First of all – where on earth is this Listvyanka place, and why would you want to stay there?
Well, Listvyanka is a tiny little village on the shore of Lake Baikal. It’s the first sight that most tourists ever have of the magnificent Lake Baikal, because it is at the end of the road from Irkutsk. A simple 90 minute trip from Irkutsk is all it takes to reach this lovely destination.
At Listvyanka there are many things to do, including to visit the Limnological museum, where you can see Nerpa seals swimming. Nerpa are a type of seal that can live only in freshwater lakes – how they evolved in Lake Baikal, so far from seals that can live at sea is a mystery that puzzles to this day. At Listvyanka you can also try Omul fish, a local delicacy of a fish that swims only in the Baikal Lake. They are sold smoked by the lakes shore, and are delicious. They can also be found in local restaurants if you would rather eat indoors. There is also the opportunity to buy many souvenirs from local merchants, including little trinkets made of the unique Charoite stone, found only in the Yakutia and Irkutsk regions.
Staying in Listvyanka today is much easier than it used to be. There are a number of Listvyanka Hotels, including the well known Listvyanka Baikal Hotel. This hotel has three stars and, although it was first built in 1980 to accommodate Soviet tourists, it has recently been substantially re-built and all of the rooms are of Western hotel quality. At the hotel you will find all standard features, including en-suite rooms, with satellite tv. Many of the rooms at this hotel also have a beautiful view over the Lake itself, which alone make it an ideal location.
If you are on a budget, there are also hostels in the village that you might want to try.
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