Which audio guide to choose? Free Russian travel guides for smartphones: an overview

In izi.TRAVEL Audio Guide Digest No. 9. The best audio guides on Moscow streets

This post contains a selection of the most interesting voiced excursions in Moscow. The places that these audio guides tell about go one after another, connecting into one whole. And you can take a great walk around the capital.

You can start your tour in Zamoskvorechye and get acquainted with the merchant atmosphere of past centuries. Further, once on the other side of the Moskva River, plunge into the secrets and legends of Khitrovka and Kitay-gorod. After that, return to the Kadashevskaya embankment, and take a walk along Yakimanka and the surrounding streets. You can stop and take a breath in Gorky Park, which also has its own audio guide. But you should not rest for a long time, because then you have to walk along Prechistenka, Arbat and reach the Patriarch's Ponds. And you can complete your long walk near Moscow City.

5. Yakimanka.

You can continue your acquaintance with the Yakimanka area while walking around this area with an audio guide prepared by the Vokrug Sveta publishing house. The tour will tell you stories about this Moscow region, its inhabitants, ancient buildings and modern buildings. The route is very large and includes 40 points. It is recommended to start the walk from Maly stone bridge, go through Krymsky Val, Central House of Artists, and then switch to another audio guide at the entrance to the Gorky Park of Culture and Leisure. During the construction of which house for the first time in the history of construction, three-ton concrete blocks were used, in which house Pavel Voinovich Nashchokin, a close friend of Pushkin, was born, what used to be on the site of the square on the arrow of Bolshaya Polyanka and Yakimansky passage, which mansion is similar to the Church of John the Baptist in Tolchkovo, depicted on a thousand rubles, which temple Peter I ordered to be moved away from the river because of its frequent flooding, which five-time winner of the Stalin Prize invented Lenin "one hand in his pocket, the other under his vest." All this can be found in the audio guide. And when you reach Gorky Park, you don’t have to stop, because there is a separate excursion for it.

6. Gorky Park. Sightseeing tour.

Gorky Park is rich in sights. Among them, there are many that have not survived to this day, but they can be seen in photographs. Walking through the park, you can learn interesting facts about Russian history with the help of an audio guide. The territory of Gorky Park is divided into 3 parts - Sparrow Hills, Boring Garden and Parter. In this walk, it is proposed to get acquainted with the parterre part, which arose during the formation of Soviet power. The main principle of the Park's work was the organization of leisure for the population - "so that everyone finds something to do, no one gets bored and does not sit idle." What was located before the revolution on the site of the parterre part of Gorky Park, what battles were held here back in the 19th century, why the Bolsheviks started such a grandiose arrangement of this particular area, how many columns at the main entrance to the park, near which pond Chekhov’s brother once fished, and Fyodor Chaliapin skated, what girls were the prototypes for the sculpture “Girl with an oar”, and why in our time the famous monument no longer adorns the park. All this can be found in the audio guide during a walk through the famous Moscow park.

7. Prechistenka.

During the time of Ivan the Terrible, the street, which is now called Prechistenka, was an ordinary country road leading from the Kremlin to the Novodevichy Convent. And it was called Big Chertolskaya. This name was associated with a stream that ran into the Moscow River at the site of Gogolevsky Boulevard. Why the townspeople disliked this stream, and why Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ordered the street to be renamed Prechistenka, can be found in the audio guide for this street and adjacent urban spaces. How is this place connected by the author of the hypothesis of existence in the distant past ice age where the famous Filippovskaya bakery was located, where the house of Professor Preobrazhensky from the “Heart of a Dog” is located, where the White and Red Chambers are located, in which house built by the hero Patriotic War 1812 by Mikhail Orlov, Isaac Levitan and Boris Pasternak lived. In which estate Count Vsevolozhsky gave balls almost every day, where Isadora Duncan's ballet studio was located, why there is a monument to the Norwegian Nansen on Levshinsky Lane. This and much more you will learn with the help of an audio guide. It is recommended to start the route near the Kropotkinskaya metro station.

