the 14th to 20th centuries. In the Sukachev mansion, a branch of the museum and a monument of wooden architecture, there are exhibitions dedicated to the family of the figure.

Museum "At the Landfill"

A completely unusual museum awaits visitors upon leaving Irkutsk along the Aleksandrovsky Highway. It is located near a solid waste landfill and its exhibits are made from metal that was found in a landfill. Among them are entire armies of heroes, fantastic warriors and even heroes of the Alien universe. A suitable addition was the design of the territory in the form of a fort. In addition, the museum’s collection contains many rarities from the times of the USSR - watches, samovars, accordions and more. On event days, field porridge, ice slides and pony rides are organized for guests. You can always see a couple of real bears and feed them with brought treats.

Entrance to the museum “At the Landfill” Photo: © M Marik72

Where to go for a walk

A walk around the city is an obligatory part of the tourist program, even in winter. With or without snow, central city spaces delight with architecture, unusual details and well-groomed conditions. Let's highlight the most beautiful and interesting places for tourists in Irkutsk.

Angara embankments

Irkutsk lies on both banks of the Angara River relatively close to its source. In winter, the river does not freeze completely: the warm bottom waters of Lake Baikal and its rapid current have an effect. On frosty days, steam swirls above it, and the surrounding area is covered with sparkling frost.

The city center lies on the right bank, and walking embankments also run along the right bank. The Upper Embankment stretches for 5 km , but the guest will be interested in its continuation - Gagarin Boulevard . In the park area, in addition to the monument to Alexander III , there is a bust of Yu. A. Gagarin , a monument to fallen employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs , a monument to V. F. Margelov , and near the bridge to Yunost Island there is a sculpture of the Baikal seal .

The lower embankment is not connected to Gagarin Boulevard, but this is in the very near future. It stretches from the confluence of the Angara Ushakovka to the park near the Eternal Flame the Bridge of Love leads to it . The promenade appeared not so long ago, and the trees on it are young. The two tiers of the shore are decorated with openwork parapets and lanterns; there are benches for those who want to sit. The sights of the Lower Embankment are the Monument to the Founders of Irkutsk and the Moscow Gate , which are already noted above, as well as the Monument to the Teacher and the Monument to Surveyors .

Read more: Upper and Lower Angara embankments

Lower embankment Photo: © Klaudia Ziryukina

130th quarter

Irkutskaya Sloboda, or the 130th quarter, is a site stylized as an ancient city in the center of Irkutsk. About a dozen wooden mansions are real: these are architectural monuments that have survived to this day here or were moved from other streets. In the New Year's lighting, the quarter turns into a fairy-tale town. Its length is short, but a tourist is unlikely to be allowed to leave by the funny art objects, cozy cafes, and bright souvenir shops. There are also museums on the territory of the settlement: a planetarium, a branch of the Irkutsk Museum of Local Lore “Window to Asia” and the art gallery “Dias”.

Square named after Kirov

Kirov Square in Irkutsk is located between the city and regional administrations. In summer it is decorated with a fountain and intricate floral patterns in the flower beds. In winter, the square becomes the main New Year's site in Irkutsk. From mid-November to the end of January there is a tall spruce here, playing with lights in the evenings. The residence of Father Frost and an ice town are built around it, each year with a different theme, light installations appear, as well as slides and labyrinths for young residents. An interesting and permanent detail of Kirov Square is a model of old Irkutsk, made of metal.

Uritsky Street in Irkutsk

The main pedestrian street is another traditional place for a walk. In Irkutsk it bears the name of the revolutionary M. S. Uritsky. Its length is small: only 400 m. It connects two major highways of the city - Karl Marx and Dzerzhinsky, on which the Central Market is the most popular. Since its appearance in the 17th century. Uritsky was renamed and rebuilt more than once. There were shops, residential buildings, and military warehouses on it. Today it is a walking area and a shopping area: ancient buildings house all kinds of brand stores. If you continue along Uritskogo towards st. Proletarskaya, on Truda Square you can see the sculpture “Leonid Gaidai and his heroes” - Coward, Dunce and Seasoned.

