"Life in Angarsk" Angarsk by rcgibbons1

I lived in Angarsk for 9 months up until September 2007 and I have nothing but good comments about the city. The city is not a tourist attraction per say, because there are not many things for tourists to do there, but it is a lovely city and portrays a perfect example of real life in a real Russian city. I enjoyed my time there and look forward to my next visit.

If you decide to visit Angarsk, it would best be done as a day trip from nearby Irkutsk. Irkutsk is a thriving city with plenty of tourist activities and it is a hub for those passengers transiting the Trans-Siberian Railway enroute Mongolia or China. A two day stop in Irkutsk would be well worth your time, giving one day to explore Irkutsk and one to visit Angarsk. Angarsk is best reached by bus from Irkutsk as it is only a one hour ride which cost about 3 USD roundtrip. The buses are modern, nice, and are very safe. Also the location where you catch the bus to Angarsk is only 1 block from the train station in Irkutsk. When you arrive in Angarsk, just get back on the bus at the same place you get off to make things easy, but the bus stops at many places in Angarsk. Travel in the summer is always more convenient but travel in the part of Russia is not deterred by weather so a visit in any season would be enjoyable.

Angarsk is a quiet city, and it is safe for tourists. I walked the entire city many times and never once did I feel unsafe. If you want to see what real life in Russia is like in Siberia, away from all the tourist traps, then I would recommend a visit to Angarsk. It is possible that I may be establishing a tour service in the future for this city, if that is any indication how much I enjoyed it.

• Pros:Safe, quiet, original, the Real Russia
• Cons:Few restaurants, very few hotels, not much night life or other entertainment
• In a nutshell:If you want to see real life in a real Russian city, then this is it.