8. Walk along the Arbat.

Many guests from the capital always walk along the famous Arbat. But even for Muscovites, this street keeps many secrets and mysteries. After all, the Arbat is one of the oldest Moscow streets and during its history, which has five centuries, it has witnessed many events. Mention of this street can be found in huge numbers. historical documents, literary works, memoirs, because many famous scientists, philosophers, writers, musicians, artists lived here. Together with an audio guide prepared by the staff of the Library of the History of Russian Philosophy and Culture “A.F. Losev", you can take a fascinating walk along the most famous pedestrian artery in Moscow. As the creators of the tour write - “ we will tell you about everything on our tour through the history of houses, true witnesses and keepers of the Arbat history". In the audio guide you will find out who were the first visitors to the originally inexpensive Prague tavern, in which house the Arbatsky Podvalchik cafe was located, whose visitors were Sergei Yesenin, Vladimir Mayakovsky and others, which demolished church was mentioned twice in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and the world”, why Princess Turandot is the symbol-mascot of the Vakhtangov Theatre, and much more.

9. Patriarch's ponds.

Patriarch's Ponds are reserved place Moscow. Every house is like a chest full unique stories. The Vokrug Sveta publishing house has prepared another interesting audio guide, in which it invites all listeners to slowly walk along Palashevsky, Kozikhinsky, Patriarchal lanes, and find out what the simple Russian peasant Ivan Komissarov became famous for and why the Moscow Technical School was named after him, where in the 19th century there was a large the wooden house of the Tsvetaevs, which building in Moscow was built in the likeness of the Palazzo Thiene in Vicenza, which was in the 19th century on the site of the Aquarium Garden, how Palashevsky lanes are connected with shoulder cases by masters - executioners, which street is longer - Malaya and Bolshaya Bronnaya, and much more. AND special attention in the audio guide is given to the places of Mikhail Bulgakov. After all, it is here, on the Patriarchs, that the famous novel"Master and Margarita". And you will be able to sit on the bench where Berlioz met Woland, and also look at Bolshaya Sadovaya in the bad 50th apartment.

10.Presnya City.

If you use all of the above audio guides and feel the spirit of medieval Moscow and the urban atmosphere of the 18th-19th centuries, then your big tour in the capital, it is worth completing in Moscow City - in the area of \u200b\u200bthe future. With the help of an audio guide, you can walk around the once industrial, and now almost a sleeping area of the city of Moscow, and seem to take a trip back in time. From the revolutionary events of the beginning of the 20th century, you will find yourself in the 19th century - the century of industrial development, and then to the dacha of Prince Gagarin, the emergence of which dates back to the 16th century. And the ending of the tour awaits in the present, in the future of Moscow in the Moscow City area. You will find out which building was built in the very first constructivist style, which manor park was originally on the site of the Krasnaya Presnya park, and how this area is connected with the Trekhgornaya manufactory. Are the "Three Mountains" on Krasnaya Presnya one of the seven hills on which Moscow was built, and where did the Tuscan column come from? This and much more you will learn from the audio guide.

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Russia has long been called the country of cities - Gardarika. And now you can endlessly travel through ancient settlements that keep centuries-old stories. For each historical place you can find many guidebooks. But when we arrive at new town for the first time, it is difficult to figure out which route is best to go to explore the most interesting things, and where to find a guide who will tell you excitingly about each attraction.