Sculpture Square

The sculpture park is quite small, but its central location and conspicuous sculptures do not allow it to remain in the shadows; it will certainly appear on the path of tourists. One of the first in it was the Big Ben tower , which really resembles the London chimes. Afterwards others appeared - “The Thinker”, “Three Monkeys”, “Two Cupids”; Several symbolize the life paths of a person - “The Kiss”, “Mother and Child”, “Children Reading”. The handprint in the “Book of Kindness” is polished to a shine. Nearby, at the intersection of the street. Marat and Gorky, there is another bronze exhibit - the sculpture “Irkutsk Cat” .

Sculpture Square Photo: © Klaudia Ziryukina

Quarters with architectural monuments

In the historical center of Irkutsk, houses have been preserved - witnesses of the old city. The high skill of the architects, the exacting desires of the customers and the presence of a plan for the improvement of the city gave rise to impressive creations.

Walking along the streets, you can see old wooden mansions; one of the notable ones will be the Shastins' house (House of Europe) on the street. F. Engelsa, 23B and the Bichaikhanov Palace on the street. Stepan Razin, 11, and lavishly decorated stone buildings of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, for example, the house of I.M. Fainberg on the street. Khalturina, 1, Russian-Asian Bank on the street. Lenina, 38, house of D. M. Kuznets on Dzerzhinsky, 36, trading house of Karl Marx, 28.

Lace House Photo: © Tatyana Masloboeva

Jerusalem Mount

Jerusalem Mount Memorial Park is located near the 130th block. In the 19th century The hill was occupied by a church cemetery with thousands of burials, among which were those belonging to famous people of the city. In the 1950s it was razed to the ground and the Central Park of Culture and Culture was opened, which subsequently operated until the 2000s. After oblivion in 2017-2018. The park began to be put in order. The Temple of the Entrance to Jerusalem was restored , and dozens of monuments and information stands dedicated to people forgotten for half a century appeared on the paths. The main wide alley now leads to the semi-rotunda - an observation deck overlooking the city and a descending staircase on the northern side of the park.

Read more: Jerusalem Mount Memorial Park

Jerusalem Stairs Photo: © Svetlana Aubekerova

Pre-revolutionary architecture

Of the 50 buildings existing on K. Marx Street, more than half have survived from pre-revolutionary buildings. Among them are the N.P. Okhlopkov Drama Theater (1894–1897), the former branch of the Russian-Asian Bank (built in the Art Nouveau style in 1910–1912; later the Kolchak government building, the Revolutionary Committee, now a city clinic), the houses of Irkutsk merchants , buildings of the city's first cinemas and hotels, etc. In the 1930s and 1950s, the street was built up with new administrative buildings. The main shopping street of Irkutsk is the pedestrian street Uritsky (formerly Pesterevskaya), leading to the central market and a three-story shopping complex.

Where to relax in the winter evening

Irkutsk is the regional capital, a large city, and the question of “what to do in the evening in Irkutsk” is solved in the same way as in other Russian cities. Having identified your interests, you can go to a restaurant, a bar, a spa, a movie, and during a walk you can see winter Irkutsk in colorful lights.

A little later than all museums, several other exhibitions close in Irkutsk.

The Victor Bronstein Gallery presents graphics, painting and sculpture by local, Russian and foreign contemporary masters. The skilful and stunning works of the authors are complemented by the original organization of space. There is a shop and restaurants in the gallery building. It is convenient to discuss what you saw at a table in an atmospheric cafe, and choose non-trivial souvenirs in the souvenir shop.

The Irkutsk Planetarium , opened not long ago in the Noosphere complex on the territory of the 130th quarter, will show films about space. Evening excursions to the planetarium observatory will allow you to observe the Moon, planets and stars through a telescope. Every month, during the new moon, the observatory conducts trips outside the city to study the night sky in detail; trips take place even in winter.

