Where to travel on a budget during the winter holidays. United Arab Emirates. Happy New Year Cuba

With a little more than a month left before the New Year, it's time to decide where to go for the New Year holidays in 2016. However, exchange rates, inflation and other crisis can pretty spoil the mood. But do not rush to unpack your bags!

We offer you the top 10 places where you should go for the New Year holidays 2016 - inexpensive, but interesting and exciting. Or expensive and tasteful.

New Year holidays 2016 in Russia? Where to go? Of course, to Moscow. The capital offers many opportunities for interesting pastime: museums, monuments of history and architecture, parks, skating rinks, New Year's performances for children and adults, folk festivals, holiday fairs and much, much more. If you want to save money, you can stay in an apartment (an apartment with a kitchen) and cook for yourself. Then a five-day trip will cost $400 for two.

9. Lithuania, Vilnius: on a budget

I want silence ancient castles, Gothic churches, narrow romantic streets and cozy cafes? In this case, Vilnius is an excellent choice of all ten options for where to go for the New Year. Climb the Gediminas Tower to admire the snow-covered city from a fairy tale, and be sure to visit the Trakai Castle, the ancient residence of the Lithuanian princes. A five-day vacation in an inexpensive hotel costs $600.

8. Bulgaria, resort Bansko: cheap

Ski resort Bansko according to the results of 2011 was recognized as the most inexpensive ski resort in Europe. In addition, this small quiet town has as many as 120 museums, and not far from the city there are many historical and architectural monuments. A weekly trip to the resort will cost approximately $1,000.

7. Czech Republic, Prague: medium option

This city is one of the most respectable and beautiful European places, where the Middle Ages are intricately intertwined with modernity. A five-day stay in a three-star hotel will cost $850. For the New Year holidays 2016, you can go here with a child.

6. Austria, Stubai-Neustift: average cost

Neustift belongs to the universal resorts. Here are located, where everyone will find a ski slope to their taste - from the easy Elfer to the professional Fernau Mauer. And there you can go horseback riding, paragliding, sleigh rides, rock climbing (or rather, glacier climbing), visit sports centers, saunas and solariums. You will have to spend about $ 1,200 per week in a Happy Stubai double room with a mountain view.

5. Thailand, Krabi: the best option

4. Cuba, Dominican Republic: not a cheap option

New Year with snow and blizzards is not about Cuba. In winter, a pleasant mild air temperature of 30 degrees is established there. Excellent hotels and quality service will cost relatively inexpensively - 2500 - 3000 dollars per week. But you can meet the New Year 2016 on the beach, replacing Olivier and champagne with fruit salad and a cocktail.

3. Sri Lanka, Ceylon: Excellent value for money

The best option in terms of price-quality-atmosphere ratio: a weekly trip will "eat" from the budget, on average, 2500 - 3000 dollars. After the New Year holidays in Ceylon, there is a bright festival of Durutu Perahera (the anniversary of the visit of the enlightened Buddha) with elephants, dancers, fakirs and acrobats.

2. Brazil, Rio de Janeiro: an expensive option

In February, it takes place in the capital of Brazil, and that says it all. The price of a festive New Year's tour for 1 person, on average, is 3296 dollars.

1. Maldives: Expensive

An option for those who are not limited in money: a week round trip with accommodation will cost at least $ 4,000. The weather there from December to February is most favorable for European tourists who are not used to the tropical heat, and the developed infrastructure and chic service will not let you get bored.

This is how the top ten places look like, where a holiday during the New Year holidays will become unforgettable and bring a lot of impressions.

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With the onset of the New Year holidays, Moscow is turning into one of the largest Christmas and New Year venues in Europe. The editorial staff tells why, it is worth choosing the capital, bright, shining and magical.

online guide to Russian cities

" IN last years Moscow's park environment is actively and creatively developing. Most of the most significant PKiO are planning New Year's Eve entertainment programs with chimes and the President's speech on the big screen. In Gorky Park, Sokolniki and VDNKh, you can meet the main night of the year and the morning of a new day at speed: the skating rinks are open, great dance music sounds, and somewhere you can even taste champagne. A large amount of time carved out in advance, as well as warm, very warm clothes and shoes, you will need to celebrate on Red Square. To listen to the chimes in the place of their direct battle, you need to overcome many difficulties, first of all, go through several police cordons with security searches (you can’t bring drinks and food, crackers, fireworks). Therefore, you need to come well-fed and well in advance: the passage to Mokhovaya and Tverskaya streets closes already at the beginning of the twelfth. However, all this will not spoil the truly magical moment of celebrating the New Year in the very heart of the capital and the incredible beauty of the main fireworks of the country.

During the New Year holidays in Bitsa, Losiny Ostrov, Pokrovsky-Streshnev, snow and ice slides are arranged, equipment rental points and picnic areas with barbecue facilities are opened. Some parks have ski tracks. In Tsaritsyno and Kolomenskoye, regular walks are always interesting, and on the territory of the Kuzminsky forest park is the Moscow residence of Father Frost.

In all other respects, the capital is generally the most generous and hospitable hostess: even if you discover something new for yourself every day, in 10 days you still won’t be able to do everything that this city of theaters and museums offers. During the last holidays, discounts and special Christmas openings and exhibitions are promised. In the city center, at the main metro stations (such as Revolution Square, Teatralnaya, Kuznetsky Most) and on pedestrian streets, New Year's fairs and bazaars will work.

Theaters and music halls with stunning circus, film and ice performances open their doors for children. The most famous Kremlin tree is still popular, so it is better to buy tickets in advance. A visit here can be combined with a visit to churches on the territory of the Kremlin or a walk to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior: solemn services are held in Moscow churches throughout the Christmas week.

Fans in every city looking for local gastronomic specifics will have to be disappointed - there are practically no colorful and original Moscow dishes left in the capital. Although it is not difficult to find restaurants with Old Moscow and Russian cuisines. There you will be offered Moscow kalach, Moscow-style sturgeon, pies with mushrooms and rice, Moscow gingerbread. Better yet, take tea with thyme in a thermos for a walk and enjoy pastries and sweets from city fairs.”

Where to go on vacation:

• Red Square
• Main Department Store
• The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts
• State Tretyakov Gallery
• Grand Theatre
• Gorky Park
• Museum of Contemporary Art "Garage"
• Museon Art Park
• Meyerhold Theater Center
• Theater of Nations
• Chekhov Moscow Art Theater
• Melnikov House
• Patriarch's Ponds
• Kolomenskoye
• Arkhangelsk

What to bring:

• Pavlo-Posad shawls;
• Belevskaya pastila;
• Candy factory "Red October"

Saint Petersburg

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Perhaps you can’t think of a better place to spend your holidays, except that the climate can be a little scary, but a warm hat and cotton pants will make you forget about such trifles, because it will be so much fun in St. Petersburg! In the city of Petra, which once instilled in Russians the culture of celebrating the New Year, before and after the chiming clock, the brightest fireworks and noisy celebrations will be almost everywhere: large-scale festivities on Arts Square, Nevsky Prospekt and the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, illumination and dancing on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. The biggest Christmas tree and fun will, of course, be on Palace Square. Getting here is still easier than on Red in Moscow, but there are no less emotions! A lot of happy people in the most beautiful historical space and waiting for a miracle. And for especially original ones, it becomes an interesting tradition to celebrate the New Year on the old St. Petersburg roofs!

What to do after 2015 has come is a very serious question. Because it is incredibly difficult to choose a travel route in St. Petersburg. There are many walking options for viewing stunning architectural and cultural sights, Christmas markets, markets and fairs will be lit everywhere (the largest will take place on Pionerskaya Square in front of the A.A. Bryantsev Youth Theater).

Visit a large flea market near the Udelnaya metro station and be sure to set aside a day for a trip to the unique palace and park complexes of Peterhof, Pushkin, Pavlovsk. The fountains do not work, but the scale and beauty of the buildings are no less impressive than in the warm season. In addition, winter photographs from these places look much more original. The delight of many tourists causes Vyborg and Gatchina. By the way, in many museums there are discounts for visitors on holidays (sometimes also in theaters, of which there are a great many). A rich cultural program can be diluted with an ordinary walk along the embankments, parks and squares, look into the notorious St. Petersburg "wells", warm up in cozy coffee houses. The Peter and Paul Fortress will have an Ice Exhibition, almost like under Elizabeth. And who knows, maybe you will be able to get to one of the magnificent New Year's balls in the royal palaces?

Between so many places and events, don't forget to feast on donuts at the legendary "Pyshechnaya" near DLT on Bolshaya Konyushennaya. Buy a "Leningradsky" cake in your hotel or hostel room. Or do you prefer Vasileostrovskoe beer?

Where to go on vacation:

• State Hermitage
• Palace Square
• St. Isaac's Cathedral
• Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art
• Alexandrinsky Theater
• New Stage of the Mariinsky Theater
• Street Art Museum
• House of Leningrad Trade (DLT)
• Russian Museum
• Swap meet on "Udelnaya"
• Kunstkamera
• Peterhof
• Gatchina
• Peter-Pavel's Fortress
• New Holland (the entrance is closed, but you can view the island from the outside)

What to bring:

• Products of the imperial porcelain factory;
• Sweets and chocolate from the local confectionery factory named after Krupskaya;

Kazan

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Of course, the "third capital of Russia", as a place of tourist pilgrimage, is beautiful at any time of the year. What is good about New Year's holidays? And the fact that the local infrastructure allows you to combine an active winter holiday with a rich sightseeing trip. To elevate the moment of the chiming clock to the rank of magic, rent a cottage in the Kazan ski resort and celebrate in a cozy circle of relatives and friends. In early January, you can safely go to the slopes (both for beginners and more experienced skiers) and try the whole range of winter activities: snowboarding, sledding and cheesecakes, walking in the fresh air. If you get cold, don't forget to soak in the waters of Russia's largest water park Riviera.

Tired of the "rides"? Please: the oldest examples of preserved architecture, city and natural attractions are at your service: admire the beauty and grandeur of the Kul-Sharif mosque, explore the secrets of the Kazan Kremlin, admire the incredible cable-stayed bridge Millenniums with pylons in the form of a huge letter "M". Here, at every step, must-see places: the Marjani Mosque, the Temple of All Religions, the Syuyumbike Tower, the Palace of Farmers, the Zilant Monastery, the Old Tatar Sloboda, the Gostiny Dvor, the Chernoyarovsky and Aleksandrovsky passages. A mixture of peoples and religions, the interweaving of history and modernity. Morning on the "Kazan Arbat" - Bauman Street and evening on the picturesque embankment of the Kazanka River ... By the way, there is also a Santa Claus - Kysh Bai. He, along with his granddaughter Kar Kyzy, lives in a residence open to the public in the village of Yana Kyrlay.

You can slowly start your acquaintance with the national Tatar cuisine from the Bekhtele store, which sells real local dishes and sweets. And then there will be, as they say, “where to turn around”: gubadiya is a national holiday cake, the main filling of which is rice, eggs, raisins and red cottage cheese “kort”; real Tatar chak-chak; horse sausage. Compare Russian pirozhki with echpochmak, a triangular-shaped pie stuffed with potatoes, or elesh, a round-shaped pastry stuffed with meat (often chicken) stuffing. The latter is often served with hot meat broth. On the cold days of the New Year - what could be more pleasant! You can drink yogurt from baked milk called katyk. But that's not all: don't leave without tasting kystybay - a kind of combination of mashed potatoes, millet porridge and unleavened dough. And for dessert - "bird's nests" Talkysh keleve: small cones made of burnt sugar and honey.

