Best Time to Visit Kazan

Summer is the easy choice

From May to August, Kazan is at its best. May feels fresh and bright, with highs around 18°C. June is mild and long-lit. July is the warmest and also the wettest, with rain on about half the days. August is nearly as warm but drier, so it's the safest pick if you want to stay outdoors.

Days like these suit walking. You can stroll the Kremlin walls, then head down Bauman Street, the pedestrian strip with cafés and street musicians. Evenings are pleasant along the Kazanka river embankment. Try a hot echpochmak (a triangle pastry filled with meat and potato) when a shower catches you out.

Summer is high season, but it's not overwhelming. Expect more tour groups at the Kremlin and Kul Sharif Mosque, plus Russian families during school holidays. Hotels fill up when big events are on.

Events worth planning around

Late May brings the Kazan Forum, a large international gathering on Russia and the Islamic world. It can push hotel rooms up in the city centre. Around June, look for Sabantuy, the Tatar harvest-season festival with wrestling on horseback and sack races. It's the most Tatar thing you can see here, and it's lively and free. Aim to catch it if you can.

In winter, the Kazan International Muslim Film Festival usually runs in September. If you like films, that's a good reason to come early in the shoulder season.

Spring, autumn and winter

April is rated Fair, but it's muddy and changeable, with highs near 8°C and cold nights. September is better: highs of 16°C and a calmer city after the summer rush. Sun fades fast, though, to about four hours a day.

October and November are grey and damp. Highs fall from 7°C to -2°C, and the sun barely shows. Skip these unless you're after low prices and empty museums.

Winter is properly cold. January highs reach only -11°C, with lows of -18°C. Humidity is high, so it feels raw. Still, the Kremlin under snow looks beautiful, and if you don't mind the chill, you'll find short queues and warm tea rooms. Travelling with kids? Choose summer.