In the Botanical Garden of Irkutsk, tropical greenhouses are the most interesting in winter. Check for an evening excursion, there is definitely one during the New Year holidays.

According to tradition, the city's cultural institutions open their doors in the evening. Concerts of musical performers most often take place in the Ice Palace , in the club-restaurant "Wild Horse" , at the Trud stadium , at the art venue , and in the Irkutsk Philharmonic . The latter has two concert halls, one of which is occupied by a Polish church - an architectural monument in the neo-Gothic style. But it’s not just the building that is a pearl: the church houses one of the best organs in Russia.

The theatrical art of Irkutsk lives on the stages of the Irkutsk Academic Drama Theater named after. N. P. Okhlopkov , Musical Theater named after. N. M. Zagursky , City Theater of Folk Drama , Youth Theater . Among the productions are well-known plots and little-known works of classics and contemporaries. Unusual performances may be of interest to the Pilgrim Theatre , which combines the classical traditions of theater, music and Russian culture, and the V. Lopaev Dance Theater “PROdvizhenie” , which is based on plastic performances.

Downhill on ice

The ice town “Ice Age” (0+) invites you to have a fun and active time.
Adults and children here will have plenty of fun on slides and ice skates, and after that they can warm up in a warm yurt, drink a cup of tea or coffee, and also have a tasty snack. And in the evening, the ice town has a fabulous atmosphere created by the twinkling lights, huge light figures and illuminated slides. On the territory of the “Ice Age” you will find:

Three-slope speed slide with illumination1;
Children's ice curved slide with a long descent and tubing carousel1;
A one and a half meter slide with a built-in labyrinth for kids1;
Ice bowl-trap with a diameter of 4 meters with multi-colored balls1;
Illuminated skating rink with warm rental of skates for children and adults1.

Ticket price: 250 rubles. Children under 6 years of age are accompanied by one adult free of charge, as an accompanying person, and a ticket per child is purchased. Skate rental - 100 rubles per hour. Ice Age is located at the address: Novo-Lenino, Bauman Street 233e/1, near the Gregory mall2 shopping center. Opening hours: on weekdays from 11:00 to 21:00 weekdays, on weekends from 11:00 to 22:00. Phone: 720-916. Website: www.ice-period.rus. Social networks: VKontakte, Instagram, Odnoklassniki.

1. Riding only under adult supervision. 2. Gregory Moll.

Where to go with children

In Irkutsk you will find enough options where to relax in winter with children. The entertainment is different, and there will be something suitable both for the interests and age of young tourists.

While exploring the sights in the center, stop by Kirov Square to ride the slides, get lost among the ice sculptures and see the New Year tree. Active recreation is also possible on Yunost Island , where a bridge leads from Gagarin Boulevard. On its territory there is a children's playground, tubing, skating rinks and the Krugozor Ferris wheel . The cabins in it are closed and allow those who wish to ride down to a temperature of -20 °C. along the Children's Railway on the neighboring Konny Island . The nearby cafes invite you to take a lunch break and warm up.

For winter entertainment within the city, the Jacobi picnic park and the one on the left bank of the Angara near the hydroelectric dam are suitable. There are skating rinks, tubing hills, Jacobi has an ice town right on the ice of the Angara, and in Ersha there is a small slope for skiing and snowboarding. On the same side of the city there is the Academichesky ski complex .

Do children like bright trampolines, mazes and hundreds of toys? There are also amusement parks in Irkutsk. Mark on the map “Jungle park” in the “YarkoMALL” shopping center, “Ninja park” in the “Mega Home” shopping center and the “Luna Park” shopping center , as well as the trampoline , “Butterfly” and “Tsarsky” located in the city center.