Where to go on vacation:

• Kazan Kremlin
• Kul Sharif Mosque
• Palace of Farmers
• Hermitage-Kazan
• Nurulla

What to bring:

• Balms "Tatarstan" and "Bugulma".

Veliky Ustyug

About the fact that the regional center in the north Vologda region- the birthplace of the All-Russian Santa Claus, is known to almost every inhabitant of our country. Have you ever heard that in this ancient city (the first settlement was founded by the Rostov-Suzdal princes back in the 12th century), 28 churches of the 17th-18th centuries and several dozen architectural buildings of the 19th century have been preserved? Come celebrate the New Year in Ustyug - not only as a popular family tourism center, especially in demand for families with children, but also as an original historical center of the Russian north.

The city with a fabulous atmosphere welcomes a lot of guests during the holidays. On the main night of the year, Santa Claus walks along the streets of Veliky Ustyug, surrounded by his retinue, folk festivals, round dances around the central Christmas tree are organized. You can stroll along the illuminated embankment with a long line of temples, tall bell towers and old mansions built along the banks of the Sukhona River. At the intersection of Sovetsky Prospekt and Krasnoarmeiskaya Street, there is the city "apartment" of Santa Claus, and nearby, in a wooden tower, there is a magical post office. This is where letters with wishes come from hundreds of thousands of children. Moroz himself lives in a residence 12 kilometers from Veliky Ustyug between the villages of Lopatnikovo and Syvorotkino. IN last days December, however, he leaves home and goes on a trip to Russia (this year, first of all, he will go to Vladimir - the New Year's capital of 2015).

During the holidays, be sure to go to the residence of Santa Claus. It's not just the kids who get excited. Visitors are invited to see the Terem of Father Frost, take a walk along the Trail of fairy tales. Wolves, elks, foxes, rabbits, lynxes, squirrels live in the menagerie of the master of winter. The Winter Garden flaunts nearby.

In the residence you can ride a Russian stove, horses, skis, snowmobiles and sleighs. Children and adults love to be photographed with the reindeer. Another New Year's route leads to the Cathedral Courtyard - the heart and main temple ensemble of the city. Even in Ustyug, there is an interesting Museum of New Year and Christmas toys, the Usov House and the Dymkovskaya Sloboda church ensemble are open for visiting. Traditional winter entertainments take place in the city: riding downhill and on horseback, souvenir fairs are open, and, of course, there are places where you will be offered dishes of Russian national cuisine: pancakes with caviar, pies, pies and pies.

What to bring:

• Jewelry and table silver 952 with a niello pattern (production of the Severnaya Chern factory);
• Balm "Great Ustyug";
• Valenki and bast shoes.

Krasnaya Polyana

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A mountain village inhabited since ancient times on the banks of the fast river Mzymta today has become prestigious resort with developed infrastructure. Surrounded on all sides by snowy slopes, the triangle of the village of Krasnaya Polyana, although it officially belongs to the territory of the city of Sochi, has become almost more famous than its “big brother”: lovers of all kinds of skiing come here in winter and summer. And with the holding of the Winter Olympic Games in this area in February 2014, ultra-modern tracks, lifts, a cable car, hotels, and restaurants appeared here. According to the government, our southern winter resort in terms of level it will approach Courchevel, and in terms of prices it will not go far from the health resorts of the Krasnodar Territory.

You can check this information very soon: Krasnaya Polyana, as a meeting place for the New Year, is perfect for active and cheerful people who love extreme sports and appreciate comfort at the same time, because even the main Santa Claus of the country chose this place as his southern residence. The combination of the purest sea and mountain air is incredibly beneficial for health, especially during sports activities. And for these purposes Polyana is heaven on earth. 16 tracks different levels difficulty, 10 lifts in the Rosa Khutor cluster, 15 pistes and 6 Gazprom lifts, as well as the Mountain Carousel of 15 pistes and several cable cars. Along with the Olympic Village here, in magnificent conditions untouched nature a whole village has grown from new modern hotels and luxurious restaurants, thanks to which the Sochi sports and tourist center was nicknamed "Russian Switzerland".

Local cuisine is a mixture of Caucasian, Armenian and Greek culinary delights. Enjoy matsoni and hominy with suluguni. Try the unleavened cake stuffed with honey and nuts - churek. Here they make delicious adjika and smoke the freshest trout grown in the local fish farm.

The main holiday in the form of winter games has passed, but the owners of local resorts are not going to stop: they promise city New Year's festivities on the square of the Rosa Khutor mountain park. Leading hotels offer excellent holiday programs with a banquet and a rich entertainment menu. During the holidays, classes can be changed at least every day: first of all, go skiing, snowboarding, sledding. After - visit the spa, stroll through the picturesque surroundings, have a barbecue in the fresh air. Tourists are interested in the apiary "Mountain Garden" in the village of Esto-Sadok, where they produce stunning mountain honey "Krasnopolyansky", Akhshtyrsky caves, the Royal House, dolmens, the Museum of Flora, Fauna and Mineralogy of the Western Caucasus. Hiking trips to the mountains are worked out in detail - enough impressions for a year ahead. Helicopter excursions are also very popular, opening, at a glance, the panoramas of the Black Sea and the Caucasus Mountains.

What to bring:

• Krasnopolyansky handmade soap;
• Mountain honey;
• Tinctures on mountain herbs.

Karelia

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Every adult inhabitant of our country has ever heard of such a region as the Republic of Karelia. But not everyone is aware that a million hectares of this region are protected natural areas: national parks, sanctuaries, nature reserves. There are more than 61,000 lakes here, including the largest in Europe, Onega and Ladoga, and almost 30,000 rivers. More than 30 waterfalls (up to 30 meters high!), over three thousand ancient rock paintings- petroglyphs.

Unique in the unique - so succinctly one can define Karelia as a place of tourist pilgrimage and New Year holidays - a wonderful time to explore such a vast and interesting travel area.

You can stay at one of the many hotels in Petrozavodsk, where you will be offered tours with excursions in various directions and a festive banquet. But it is much more interesting to rent a cottage on the territory of a camp site with a whole company and even a hunting lodge among the ringingly clean air in a pine forest. In terms of the degree of preservation of such forest ecosystems with representatives of the flora and fauna of the primeval forest, the Karelian region has no analogues. The birthplace of the world-famous Karelian-Finnish epic is the territory of Kalevalsky national park, the city of Kostomuksha, the villages of Voknavolok and Kalevala - allows you to combine peace of mind in a wooden hut with a stove with amazing walks. In addition, performances are held in the parks on holidays, including with the participation of the local Santa Claus, more precisely “Frost” - a cheerful red-haired peasant Pakkaine. In his honor, the city of Olonets even hosts annual Santa Claus games.

Opportunities to meet the first minutes of the New Year during a trip to Karelia are, perhaps, endless. But the most attractive and romantic ones are still "forest": you can have a picnic with fish soup cooked on a fire and mulled wine, round dances with downy shawls and felt boots. In the midst of the president's speech, you can heartily take a steam bath with an oak broom in a real Russian bath, or sit comfortably on a fleecy carpet by the fireplace and make wishes. During the holidays, Karelian entertainment is truly immense: a visit to a husky kennel and an extreme “safari” on dog and reindeer sleds, horseback riding through a snowy forest, skiing, snowmobiling, cheesecakes, ice pods, visits to the famous Kizhi Museum-Reserve, ancient Karelian villages , Valaam island, Kivach waterfall, Ruskeala marble canyon, Church of the Assumption of the Virgin, zoo complex "Three Bears".

After an eventful walk, be sure to enjoy a variety of local dishes from fresh fish, mushrooms and berries picked in the summer: blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries. Traditional small pies made of rye unleavened dough with various fillings "kalitki" can be taken with you on excursions. There you will also be offered to taste the Karelian fish soup Kalaruokki and a flour product stuffed with porridge - skantsy. Do not forget to taste A. S. Pushkin's favorite berry - "northern raspberry" cloudberries.

What to bring:

• Products from Karelian birch;
• Healing stone shungite;
• Linen Zaonezhskaya embroidery.

Kaliningrad

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Always dreamed of visiting western city our vast state and get in touch with Europe without leaving its borders? Why not bring plans to life right this New Year. To begin with, pay attention to the features of the road: moving to Kaliningrad region passes through the territory of Lithuania, which is part of the European Union. Citizens of Russia for travel require a passport and Lithuanian visa. To travel to Kaliningrad and the region by plane or ferry, no special documents are required, a passport and a ticket are enough.

Then, think over the vacation program. Meeting the New Year, perhaps, here will not differ from the usual urban version: a Christmas tree on Victory Square, fireworks, theatrical performances. But who knows, maybe in this city they celebrate somehow in a special way? If only because Kaliningrad is the last in Russia to celebrate the New Year. In any case, a change of place, a very warm and at the same time snowy zama, and, after all, once a truly European city (and on the eve of the main night, fairs are lit with lights and entertainment is organized at every step) - I will certainly contribute to a great mood.

During the holidays, it is worth visiting the beaches of the "Russian Baltic" in Svetlogorsk or Zelenogradsk, which are located about an hour from the city. The Curonian Spit National Park is also a must-see. This unique white-yellow strip, created by nature, is 98 kilometers long and is part of the Baltic sandbar complex, which has no analogues in the world. Flora, fauna, the highest in the world sand dunes- do not miss the chance to get in touch with something literally unearthly, "cosmic". In the city, you need to see the Amber Museum and the Museum of the World Ocean, unique for Russia. The ancient Cathedral and the Sagrada Familia make up an interesting architectural and religious route. Visit 7 surviving city gates and the Fishing Village area to say with confidence: I saw Kaliningrad. During your walks, don't forget to feast on all kinds of fish from the Baltic Sea. The most famous delicacy is perhaps smoked eel. Tourists also praise Königsberg bugs - a meat dish similar to meatballs. In different establishments, on the old cobbled streets, you will certainly taste something unusual, so that later you can advise everyone who goes to celebrate the New Year in Kaliningrad.

What to bring:

• Amber products;
• Cognac "Old Koenigsberg".

Vladimir

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Vladimir is declared the New Year's capital of Russia-2015. If you want to know how the New Year and Christmas were celebrated 300 years ago, then you need to go here. On December 31, the main Russian Santa Claus from Veliky Ustyug will arrive in the city. Folk art is not alien to the magician: on Spassky Hill, Father Frost, together with the inhabitants of the city, will draw a picture “Vladimir - the New Year's capital of Russia”. And from 10:00 pm to 4:00 am, a festive concert will be held on Cathedral Square with his participation and invited pop stars.

On December 19, the grand opening of a large Christmas fair on Cathedral Square will take place, special souvenir and culinary shops will begin their work on Pushkin Boulevard, Pobedy Square, at the Northern Trading Rows, at the RusKino entertainment complex: holiday trade, attractions, contests, riding on horseback riding, folk festivals. Don't forget to visit the picturesque skating rink in Lipki park. Large, however, artificial ice will also be available at the Polaris Ice Palace.