1. In Yaroslavl, it is proposed to go along the route along the Volga coast and find out where the Yaroslavl Kremlin was originally located and why the bridge over the Kotorosl River is called American.
2. The Krasnoyarsk guide contains unique information about estates and temples. For example, why Krasnoyarsk local history museum built in Egyptian style.
3. The audio guide for Kolomna invites you to plunge into the atmosphere of the merchant life of the city, and find out where the expression Nikola-on-Posadi came from, and which house was a small copy Winter Palace Rastrelli.
4. A tour of Vyborg will take more than one day, as it includes 99 historical objects! But it is worth listening to and finding out which fortifier designed round tower, where the Glassblower's shop is located, and much more.
5. All the mysteries of Suzdal - a fabulous town-box, are revealed in an educational audio guide, in which you can not only learn about all the temples of the city, but also visit the filming locations of the film "Balzaminov's Marriage".
6. Together with Suzdal, everyone visits Vladimir, where you can also walk with a guide and find out who built the Cathedral of St. Demetrius and what icon was brought during its construction from Byzantine Thessaloniki.
7. For a walk around Kazan, there is also an interesting audio guide that will tell you about the place where L.N. Tolstoy, and what Bulak means in Tatar.
8. In Nizhny Novgorod, you can see the house built by the architect Fyodor Shekhtel and listen to the voiced story about it. And also find out how many steps the Chkalov Staircase has and where the “Pillars” teahouse is located.
9. Sightseeing tour of Tula is divided into two parts. Walking around the city with each of them, you will get acquainted with the houses and history of famous Tula families, see the building of the Diocesan Women's School, New malls, monuments to Levsha, Mosin and Peter I, and much more.
10. And for fans not only to lie on sea sand but also learn the history famous resort, have developed an interesting audio guide for Greater Sochi. It tells about the history of the city and its main attractions. And you can also find out in it where the “Bridge of Expectations” is located with the “Bench of Reconciliation”, and where the “Tree of Friendship” grows.

This post contains some of the most interesting audio guides for Russian cities. Perhaps among them are locality which you plan to visit in the near future. And you don't have to think about how to plan your hiking trails. If you can't decide where to go to May holidays, where to spend your vacation, or what sight to see, this post will help you. Each city has its own unique excursions. Travel across Russia and return to your favorite cities again and again.

1. Yaroslavl.

With the help of an audio guide in Yaroslavl, you can not only hear about all the main sights of this old city, but also take a walk along a convenient tourist route. All objects are located along the Volga coast, from where a wonderful view of the great Russian river opens. This excursion was prepared by the Youth Council of the city of Yaroslavl together with the youth radio station "MORS". In the audio guide, you will find out where the Yaroslavl Kremlin was actually located, where the governor went through the underground passage, why the police could not disperse the May Day demonstration of 1905 for several hours, why the bridge over the Kotorosl River began to be called American. All this and much more in the first audio tour of the Volga embankment!

Photos before 1917. Yaroslavl. Big line and gostiny dvor.

2. Old Krasnoyarsk from east to west.

The construction company "Restavratsiya", founded in 1990, was created by historical places Krasnoyarsk. All tourists are invited to follow the route from the Holy Annunciation Monastery, located not far from the Strelka (the place where Krasnoyarsk began to grow from) to the Catholic Church, which in the 19th century was located on western outskirts cities. The guide contains unique information about estates and temples, as well as architects associated with them. Along the way, you will be able to find out who was designed architectural project Cathedral of the Annunciation, in which mansion combined Italian classicism, baroque and modern, why the Krasnoyarsk Museum of Local Lore was built in the Egyptian style, in what year, after the abolition of serfdom, general education began in Krasnoyarsk, what Novosobornaya Square looked like in the 19th century, and much more.

Photos before 1917. Krasnoyarsk. Bazaar.

3. Kolomna. Tasteful history. By using walking tour, created by the NP Museum City, every resident and guest of Kolomna will be able to feel the spirit of the sleepy province, as Gogol and Lazhechnikov saw it. The city, whose history goes back more than nine centuries, was first subjected to Tatar raids, which is why it burned almost to the ground all the time. But over time, when the danger was gone, and merchants and merchants began to rule the city, gardens were planted here. The inhabitants began to establish their own order: drink tea “to the keys”, send carts of apples to Moscow and decorously go on a visit. This atmosphere is conveyed, with the help of which you will find out how many marshmallow kokoshniks are at the temple of Nikola Posadsky, where the expression Nikola-on-Posadi came from, which house is the oldest in Kolomna, from which square the Kolomna Arbat starts, which house was a reduced copy of Rastrelli's Winter Palace , where one of the largest printing houses of the city was located, and much more.

