Places to visit in Russia during FIFA 2018
The most happening event right now is the FIFA 2018 which is being held in Russia for the first time. There are eleven host cities and twelve venues that will be having the Worlds attention for the next few weeks. The venues have been equipped with all the modern state-of-the-art systems which will ensure a more than successful event that the whole world can cheer upon. Fans will get to experience the ambience and surroundings of latest and newest stadiums with all the luxury that can be provided. Also, once in Russia one should opt for a little sigh-seeing along with the matches to make out the most of the FIFA experience. Here is a list of the host cities and what not to miss in them:
The FIFA 2018 will definitely garner a lot of attention for the sports and the players however the places of tourism in Russia is worth mentioning. Russia is full of wonderful places to visit and there is a rich heritage and cultural background.
- Moscow- Luzhniki Stadium and Spartak Stadium: Moscow is the most populous and largest city of Russia. The red square, The Kremlin and Saint Basils Cathedral conjure up a colourful and rich heritage of the country. One can take a riverboat tour of the city to enjoy a memorable time. Apart from this, the city is full of operas, impressive arenas, markets as well as haute couture malls, beautiful gardens, pubs, different club scenes, artists, poets, musicians and a rich history of revolution. This is the only city with two venues namely-Spartak Stadium and Luzhniki Stadium. The former opened its gates in 2014 with the seating capacity of 45,000 spectators while the other one is one of the oldest and largest stadiums with a capacity of over 81,000 spectators.
- Kazan- Kazan Arena: Kazan Arena was inaugurated in 2013 and it can be regarded as a city within a city because of modern entertainment options with offices, corporate event space, various dining options, shopping and a fitness area. The arena has a capacity of around 45,000 seats and has massive HD screen adorning the front of the building. Kazan has one of the highest living standards in the country with over 1.3 million populations. Most of it is a lively city with trendy restaurants and boutiques and it is a wonderful city to spend some time in during the FIFA.
- Kaliningrad- Kaliningrad Stadium: This stadium was opened in 2017 with a capacity of around 35,000 seats. This stadium is unique because of its green technology and open-air arrangement. The city of Kaliningrad was heavily destroyed during World War II. However it was promptly rebuilt and served as an important centre during the cold war. There are also plenty of beaches and rich foliage areas to explore while in Kaliningrad.
- Nizhny Novgorod- Nizhny Novgorod Stadium: This stadium has an iconic location because it overlooks the Nevsky Cathedral where the Volga and Oka rivers meet. Nizhny is the fifth largest city of the world with over six hundred historic places to explore. Not only that, there are numerous monuments and cultural spots to visit along with the citys five hundred year old Kremlin that is surrounded by a high wall stretching to almost two kilometres.
- Rostov- Rostov Arena: This stadium is located on the left bank of river Don and is the home of premier leagues Rostov Football club. The city is famous for its eccentrics and innovative monuments and statues. Also, there is the Central Rinok where one can buy any and everything or take a leisure stroll at the riverside.
- Saint Petersburg- Saint Petersburg Stadium: This arena has a unique design and can be recognized by its retractable roof system. It holds nearly 70,000 spectators which is a huge amount of people! This city is very much like Venice; with over 342 bridges and numerous canals the city has recently come in to focus because of its burgeoning arts and music scenes. The Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace Complex holds over 3 million art pieces from all over the world. One must make sure to visit them.
- Samara- Samara Arena: This stadium is designed to be built like a gem with 80 metre high domes of translucent glass panels. There is monorail facility directly from the stadium for the ease of fans. It holds about 45,000 people and is the home of Premier Leagues Krylia Sovetov Samara Football Club. The city has a long shoreline with the Volga River and is thronged by locals as well as tourists during the summer months. There are plenty of beer cafes around this place.
- Saransk- Mordovia Arena: Saransk is perhaps one of the smallest host cities of the FIFA however its stadium has almost a capacity of 45,000 fans. Located on the Saranka river this city has plenty theatres, museums and music scenes. Saransk is also known for being the hometown of many Olympic and World champions.
- Sochi- Fisht Stadium: Sochi has already held its first winter games back in 2014. This city is the largest resort city of the country flanked by the Caucasus Mountains and black sea. The temperature remains moderate throughout the year and the city is famous for hosting a number of adventure sports like mountain climbing and hand-gliding. The Fisht Stadium has a capacity of 48,000 fans and will hold four group stage matches.
- Volgograd- Volgograd Stadium: This city was formerly known as Stalingrad. The most exclusive place not to miss is the Mamayev Kurgan memorial complex and its magnificent Soviet Baroque Architecture. The stadium has a capacity of 45,000 fans and was rebuilt to make room. An interesting fact about this place is during the renovation a number of unexploded bombs were found here which date back to the Second World War.
- Ekaterinburg- Ekaterinburg Arena: This stadium first opened gates back in 1957 when it had the largest seating capacity of 27,000 fans. Although now it has been renovated with many added features like two metro lines, press centres and significant improvement in providing refreshments to the fans. This city is the fourth largest city which holds curious attraction like the graves of mafia members decorated with life-size images and the circus building. The strangest attraction however, is a giant size concrete keyboard replica known as the QWERTY Monument.
The FIFA 2018 will definitely garner a lot of attention for the sports and the players however the places of tourism in Russia is worth mentioning. Russia is full of wonderful places to visit and there is a rich heritage and cultural background. 
