Tourists in large cities and. The most interesting cities in Russia: rating, sights
Carcassonne, namely the Carcassonne Fortress- France, region of Occitania. Medieval walled city, surrounded by a 3-kilometer double wall with 53 towers. The walls were built by the Romans in the 3rd century AD and fortified by the French in the Romanesque style in the following centuries.
2. Prague (Historic Center of Prague)
Prague, namely the historical center of Prague - Czech Republic. Prague is one of the most impressive medieval cityscapes in the world. The city has a huge number of outstanding architectural monuments in a picturesque natural environment. The historic center is large and consists of several parts, including the Old Town (Prague Old Town), New town(Prague New Town), Mala Strana and Hradcany, Charles Bridge and Josefov.
3. New York (Manhattan)
New York, namely Manhattan - USA, New York. The most famous historic district of the most famous and popular city in the world is Manhattan. history Center skyscrapers. The first high-rise buildings in the world were built here at the end of the 19th century. Currently, the most famous skyscrapers are the Empire State Building (381 m high, built in 1931), Chrysler Building (282 m, built in 1930) and many others.
4. Sana (Old City of Sana "a)
Sanaa, namely Old city Sana'a - Yemen. An impressive display of unique Yemeni town planning and architecture. Sana'a was founded in 500 BC. and many of the city's buildings are dated to AD 500-600. .The 9th century city walls are 14 m high, the old city contains over 100 mosques. Unfortunately, Sana'a is closed to tourists due to the war in Yemen.
5. Venice
Venice - Italy, Veneto. One of the most unusual and most beautiful cities on Earth, which contains an incredible amount of artistic and architectural treasures.
6. Hong Kong
Hong Kong, a former British colony and now a separate administrative region within China, is one of the most impressive cities in the world. Hong Kong is one of the most significant in the worldfinancial centers, with the highestfinancial development indexand is invariably included inmost competitive economies in the world.
7. Istanbul
Istanbul - Turkey, a city where the border between Europe and Asia passes, where European and Muslim culture meet. One of the oldest cities in the world former center Christendom, namely Constantinople. Istanbul is one of the most populous cities in the world and the largest European city... Istanbul is the 5th most popular tourist destination in the world.
8. Vienna
Vienna - Austria, this precious stone in a casket Austria. Perfect place for acquaintance with classical music, Austrian pastries, the best apple strudel in the Weimar cafe, magnificent architecture that recalls the imperial past of Vienna, especially masterpieces such as the exquisite Baroque style the Austrian National Library and the magnificent opera.
9. Jerusalem (Jerusalem)
Jerusalem - Israel, the most controversial city in the Middle East, although it is perhapsone of the few places in the worldwhere churches stand peacefully next to the mosque and synagogues. Everything here seems to be covered in 4,000 years of Jewish dust, but it is an amazingly modern and young city.
Of course, Moscow and St. Petersburg. Most foreigners associate all other travels inland with extreme tourism.
However, apart from two capitals, Russia has something to show and surprise. And it seems that the interest of tourists in the Russian outback is not only not weakening, but every year it only grows.
V Lately many experts started talking about the fact that the “Golden Ring” brand was “blown away”, its former popularity, ostensibly, began to decline. However, if you study the proposals of European tour operators, travel to the cities of the Golden Ring takes strong positions after Moscow and St. Petersburg. One of the most popular cities on the list is the reserve city of Suzdal. The city is amazing, it personifies quiet and modest Russia, in which life flows measuredly like the Klyazma River. You can easily walk around the city in a day, explore oldest monuments, among which there are 5 monastic ensembles, the Museum of Wooden Architecture, more than 30 churches, look into the workshop of a potter or a blacksmith, and after a delicious lunch lie on the banks of a quiet Kamenka. The city's only livelihood is tourists, so everything is done here to make the guest feel good. In recent years, new hotels and complexes that meet international standards have appeared in the city, so foreign speech began to be heard on the Suzdal land, not only on the days of large-scale festivities like the "Festival of the Cucumber" or "The Day of Bast Shoes".