Vladimir is one of the most famous and close to the hearts of tourists in our country, cities included in the routes of the Golden Ring. The New Year holidays here promise to be full of various leisure activities. The dream of many is to see the Assumption Cathedral with priceless fragments of frescoes by Andrei Rublev, the Dmitrovsky Cathedral, the Golden Gate. On a frosty sunny morning, take a walk along Bolshaya Moskovskaya Street, the main thoroughfare of the Old Town. To enjoy truly Russian nature to your heart's content, take a trip to the Vladimir-Suzdal Nature Reserve. From outdoor activities to choose from: New Year's festivities in the Zagorodny Park, TsPKiO, Park "Druzhba" - with mummers, concerts of folk groups and skiing - or a visit to the sports and entertainment ski complex "Krasnaya Gorka" in the village of Melikhovo. In principle, you can stay here - the hotel works. After all, the choice of winter entertainment is very large and everything will take time.

There are many authentic restaurants in Vladimir where they cook wonderful pies and pot roasts. And you can try pancakes and mead right on the street, in the midst of fair festivities. Dishes of Russian national cuisine are not only delicious, but also very satisfying - they won't let you freeze, that's for sure!

What to bring:

• Workshop miniature;
• Pokrovsky gingerbread;
• Suzdal mead.

Kostroma

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Founded in the 12th century, the city - the capital of a specific principality, the cradle of the Romanov and Godunov dynasties - Kostroma attracts tourists at the same time with its historical significance, preserved masterpieces of architecture, natural beauties, and fabulous traditions. The city, the furthest from Moscow among the objects of the Golden Ring, is a magical place for spending holidays with the whole family or with friends: everyone will find entertainment to their liking.

Meet the chiming clock, as our ancestors did back in Peter's times: on Susaninskaya Square, an elegant Christmas tree sparkles with lanterns and invites people of all ages to plunge a little into childhood and have fun from the heart. Sledding and ice towns, launching fireworks, round dances with mummers, pancakes full of heat with caviar, hot sbiten and ice-cold vodka - national flavor in all its splendor!

And this is just the beginning fabulous holidays. Ahead of the program is so extensive that a week may not be enough for everything. To get started, arrange a fertile route through the old Russian churches: the famous cradle of the Romanov dynasty - the Ipatiev Monastery, the Epiphany-Anastasin Monastery, the Church of the Resurrection on Debre, the Church of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian, the Church of the Savior, the Church of Saints Alexander and Antonina in Selishche, the Church of St. John Chrysostom and St. Anisia. The Museum of Wooden Architecture, Gostiny Dvor, Fire tower, Ostrovsky's gazebo are other architectural and historical masterpieces of these places.

Visit the city-museum under the open sky Nerekhta. 40 km from Kostroma - and every street is a postcard, in every house there lives a master of his craft, the keeper of ancient crafts. Do not forget to bring home a linen doll-amulet. Zavrazhye is the birthplace of Pavel Florensky, Andrei and Arseny Tarkovsky.

The village of Krasnoye, the Russian center of jewelry art, will surely interest all women. Men, meanwhile, can take a steam bath in a Russian bath. And after that - all together for a feast: kulebyaki, pies, sweet and hearty pies from different types dough, pickle: cucumbers, pickled mushrooms.

The cutest creatures are waiting for you at the Sumarokovskaya moose farm: getting to know and spending time with these representatives of the fauna is truly an original tourism. From outdoor activities, horseback riding through the endless fields along the Volga banks energizes for the whole year. Relatively recently, dog sled races have won - and now firmly hold the first place in the popularity rating among tourists. Huskies are affectionate to children, cheerful with adults. Children will also enjoy the large park "On Nikitskaya" with rides and a skating rink. If the All-Russian Santa Claus lives in Veliky Ustyug, then the residence of his granddaughter is located in Kostroma. The Snegurochka Tower with an ice room is perhaps the most New Year's place in the city.

What to bring:

• Kostroma cheeses;
• Bogorodsk toys;
• Products from flax and birch bark.

Elbrus region

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We are sure that the two-headed and "gray-haired" Elbrus, which the Kabardians call "Oshkhamakho" - the mountain of happiness - will bring you an incredible amount of joyful moments this New Year. A good tourist infrastructure has been deployed here: there is a boarding house, a number of small hotels, cottages for rent. Just imagine how in a small private hut by the stove you look at the flames, and outside the window snow is falling, decorating centuries-old trees with white hats ... Regulars advise stopping at the Azau or Cheget glades. But if you prefer a noisy and cheerful company, choose hotel tours and programs with the celebration of the main night of the year in a large banquet hall.

Dormant volcano 5642 m above sea level (the highest point in Europe), provides tourists with an unlimited choice of extreme types of mountain recreation. Its slopes, varying in steepness and relief, are perfect for beginners and lovers of skiing. And on the neighboring Cheget, there are some of the most difficult tracks in the world, for professional and courageous skiers and snowboarders. In any case, even with a quiet family trip, the benefits here will be invaluable: mild climate, high-altitude clean air, numerous mineral water springs.

During the holidays, it is incredibly interesting to explore a new area for yourself in another region. Kabardino-Balkaria will introduce you to the amazing gorges of the Central Caucasus: Baskan, Adyr-Su, Aushegir, the famous Narzanov valley. At an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level, there are 17 mineral water springs. The insanely beautiful Lower Blue Lake - Tserikkel - is one of the ten deepest lakes in our country. Elbrus is a national natural park. How many cherished corners of unexplored wildlife it hides!

Skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling is the first thing. Bathing in thermal springs is a must. Discovering the mountainous expanses of the national park is a pleasure that you should never deny yourself. From entertainment there are also paintball fields in Tereskol. And you should definitely try all the dishes of the unusual Balkarian cuisine: the folk pie khychin (the most common filling is cheese with potatoes), pieces of lamb liver wrapped in thin leaves of internal fat and baked on coals - zhaubaur; Balkar sausages sokhta and zherme, dried frog meat; lakumy - donuts fried in dough! Yes, just natural homemade bread with homemade butter and cheese or brine - a spicy sauce based on herbs and ayran.

What to bring:

• Halva;
• Dried lamb;
• Goat or sheep wool.

Baikal

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Most deep lake in the world and its environs is a traveler's dream at any time of the year, and to arrange a magical New Year for yourself in the legendary "place of power" - isn't this a chance that you need to immediately use?

The most famous tourist sites on Lake Baikal are Olkhon Island, the villages of Slyudyanka and Listvyanka. The latter in Irkutsk is even called the “Siberian Anapa”. This, one of the oldest villages in the region, is the main center of tourism on the western side of the sea-lake, the most convenient transit point. In winter, Baikal in Listvyanka becomes one huge skating rink. Near the beach there are numerous cafes decorated with garlands. It is almost always crowded here, tourists are offered a sufficient choice of accommodation options - from economy class to private houses and luxury rooms in hotels.

The heart of Listvyanka is the source of the Angara River, which does not freeze even in the most severe cold. Experienced travelers say that it is even more interesting here in winter: the impressions of Baikal ice, transparent as crystal, will last a lifetime! But remember: those who go out to the lake on foot or on skates are strongly advised to take crampons or ice axes with them.

New Year's Eve can be met in a cozy family circle in a rented cottage, or you can dress warmly, go to the beach and, enjoying the incredible freshness of the air, freeze in front of this silent giant. And how much unusual food is here. Here you have the national Buryat poses - large dumplings molded in the shape of yurts, and hearty lamb stew bukhler. Taste stroganina and zagudai - a "salad" of raw fish, flavored with salt, pepper and oil, and, of course, do not deny yourself the pleasure of feasting on amazing smoked omul. It is customary to drink treats with natural lingonberry juice.

New Year holidays in Listvyanka will be full of events and information. Visit the local nerparium, perhaps the best in the entire Baikal region. Seals here sing, dance, play football and even play musical instruments! The most interesting museum of Baikal, the Taltsy ethnographic complex, the Chersky Stone observation deck and, of course, the Shaman Stone are always waiting for guests. Helicopter tours are available to wealthy tourists. In general, there are a lot of routes to Baikal attractions, you can explore them on your own (although not so easy), or you can join a group led by a guide.

We are sure that not every battered extreme sportsman rode at least once on a hivus - a special boat on air cushion, which first rushes along the ice of Lake Baikal, and then dives into the water of the never freezing Angara! There are also the usual ATV, snowmobile and ski rentals. The Eastland ski center has 4 slopes of varying difficulty and a tube slide. You can ride a dog sled in the Siberian taiga. And also - go ice fishing in the winter. Professional instructors will help you make the right hole, organize a picnic on the ice and share the secrets of well-being in forty-degree frosts. You can also warm up with a visit to the local hot springs.

What to bring:

• Pine nuts;
• Crafts made of charoite stone;
• Products from Siberian gems.

Let's decide where it is better to go to celebrate the New Year. We offer you a selection Top 10 Options, where you can cheaply fly on vacation on holidays in 2019. Get ready to celebrate the upcoming New Year in a place that will make you happy!

Forget about the herring under a fur coat, forget about the launch of fireworks on a frosty night, finally forget these blurry faces of stars broadcast from all TV channels! We've had enough of this fun. It's time to celebrate the main holiday of the year in a fundamentally different setting and a new place - so that the new year becomes truly new.

So, here, on the good old, we have compiled for you a selection of the best places to go for the New Year - 2019. Each of these places is beautiful and one is better than the other for celebrating the most joyful holiday there. Choose your option and go on a journey!

Below we list non-standard directions. If you want classics, choose:

Advice: do not put off booking tickets and hotels for later - the closer New Year, the higher the intensity of passions.

Attention: airfare is given for New Year's dates (end of December - beginning of January), and the price of hotels is indicated for a double room in new year's eve.

How to find cheap flights? We recommend search engines Skyscanner and Aviasales. Check prices in both to find the best deal for your dates.

Hotel search. Use the service that compares prices among all leading booking systems - Roomguru.ru.

I. Where to go on New Year's Eve at sea in 2019?

Do you want the sea instead of snow? Nothing complicated. The choice of destinations where you can fly in winter to enjoy the warm sea and the warming sun is very large: these are Asia (Vietnam, Bali, Philippines, India, etc.), South America, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Caribbean islands. It will be somewhat colder in the Canary Islands and in the Mediterranean region, but still much warmer than in Russia.

1. New Year in the Canary Islands

Why here? A great option to go to celebrate the New Year - 2019: romantic, not the most typical and relatively cheap. The set includes the sea (more precisely, the ocean - the Atlantic), diverse nature canary islands, spanish flavor, black volcanic sand on the beaches. Read more about holidays in the Canary Islands (prices, reviews, travel tips).

In winter, in the Canary Islands, the air temperature during the day is around + 25 ° C, and the water is warmed up to + 20 ° C - the very thing for a comfortable stay, no heat and stuffiness.

Question price. Getting to the Canary Islands is relatively inexpensive (the main thing is to buy tickets in advance): you can fly with traditional airlines from Moscow or St. Euro). Read more about this in a separate article.