Photos before 1917. Kolomna. Astrakhan street.

4. Vyborg.

The Vyborg Tourist Information Center has developed a very detailed audio guide for their city. It included 99 objects. These are historical monuments, museums, buildings, parks, squares, infrastructure facilities, as well as interesting places for recreation and leisure. You can learn a lot about each object interesting information. The tour is designed specifically for guests who prefer independent walks. In the audio guide, you will find out in what year the railway connection between St. Petersburg and Vyborg began, and who was the architect of the station. What once was on the site of the Marketplace, which fortifier designed the Round Tower, where the Glassblower's shop is located, what square was the very first in medieval city, and what area is called Red. All this can be heard while walking around Vyborg. The duration of the tour is 4 hours, so calculate your strength in advance.

Photos before 1917. Vyborg.

5. Suzdal.

Publishing house "Vokrug Sveta" was developed by one of the most visited by tourists city. More than fifty objects with voiced stories will reveal all the mysteries of Suzdal - a fabulous town-box. The route, which is offered to the listeners of the guide, starts near the Bishops' Chambers. Further, after passing through all the main sights, it ends near the Pokrovsky Cathedral. You will find out where the temple of the pagan deity Kupala was located, on which bell tower the chimes with ancient letters figures, which churches are located on Torgovaya Ploschad, which street in Suzdal is the oldest, in which house the main scenes of the film "The Marriage of Balzaminov" were filmed, and much more. All the secrets and mysteries of Suzdal cannot be counted, but you can touch them through this fascinating walk. The creators of the guide also recommend tasting mead prepared according to old recipes.

Photos before 1917. Suzdal.

6. Kazan.

If you are in Kazan and you want to learn more about this city, you can take a walk along with a small, but quite developed by a private individual. In this sightseeing tour you can find out who Karl Fuchs is and why a monument was erected to him, which was located on the site of the Black Lake in old times, which architects rebuilt the Kazan Kremlin in white stone, where L.N. Tolstoy, where the Siberian highway passed and where the shackles were removed from the prisoners, in which house A.S. Pushkin, which means Bulak in Tatar, at which university unique discoveries were made, and much more. The tour ends in the park of the 1000th anniversary of Kazan, but you can continue your tour after this attraction, because the city long history accumulated many interesting secrets.

Photos before 1917. Kazan and the Real School.

7. Vladimir.

The Vokrug Sveta publishing house has developed another interesting audio guide for self-guided walking tour. This time by ancient city North-Eastern Rus' - Vladimir. For three centuries it was the capital and was called Vladimir-on-Klyazma. His role in the history of the country is so great, and Old city so well preserved that today it is one of the largest tourist centers Russia. The route offered to the listener of the audio guide begins on Vokzalnaya Street, passes through all the main temples, monasteries and squares, and ends at Patriarchal garden. During the walk, you will be able to find out what the word “detinets” means, why planetariums were made in churches in Soviet times, which commission studied ancient monuments at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, who built the Cathedral of St. Demetrius and which icon was brought here from the Byzantine Thessaloniki, which murals of the 12th century have been preserved in the Assumption Cathedral, what role the Golden Gate played for the city, and much more.

Photos before 1917. Vladimir. Almshouse Z.D. Rakhmanova.