Rostov the Great
People go to ancient Rostov the Great, stretching on the picturesque shores of Lake Nero, to the homeland of St. Sergius of Radonezh, not for entertainment, but for spirituality. The bulk of the visiting foreigners are elderly people. However, foreigners in general, as you know, travel more when they are retired. There are domes everywhere: the Kremlin, the Savior-Yakovlevsky and Avraamiev monasteries, the Assumption Cathedral and the Holy Trinity Varnitsky Monastery. Unfortunately, hot water is still turned off in many Rostov hotels, “Taganka ... why did you ruin me?” Sounds in restaurants, and you can hang axes in bars because of the swirling smoke of cigarettes, but such “trifles” do not stop foreigners. And how can they become a reason to refuse a trip that can change the idea of Russia.
Yaroslavl
After the inclusion of the historical center of the city in the UNESCO list, Yaroslavl received a second birth. Today, mainly French, German and British people come to the city. But the interest of Americans in Yaroslavl has greatly decreased - especially many US citizens came to the city in the 80s, after the fall of the Iron Curtain. Choice cultural program often depends on the traveler himself: many are in a hurry to see what was created in the 17th century, the Church of Elijah the Prophet, frescoes. And, for example, some Norwegian farmer will drink a glass of beer on Kirov Street with great pleasure and will be absolutely happy from such a "trip". Increasingly, foreigners refuse to see the sights, but ask to show the life of the city, and not some polished patch in the center, but a real Russian one. Curious foreigners are interested in everything: why are tree trunks whitewashed, or why do most Russian women always wear high heels? And foreigners are very fond of the "Stone of Desires", attaching a sore spot to which, one can allegedly be healed. The Spaniards and the French are more than others ready to support the tradition and willingly apply their "sores" to the stone, and many men even rub their balding heads against the stone.
Velikiy Novgorod
The name of Veliky Novgorod as the New Rome is quite common among foreign tourists. They are invited in the city to visit the Byzantine Cathedral of St. Sophia and the Novgorod Kremlin, as well as see icons of the 11-12 centuries and frescoes by Theophanes the Greek. The program also includes a bell ringing concert at the Vitoslavlitsy Museum of Wooden Architecture. Foreign guests are greeted with bread and salt, as well as with magnificent songs, dances, games and round dances, in which foreigners gladly take an active part. Special dinners for foreigners often involve tasting pancakes and the Novgorodian drink "spotykach". In general, a stay in Veliky Novgorod can be not only useful, but also very fun. Some old Novgorod amusements - running on stilts or pushing on poles - are worth something. Of particular interest is a visit to the workshops, first of all, a visit to birch bark craftsmen, where foreigners are happy to weave souvenirs in memory of Russia.
Foreigners may choose Pskov when they want to get to know the history of Russia in detail. After all, it was here on Vechevoy Square that they first started talking about Russian democracy. The baptist of Russia Vladimir spent on the Pskov land and Princess Olga grew up. Elder Philotheus, the author of the famous concept "Moscow - the Third Rome", lived in the Eleazarovsky Monastery. At the Pskov railway station, Nicholas II abdicated the throne, and the history of the Russian Empire ended. In the battles with the Kaiser's units near Pskov, the legendary Red Army was born. Many foreigners want to visit the festivals of military reconstruction "Battle on the Ice", "Iron City" and "Isaborg" or take part in the Maslenitsa festivities. Pskov conquers foreigners with its antiquity and silence, and people with openness and beauty. You can often hear a comparison between Pskov and Paris. Both cities are one big attraction. Only in Paris, announcements in public places are duplicated in English.