Prices for NG - 2019:

• Tours from Moscow to Tenerife for the New Year cost from 100 thousand rubles (7-8 nights, 3 * hotel).
• Air tickets to Tenerife from Moscow and back on New Year's dates are more expensive than usual - from 35 thousand rubles. Search tickets →
• The cost of a double room in a 3* hotel in Tenerife on a festive night starts from $53. Find a hotel →

(Photo © stuart-buchanan / flickr.com)

2. Happy New Year, Cuba!

Why here? Liberty Island is one of the best places to go on New Year's Eve 2019. In winter, the weather here is wonderful: very warm (but not stuffy like in summer), the sea is perfect, and the sky is almost always cloudless. Cheerful and always cheerful locals, the best cigars in the world, almost antique cars driving around the streets.

Question price. Holidays in Cuba (including the New Year) cannot be called excessively expensive: housing, food and entertainment cost a little, but, alas, you will have to spend money on a flight. You can try to catch an inexpensive last-minute tour on the site, and if you prefer exclusively independent travel, then you should start catching air tickets 2-4 months before the trip.

Prices for NG - 2019:

• You can find a tour to Cuba from Moscow from 150 thousand rubles for two (2-3 * hotel, 7 nights).
• Usually tickets cost 60-80 thousand, but sometimes you can find about 45 thousand rubles. Search tickets →
• In Havana, you can find decent 3 * hotels at a price of $ 80 / night for New Year's dates. Find a hotel →

(Photo © dogpong / flickr.com)

3. New Year in the Maldives

Why here? This is one of the best places where you can hide from all worries and not worry about anything. real paradise. Ideal for a complete lazy holiday. And the period of the New Year holidays is perhaps the best time for this. Let the whole world remain somewhere far away, thousands of kilometers of ocean waters! Turn off the phone and forget about the Internet - why distract yourself from true pleasure?

Prices for NG - 2019:

• Tours in the New Year to the Maldives cost from 280 thousand rubles for two (10 nights, 3-5 *).
• Flying to the Maldives usually costs from 26 thousand rubles. But flying for the New Year - 2019 will not work out just as cheap - prices for flights in late December - early January do not fall below 60-90 thousand rubles. Search tickets →
• 3 * hotels in the Maldives (not on the coast) cost from $55. Find a hotel →

However, the Maldives are traditional package destinations, and if you don’t want to bother with organizing a vacation, it’s easier to buy a tour to and - all documents will be sent to you by e-mail.

(Photo © nattu / flickr.com)

4. Seychelles

Why here? For the same reasons as the Maldives. Seychelles is a place for those who appreciate privacy and comfort.

Question price. As in the case of the Maldives, now the Seychelles have become more accessible. Try to catch a burning tour on.

Prices for NG - 2019:

• The cost of tours is from 180 thousand rubles. (if departures are on December 26-27) and from 200 thousand - for departures on December 30-31.
• Flight Moscow - Mahe usually costs from 30 thousand rubles. (for a round trip), but for the period of New Year and Christmas holidays, the price increases significantly - from 50 thousand rubles. Search tickets →
• The price tag for 2-3 * hotels in the Seychelles for the New Year period is from $ 60 per night, which is quite good for relaxing on the islands, and even during the holidays. True, such an inexpensive hotel will not be located on the very shore - you will have to walk to the beach. Find a hotel →

(Photo © jmhullot / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0)

II. Chasing the spirit of Christmas: we're going to Europe for the New Year!

The sea is good. The sea is wonderful. Perhaps there is nothing better in the world than the sea, but one way or another, during the New Year period, many people really want to be in the center of the holiday and feel the spirit of Christmas. If this is about you, then the best option where to go to celebrate the New Year - 2019, will be Europe.

The magical New Year and Christmas atmosphere can be enjoyed in many European countries: Great Britain, France, Germany, Scandinavian countries - any place where people celebrate Christmas and snow falls will do.

(Photo © Alessio Mesiano / flickr.com)

1. To Europe for the New Year inexpensively

Europe is not the cheapest region in terms of holidays, but even here there are several countries where you can have a relatively inexpensive holiday during the New Year holidays and fully enjoy the magical Christmas atmosphere. For those who want to have a cheap holiday in the New Year and Christmas in Europe, such countries as Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Poland, Slovenia. Basically, Germany- also not the most expensive European country.

2. To Europe for Christmas and New Year, sparing nothing!

More expensive options, where you can meet and have a great New Year - 2019 and Christmas, is France, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Ireland, UK and Sweden. In the countries of the Alpine region (Switzerland, France and Austria) you can ski, visit Christmas markets, admire the decoration of shopping galleries and city streets in general.

In most cases, when people imagine the Christmas atmosphere, an image arises in their head. London. The capital of England is really one of the most suitable places to go here for the New Year and Catholic Christmas. At this time, London turns into a real fairy tale! In fact, going on a trip to England is a completely feasible task for any person: getting a visa is not as easy as getting a Schengen visa, but flights from Moscow to London are quite inexpensive (thanks to low-cost airline easyJet). So Christmas London is much closer than you thought.

You can search for flights to cities of interest to you on Skyscanner and Aviasales search engines.

Intro image source: © alfonsoaguirre / flickr.com.

Long New Year holidays are timed to coincide with the New Year's celebration. During long weekends, people go to friends, exchange gifts, champagne and fruits, congratulations and wishes. Some spend the New Year holidays on the couch watching television.

Friends, the New Year holidays are not suitable for such trifles, because you can lie on the couch and watch your favorite TV show on the weekend. Strive to ensure that the holidays turn into a fairy tale.

1. Decide on your wishes and financial possibilities. Based on this information, choose a location for New Year's Eve.
2. Do you want to forget about the cold and frost for a while winter vacation? Any travel company will offer a ticket to a warm country. If you decide to take such a step, you risk getting a sea tan and a lot of pleasant experiences.
3. If winter and heat are incomparable things, go to a ski resort or ski lodge. Norway, Sweden or Finland will offer such pleasure.
4. Not afraid of long flights? Spend your New Year holidays in Iceland or Greenland. These countries are famous for their natural beauties and entertainment facilities.

As you can see, the choice of places for winter holidays is excellent.

Inexpensive Options

New Year's holidays are a reason to relax. Sometimes achieving the maximum effect is accompanied by significant financial expenses, if you do not find a place where you can relax inexpensively.

Traditionally, people celebrate the New Year in the following way. They set the table, buy gifts, spend time cooking. Do not forget about cleaning, putting yourself in order, New Year's hairstyle and buying an outfit. Maybe it's more profitable to go abroad with your family?

1. It is better to buy a ticket a few months before the holidays. If you buy a tour in the middle of summer, you can save at least 25% of the cost.
2. Decide which country you intend to visit. Write down on a piece of paper the holidays that in these countries fall at the end of December. The list should include Catholic Christmas. Americans and Europeans, for whom this holiday is their favorite, celebrate it on December 25th. They prepare very carefully for this day, decorating houses and streets.
3. Be sure to add Orthodox Christmas and New Year to the list, which are celebrated in Eastern Europe and CIS countries.
4. In the conditions of modern life, even in an Egyptian hotel, it is customary to set a large banquet table for this holiday.
5. The list is ready. Now decide on a date.

Prague

Travel agencies reduce the cost of New Year's vouchers after the holidays. The biggest collapse in prices is observed after January 10th.

1. Weekly New Year holidays in Prague, starting from December 28, for one person cost from 600 euros.
2. If you go to the Czech capital after January 7, the cost will be reduced by a third. If you get to Prague on your own, with transfers, the discount can reach 50%.

New Year's Prague

Egypt

The cost of the New Year holidays in Egypt after Christmas is from $350 per person. Exotic countries do not make friends with an inexpensive New Year.

Thailand

The New Year tour costs from $700 per person. On New Year's Eve, dinner for one costs at least $250.

As you can see, I was not able to give an exhaustive answer to the question. In every country on the eve of the New Year, prices rise rapidly. If you dream about inexpensive vacations, set them aside for one week after the holidays.

The best places for New Year's holidays with children

New Year is a magical winter holiday. Adults and children are looking forward to it. The unique spirit of celebration makes you believe in a miracle, and a great vacation is a great occasion for communication in the family circle.

New Year holidays provide an opportunity to go on vacation with the whole family and enrich the body with a portion of new experiences.

So that domestic inconveniences do not overshadow the rest and holidays with children are a success, make an interesting route and provide for everything.

Holidays in Russia

1. Great Ustyug. The most popular destination during the festive period is Veliky Ustyug, the birthplace of Father Frost. Here they go sledding, participate in competitions on snowmobiles, skates or skis.
2. People get access to cozy little rooms in the hotel, good service, exciting games and attractions, theatrical performances.
3. In Veliky Ustyug they visit the zoo, the winter garden, the wizard's palace. During the tour, Santa Claus will personally present gifts to children and take a photo for memory.
4. Kostroma. Take a look at Kostroma - the birthplace of the Snow Maiden. Her luxurious tower is located on the banks of the Volga. The granddaughter of Grandfather Frost has entertainment for children: walks through the ice halls, visits to museums and even farms with elks.
5. Coast. The program of the trip provides for swimming in the sea, beach pleasures, sightseeing for walruses. You can go to the frozen Baikal. Unique beauty lakes will remain in memories for a long time.

Holidays in Europe

If you would like to spend family holidays V European country go to France. She will delight famous sights, gourmet cuisine and ski resorts. Believe me, children will be delighted with Disneyland and Monte Cristo Castle.

I shared my personal opinion about the New Year holidays with children. Of course, my opinion may not coincide with your vision of the situation, because each person has his own tastes and outlook on life.

Where to spend the New Year holidays in Europe

In winter, Europe is enchanting, in spring it is fresh, in summer it appears in all its glory, in autumn it makes you admire.

I will tell you which European cities are suitable for the New Year holidays.

Winter Prague

1. Europeans like winter Prague. They dream of becoming eyewitnesses of the magic created by the townspeople and mother nature. Regardless of the weather, in December the Czech capital is covered with white snow.
2. People are happy to participate in festive festivities and willingly observe Czech traditions, which makes the stay in the city interesting and unforgettable.
3. An integral part of the Prague holidays are Christmas characters, St. Nicholas, devils and angels. These participants in the general celebration play theatrical performances on the streets that delight adults and amuse the children.
4. Prague New Year's Eve is distinguished by bright fireworks, festivities, a noisy and joyful atmosphere. new year trip to Prague - the way to a fairy tale.

Rome, Venice, London, Berlin, Amsterdam

1. Rome provides an opportunity to see Santa Claus, shepherds with bagpipes and enjoy the taste of wonderful New Year's salads.
2. Venice welcomes guests with big sales, smart streets, gondolas and carnival masks. Winter is the best time to get acquainted with the cultural and architectural treasures of Italy.
3. London traditionally celebrates the New Year with grand sales, skating rinks with free admission, and a huge parade.
4. Visitors to Berlin can take part in the Pancake Run. The main action of New Year's Eve takes place in the open air at the Brandenburg Gate.
5. During the New Year holidays, Amsterdam resembles a sparkling Christmas tree. Numerous bridges across the canal are decorated with festive garlands.

