Russia’s Siberia seems to have a really unfair reputation of being some freezing nightmare of a place that nobody would want to visit, but I promise you that Siberia is actually a great European destination. One of the best Siberia attractions is Lake Baikal, a lake with a lot of impressive statistics – it’s not only the deepest lake in the world but it’s also the largest freshwater lake, and a World Heritage-listed site.

As for visiting Lake Baikal, the most common town to stay in is Listvyanka. I stayed in a homestay there a few years ago, although I hear that since 2006 there’s a new hotel called Hotel Mayak which is not too pricey and is of a reasonable standard.

There is plenty to do at Lake Baikal, especially in the summer season and it’s a great destination if you’re the outdoor type. Plenty of hiking trails exist and you can take cruises or go fishing. I didn’t swim – they say the water is always cold thanks to the depth of the lake – but I saw braver souls doing so. And although it’s becoming more popular for tourists it still shows you a different side of Russia than cities like St Petersbug or Moscow do. If you have the time I’d recommend taking a train from Moscow to get there, or look into Sky Express flights – a new-ish Russian budget airline.

Tips for Things to do in Russia

We’ve lots more travel tips for what to do in Russia.