Yekaterinburg
Every year Yekaterinburg is visited by about 140 thousand foreigners, and most of them come to the city on a business trip. 68% of foreigners see the city as an attractive area for investment and business. Yekaterinburg is most often presented to foreigners as a place where the family of the last tsar "was overtaken by a violent death," and also as the homeland of the first president of Russia, Boris Yeltsin. They also remember Ural mountains... People come here willingly for adventure, because the "city of a sad image" in the minds of most Europeans and Americans is a real exotic. True, it is to Yekaterinburg that most savage tourists do not go, but they definitely include it in their free "voyage" across Russia. Foreigners live with Russian families, go for walks in the forests, cope along the Ural rivers. In general, they emerge from civilization at the first convenient opportunity, and Yekaterinburg is one of the Russian cities that successfully helps them in this.
An ideal trip for foreigners who want to see Siberia with their own eyes, as well as for those who have an incredible desire to confirm or debunk many rumors and stereotypes about Russia, a huge country in which, according to foreigners, it is often not clear what is happening. Russia was and is a mystery for those who have never been there. And between the search for answers to an unresolved question, foreigners are conquered by samples of Tomsk wooden architecture - there are no such houses anywhere else in the world. These are not just buildings, they are real works of art. And, of course, the river views opening from observation deck Camp garden. Even after Nizhny Novgorod and Tobolsk, they are impressive. Many come to the Russian hinterland to study, work, for an internship or just for vacation. And almost everyone regretfully thinks that they will have to leave this country.
A few years ago, the word "rest" was certainly associated with distant overseas countries, comfortable hotels, as well as tiresome flights and considerable monetary costs.
Today, more and more Russians are spending their holidays in the vast expanses of our homeland. After all, in Russia there are so many picturesque corners, historical cities, monuments of architecture, culture, which many have not even heard of.
What cities in Russia attract tourists more than others? We bring to your attention a unique rating:
1st place- Saint Petersburg
This city is called the "cultural capital" for a reason. It contains the best examples of world architecture from different eras: Kazan Cathedral, Peterhof, Winter Palace and much more. In the Hermitage you can admire a unique collection of paintings. The attention of young people will be attracted by a large number of nightclubs and unusual restaurants. You can find inexpensive, decent housing in this city quite quickly by entering the phrase "St. Petersburg hotels search by metro" in the search engine.
2nd place- Moscow
This is the political and historical center of our country. It will pleasantly surprise you with the intersection of modernity and antiquity. The tour should start from Red Square. Be sure to visit St. Basil's Cathedral, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Lenin's Mausoleum, climb the Sparrow Hills and, of course, look at the Kremlin. In Moscow, you can unwind on various excursions, go shopping in fashionable shops, visit all kinds of catering establishments, exhibitions, cinemas, etc. And Orekhovo hotels will delight guests of the capital with excellent service and affordable prices.
3rd place- Kazan
The most popular place for tourists is the famous Kazan Kremlin.
4th place- Yekaterinburg
Tourists-intellectuals love to visit Yekaterinburg. There is a huge number of libraries, theaters, museums.
5th place- Kaliningrad
This land has long been famous for the most beautiful ornaments made of amber. The main attraction of the city is the Cathedral.
6th place- Nizhny Novgorod
The mixture of cultures in this marvelous city beckons tourists from all over Russia (Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, stone cathedrals, futuristic planetarium, medieval-style monasteries).
7th place- Samara
In Samara, you should definitely try the most popular products of this city: chocolate, vodka and beer.
8th place- Krasnoyarsk
The unique nature reserve of world importance "Pillars" contains formations of granite, which attract climbers here.
Residents of some countries experience only negative feelings at the sight of tourists.
This is not strange, given the kind of antics they sometimes allow themselves, from destroying art installations for selfies to throwing objects at the Buckingham Palace guards.
In some parts of the world, tourism has caused such serious problems that they have introduced restrictions on the number of people who can visit the city in one day.
Moreover, locals also openly protest against tourists. See which cities they do the most harm.
Venice, Italy
Many people know that Venice has been sinking for a long time, and tourists are actively helping her in this.
