The Ultimate Guide to Nizhny Novgorod (and Beyond!)

Nizhny Novgorod… The city where I spent eight months of my life and never regretted a single day of it. My dear reader, if you are reading these lines, it is likely that you are planning a trip to this wonderful city yourself. Perhaps, you do not know where to start. I too was in your shoes so I would know. Maybe, you do not know where to start because you do not know much Russian. Maybe you do know some Russian but realize that there is not much written about the city even in that language. I know, I know… Let us fix this severe injustice to one gem of a city once and for all, right now. Below, you can find two things: a categorized list of all my articles to date on Nizhny Novgorod and beyond, collected here for a much easier access to them all; and a carefully curated “best of” list for the city for those who only plan to spend a few days in this wonderful place.

No more will the wonders of Nizhny Novgorod go unnoticed by the rest of the world!

(Ok, this may be going a tad too much…)

*The “Hero” ship near the lower end of the Chkalov Staircase.*

What to do in Nizhny Novgorod?

Feeling bored? Read these articles to figure out what to do next in the city!

*Confluence of Oka and Volga as seen from the Kremlin.*

Where to eat in Nizhny Novgorod?

Feeling peckish? Not on my watch! Go figure out what to eat now by reading the following articles.

*A bowl of extra spicy Tom Yum Ramen at Fukuramen.*

Miscellaneous Articles About Nizhny Novgorod

Feeling confused? Here is a list that will surely confuse you further with its randomness!

*Unity Day celebrations with the view of Kremlin.*

Arkhangelsk – Mini Arc

Feeling adventurous? Why not fly to Arkhangelsk after reading what to do and what to eat over there?

*A ship moored to the port of Arkhangelsk.*

Kazan – Mini Arc

Feeling reasonable? Well yeah, Arkhangelsk may not be for everyone, but there really is not any reason not to visit Kazan if you will be staying in Nizhny Novgorod for a while.

Best of Nizhny Novgorod

Alright, I can almost hear you say: “oh geez man, let me just stay in Nizhny for a few months to make sure that I experience everything you wrote.” I suppose you are right, not all will study in Nizhny, nor work there, some will just pass by and so on. If you do not have months to explore the city, but only a few days, perhaps just one, what then? Where to go and what to eat? Well, without much humility, I would strongly recommend you visit the following spots first and eat at these fine establishments before anywhere else. These are the must haves of Nizhny, according to yours truly!

DO AND SEE!

See the city’s Kremlin with your own eyes, and maybe visit the State Russian Art Museum there if you have the time.
Go to the lower side to gawk at the Cathedral of Aleksander Nevsky and all the goodies it holds.
Spend some time in the gorgeous Switzerland Park and watch a sunset there, or perhaps travel to the stars at Planetarium 1.
Appreciate the unique ornaments of the State Bank on the main pedestrian street, Bol’shaya Pokrovskaya.
Walk down Chkalov’s Stairs and then walk along the Volga until you visit the beautiful Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

*Chkalov Staircase with the man himself towering above it.*

EAT AND DRINK!

Savour the finest ramen this city (and perhaps the entire Federation) has to offer at Fukuramen.
Eat some decent pizza at either Yula or Pech, depending on which bank of the Oka you are exploring at the time.
Enjoy the company and service of the finest people in town by grabbing a mug of beer in Freakadely.
Go to Öö if you want to taste the best cocktails in town instead, in an almost hidden basement no less!
Head to Gellert for the best beer in town as well as some quick and rather affordable grubs.
Have some Cinnabon rolls at Cinnabon alongside with a hot drink of your choice to survive the Russian winter.
Try a business lunch at Skoba, with their own unique takes on many modern dishes.

*A saucy “double” margherita pizza at Yula.*

Well, there you go. Almost a year spent in an unassuming “little” Russian city, one that surprised me at every turn, and one that made me say “thank you” to my former self for choosing to come here just a few months earlier. It was an amazing stay to say the least, and I did not even explore the outlying areas of the city, so, in all honesty, this guide can be expanded sometime in the future quite easily. I cannot say for sure whether I will be back to Nizhny at any point, but if I do, I know that I will be happy to do so. It feels quite weird to be able to put months of my experience into such a short guide, but if this will help anyone out there who is willing to come and enjoy this city, then I guess it will be doing its job just right. I wish you all good luck and best of times!