Best Time to Visit Yekaterinburg

Summer: warm, green and a bit rainy

July is the warmest month, and August rates best for comfort. Days are mild rather than hot, and evenings cool off fast. It rains often in June, July and August, but usually in short bursts. A light rain jacket is enough.

This is the time for walking the Plotinka, the city-centre dam on the Iset River, and the Red Line, a painted route past the main sights. You can also head out to the Europe-Asia border obelisk on the highway west of the city. Pose with a foot on each continent. The Church on the Blood, built where the last tsar's family died, is easier to enjoy when you're not freezing outside in the queue.

Summer is high season, but it's still quiet by Moscow or St Petersburg standards. Hotels fill up mostly around big events.

Spring and autumn: the in-between months

May and September both rate Good. May is fresh and green, with plenty of sunshine, though April is still muddy and damp as the snow melts. September is calm and cooler, and the Ural forests turn gold. It's a good month for hiking the rocky ridges near the city, such as Control'naya Mountain or the trails around Lake Shartash.

By October it's cold, grey and dark early, with only a couple of hours of sun a day. Skip it unless you're here for a museum break.

Winter: for people who like it properly cold

From November to March it's below freezing, and January is the coldest month. Skies are often grey, and the sun barely shows. If you hate the cold, stay away. But if you like snow, it's a real Russian winter, with cosy cafés, hot pelmeni (meat dumplings) and ice sculptures in 1905 Square, usually around New Year. Trains and the metro run fine, and indoor sights like the Ural museums and the opera house keep you warm.

Events worth planning around

Early July brings Innoprom, a huge industrial trade fair at Ekaterinburg Expo. It fills hotels, so expect higher prices. Late summer has the Ural Music Night in the city's open spaces, a free night of concerts and one of the city's best-known events. Dates shift each year, so check them before you book.

Come in August if you want the best weather. Pick winter if you want snow and few visitors.