Wherever you go, fun and good mood awaits everywhere. If you're dreaming of a European winter holiday, put things aside, forget about your problems and go. Europe will meet with a kaleidoscope of New Year's festivities that will remain in memory for a lifetime.

Where to spend the New Year holidays in Russia

Not every family can afford a winter vacation in a warm country under the rays of the tropical sun. Some do not want to go to a foreign country for the New Year, because there are a lot of places in Russia where you can spend the New Year holidays.

1. Homeland of Santa Claus. Even if the child does not believe in Santa Claus, a trip to Veliky Ustyug will bring great pleasure. The city is distinguished by clean air, mild climate, pine forests, amazing nature.
2. New Year's Petersburg. In winter, the city is extraordinarily beautiful.
3. Sochi. If you're lucky, the air will warm up to 15 degrees Celsius. Developed infrastructure, picturesque nature and first-class hotels.
4. Krasnaya Polyana . Ski slopes, mountain landscapes, snow-white clouds that seem to lie on mountain peaks.
5. Moscow region. Beautiful estates that are famous for feasts and balls. The townspeople honor traditions and will provide a wonderful holiday.
6. Motherland of the Snow Maiden. The Snow Maiden was not born in the place where Santa Claus lives. Her hut stands on the territory of the ancient Russian city of Kostroma. In the hut there is an ice room, the temperature in which is 15 degrees below zero. The interior of the room, tables, chairs, walls are made of ice. Even the glasses on the bar are ice cold. Real tinctures only.
7. Snow safari. Altai offers such pleasure. You will be able to go on a modern off-road vehicle to wild places, moving along snow-covered roads. During the trip, you can engage in photo hunting, contemplate animals, and after a stop, go snowboarding or skiing. Upon returning to the camp, a bath with fragrant honey and local herbs awaits.
8. If the listed options do not fit, pay attention to Ukraine. She is known for her excellent historical places, ski resorts, unique cuisine.

No matter where you spend your New Year holidays, I wish you a pleasant holiday! Appreciate and love the people who are always there.

Where to go for the new year 2019? This year, the vacation will begin on December 30, which falls on Saturday, and will last until January 8, inclusive, and now is the time to think about where to go to spend the New Year holidays! And we are ready to help you by making a selection of 16 regions of Russia, where holidays will turn into something enchanting.

1. Amazing Kola Peninsula

We celebrate the New Year 2019 under the northern lights in Murmansk

We decided to open our TOP-16 rating with Kola Peninsula(Murmansk region), which is located beyond the Arctic Circle, in the north of the European part of Russia. And now we will tell you why this region deserves such close attention.

Since the beginning of the 2010s, the Murmansk region has been gaining great popularity among Russian tourists. After the release of Zvyagintsev's film "Leviathan", there were many who wanted to visit the filming locations - the coast of the Arctic Ocean. There is the village of Teriberka, which is visited every day by tourists not only from Russia.

Tourists on the rocks of the Arctic Ocean (click on the photo to learn about this tour)

If you are looking for where to spend your winter holidays in Russia, then Murmansk guarantees you lots of snow and real northern holiday. You can see the northern lights, meet huskies and reindeer, visit the shores of the Arctic and the ocean, and much more.

December is considered one of the best months to get to know Murmansk. Behind average temperature air taken to take 10 degrees below zero Celsius. In December, the city is dark almost around the clock, because during this period the polar night begins, and the first ray of sunshine will peek out from behind the clouds only in spring.

Another feature of the holiday in this northern city is the gastronomic variety of seafood. Fish dishes are offered in almost every cafe and restaurant. You can enjoy the freshest salmon, trout, roach and pike.

On New Year's Eve, most often the townspeople gather at the Five Corners Square. Here you can always ride deer and horses, and near the hotel "Azimut" main tree Murmansk, around which all festive events take place. The New Year's performance will begin an hour and a half after midnight, and the long-awaited fireworks will be its apogee.

Husky sledding (click on the photo to learn about New Year's tours in Murmansk)

If you want to make your holiday in the New Year 2019 in Russia unforgettable, and Murmansk interested you, look at the section. Here you will find a wide range of excursions throughout Murmansk region. From the list, you will definitely be able to pick up something unusual and memorable for yourself:

• Hunting for the Northern Lights. Many people come to Murmansk to see the Northern Lights, and the New Year holidays are the best time to enjoy the spectacle of dancing magical heavenly lights.
• Tour to the Arctic Ocean. Often tourists think that its coast is sad because of its emptiness. However, they are wrong, an experienced guide will show you a ship graveyard, a waterfall, filming locations of the famous film Leviathan and much more.
• New Year's trip to the husky and deer kennel.
• Acquaintance with the culture of the indigenous population of the peninsula - the Saami, includes a mandatory meeting with a shaman.
• Travel on snowmobiles to the peaks of the majestic Khibiny mountains.

And it's still far from full list excursions presented on the site. We are sure that after such a trip you will know exactly where to spend the New Year in Russia. Indeed, in one trip it is simply impossible to see everything that unique Murmansk can offer its guests.

2. Moscow: capital holidays

We celebrate the New Year 2019 in the capital of Russia

Among those who are thinking about where to go for the New Year in Russia, most opt ​​for our capital. Winter holidays in Moscow, of course, can hardly be called a budget option, but believe me, they are worth it. After all, from December the whole city turns into a real New Year's playground, where every day there are all kinds of events for any age, taste and budget, and the streets resemble fabulous caves shining with gems. It is simply impossible to forget such a holiday, and for a long time you will enthusiastically tell all your friends and acquaintances about it, who did not dare to leave home for a holiday for the New Year.

In Russia, there is, perhaps, no second such place as Moscow, where the holiday would be celebrated on such a scale. First of all, the capital pleases with the number of Christmas trees. In 2019, New Year's beauties will be installed in all districts of the city. But, of course, the main Christmas tree of the country is the Kremlin. It is installed on Red Square, where everyone gathers on a festive night. In the list of places where you can have fun celebrating the New Year in Russia, more than half of our compatriots would choose the main square of the country. This year the festival will begin at ten o'clock in the evening, but it is best to come here in advance. Keep in mind that in front of the square you will have to pass several police cordons, through which drinks, food and pyrotechnics are not allowed. And why should she, if exactly at midnight after the chiming clock, which will count the last minutes old life, all those gathered will see the fireworks.

What else can you do while on vacation in the capital? Tourists have plenty to choose from:

• Shoppers will appreciate the colorful New Year's fairs in the Hermitage Garden, Central Department Store, VDNKh and Red Square.
• The kids will be interested in the aquarium. You can choose any of the three located at VDNKh, in Crocus City and the shopping center on Dmitrovka (the cost of an adult ticket on holidays ranges from 1600 rubles, for a child you will have to pay 900 rubles).
• Young theater-goers and their parents will be able to visit the most sensational performances during the holidays. By the way, discounts are often applied to tickets during this period (depending on the production, the price varies from 900 to 3500 rubles).
• You can have fun on the ice rinks, the most frequently visited of them are skating rinks near GUM, in Gorky Park and on Red Square.
• In the Kuzminki forest zone, everyone traditionally rides on dog sleds, and several snow slides will be located there.

If the question “where to go for the New Year in Russia” is asked by adults who dream of spending the holidays together or with a cheerful group of friends, then Moscow is ready to give you a lot of nightly entertainment. With the onset of evening, the doors of the most famous clubs (Karaoke Quadrille, City Space), restaurants (Lepim and Varim, Dolcabar, Ugolek) and cafes (Bosco Café, Didu) open.

Therefore, do not even think about where to celebrate the New Year 2019 in Russia, but feel free to purchase tickets to Moscow and get ready for an enchanting holiday.

3. St. Petersburg: a holiday in the northern capital

We celebrate the New Year 2019 in the cultural center of Russia - St. Petersburg

Where to celebrate the New Year in Russia, if not in the city where the tradition of celebrating this holiday once appeared. The northern capital is reputed to be the cultural center of the country and gives the impression of a city dressed in classic and strict clothes. However, during the New Year holidays, Peter radically changes and shows tourists a completely different look, filled with light, fireworks, fun and laughter. Many of those who are thinking about where to relax for the New Year in Russia would like to see St. Petersburg in all its glory.

If in Moscow the main Christmas tree of the country is set up on Red Square, then in St. Petersburg the twenty-five-meter beauty will delight the townspeople on Palace Square. It is here that on New Year's Eve entertainment events and magnificent Laser show. But the festive program does not end there, tourists are waiting for:

• Mass festivities near the Christmas trees near Gostiny Dvor and on Malaya Konyushennaya Street until four in the morning;
• Performances with the participation of Father Frost and the Snow Maiden in all districts of the city;
• New Year's fireworks, scheduled for three in the morning in the Neva (it is best to watch it from the side of the Peter and Paul Fortress).

On the first of January with a child, you can visit the numerous theaters of the city (the most popular production is “Once Upon a New Year's Eve”). However, keep in mind that ticket prices during the winter holidays will be three or even four times higher than usual.

The main feature of St. Petersburg in January is windy weather. Usually the air temperature does not drop below ten degrees Celsius, but strong winds and high humidity often make walking in the fresh air extremely unpleasant. However, if this does not scare you, then be sure to go to Peterhof, Tsarskoye Selo or Pavlovsk. Of course, all fountains, as well as sculptures, will be boarded up and hidden from the eyes of visitors, but photos taken against the backdrop of snow-covered palaces and gardens look even more unusual and fantastic than in summer.

Those for whom a holiday in the New Year 2019 in Russia is a festive program in a luxurious restaurant should take care of booking seats in the summer. For example, the Asteria Hotel offers its guests an unforgettable night in a restaurant overlooking the embankment (the average check per person does not exceed 6,000 rubles). Among the traditional New Year's dishes, there is also such as a leg of lamb in honey, which is in great demand among guests. You can have a great time in the establishments of the Angleterre and Radisson Sonya hotels.

We believe that of all the places in Russia where you can celebrate the New Year on a royal scale, St. Petersburg is the most suitable.

4. The unexpected capital of Tatarstan: Kazan

We celebrate the New Year 2019 in Tatarstan

Where to spend the New Year in Russia so as to move away from all the usual traditions and customs? Set off for the capital of Tatarstan, and we are sure that after this trip Kazan will become your favorite city, where you will definitely want to return. Here, Russian and Tatar traditions, the culture of both peoples, as well as antiquity and modernity, intersect and mix in the most amazing way. Kazan is famous for its ancient historical monuments, but besides this, it surprises with an abundance of the most modern buildings, sports arenas and entertainment centers.

You can have a cheap New Year's holiday in Russia in many places, but only the capital of Tatarstan is ready to provide you with the widest range of positive emotions possible. First of all, tourists are pleased with the weather in the city, usually the winter here is quite comfortable, but frosts down to minus thirty degrees Celsius are not excluded. However, on a festive night, weather forecasters promise citizens and tourists a temperature of at least nine degrees.

Kazan offers to spend the main night of the year in the Millennium Park, where numerous festive events are planned, typical for New Year's festivities.

• Round dances around a fluffy beauty;
• Performances by local pop groups;
• Show with the participation of Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden;
• midnight fireworks;
• Disco and lots of other entertainment.

