Listvyanka
russian: Листвянка
Listvyanka is located 70 km southeast of Irkutsk, by car or minibus you drive on the good road an hour only. In the 17.th century travelers needed for the same route three days.
Listvyanka translated means "village larches" and today this settlement is called the gateway to Lake Baikal.
Although the settlement is connected by a good road called Baikal Trakt with Irkutsk, most ship lines of the Baikal water transport (especially the fast boats - raketa) to Severobaikalsk and Nizhneangarsk on the North Baikal and the connections to Olkhon (Olkhon) and Ust-Barguzin going not from Listvyanka, but they leave from the opposite Port Baikal, station of the Baikal railway.
1773 Listwjanka was first mentioned as a post office or ferry terminal end of the 19th Century, the settlement was quite wealthy and more than 700 inhabitants lived there.
Listwjanka today is one of the most popular resorts on Lake Baikal with very good infrastructure and a lot of accommodation, from comfortable 4 star hotels to simple hostels or private rooms are offered.
Five kilometers stretches the picturesque town along the Angara and Baikal shore, Listvyanka has 1,000 residents today, one school, three kindergartens, a sanatorium, 4 public Banjas (Russian bathhouses), a post office, the small zoo close to the inn "The Bears ", the shipyard and the Baikal observatory with a lens diameter of one meter.
Further, there are two souvenir and fish markets (in the meantime not right on the harbor, but 200 meters further down the road behind the hotel Mayak, a souvenir and fish market in the village of Nikola directly opposite the hotel "Legenda Baikala" and about ten cafes and restaurants (hotel-restaurants and cafes are not counted), which are almost all located at the main street along the shore.
Listwjanka is close to the Pribaikalski National Park. This park includes the Primoski Mountains on the shores of the Lake Baikal and runs along the west coast until the island Olkhon.
Center of the village is without doubt the port, which lies at the western end.
Interesting or a tour is worth:
Shaman Rock / Angara
The shaman rock lies in the Angara-source, which is 863 meters wide and due to the fast flow and the low depth does not freeze in winter. So up to 12,000 birds reside partially in the winter at this point.
The Angara is 1773 km long, the only outlet of Lake Baikal and flows into the Yenisei. After the legend Father Baikal threw a stone after his daughter Angara, who loved the Yenisey.
Tschersky rocks
The Tscherskogo Rock was named after the geographer Jan Tscherki. The rock is 757 meters high and with a cable car easily accessible. Station is located 300 meters behind the hotel Arabesca.
At the top you have a wonderful view over Lake Baikal to Port Baikal. A cafe / restaurant with summer terrace invites you to linger there.
The cable car works from 11:00 - 22:00, in the winter time until 20:00
Baikal Museum
The Baikal Museum gives an overview of the unique flora and fauna. The museum is part of the Limnological Institute (created in 1928 as a research station and was converted in 1961 in an institution). The museum is open daily from 09:00 to 19:00 clock (in winter 09:00 - 17:00 clock).
Address: Ulitsa Akademicheskaya 1 (just behind it is the driveway to the hotel Pribaikalskaja.
Talzy Museum
The museum is located 30 km from Listvyanka away. Here are shown the various eras of history of Siberia in the past centuries
with an extensive collection of furnishings, including wooden buildings.
Address: Baikal trakt km 47, open daily from 10:00 - 18:00 clock (to 16:00 in winter)
Nikolai Church
The church is located in the heart of Listvjanka in the Krestovskaya valley.
After a legend from the 19th Century, the Russian merchant Xenofont Serebjakow was in trouble on Lake Baikal, out of gratitude over his safe arrival in present-day Listwjanka, Serebjakow built the small wooden church at the source of the Angara, the church had been ordained 1846th.
In the 1950s the beautiful church was completely restored and had been moved to the present location in Listwjanka.
Gallery Plamenevsky
Creator and founder of this very beautiful private gallery is Vladimir Plamenevsky.
In the small exhibition space of 70 square meters pictures and works of various artists are exhibited, the topic is of course the Lake Baikal, images can also be purchased. Address: Ulitsa Tschapaeva 76
Port / Omul
In the market behind the port, if you arrive from Irkutsk (behind Hotel Mayak) Baikal omul fish is smoked in combination with other types of fish and sold.
Try the flavorful taste of Baikal-Omul, which is a representative within the trout fish.
The species status of this fish is not yet clear, the fish lives in Lake Baikal and some connected waters (Angara) only.
A visit to the market and the port is of course a must during your stay in Listvyanka.
Useful information:
Pharmacy: Ulitsa Gorkovo 115 (behind the market)
Post: Ulitsa Gorkovo 49 (also Internet)
ATMs: (can be lifted off here with foreign EC / Maestro cards, the largest sums to 30000.00 rubles / day), Sberbank ATMs:
Mayak Hotel, address: Ulitsa Gorkovo 85a
Post, address: Ulitsa 49 Gorkovo
Theatre and Concert Ulitsa Ostrovskogo 45
Center for active recreation
(Russian Центра активного отдыха)
Rental of snowmobiles and dog sledding in the winter, Horseback riding, quad bikes for hire in the summer, address: Ulitsa Gornaja 14
Information Center of the National Parks Pribaikalskij
The two-story wooden house was opened in 1996 in the middle of the settlement Listvyanka. Additionally to the information office about the National Park and Lake Baikal, two rooms, fireplace room and banja are offered to rent. Address: Ulitsa Gorkovo 43
Sport Tourist Complex
The complex provides a gym with exercise equipment, basketball court and a sauna with swimming pool.
Catamaran Rental, address: Ulitsa Gorkovo 3
Winter tip
In winter, the Baikal-festival at the port is opposite the hotel Mayak definitely worth a visit. The ice sculptures are be admired from 28.12. by early March.
The fifth Baikal - Festival of ice sculptures "The crystal seal" in 2010, on "The Music from Lake Baikal".
There are in addition to various sculptures also an ice village and an ice restaurant.
Timetables
Bus Timetables Irkutsk - Listvyanka - Irkutsk
daily
Irkutsk bus station: 09:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30
Listvyanka port: 11:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00
Listwjanka port: 07:00, 11:00, 16:45, 18:00
Irkutsk bus station: 08:30, 12:30, 18:15, 19:30
Additionally operate between the bus station in Irkutsk and Listvyanka from 07:00 - 20:00 clock every day "Marschrutnye Taxi" (minibuses), most of which depart from Irkutsk until all seats are occupied (between 12-14 placec), in the summer they run every 15 minutes. Last station in Listvyanka is the port. If you want to leave the bus before, please inform the driver, you do not need knowledge of Russian, the presentation of your address in Litswjanka is then sufficient that the driver will stop at the right place.
Ferry Listvyanka - Port Baikal - Listvyanka
daily
Listwjanka departure: 08:15, 11:00, 16:15, 18:15,20:45(1.7.-31.8.)
Port Baikal departure: 07:10, 10:30, 15:30, 17:15, 20:15(1.7.-31.8.)
Travel time: 15 minutes
Additional ferry Babuschkin 20:00 from Port Baikal every Wednesday and Saturday