8. Acquaintance with Nizhny Novgorod.

An interesting walk can be done in Nizhny Novgorod. The place where the Oka flows into the Volga is called Strelka, and the main sights of this old city are located here. You can choose the route option yourself, and the audio guide will automatically play the story about nearby attractions. You will find out how Minin and Pozharsky Square was formed, which street is the oldest in the city, what used to be on the site of the building of the Nizhny Novgorod Duma, when Prince Shakhovskoy opened a fortress theater in the city and what was the first performance in it, what interiors are hidden in the building of the City Bank, where the “Pillars” tea house is located, what kind of house the modernist architect Fyodor Shekhtel built here, how many steps the Chkalov Staircase has, what cathedral was built by the famous architect Auguste Montferrand, and much more. Even if you will be in Nizhny Novgorod for the first time, a walk with an audio guide will help you feel the whole atmosphere of this city.

Photos before 1917. Nizhny Novgorod. View of Blagoveshchenskaya Square.

For guests and residents of Tula, two interesting routes through which you can learn a lot interesting facts. The audio guides were prepared by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Tula region. First, it is proposed to get acquainted with the houses and history of the Tula families - Lomovs, Kritskys, Beloborodovs, Grechikhins. During the walk you will be able to admire the building of the Tula City Duma, see where the famous Tula weapons are made, and also find out why the West Tower is located on the Spasskaya Tower. During the second walk, you will see a wonderful example of provincial architecture - the building of the Diocesan Women's School and New Trading Rows, monuments to Levsha, Mosin and Peter I, as well as the famous chapel at the Intercession Church. Each route has more than twenty objects with interesting voiced stories.

Photos before 1917. Tula. General form.

10. Sochi.

The resort of Sochi, spread over Black Sea coast Caucasus is the warmest place in Russia. Here you can swim in the warm sea, and in an hour you can ski on the alpine slopes of the famous Krasnaya Polyana. An audio guide will tell you about the history of the city and its main attractions, with which you can also have a fruitful time. Enough long route begin with railway station, from which you can immediately visit the Museum of the History of Sochi, and then walk along the main streets and parks of the city. The route also includes Adler, Krasnaya Polyana and Loo and Dagomys resorts, but they are best reached by car or public transport. In the audio guide you will find out where the Writers' Alley is located, where the "Bridge of Expectations" and the "Bench of Reconciliation" are located, where the "Tree of Friendship" grows, why the Khostinsky district is called the center of Russian subtropics, and much more.

Photos before 1917. Sochi. View of the hotel "Caucasian Riviera".

The next digest will tell you about the best military museum guides!

We share your impressions about the cities where you are going for the May holidays, where it is better to stay and where it is tastier to eat)

Best free audio guides in Rome- download right now and go to get acquainted with the Eternal City to the accompaniment of our interesting stories.

So far there are three guidebooks in the collection - for download, follow the links:

Admire the grandeur of San Pietro or marvel at the treasury of the popes in the Vatican Museums; throw coins at clear water the Trevi Fountain or look at the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona; wander among the ruins of the Roman Forum or follow the secret paths of the heroes of Angels and Demons. Conquer San Angelo and enjoy the view the eternal city from high. Endlessly wander around the city, discovering your Rome. And a lifetime is not enough to know it to the end: Rome fills the heart and soul.

ATTENTION ATTENTION!
Friends, if you are traveling to Rome, pay attention to the excursions and tours that are offered on Klook. You can buy tickets for various attractions on Klook - sometimes they are cheaper than on the "home" sites of attractions, sometimes they are not cheaper, but they include additional goodies, such as skipping the line. The language of the tours is usually English.

From what is offered in Rome, I was personally interested in the following options. Rate it too.

Walking tour of Rome with a local
For sociable lovers to wander on foot and almost free.

Sightseeing tour of Rome on a panoramic bus
A bus overview is a great option if you have little time to get to know the city or you are just too lazy to walk. Well, in general, this is usually an atmospheric activity - driving around a new city, enjoying the atmosphere, inhaling local smells, looking at passers-by ...

Tasting tour of coffee shops and gelaterias
No comments. My two loves in one bottle. Coffee and ice cream. Ice cream and coffee!

Pizza making class
So many lovers of cooking something delicious around! If you are one of them, then you are here.