Not a single child will pass by a huge sparkling ice city built near the Eriyat puppet theater. Here the kids are waiting for winding slopes, figurines and houses where you can spend the whole day. And in case of an injury, you can always contact the medical center, deployed nearby especially for the winter holidays.

If outdoor walks are still not enough for you, then go to the skating rink near the Kazan Arena stadium. More than fifteen thousand square meters of sparkling ice await you in the open air. Nefis is the largest open-air ice arena in Russia (entry with your own skates will cost 50 rubles). In addition to it, you can go skating on Tasma (Gagarin Street) and Rocket (Derbyshki microdistrict).

You can have a great New Year's Eve and the next weekend in a rented cottage outside the city. In Kazan, such recreation centers as Blue, Lebyazhye and Sviyaga are popular. Here tourists are offered the following entertainment:

• skiing and skiing on well-equipped slopes;
• horse rides;
• real Russian bath.

For those who, after all this, still crave new experiences, we can recommend sightseeing in the city. Be sure to take a walk around the Kazan Kremlin, which includes several architectural complexes. This amazing monument is spread over almost one and a half thousand square meters, where, in addition to ancient buildings, museums are also located. Walk along the main metropolitan streets - the Kremlin and Bauman. On holidays they are decorated with colorful garlands and small Christmas trees. Numerous shops, cafes and restaurants are also located here.

You can talk endlessly about Tatar cuisine! Therefore, if you want to move away from Russian salad, herring under a fur coat and aspic in the New Year, then Kazan will definitely become your gastronomic favorite. In such establishments as "Tratoria", "Pesto" and "Americano" you will be offered an incredibly wide range of national dishes. Be sure to try horse sausage, elesh - a Tatar pie with chicken, or a festive gubadia pie with a delicious filling of red cottage cheese, rice and raisins. In addition, increased salivation in hungry tourists can be caused by the aromas of kystybay, chak-chak and other delicacies. The main thing during such a tasting is to stop in time, otherwise after the holidays you will have to completely change your wardrobe.

5. Petrozavodsk (Karelia): holidays with the prefix "eco"

We celebrate the New Year 2019 in a real winter fairy tale - Karelia

It is very difficult to describe Karelia in a few words, this region has a simply unique energy, which is felt by everyone who enters the hospitable land of the Karelians. In the list of places where it is quite possible to celebrate the New Year in Russia inexpensively, Karelia is far from the last place. This region offers tourists a special vacation on the territory of numerous reserves, surrounded by sixty thousand lakes and majestic waterfalls. Therefore, here you can successfully combine an active pastime outside the city in an unusual setting with comfortable rest in the capital of the republic - Petrozavodsk.

Tourists often perceive this city as an attachment to other sights of Karelia, but spending New Year's Eve here can be no less entertaining and interesting than at a camp site or in the mountains. As early as December 14, ten-meter-high fir trees will be installed in large residential areas of the city, but the main beauty of the year, eighteen meters high, will be waiting for the citizens on Kirov Square.

Be sure to dedicate the next day after the holiday to walking around Petrozavodsk. Here you will have something to see:

• Go down to the embankment. On the shores of Lake Onega, tourists can see just a magnificent sight. In addition, along the street are sculptural compositions donated to the city by different countries of the world. IN winter time under a layer of white caps framed by a mountain range, they look quite bizarre.
• Visit the National Museum of the Republic of Karelia and the Marine Museum of the Polar Odyssey Club.
• With the kids, go to the zoo complex and Tatyana Kalinina's Doll House. The talented artist managed to open a real art gallery with three exhibition halls and workshops for the citizens and guests of Petrozavodsk. For children, master classes on creating designer dolls are held here.

Going to Karelia for the New Year, do not spend all your holidays in the city center! After all, outside of Petrozavodsk you will find fabulous spaces and exciting excursion programs. A lot of enthusiasm causes a trip to the Arctic Circle. It includes accommodation at a modern recreation center on the shores of the White Sea, ice fishing, snowmobile and dog riding, visiting an ice town and even getting to know the local Santa Claus - Pakkaine.

Karelia borders on Finland, so you can observe some mixing of cultures here. It is very clearly seen in the residence "Talvi Ukko". So the locals also call Santa Claus. Little guests will be completely delighted with this trip. Tourists visit a deer farm, a dog kennel, ride a sled and even stop for picnics in the winter forest. Here everyone will be shown the principle of operation of the laboratory of nature and will be treated to wickets - mini-pies made from rye flour with various fillings.

For those who care about finding a place where they can celebrate the New Year in Russia right in nature, Karelian travel agents offer accommodation in European-style recreation centers. Popular with tourists are "Shishki", "Alekka", "Lopskiy Bereg" and "Susar". Here you will be offered to celebrate New Year's Eve in a snowy forest and immerse yourself in the fabulous atmosphere of the holiday. You will spend it in tradition local population, get to know the culture of the Karelians better, catch and smoke fish yourself and go skiing. Believe me, this is not the whole list of opportunities to have a fun Karelian vacation. Come and see for yourself!

6. Veliky Ustyug: a fairy tale for children and adults

We celebrate the New Year 2019 in the homeland of Santa Claus - in Veliky Ustyug

New Year 2019 will come very soon. Where to relax in Russia on vacation in a big way, many people think. Every year it becomes more and more popular to travel to the homeland of Santa Claus - Veliky Ustyug.

For the few in the know, Veliky Ustyug is an ancient city that has managed to preserve the flavor of the medieval Russian North to this day. Therefore, the cultural program of the winter holidays must include:

• Inspection of churches and merchant estates of the 17th-18th centuries. They amaze the imagination with skillful wooden carvings and bizarre architecture. The most popular among tourists is the Cathedral Yard, where there are not only household buildings, but also temple complexes. Its "pearl" is the Assumption Cathedral.
• Visit factories where they make magnificent jewelry from blackened silver, as well as linen and wood. For example, no one ever leaves the building of the Severnaya Chern plant without a purchase.
• A walk through the New Year's fairs, where all the products of local craftsmen are sold, including healing balms and herbal tinctures. Master classes are also held here, where everyone can learn how to bake bread or forge, for example.
• Trips to museums of New Year and Christmas toys, the history of Veliky Ustyug, as well as ancient Russian art. Children, for example, will be delighted with a visit to the New Year's Toy Museum, where exhibits are collected in three rooms, some of which are already seventy years old.

The most popular tourist route on the eve of the New Year and after it is a trip to Santa Claus. Keep in mind that the winter wizard has two residences. One is located right on the territory of the city on Sovetsky Avenue. Here you will be met by fairy-tale characters and will be led through the magical halls, talking about various magical items. Nearby is the Wizard's Fashion House, where children can make toys with their own hands. A little further - in Oktyabrsky Lane - there is the famous Father Frost Post Office. At least four hundred thousand letters from Russian children come here every year, and tourists will have the opportunity to send a message to their loved ones with the personal seal of the magician.

Despite all the sights of the city, most of the tourists tend to get to the country residence of Father Frost, located about ten kilometers from Veliky Ustyug. Here they will find a lot of entertainment:

• Passage along the Trail of fairy tales, accompanied by magical characters;
• contact zoo;
• Glacier with bizarre figurines of frozen water;
• Winter Garden;
• The territory of artisans;
• Meeting with Santa Claus himself.

On the territory of the estate there are about nine hotels made in the Russian style. On New Year's Eve, the main wizard receives guests until four o'clock in the afternoon, and then rests until eleven o'clock in the evening. It is at this time that a three-hour show begins with songs, contests and the same salute. Many people dream of celebrating the New Year 2017 in Russia this way. Where to go to relax next winter after a holiday once spent in this way, you will definitely never think for a long time again.

7. Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana

We celebrate the New Year 2019 in the Olympic heart of Russia - in Sochi

Soon the New Year will come in Russia. Where to go cheap? This question worries many of our compatriots, and they carefully look through numerous sites with offers to spend the main night of the year in various places. Few Russians imagine how interesting it can be during the winter holidays in Sochi. This city is able to please the most fastidious tourist with various excursion offers.

First of all, Sochi, as a venue for celebrating the New Year, attracts those who dream of spending holidays in a warm climate on the sea coast without leaving their country. The resort usually welcomes guests with pleasant weather and lush greenery. Closer to the New Year, the streets take on a festive look framed by illuminations and fluffy fir trees.

This year the city administration has prepared a traditional festive program on the South Pier Square. It will last until two in the morning and will give vacationers a lot of entertainment typical of the New Year.

During the holidays, tourists will have something to do in Sochi. Here is a sample list of activities for the whole family:

• Aquapark Aqualoo. It is located some distance from the city and includes more than 3,000 square meters of slides, pools and attractions. A cozy restaurant is also equipped on the territory of the water park, where you can always have a bite to eat or order a full dinner. Aqualoo operates from ten in the morning to nine in the evening daily.
• "Sochi-Park". This theme park has twice ranked first in the list of the best in the country. It has an area of ​​twenty-five hectares and can surprise you with twenty modern attractions for any age. The entrance ticket costs in the range from 1200 to 1500 rubles.
• Riviera Park (during all winter holidays, children's shows are held here with the distribution of gifts and round dances around the Christmas tree).
• Dolphinarium. It is located in Sochi Park, but tourists do not always have time to visit it. And it, by the way, is already included in the price of the entrance ticket.
• Oceanarium. Sochi has the largest oceanarium in Russia, where you can even go diving. Twenty-nine aquariums occupy 6,000 square meters. The ticket price does not exceed 600 rubles.
• Arboretum Park. You can come here for a tour or a simple walk. In any case, tourists will be pleased to walk along the alleys planted with unique plants.
• Walk in the Olympic Park. From 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., all facilities built for the 2014 Olympics are waiting for guests of the resort.

During the New Year holidays, theatrical processions, ice shows and concerts of pop stars are organized for city guests.

Should we consider Krasnaya Polyana as a place to celebrate New Year 2019 in Russia? If you just want to experience a modern ski resort and are not a big fan of skiing, then you should not go here on the main night of the year. But for those who cannot imagine their life without skiing, parties and adrenaline, the area of ​​the Rosa Khutor mountain park, where folk festivals take place, will seem the best place in the world. Tourists are offered sleigh rides, skiing and snowboarding, winter picnics in the mountains and hiking tours. Particularly curious and active tourists can go to the Mountain Garden apiary and taste fragrant Krasnopolyansky honey, visit ancient dolmens and appreciate the surrounding beauty during a helicopter ride.

Of the delicious dishes of local cuisine, tourists are advised to definitely try hominy, matsoni, adjika and churek on New Year's Eve - a national cake stuffed with honey and nuts.

8. Baikal is a legendary place of power

We celebrate the New Year 2019 at the largest lake in the world - on Baikal

The deepest, cleanest and most mysterious lake in the world attracts tourists all year round. In winter, no less travelers come here than in summer. And this is not surprising, because even the ancient shamans who came here to perform rituals considered this lake and its coast to be nothing more than a place of power. Therefore, where to celebrate the New Year in Russia in such a way as to get a boost of energy for the next twelve months, you do not need to think long - go to Baikal.

