What should we do
Stretching along the two banks of the ever-untamed Yenisei, Krasnoyarsk blends urban views with a wild taiga edge. The mountains become part of the city’s skyline, while the taiga starts right outside the door. Visitors can enjoy nature without heavy gear: no need for mountain boots or advanced kit—just sunscreen and sunglasses, because in Siberia the sun can shine bright even in the heart of summer.
To encounter the Eastern Sayan range in Krasnoyarsk, a practical stop is the Bobrovy Log fun park, about 15 minutes from the city center, adjacent to Stolby National Park. Wear light sneakers and comfortable trousers. Opened in 2006, the park offers a wide array of outdoor activities: in winter there are colorfully laid ski slopes, an ice rink, and a rodelbahn that combines thrills with a toboggan ride; in summer the same rodelbahn returns, along with a zip-rider, pine-slope chairlift rides, and a poolside beach for sun-worshippers.
After taking a cable car—an experience hardly classified as extreme—guests can reach the exit point and walk about eight kilometers to the famed Krasnoyarsk Pillars. The journey isn’t short, but it’s not arduous either. To view the syenite rock formations in the Sayan foothills, whose silhouettes resemble giants, visitors can join a guided trip to avoid getting lost. No stubborn mountain climb is required to enjoy these rock towers.
The Krasnoyarsk Pillars National Park spans 34 kilometers from northwest to southeast, with a mid-mountain taiga landscape covering more than 48,000 hectares. Yet travelers don’t have to see everything to feel the magic of the area.
Another relaxing option around Krasnoyarsk is a yacht cruise on the Krasnoyarsk Sea, the reservoir created by the late 1960s hydroelectric project. Warm air, gentle winds, pine scents, and sheer cliff faces along one of the world’s largest artificial lakes help clear the mind and let visitors forget daily worries. The sight of a sunlit taiga and a kite gliding overhead is a simple pleasure, and swimmers can even take a dip near the Royal Gates parking area.
In Krasnoyarsk proper, Tatyshev Island offers a charming stop in the city center. Squirrels roam freely around the park, sometimes approaching visitors who offer treats, sometimes darting away. Feeding wildlife is a common, lighthearted pastime for locals and visitors alike, but it should be done with care and respect for the animals and their habitat.
what to watch
Krasnoyarsk traces its origin back to 1628, when it began as a Siberian outpost. It earned the name Krasny Yar from the red-hued marl that forms the left bank of the Kacha River. The original wooden prison did not survive a fire in 1773, yet today visitors can stroll through the historic district and glimpse classic wooden houses and Art Nouveau rental structures that hint at the city’s 19th and early 20th century character.
Despite a history of devastating fires in 1735, 1773, and 1881, Krasnoyarsk still preserves many wooden architectural gems, including Art Nouveau landmarks. Notable sights include the Music School No. 5 on Dekabristov Street (built 1909–1911), the Children’s and Youth Tourism and Local History Center on Karl Marx Street (formerly Sevastyanov’s home), the Bazilevich House, and the bourgeois Volkang’s House on Lenin Street. The Surikov Art Museum is also housed in a wooden building on Karl Marx Street.
Beyond architecture, the Yenisei River itself shapes the city’s identity with a long riverside promenade where people walk, run, and cycle. The bridges are hard to miss, especially the Communal Bridge completed in 1961, a landmark pictured on local currency and celebrated by residents who cherish the river’s edge as a social hub.
Why
Krasnoyarsk offers a vibrant gastronomic landscape ranging from traditional Siberian fare to modern wine bars and inventive dining rooms. The city’s culinary scene is so inviting that it can easily justify a dedicated stay focused on eating well—often at prices that are reasonable by European standards. The Central Market, with its smoked grayling and local specialties, is a must for food lovers who want to sample regional flavors at their freshest.
The Master of the Taiga epitomizes classic Siberian cuisine, with dumplings and fillings ranging from northern fish stroganina to venison, roe deer, salted mushrooms, and juniper-flavored venison. These dishes reflect the region’s rivers, taiga, and seasonal cycles.
Yet Krasnoyarsk’s culinary voice goes beyond rustic fare. Modern restaurants offer sophisticated flavors and creative presentations that rival those in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Five acclaimed venues are highlighted in the city, including Tunguska, where Chef Nikolai Bobrov crafts contemporary Siberian cuisine in curated tasting sets connected to Yenisei’s environment, history, and culture. The sets may feature mushroom sandwiches or roe tartare on a stone, alongside more approachable plates like whitefish from the Yenisei or dumplings with savory fillings.
The Fresco restaurant, famous for its motto “When food is art,” showcases the chef’s personal philosophy. Dishes often arrive on stones, a signature touch that doubles as a live cooking experience. One example is thinly sliced marinated beef served on a hot cobblestone, letting guests finish cooking at the table. The chef’s personal story—growing up near the Pamir Mountains—infuses the menu with a sense of place and lineage that blends eastern gastronomy with Siberian spirit.
Family recipes and regional ingredients take center stage in the tasting journeys, featuring almonds, strawberries, burgundy-colored showcases that become beets on a decorative carpet of flavors, lenok (lenok fish) in foam, and Siberian-rooted garnishes. A standout dish is rice porridge with burnt sour cream, a comforting, recognizable texture reimagined with a modern twist.
This year, Krasnoyarsk roared with culinary innovation through the Wild Dinner Festival, running from June 3 to July 29. In a remote taiga setting far from urban distractions, some of Russia’s best chefs built multi-course sets from locally sourced ingredients, often harvested just hours before service. In one memorable gathering, chefs from Moscow’s Artest and Olluco along with Fresco’s own Denis Kurkov joined forces to present a feast that showcased the wider Yenisei Siberia’s bounty, from deer brain bones to Khakas bull ribs and spruce jelly, all plated with artistry and care.
The effect can feel almost surreal, yet no one leaves with discomfort—fly agaric and currants aside, the experience celebrates a rich culinary heritage. The region’s restaurant scene rewards bold creativity, supported by local authorities and the Siberian Federal University’s Institute of Gastronomy, which collaborates with a Bocuse-affiliated school to keep innovation and technique in step with global standards. Yenisei Siberia’s cuisine blends pine, juniper, cloudberries, and river fish with flavors from neighboring Tuva and Khakassia, expanding the culinary map of the region.