Dinner with an Italian family
Dinner in an authentic Roman restaurant is not a problem, and not everyone has Italian friends. Probably suitable for especially sociable travelers.

Guided tour of the Borghese Gardens and Gallery
I was interested because I never got to the Borghese gallery. So you have the opportunity to realize my desire. Entry without a queue.

We wish you a pleasant journey!

Like the audio guides? Write me a couple of lines about it. Or support the project by buying insurance, plane tickets or transfers through my affiliate links on this page. Thank you!

Just a cup in a museum under glass or a cup that Napoleon drank from? A nice picture, or the first work written by the artist, after a break of 9 months after the death of his bride? Beautiful building with columns, or the only building that survived after the war? Big clock on the square, or a clock that has been made for 20 years by 12 masters and has never stopped since the 14th century?

Sometimes the journey can be so flat without details... And still you don't want to take organized tour and trust an unknown guide!

All these applications can be downloaded from the Google Market and, I assume, from the Apple Store

For the whole of 2017, I first of all climbed into the izi.travel application - if there was a city I needed, then I uploaded it. I can’t say that all the excursions that I listened to were entertaining, but informative, for sure. In addition, a couple of times, especially in Milan, the audio tour took me to places where I would definitely not go myself.

So now my position is this - first of all izi.travel, and then alternatives, if they are needed

Nicely designed smartphone-guide from foreign developers. Despite this, immediately after installing the application, you can select the Russian language. True, only three excursions are available on it - Barcelona, Venice and St. Petersburg. But maybe this will be enough for someone, especially since they are free. Audio files are played automatically based on the GPS signal. The stories are pleasantly different from many other audio guides - here they are lively and interesting. In my opinion, one of best apps. Let's hope that over time there will be more excursions in Russian here.

Guide. audio guide. map from Travoza

Judging by the name, the developers know what SEO is))

First of all, this is an audio guide. The app "sees" your location via GPS and when you get close to interesting object, automatically starts playing the desired tour file. Almost all excursions are paid, but they cost very symbolically - 120 rubles. You can listen for free about Kronstadt, Sevastopol, a little about St. Petersburg, well, and small introductions to each excursion. Personally, I didn’t really like a few things: the voice acting in the spirit of the “classic audio guide” is rather artificial, sometimes drawn out and boring, as well as the silence of the audio when the screen goes blank. And I understand that the charge of my phone in the conditions of the included gps and the non-fading screen will not last long. Plus, white letters on a black background and a long download of everything did not make me want to continue using this application.

Azbo Audio Guide & Guide

Many, many excursions in Russian. The app looks promising but unfortunately kept crashing when trying to listen free tour around the Opera Garnier in Paris. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the audio guide could not find me in Paris?)) So I can’t say anything about the quality of the audio recordings. I liked the fact that there are many excursions offered, even at the selection stage you can see how much time, distance and places the walk will take. But basically all excursions are paid - $ 1.67. good reviews There are many on the Market, and what I saw during testing allows me to agree with them - the application is one of the most worthwhile.

Your audio guide

Offline map with sights printed on it and an audio guide. Judging by the reviews in Google Play, on some phone models it hangs or crashes. On my Samsung, the application behaved decently, did not rage and obeyed)).

In my subjective opinion, a very modern and attractive design. And even the unloved white font on a black background does not spoil the impression. Nicely made "routes" tab. You can download a free guide (and sometimes an audio guide) for Rome, Prague, St. Petersburg, Moscow, London and Paris.

1000 guides

Another guide with an audio guide. Surely, once before, the application looked more competitive. However, now, personally, the promo version did not in any way encourage me to buy full-fledged excursions, especially since their cost is the highest compared to other smartphone guides. A series of excursions in Prague costs 5 dollars, and in Paris - 10. Nevertheless, I don’t want to be too categorical - I will still experience the quality of promotional excursions directly on the trip. Who knows, maybe my attitude towards 1000Guides will change?