The most important night of the year is best spent in Listvyanka. Siberian Anapa, as this village is often called, offers accommodation in luxury cottages and small economy class houses. On holidays, Listvyanka is completely transformed. The waters of the lake near the beach are shackled with transparent piercing blue ice, and the entire area around is decorated with garlands and colored ribbons. Folk festivals will take place in 2019 on the beach itself, but you can spend the night with your family on the territory of the recreation center. For example, "Baikal" will invite you to celebrate the New Year in the style of the Wild West, and the base "Baikal Terema" will delight you with a holiday in the traditional Russian style.

During the holidays, guests of Listvyanka will never be bored, and both budget and wealthy tourists will find activities for themselves:

• Visit to the architectural and ethnographic museum "Taltsy". Here you can see how the indigenous peoples of the Baikal region lived three centuries ago. On holidays, mass festivities are organized on the territory of the museum with slides, herbal tea and taking a snow town.
• A trip to the ski resort on Mount Sobolinaya.
• Helicopter ride.
• Communication with cute seals in the nerpinarium. A seal that lives in fresh water always causes a lot of enthusiasm. Especially when he not only performs a lot of funny tricks, but also draws. For 500 rubles, an interesting performance will unfold before your eyes.
• Diving on a bathyscaphe to the bottom of the great lake. In fact, this dive to almost 2000 meters is virtual, but tourists create a complete illusion of underwater travel.

Avid fishermen will not be able to spend their holidays without a trip to the Small Sea. New Year's Eve here is also full of surprises. For example, the Khadarta camp site offers an enchanting program with fireworks, and Altan will delight you with a retro party. But the next day you can go ice fishing to catch omul, sturgeon, grayling and whitefish. Here you will organize a picnic and help you smoke a fresh catch.

It is worth coming to Arshan for a couple of days to swim in the healing hot springs. Locals call this water "living", because it can cure almost any ailment. In addition to all of the above, tourists can visit the most mysterious and mystical island of Lake Baikal - Olkhon, ride a hovercraft and ride a dog sled.

Arriving at the lake for the holidays, be sure to taste the dishes of the national Buryat cuisine - juicy buuzy, stew with coarsely chopped vegetables and a huge piece of lamb (buhler), as well as an incomparable dried omul.

9. Kaliningrad: New Year in European style

We celebrate the New Year 2019 in a European way - in Kaliningrad

Many of our compatriots dream of going on winter holidays to Europe, but in recent years, such a trip is beyond the reach of most Russians. So they don’t know where to go for the New Year 2019. Russia offers avid tourists a great option to spend a holiday in a European style without leaving it. And this place is the most western point country - the city of Kaliningrad.

The main place on the festive night is Victory Square, it is here that a huge Christmas tree is set up, which every year pleases the townspeople and tourists with original illumination. In 2019, travelers will have an extensive holiday program. The weather in Kaliningrad in December is perfect for celebrating the New Year on the street. Usually the air temperature does not fall below six degrees Celsius.

The weather in Kaliningrad in December is perfect for celebrating the New Year on the street. Usually the air temperature does not fall below six degrees Celsius.

If you are not inspired by the crowds of people against the background of the red tiled roofs of houses, then choose one of the many places in the city for the main night of the city. Kaliningrad is distinguished by the fact that there are a huge number of restaurants, cafes and bars for every taste and budget. The most interesting and popular establishments are Tchaikovsky, Sir Francis Drake, Amsterdam and Parmesan. During the feast, pay tribute to fish dishes, especially smoked eel. Another delicacy is bed bugs, which resemble meatballs in a fragrant sauce.

During your vacation, allow yourself to travel outside the city. You should definitely visit Zelenogradsk and Svetlogorsk to walk along the wide beaches and enjoy their beauties. The Curonian Spit stands apart in this list of natural monuments. It stretches for almost a hundred meters and has no analogues in the world. Here you will see extraordinary dunes and amazingly yellow sand. In Kaliningrad itself, the following places are worthy of the attention of tourists:

• Amber Museum. Many people consider it to be a unique place, because not only products from the “sun stone” are collected here, but the whole history of its extraction is also told. During the winter holidays, the museum is open from 10 am to 6 pm.
• Museum of the World Ocean. Here are collected the most amazing specimens that reveal the history of the development of the ocean and help to understand its inhabitants.
• Cathedral. This place is considered calling card cities. It was erected at the end of the 14th century and it was here that the great E. Kant was once buried.
• Church of the Holy Family. At the moment, the Philharmonic is located here, but the architecture of the Catholic Church and even its decoration have been completely preserved, as they are of great historical value.

Without visiting these attractions, your impressions of a vacation in Kaliningrad will be incomplete.

10. Vladimir: a holiday in Russian traditions

We celebrate the New Year 2019 in Russian traditions - in Vladimir

In recent decades, it is in Vladimir that it has become fashionable to relax on New Year's Eve in Russia. Among our compatriots, there was even a sign saying that the main night of the year spent in the ancient city promises good luck and happiness. The first mention of Vladimir in written sources dates back to the tenth century. Therefore, only here you can combine festive festivities with an exciting study of Russian history.

Since weather forecasters predict a rather warm New Year's Eve for the residents of Vladimir, tourists can count on meeting the holiday together with the townspeople on the main square of the city. The largest Christmas tree is installed on the Cathedral Square and it is here that the midnight fireworks will thunder. The festive program should begin at ten o'clock in the evening. According to a tradition that has been established for a long time, one should not expect that people will go home before four in the morning.

According to a tradition that has been established for a long time, one should not expect that people will go home before four in the morning.

If it is important for you where to celebrate the New Year in Russia in such a way as to enjoy both comfortable conditions and interesting program, then consider Vladimir restaurants as an option. Many of them are stylized in Russian traditions and are ready to please you with dishes of national cuisine. Many positive reviews are received by Karetny Dvor, Ovens-Lavochki and Tavern Coachman. On New Year's Eve, you will have roast pots, pies and pancakes with various fillings on your tables. And tourists are advised to drink all this with fragrant mead, this drink, prepared according to an original Russian recipe, is very popular on holidays.

Many travelers try to combine folk festivals with a cultural program. Therefore, they are happy to visit the sights of the city and its museums during the holidays:

• Assumption Cathedral with unique and priceless frescoes by Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny.
• Dmitrievsky Cathedral. This temple was built only by Russian craftsmen at the end of the 12th century. Throughout the history of its existence, it has experienced periods of plunder and has been completely burned down several times.
• Church of Nikita the Martyr. The temple is considered a unique building as it looks more like a palace than a religious complex of the thirteenth century.
• An architectural marvel - the Golden Gate. At the beginning of the twelfth century, there were five such structures, and only one gate has survived to this day, symbolizing the power of Rus'.
• Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve. This complex includes several architectural ensembles that deserve the attention of tourists. You can come here on your own or book a group tour.
• Museum complex "Chambers". Both adults and children are welcomed with open arms in Lipki Park. In the halls of the complex there are several different expositions, among which everyone will find something interesting for themselves.

Many tourists will enjoy the New Year at the Krasnaya Gorka ski base. Here you can stay in luxurious hotel rooms or in a budget house. In any case, an enchanting holiday awaits you with sleigh rides, a carnival procession and buffoons.

11. Kostroma: the residence of the granddaughter of Santa Claus

We celebrate the New Year 2019 at the granddaughter of Santa Claus - in Kostroma

When you are thinking about where you can celebrate the New Year in Russia with a child in an unusual and inexpensive way, then pay attention to Kostroma. This city, built in the twelfth century, has a truly magical attraction.

Most big interest during the winter holidays, he calls the Terem of the Snow Maiden, standing on the very bank of the Volga. In it, all guests are met by the hostess of Berendeev Park herself, introducing them to her friends and hospitably showing everyone the chambers of her residence. Finally, according to ancient traditions, each tourist is sprinkled with salt for good luck.

The best place to get to know Kostroma better and feel what a real holiday for the New Year in Russia is is Susaninskaya Square. Here the main Christmas tree of the city is set up and festive events are held. Their distinguishing feature is the abundance of mummers and buffoons. Naturally, the New Year will not do without colorful fireworks, which is so pleasant to contemplate while eating hot pancakes with caviar and washing them down with ice-cold vodka, traditional for Russians.

Naturally, the New Year will not do without colorful fireworks, which is so pleasant to contemplate while eating hot pancakes with caviar and washing them down with ice-cold vodka, traditional for Russians.

The restaurants of the city are also waiting for tourists and invite them to the festive program on the main night of the year. The most popular establishments in Kostroma are Metelitsa, Slavyansky and Staraya Pier. The choice of dishes in them can amaze any gourmet and connoisseur of Russian cuisine: homemade meat delicacies, pies, pies, rich fragrant cabbage soup and pickles. Among alcoholic drinks in Kostroma, we recommend trying local mash or live beer brewed according to exclusive recipes in private breweries, of which there are a lot in the city.

After a stormy night, tourists will be pleased to walk along the snow-covered streets to the monument to Ivan Susanin and the old fire tower. The tower building was erected in the first quarter of the 19th century and is considered the most popular attraction, which now houses the firefighting museum. Tourists will be interested in going on an excursion to the Ipatiev Monastery, where at the beginning of the seventeenth century the first representative of the Romanov family was elected king, or to purchase tickets to the Kostroma State Drama Theater. Ostrovsky.

If you go to Kostroma, you will get not only the opportunity to have a fun holiday, but also to communicate with nature. During the winter holidays, everyone is hospitably greeted by the Sumarokovskaya moose farm. You need to come here from ten in the morning to two in the afternoon. Later you won't be able to see the moose as they go for a walk in the forest. Experienced tourists advise you to definitely try moose milk and buy a short film about the life of these animals, filmed on a farm. Also, trips through the snow-covered forest on a husky-drawn sleigh will be remembered for a long time.

12. Elbrus region: a New Year's gift for extreme sportsmen

We celebrate the New Year 2019 at the foot of the Elbrus region

How often do we take risks in everyday life? I'm sure it's extremely rare. Therefore, when you think about where to spend the New Year 2019 in Russia, then change all your usual schemes and give yourself a real winter adventure in the Elbrus region.

The tourism industry in the Elbrus region is very well developed. Local slopes are ideal for skiing beginners and professionals, and the organization of holidays in hotels is at the highest level. Therefore, every extreme without hesitation, even in the middle of the night, will answer the question “where to spend the New Year in Russia with a “spark””.

Winter mountains are always freedom, an excess of emotions, adrenaline and a fairy tale. Keep in mind that all hotels in the Elbrus region are located far from each other. This prevents vacationers from easily moving from one place to another. Therefore, carefully choose a recreation center for yourself, because it is here that you will have to spend the whole New Year's Eve.

The main skiing areas are located in the Baskan Valley and Cheget. The tracks are divided into colors according to difficulty: the easiest ones are green and blue, the professional ones are black and red. It's nice to ride any of them on a winter morning so that the wind whistles in your ears, and the blood beats in your temples!

