The historical centre of Cossack culture, Rostov-on-Don is a charming city with green parks and pedestrian-friendly streets. Its extensive waterfront, excellent museums and delicious seafood offer insight into the local culture.

Things to do

Rostov-on-Don is centred on Pushkinskaya Street, a boulevard lined with trees and statues that make for a pleasant stroll. Walk south on Bolshaya Sadovaya Street to see underpasses covered in colourful Soviet mosaics depicting daily life in the USSR and commemorating military battles.

The area’s history is on display at the Railway Museum, where you can climb inside their substantial collection of old steam trains and military tanks. Don’t miss the Rostov-on-Don’s Fine Arts Museum, where you can admire Chinese vases, Samurai swords and still-life paintings by Dutch Masters.

Kids will love the Laboratorium, an interactive science museum with games, shows and workshops where you can set up your own experiments. They’ll also enjoy a trip to see elephants, giraffes and flamingos at Rostov-on-Don Zoo and splashing around in the waterslides at H2O Aquapark.

No trip to Rostov-on-Don is complete without a visit to the Fish Market on the embankment. Fresh fish is available first thing in the morning, so get here early to stock up on salmon, herring and caviar. Alternatively, dine on the best of the area’s seafood at Onegin Dacha restaurant.

Getting around

Rostov-on-Don Airport has international flights to many European cities and is a 20-minute drive from the city centre. Frequent buses run between the city and the airport and the local bus and tram systems cover most of the city. Many of the major attractions are within walking distance of each other.