On the way to Baikal: Taltsy and Listvyanka

You can start today's day with a perfect breakfast. The Epiphana Club serves fantastic porridge and toast for breakfast. The atmosphere here is relaxing and very cozy. Perfect for the morning before exploring Baikal!

One of the most visited places in Irkutsk is the Angara icebreaker museum. A real icebreaker from the beginning of the last century, raised three times from the bottom. There is a very interesting story connected with it.
It sank several times due to human negligence during operation. The detailed story is told on deck, so be sure to take a tour after seeing the ship to keep up to date.
The atmosphere on the icebreaker captures the spirit of the time. The tour also includes a film about the ship's first captain. Tourists are most impressed by the engine room.
Hours of operation: Tuesday - Sunday: 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

On our way to Baikal we will meet the architectural and ethnographic museum "Taltsy" - an open-air complex, located on the bank of Angara river, where there are several historical and cultural zones with expositions: Russian, Buryat, Evenk and Tofalar.
On the territory of Taltsy you can see the workshops. Looking into them, you can not only get acquainted with folk crafts, but also learn them.
There is Russian and Angara sector of the museum, where the monuments of wooden architecture of Pribaikalye of the 17-20th centuries are collected. Here folk festivals are celebrated - Christmas, Shrovetide, Easter.

Not far from the ethnographic museum there is "Tavern in Taltsy", where you can have an inexpensive home-cooked meal! Tourists recommend warming sbiten and pancakes.

This museum is small, but excursions there are very entertaining, especially children like to spend time there. You can learn full information about the history of Baikal and its current state at the museum. There is also an aquarium, where you can see all the inhabitants of Baikal. On the second floor there is a science laboratory with microscopes. The museum is open from 9am to 7pm.

You are in Listvyanka! But before you touch the lake, get acquainted with its inhabitants. Trained seals live and perform here. They are very much loved and protected in this resort.
Shows in Listvyanka are held every day except Monday. For more information on site. It is better to come in advance to buy tickets.

Here you have reached the most incredibly picturesque place, Lake Baikal. The views of the lake are unbelievable here.
Park at the hotel upstairs and walk down the narrow wooden stairs to the water. This beach is less crowded than Listvyanka beach and, I suppose, the best place to first meet the lake here.
Check at the information portals in advance if it is safe to go on the ice during your trip.

In 2021 Listvyanka opened its own Ferris wheel. It does not work under unsafe conditions, but be sure to try your luck and check it out. You will be lucky if you can watch sunset from it, it's magical!

Winter Baikal is a fabulous ice rink without borders. Baikal water ice has a bluish hue, sometimes even blue. The ice is beautiful to the eye, and every time you want to admire it, not the surroundings. It is very slippery, so it will be difficult to move on foot. So take your skates and go for a ride! It's also a great activity for your kids. Check with the information portals in advance if it is safe to go on the ice during your trip.
Another popular activity in Baikal is fishing. The Baikal season begins in January, when the bays freeze over. During this time, you can catch fish such as perch, minnow, pike, and spruce.

We finish the day with dinner at the restaurant Past Age. Tourists note the charcoal meat steaks, grilled vegetables, author's tea and taiga dessert. You can also try the fish, which is caught directly from the lake. Sagudai of Baikal omul, potatoes with butter and freshly baked bread - you won't find a better dinner in Listvyanka!
Call the restaurant in advance and reserve a table with a view of Baikal on the 2nd floor (the place is very popular).

It was a very busy and interesting day, and now you should go to rest and gain strength for tomorrow's journey.