Perm

An industrial city of over a million people on the Kama River in the Urals, Perm rarely makes the tourist lists — which is precisely why there are no crowds here and prices are noticeably below those in the capital. Over two days the city opens up through its strong cultural scene and the Ural countryside on its doorstep.

Why come, and what to see

Perm is not about postcard views but about substance. The main reasons to come:

• The Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre — one of the oldest and strongest ballet companies in Russia outside Moscow and St Petersburg. If there is a performance in the programme, book in advance; it is worth arranging your dates around it.
• The PERMM Museum of Contemporary Art — it set the tone for the "Perm cultural project" of the 2010s. Small but lively, good for a couple of hours.
• The "Perm Gods" — a collection of wooden church sculpture in the Perm Art Gallery. A genuinely unique holding with almost no parallel elsewhere.
• The Kama embankment and its art objects — the famous red lettering "Happiness is not far away", the giant letters spelling "PERM", and the sculpture "A Perm man has salty ears" (a reference to the region's old salt-carrying trade). Points for a walk and for understanding the local humour.
• Khokhlovka — an open-air ethnographic museum of wooden architecture on the bank of the Kama, roughly 40–45 km from the city. The highlight of a second day: churches, log houses, salt works and fine views over the river.

The Esplanade is a huge open space in the centre where festivals and city events are held; look in if the timing coincides.

Getting there and getting around

Bolshoye Savino airport is linked to the city by bus and taxi, and the journey to the centre takes about half an hour. There is a railway station, Perm II — Trans-Siberian trains pass through the city, so it is convenient to combine Perm with a route around the Urals (Yekaterinburg is close by regional standards).

Within the city:

• The centre is compact, and the key points — the embankment, the gallery, the theatre, the Esplanade — can genuinely be walked.
• Perm is stretched out a long way along the Kama, so for the outer districts it is better to use buses and trams. Card payment works, and cash is accepted too.
• For Khokhlovka a taxi or a car is the most convenient; public transport takes longer and involves a change. Allow at least half a day including travel.

Where to stay

Stay in the central part — the area around Komsomolsky Prospekt (locals call it "Kompros"), nearer the Esplanade, the theatre and the embankment. Everything is within walking distance from there and there is somewhere to go in the evening. The choice of accommodation is more modest than in Moscow for a city of this size, but the prices are agreeable — hostels and apartments cost less than in the tourist towns of the Golden Ring.

How many days, and when to go

Two days are enough: the first for the centre, the museums and the embankment, with ballet in the evening; the second for the trip to Khokhlovka. If you want to go without rushing, or plan excursions around the region (the Kungur Ice Cave is a strong destination in its own right, about 100 km away), add a day.

The best time is May–September, when Khokhlovka is open and it is comfortable to walk by the river. Winter in the Urals is long and cold, but it has its advantage — the theatre season and the absence of tourists. The shoulder seasons can be muddy and slushy.

Food and prices

Perm is an inexpensive city for food. Some pointers:

• Posikunchiki — small fried meat pasties, the signature Perm snack; look for them in cafés and canteens.
• Ural cooking in general is filling: pelmeni (the region is considered one of the birthplaces of the dumpling), baking, and fish from the Kama.
• Canteens and chain cafés in the centre settle the question of a cheap lunch; the coffee shops and restaurants are on Kompros and by the Esplanade.

Practicalities and common mistakes

• Do not come solely for the "contemporary art of the cultural revolution era" — many of the street art objects of those years have been dismantled. Check the current situation rather than relying on old articles.
• Check the theatre programme in advance — out of season and during tours there may be no performances, and that is a key reason to come.
• Do not underestimate the distances — the city is long, and "nearby on the map" along the Kama can mean a lengthy journey.
• Plan Khokhlovka for good weather — it is an open-air site and the impression suffers badly in rain.
• Check museum opening hours — many close on Mondays, and Khokhlovka sometimes runs a seasonal schedule.

Perm is a city for those who travel for substance rather than facades: a strong theatre, honest provincial life and a great river alongside. Two days are enough to understand its character without overspending.