Be sure to take little travelers who are crazy about animals to the Irkutsk Nerpinarium . The performances there are given by the endemics of Baikal - Baikal seals, who found themselves in a difficult situation as cubs and were raised by humans. The city has a classic zoo - the Irkutsk Zoo , which is next to the Botanical Garden . It has spacious enclosures for residents and recreation areas and a children's playground for guests. The botanical garden does not lag behind him and conducts children's interactive programs, classes with a microscope and master classes for the whole family. Boys will be interested in the museum “At the Landfill” : metal knights and heroes of fantasy films will not leave them indifferent.

While in the 130th quarter, visit the Irkutsk Planetarium in the Noosphere museum complex . Fascinating materials about the origin of life on Earth and films about the incredible world of space have been prepared for viewers. Look for performances based on famous fairy tales and cartoons at the Stork Puppet Theater , Theater for Young Spectators , Musical Theater named after. Zagursky and in the interactive baby theater "Teatrik" , operating for babies from 9 months. Their schedule becomes especially busy in December and January, when magical New Year's performances take place one after another.

More about these and other ideas on where to take your child on the page:

Irkutsk for children

Weekend outside the city

“Pribaikalskaya” (6+) invites you to spend time with health benefits. On the territory of the hotel, located a 10-minute drive from Listvyanka, guests can enjoy entertainment for every taste: skiing, skating, tubing and even dog sledding

The 800-meter-long ski slope has an artificial snowmaking system and lighting for skiing at night. There is a renovated, spacious and cozy rental office. The price for tubing is 350 rubles on weekends, 300 rubles per hour on weekdays. The track is equipped with a rope tow.

You can barbecue on site: a picnic area and barbecues are available to visitors. Also available to guests are two large Finnish saunas (1000 rubles per hour on weekends), where you can warm up on a cold day, and a cedar phyto-barrel.

A nice bonus: a 15% discount on accommodation in rooms of the “Family”, “Business”, “Comfort” categories on weekdays using the promo code “WINTER”. Office phone in Irkutsk: 707-216, hotel: 792-800. Website: pribaikalskaja.ru

Photo courtesy of the Pribaikalskaya Hotel

Reviews from tourists

In tourist reviews, Irkutsk often acts as an introduction or ending to a trip to Lake Baikal. Some devote several hours to it, others spend a day or two getting to know the historical and modern heritage of the city. Depending on this, the intensity of the meeting also varies. Mostly, guests walk along the embankments and central streets, look at churches and nice sculptures, look into the 130th district and visit a couple of museums.

“The ringing snowy distance. Irkutsk" from Natalia Tarasova;
"Dreams Come True! Winter Baikal. Second meeting with Irkutsk” from Klaudia Ziryukina;
“The wooden capital of Siberia is beautiful Irkutsk” from Svetlana Aubekerova.

All tourist reviews about Irkutsk on Tourist. RU

Other city tips:

What to see in Irkutsk in 1 day and 2 days
What to see in Irkutsk in summer

Miracles on turns

In January, a tubing base “Topkinsky Virazh” (6+) opened in Irkutsk. Two large routes of 180 and 200 meters are already operating. On January 25, a 50-meter long track for the youngest clients will open. The slopes are equipped with a drag lift for snow tubes*.

From January 25, rental cost: Monday to Thursday, Friday until 16:00 - 200 rubles for 30 minutes, 300 rubles per hour, subsequent hours - 200 rubles. Friday from 16:00, weekends and holidays - 250 rubles per 30 minutes, 400 rubles per hour. On January 25, Tatiana's Day, all Tatianas and students receive a 50% discount upon presentation of documents!

Gift certificates for weekday and holiday rates are available for sale, cash and non-cash payments are accepted.

Opening hours: from 12:00 to 22:00, seven days a week. “Topkinsky Virage” is located at the address: Topkinsky microdistrict, 56/2. Entry through the Topkinsky microdistrict, near houses 55,56. Details by phone: 8, email, Instagram.

*Snow tubes provided by the base with a diameter of 120 centimeters are used; the use of other tubes is prohibited for safety reasons.

Photo courtesy of Topkinskie Virazhi