If you are not a fan of skiing, but you still chose the Elbrus region as a place to celebrate the New Year in Russia, then there is also an interesting excursion program for you:

• Acquaintance with the gorges of Kabardino-Balkaria with a mandatory visit to the Narzan valley at an altitude of more than a thousand meters above sea level (the most interesting for tourists are the Baskan Gorge and Aushegir).
• Bathing in thermal springs. Most of the tourists come to Aushegir, where there is a lake with healing water. The source itself is located at a depth of four thousand meters and is able to cure skin, neurological and other diseases.
• Hike to blue lake Tserikkel. Until now, scientists have been studying this reservoir and cannot reveal all its secrets. Surprisingly, the lake has a high content of hydrogen sulfide and one level of water all year round, although it is not fed from any sources.
• Tour to the frozen waterfalls. The one who didn't see Chegem waterfalls, cannot claim that he got acquainted with the Elbrus region. They are especially amazing in winter, when they are shackled by transparent ice.

And after walking in the fresh air, you will definitely have an appetite and then delicious Kabardian cuisine will come to your aid. In the homes of local residents, you will be treated to delicious homemade bread, which is put on the table with homemade butter, cheese and a spicy sauce called "brine". In the restaurant, order national sausages and dried meat for the whole company, the listed dishes go well with khychin. This fragrant pie, filled with finely chopped potatoes and cheese, will be enjoyed by absolutely all guests. And if you're still hungry, try the traditional pancakes for dessert. They have never left anyone indifferent.

13. Yaroslavl: a unique metropolis framed by antiquity

We celebrate the New Year 2019 in the heart of Ancient Rus' - in Yaroslavl

Among those places where you can still celebrate the New Year in Russia inexpensively, the cities of the Golden Ring are very popular. They allow tourists to feel the atmosphere of the holiday literally from the first minutes of being in the city. Yaroslavl is a prominent representative of this category, because it is not for nothing that it is called the “pearl of Russia”.

A distinctive feature of the winter holidays in Yaroslavl is their scope. After all, there are even four main New Year's venues in the city! Every year, the administration installs fluffy beauties in four large squares:

• Soviet;
• Youth;
• red;
• Epiphany.

The people can choose absolutely any place to celebrate the New Year and be sure that they will not be bored here. The performance with the participation of Father Frost and the Snow Maiden starts at ten o'clock in the evening, however, keep in mind that it will be impossible for people intoxicated to pass the police cordons on the outskirts of the squares. They simply won't be missed.

Yaroslavl is famous for its restaurants, so choosing the right place to celebrate the holiday is not difficult. Locals advise booking tables at Esquir's. This place always pleases guests with an unusual program, a unique design with a huge aquarium under the bar and luxurious dishes prepared by the chef himself. If you go to Yaroslavl for the holidays, be sure to pay tribute to the Volga The fish dishes here are prepared in such a way that it is impossible to leave the table without overeating. Delight causes the ear according to an old recipe, cold and hot smoked fish, as well as kulebyaka with the most delicate filling. You will remember such a festive table for a very long time.

What to do in Yaroslavl after New Year's Eve? It is best if you manage to combine entertainment, city walks and a cultural program. And here the choice is quite wide:

• Planetarium named after V. Tereshkova. This landmark of the city was opened about seven years ago and is ready to present several educational programs to the attention of tourists. In January, New Year's events are always held here, the approximate cost of a ticket is three hundred rubles.
• Theatrical performances for children and adults (for example, the Millennium Concert and Concert Center invites you to game program"The Secret of the Magic Bag", the Yaroslavl State Puppet Theater is waiting for kids to play "Mrs. Metelitsa").
• Church of Elijah the Prophet (its green onions have become a symbol of the city). The temple was built in the 17th century and has survived to this day almost without the slightest change. The church is distinguished by luxurious and interior decoration, which can be viewed daily, except Sunday.
• Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. This monastery in the 12th century was the cultural center of the city and owned a large amount of land. And it was also within its walls that archaeologists once found the "Lay of Igor's Campaign".
• Walk along the embankment (there is a beautiful view of the river Kotorosl, which flows into the Volga).

It will also be pleasant to walk along Pervomaisky Boulevard, which is considered the main street of Yaroslavl and decorated for the New Year with special love and invention.

14. Veliky Novgorod: not quite a modern holiday

We celebrate the New Year 2019 in Veliky Novgorod

Where to relax on New Year's Eve in Russia so that memories alone will take your breath away? Are you also asking this question? Then ancient Veliky Novgorod is exactly what you need. It is not for nothing that it is respectfully called a “city-museum”, because here, in a small area, a huge number of monuments of Ancient Rus' have been collected, which several thousand people come to see every year.

In order to have a cheap New Year's holiday in Russia, Veliky Novgorod is the best. Here you will be offered such a variety of festive excursion programs that just make your eyes pop. Here are just the most popular ones:

• A trip to the Museum of Folk Architecture "Vitoslavitsy". During the holidays, an exciting program "Fairytale New Year" is planned here with magical heroes, unusual quests and gifts.
• Tour to the factory of Christmas decorations. Such an excursion is always combined with a painting master class, after which you can take your creation home and every year, hanging it on the Christmas tree, you will remember the merry New Year in Veliky Novgorod.
• Excursion to the Novgorod Kremlin, considered one of the most striking monuments of Russian architecture of the 15th-17th centuries (the world-famous St. Sophia Cathedral with a chamber created by the best German and Russian masters is located on its territory).

If you like noisy parties and want to celebrate a holiday with friends in a luxurious establishment, then check out the Park Inn. In this fashionable hotel on New Year's Eve, two restaurants are waiting for guests - "On the Sun" and "Gallery". Everyone will be pleased with the program and three options for refreshments. Among the variety of Novgorod cuisine, guests will definitely like Ilmen-style pike perch, which has been considered a traditional dish of these places since ancient times. Be sure to appreciate the printed honey gingerbread, invented, according to the chronicle, by the people of Novgorod in the ninth century. And it is best to drink treats with kvass, in any institution of the city you will be offered at least forty-three types of this Russian drink. Many recipes for its preparation are already four hundred years old.

15. Vyborg (Leningrad region): revived the Middle Ages

We celebrate the New Year 2019 in Vyborg

As soon as they call this city - “an island of the European Middle Ages”, “a fragment of Sweden”, “the most Western European city in Russia”, but none of the names can convey that very special atmosphere and charm that Vyborg radiates. Founded more than seven centuries ago by Swedish knights, it is a unique fusion of Russian, Swedish and Finnish traditions with a Scandinavian flavor, expressed primarily in architectural style. Therefore, for those who crave new experiences and think about where to go for the New Year in Russia, the answer is always the same - of course, to Vyborg.

The holiday will come to the city on the twenty-third of December, when the New Year's Fair starts on the famous Market Square. Trading rows will be installed around a luxurious spruce, decorated with illuminations and balls. Until the New Year, every hour there will be recreational activities, and you can warm yourself with a mug of hot mulled wine, which is very popular here.

On the main night of the year, Red Square awaits citizens and tourists. Folk festivals with the participation of knights, heroes of Scandinavian legends and Russian fairy tales are organized on this site. This gives the holiday a special flavor, because tourists will not be able to see this anywhere else. At two o'clock in the morning, according to the idea of ​​the organizers of the show, the square will turn into a huge open-air disco, which will last until four o'clock in the morning.

In the morning, be sure to go with the children to market square to the IBC "Victoria". There will be a mini amusement park. The kids will be offered carousels, trains and other entertainment. By the way, the traditional New Year's Eve rides on reindeer and horses, which can even give adults a piece of carefree childhood, will not do.

After entertainment, it's time to go through the items on the list cultural program, which in the city, by the way, is very unusual. Since Vyborg was founded in the Middle Ages, its main attractions are associated with this period of history:

• Take an excursion to Zamkovy Island, where the Vyborg Castle stands, which became the founder of the city. Its observation tower offers a simply bewitching view of the surroundings.
• Walk to the Old Town Hall. This building was built around the middle of the seventeenth century and was intended to house the government. Throughout its history, the town hall was rebuilt, built on, and even once almost burned down. A museum worked here for a long time, but now this architectural monument has been turned into a residential building.
• See the Church of St. Hyacinth. This building is unique, since already in the fifteenth century there was a wooden building. A little later, a stone monastery school was erected here, and after some time, a Catholic parish was formed in the Knight's House, as it is also called.
• Take a look at the house of the merchant guild of the Holy Spirit (by the way, it is the oldest stone building in Vyborg).
• Be sure to spend time on a trip to the Panzerlaks bastion, which once protected the city from enemies from the Gulf of Finland.

Not far from Vyborg, there is the historical and cultural center "Varangiy Dvor", during the winter holidays it is especially popular with tourists. In the Svargas estate, a real medieval city will come to life before the eyes of the guests, instantly captivating and immersing both children and adults in ancient times. Here you can get acquainted with the Scandinavian culture and even master several ancient crafts, including the manufacture of swords in a weapons workshop.

After all the adventures, it's time to appreciate the local delicacies; in restaurants and cafes of the city, the menu is often intertwined with the history of Vyborg. A typical medieval lunch will consist of custard bread with homemade spiced butter, fragrant chowder in an earthenware pot, and chicken meat topped with seasonal root vegetables. As a dessert, you should try the famous Vyborg pretzel with saffron, cardamom, mint, cloves and other spices. The recipe for this delicacy was invented long ago by the Franciscan monks. Oh, and don't forget the delicious local ale. Leaving Vyborg without trying it would be a real omission!

16. Sakhalin: New Year on the edge of the earth

We celebrate the New Year 2019 on Sakhalin

Where to celebrate the New Year 2019 in Russia for a person who has already seen a lot and is not constrained by means? As it turned out, this is a rather serious problem that occupies the minds of a certain category of our compatriots. But only Sakhalin can solve it, because a trip to this island in the winter seems to many to be real madness.

Before you go on an adventure, you need to decide where exactly on Sakhalin you plan to go. The fact is that in the very capital of the island - the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, there is practically nothing remarkable for tourists. Therefore, we recommend celebrating the New Year at the world-famous mountain air ski resort, and visiting the capital for just one day.

The ski resort is located on Mount Bolshevik at an altitude of 260 meters. It is well equipped, although it is considered developing. Fans of mountain skiing from all over Russia come here for the New Year. The complex itself offers guests accommodation in cozy cottages, and on a festive night, tourists will be served a generous Sakhalin table with an abundance of seafood cooked in different ways. New Year's program is designed for three hours, after the disco begins. But already in the morning, fourteen slopes will be available to tourists, to which the unique Doppelmayr cable car will deliver skiers very quickly. You can ski on the slopes until the evening, because the tracks are equipped with artificial lighting, which automatically turns on at dusk.

After a couple of days of skiing, you can move to balneological resort at the foot of the Jambul mountain. The most popular sanatorium in this place is Sinegorsk Mineral Waters. During the winter holidays, it provides discounts for family holidays lasting more than three days. Here you can not only improve your health with unique mineral water, but also go on an excursion to the mountains. For tourists, several routes of varying difficulty have been developed.

If you want a change of scenery and get to know the island better, then use the following program:

• Sakhalin State Regional local history museum. This place can be safely considered the oldest cultural and educational center of the island. The museum's expositions include more than 200,000 unique items, sometimes opening Sakhalin from the most unexpected side.
• Sakhalin Regional Art Museum. It is noteworthy that here you can see not only permanent exhibitions, but also exhibition works. The first floor of the museum works as a gallery.