Rostov-on-Don: There is not much time left until the end of summer, and if you have not yet had time to take your vacation or just feel that you have not traveled enough this season, we advise you to go explore Russia this weekend. Recently we told you about Samara and a trip to the Volga, and today we propose to continue traveling in the south of the country.
The next ideal destination is Rostov-on-Don. Not as crowded as Sochi, but just as (and maybe even more) hospitable and gastronomically interesting, the city is ideal for a short trip and will definitely find something to surprise you. We will tell you more about what to do and what gastronomic delights to try in Rostov-on-Don in our guide.
Where to stay
In Rostov-on-Don there are hotels for every taste: for those who appreciate an individual approach, and for lovers of classic five-star chains. The first thing we advise you to pay attention to is the boutique hotel “39” in the historical center of the city near the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In total, the hotel has 44 design rooms, decorated in the style of the fifties with vintage interior items. Guests here love to surprise with small individual gifts for arrival and very attentive service.
Things to do | Rostov-on-Don
As we said earlier, it is best to go to Rostov-on-Don on a weekend. This time will be enough for you to get acquainted with the main attractions of the city center and the surrounding area and want to come back again.
Take a walk through the central district of Rostov to start your day. Start your walking tour from Bolshaya Sadovaya Street. In the 19th and 20th centuries, merchants and the richest residents of the city built the first tenement houses, luxurious mansions, shops, offices, banks on it. The bas-reliefs on the facades and the statues on the turrets of houses – seahorses, golden ears, profiles of Greek gods, vines and much more – will remind you of what the first owners of the buildings were doing.
While walking, do not forget to look into the underground passages, because there you can stumble upon mosaic panels. Finding all the mosaics and unraveling which event in the history of the city it is dedicated to is a kind of quest.
Later, head to the Left Bank of the Don. In this part of the city, there are many city beaches where you can calmly relax by the river and the Rostov Arena stadium, built in 2018 specifically for the World Cup. Now matches of the local team “Rostov” are regularly held here and they conduct excursions.
What to eat and drink | Rostov-on-Don
Local seasonal fruits and vegetables
Rostov-on-Don is a southern city, where, first of all, we advise you to try local seasonal fruits and vegetables. For vents (a variety of wild apricots), soaked watermelons and plums, and fresh berries, head to the Central Market .
LEO Wine & Kitchen
And the most exquisite dishes from southern products will be prepared for you at LEO Wine & Kitchen . The LEO menu is updated about 20 times a year and is always based on local, seasonal produce.
Crayfish and Gady
The second obligatory item on the Rostov-on-Don gastronomic checklist is crayfish. According to local stories, a true Rostovite can master even a hundred of these river reptiles in one evening. For fried crayfish, according to the classic recipe, Siberian style (with dried porcini mushrooms and cranberries) and many other variations, go to the “Crayfish and Gady” restaurant .
Caucasian cuisine
There are large Armenian, Georgian and Dagestan diasporas in Rostov, so it is not surprising that the cuisine of the peoples of the Caucasus is loved here. For a taste of Dagestani cuisine, head to the Khinkali and Eclairs bistro . In addition to the dishes that are included in the name of the institution, the menu contains a wide selection of a miracle – Dagestan flat cakes with filling, fried in a dry pan. We also recommend that lovers of sweets go here to try Dagestan apricot porridge with urbech, pieces of dried apricots, prunes and walnuts.
The Erti
And if you like the Georgian direction the most in Caucasian cuisine, go to the Erti restaurant and order more khinkali, lyulya, khachapuri and other traditional dishes. Here we also recommend paying attention to orange Georgian wines and unusual peach beer.
Wine, liqueurs and cocktails
You can compose a whole separate guide to the bar places of Rostov-on-Don, but in order to save your time, while we will tell you about our main favorites and what to order from them.
Shining
For a wide selection of wines and a cozy atmosphere, head to the “Shining” bar , which is located in the center of Rostov. The entire establishment consists of a main station-bar, a shop where master classes are often held, and a courtyard.
The Khrustal glass-house
The guys from the Khrustal glass-house are responsible for the tinctures in the city . There are a lot of them here. We advise you to first try light fruit-based ones – melon or peach, and then move on to stronger and more spicy – Armenian, for example.
Shanghai 12
The secret Chinese bar Shanghai 12 will surprise you with cocktails in Rostov-on-Don . Finding it is not so easy: first you need to guess through which coffee shop “Drink Coffee” to get into the institution (there are more than 10 of them in the city). In addition to the author’s experimental drinks, the bar’s menu also includes non-alcoholic mocktails – no less complex and tasty.
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