In recent years, local residents have consistently complained that vacationers are polluting the city, and the Committee world heritage UNESCO is seriously concerned about the impact of this on historical sites.
Thus, the Venice authorities have introduced strict rules regarding the behavior of tourists. Trash abandoned on the streets, love castles, tree graffiti and building demolitions are now punishable by hefty fines.
According to information from well-known world publications, Venice has even introduced restrictions on the number of new hotel rooms.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Ever since Game of Thrones came out, Dubrovnik has been constantly overrun with tourists. Many people want to take a look at the famous King's Landing.
In 2015, the number of tourists in the city increased by 10%, and by 2017 the situation worsened so that the mayor of Dubrovnik announced his intention to reduce the number of tourists in the city from 8,000 per day to 4,000.
Reykjavik, Iceland
In recent years, Reykjavik and all of Iceland have been overcrowded with holidaymakers, which is why the country is now often compared to Disneyland.
In 2015, 1.26 million travelers visited Iceland, despite the fact that its own population is 330 thousand people.
The influx of tourists has stimulated the country's economy, but it also led to a rapid increase in prices, which is what the locals are unhappy with.
Cozumel, Mexico
This island is one of the most popular cruise ship destinations and is regularly plagued by tourists. Much of the coral reefs surrounding Cozumel have been destroyed by boats and scuba divers nearby, and the remainder continues to erode as a result of pollution from heavy traffic.
Barcelona, Spain
Local residents do not hide their antipathy towards vacationers. Last year, the protests of the people became especially violent: there was even a case of an attack on tourist bus and one of the city's hotels.
Due to this activity of tourists, the rules for visiting some attractions have become increasingly subject to changes. So, since 2015, vacationers are prohibited from moving around the Boqueria market in groups of more than 15 people. Before this ban, crowds of tourists wishing to photograph everything around them simply blocked pedestrian traffic.
New York, USA
New York has been a popular destination for years, but the travel industry continues to gain momentum.
Now there are 113 thousand hotel rooms in the city, and by 2019 their number should increase to 137 thousand.
Many locals, looking at the alarmingly expanding hotel market and huge queues for popular goods, complain that tourists have literally taken over New York.
Machu Picchu, Peru
The ancient city of the Incas attracts a huge number of tourists, well in excess of the limit of 2,500 people per day set by Peru and UNESCO in 2011.
Thousands of tourists arriving in Machu Picchu inflict irreparable damage on the ancient ruins, due to which they may later be on the verge of destruction.
New plans are now being developed there, according to which, from 2019, visitors will be required to hire guides and walk on certain routes.
Santorini, Greece
This island usually suffers from an influx of travelers in the summer, and to such an extent that the authorities have been forced to impose restrictions on the number of people going ashore from cruise ships, up to 8000 per day.
In 2015, Santorini was visited by 636 ships and 790 thousand tourists, while its own population is just over 15 thousand inhabitants.
Rome, Italy
Many vacationers do not respect the history of Rome. The last unpleasant incident occurred in August 2017, when an Ecuadorian tourist was caught carving out his family's names on the Colosseum. He received a fine of about $ 23 thousand for damaging the ancient Roman amphitheater.
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is very popular with nightlife lovers due to its abundance of bars and cheap beer.
Once tourists got out of control so much that the authorities intervened in the situation, introducing a citywide “quiet hour” from 22:00.
Big Major Cay, Bahamas
Big Major Cay's floating pigs have started to get sick and die as tourists feed the animals right on the beach and regularly get sand in their stomachs. They often feed the pigs with beer and rum, and also try to ride them.
Pet owners are now working with the government to curb this holiday behavior.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam is a popular destination for tourists who like night life... According to the authorities, the root of the evil, provoking an unwanted influx of travelers, have become rental sites. As a result, certain restrictions were imposed on the well-known resource Airbnb.
Now it is impossible to rent an apartment in Amsterdam for more than 60 days a year.
Cuba
In 2016, a record number of tourists came to Cuba - 3.5 million people visited the country.
