If You're NearbyCitiesGatewayArchitecture

Irkutsk

Irkutsk Oblast

The Siberian gateway to Lake Baikal, a stop on the Trans-Siberian, with carved wooden houses and grand merchant mansions.

US travel advisory: Level 4, Do Not Travel · checked 2026-11-03
Photo: Trasprd · CC BY-SA 4.0
Best Time to Go
Feb–Mar, Jun–Aug
Our full guide to Irkutsk is being written. It's on the Siberia and the Far East list as If You're Nearby.

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1–3 of 18
Must-See
Nature · UNESCO

Lake Baikal

About 176 miles away

The world's deepest lake.

Guide Coming Soon
Must-See
Cities · UNESCO

Moscow

About 2611 miles away

Red Square, St. Basil's and the Kremlin.

Full Guide
Must-See
Cities · UNESCO

St. Petersburg

About 2743 miles away

A canal-laced imperial capital, with the Hermitage.

Full Guide

The Full Short List

Siberia and the Far East

Lake Baikal, the Trans-Siberian and Kamchatka's volcanoes.

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