Ekaterinburg Ekaterinburg, called Sverdslovsk, was closed to outsider visitors until the Communist decline in 1991. During the Communist Era, the names of many cities were changed if they had any connection to the Czarist government overthrown by the Communist. The city holds a military academy, a large government complex, and is the mining center for many minerals and precious metals so its limited visibility isn't surprising. It sits at the edge of the Ural Mountains, similar to the Appalachian Mountains in the United States, and is considered the western door to Siberia. It was established mainly to supply precious gems for the czars in St. Petersburg.
What can you do?
Unlike other Russian
cities well prepared for tourists with packaged tours,
information centers, and English speaking guides, tourism
is not a strong factor in the Ekaterinsburg. This lack of
tourist focus makes stopping here quite attractive -- it is
one of the last large cities that remains Russian. You
can walk the boulevards, watch young artists work in the
parks where flower gardens are carefully tended. 
Try shopping for cheese Russian
style by standing in a line to select a purchase, another
to pay for the purchase and a third to pick up the purchase. Now
that you've bought cheese at the dairy store, repeat the
process to buy bread.
Do you like art or geology? If so, the Geology Institute holds an extensive exhibit of gems and minerals alongside collections of vases and other art using those gems. The museum isn't easy to find, but locate the Geology Institute along the riverfront, then search for a side entrance.
Special comments
Few people speak English so be sure to have your Russian translator book and a sense of humor.
Other
Resourses on Ekaterinburg
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