The consequences were serious: local residents experienced a food shortage, not to mention the fact that many of them could not pay for the necessary goods, because of the high demand, they soared in price.
The Cuban government was forced to impose price caps on basic necessities to keep them affordable for the population.
THE CITY SHOULD BE CONVENIENT FOR TOURISTS
I observe with interest how the opponents of the city’s transformations begin to whine that “Moscow is not for tourists, but for Muscovites” and “for whom all this is being done at all”. For tourists as well. Countries and cities spend huge amounts of money to attract tourists. Because tourists are money, tourists are new jobs. And the city should be convenient for tourists!
Russia does not know how to work with tourists. The share of income from tourism in our country is no more than 1.5% of GDP, while, as in the global GDP, this figure is about 10%. We still do not have a normal taxi service at any airport in the capital, so that you get out and without hesitation got into an official city taxi, which will take you home at a fixed rate. Our service sector is not developed, and it is dangerous and inconvenient to walk around the city. St. Petersburg and Moscow somehow reach out and accept the people, but outside the capitals it is generally dark.
I counted a little tourism income in different countries, and this is what happens.
As you can see, we are very far behind developed countries... Despite the fact that we have a huge tourist potential! Luxurious nature, cuisine, historic cities, art. Russia could receive 10 times more tourists.
Tourism is an excellent stimulus for the development of the city. The reason for this is the growth of small and medium-sized businesses. Demand creates supply, and in places where there is a large tourist flow, locals do not miss the opportunity to open small hotels and hostels, coffee shops and bars, souvenir shops and various entertainment venues. New jobs appear, employment levels rise, people earn more and spend more, tax revenues increase, and the city develops and flourishes.
But there is one thing: in order to attract tourists to the city, you must first create comfortable and interesting conditions for them. It is with this that Russia has a big problem. Nobody wants to create a tourist infrastructure, restore monuments and monitor the quality of service. Nobody wants to build normal roads and develop air traffic so that it is not so difficult for visitors to get to resorts and tourist centers... Nobody wants to cancel the visa regime for countries with a high level of outbound tourism. Americans, Chinese, Germans, British, Italians, French and other nations that are leading in terms of spending on foreign travel, still have to apply for visas to Russia. And the residents of Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru and Guatemala at this time can easily come to us without visas, only they do not need it at all.
The number of tourists directly depends on how comfortable, accessible and interesting a particular country is for them. At the moment, Russia is uncomfortable and inaccessible for tourists. According to the World Economic Forum in 2015, Russia was ranked 45th in the ranking of countries in terms of attractiveness for foreign tourists. In the global flow of tourists, the share of trips to Russia is only 2-3%. And this share is not increasing for the reason that Russia does not have enough high-quality infrastructure for normal recreation - this is directly stated in official reports.
But what can we say about foreign tourists, when even the Russians themselves prefer to go on vacation abroad. Yes, in 2015 domestic tourism grew by 20% due to the collapse of the ruble and travel bans to Turkey and Egypt. But the following year, it began to decline again as the Russians began to return to Turkey. Russian resorts and tourist cities cannot compete even with cheap vacations abroad. The reason for this is poor quality. transport infrastructure, not enough good inexpensive hotels and cafes, lack of resort infrastructure, undeveloped domestic flights and much more.
But back to foreign tourists. And here I want to give a few numbers for clarity. In 2016, foreign tourists spent $ 212 billion in the United States, $ 119 billion in China, $ 65 billion in Spain, $ 46 billion in France and Germany, and $ 32 billion in Japan. How much do you think they spent in vast and beautiful Russia? Only $ 11 billion. And now estimate how much money our country could earn if it had comfortable and comfortable cities, restored architectural monuments, developed infrastructure, convenient tourist routes and normal transport connection.
So make cities comfortable and convenient. And if someone starts to tell you that we don't need tourists, that there is no need to make pedestrian streets, you should know that this is the enemy of Russian cities.
