Ufa

Good to know

1. 1Ufa began as a fortress in 1574, built in the reign of Ivan the Terrible, and grew into the main city of the Bashkir lands.
2. 2The Bashkirs are a Turkic people with their own language, and Bashkir is an official language of the republic alongside Russian. In the city you will hear mostly Russian, but you will see both languages on some signs and in cultural events.
3. 3The big equestrian monument to Salavat Yulaev stands on a bluff above the Belaya River. He was an eighteenth-century poet and warrior who is a national hero for Bashkirs, and the spot gives one of the best views over the city.
4. 4Bashkir cooking leans on meat, dough and dairy. Beshbarmak is boiled meat served with noodles in broth, and chak-chak is a sweet made of fried dough pieces bound with honey.
5. 5Bashkortostan has a long tradition of beekeeping, so honey is a proper regional product and a common gift to take home.
6. 6Ufa is also an industrial city with a long link to oil refining and engineering, which you notice more at the edges than in the centre.

Tips for a first visit

• Try kumys, the fermented mare's milk drink, at least once. It is an acquired taste, and locals will not mind if you take a small glass.
• Spend a bit of time learning the Cyrillic alphabet before you go. Street names, menus and transport signs are mostly in Russian, and being able to sound words out helps a lot.
• The centre is fairly compact and the riverside is pleasant to walk, but the city is hilly and spread out, so use buses, trams, trolleybuses or taxis for longer distances.
• If you are invited to a home, expect to be offered tea and food. Take your shoes off at the door and accept at least a little of what is offered.
• Buy honey and sweets from a market rather than a tourist shop. The market stalls are where locals buy, and sellers often let you taste first.
• Think about a day trip into the countryside. The Bashkir Urals nearby have forests, rivers and caves, and they are a big part of why people visit the region.

When to go

Ufa has a continental climate, with cold, snowy winters and warm summers. Summer and early autumn are the easiest times for walking by the river and getting out into the hills, and autumn colours in the forests are lovely. Winter suits you if you like snow and do not mind short days and real cold, and spring is muddy for a while as the snow melts.

From the airport

Ufa International Airport lies southwest of the city, and the trip to the centre usually takes around half an hour by road, longer in heavy traffic. Taxis are the simplest option, and city buses also run between the airport and town.