Alternative Places to Learn Russian

After my long rant about why people should stop asking about learning Russian in Kyiv and instead just make their plans to go to the Motherland, you might find it odd that I’m encouraging you to think beyond Moscow and Saint Petersburg. But the reality is, no matter how much you might want to learn Russian, it’s not as easy as just buying a plane ticket. There are certain financial and logistical difficulties to immersive language study in Russia (I’m looking at you, bureaucratic visa process). Or maybe you just want to go to some place a little more unusual than one of Russia’s two biggest cities. So I went to the collective knowledge of the Internet to find some alternative places to learn Russian. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it will give you some ideas!

Learn Russian in Russia

Vladivostok, Russia

Vladivostok, Russia is an ideal destination for foreigners looking to study Russian. Reputable Russian language courses are offered by the Far Eastern Federal University, with two entry dates annually for students who are new to Russian, and ongoing admission for those who already have a foundation in the language. Far Eastern Federal University has a spectacular new campus on rugged Russky Island (connected to the city center via the world’s longest cable-stayed bridge) and also offers language instruction at their downtown campus.

Personally, I think Vladivostok is a fantastic place to settle down for a few weeks or a few months for an intensive Russian language program.  Since it’s the starting (or ending) point for the Trans-Siberian Railway, there are always some foreigners around, but few visitors stay in the city for more than a few days.  This means that if you want to make real friends, navigate the city and go about your daily life, you’ll have to put your newfound Russian language skills to use every day.  In the summer, Vladivostok’s beaches and waterfront promenades are packed with people enjoying the sun, while in the winter, the breeze off the Pacific Ocean means that you can experience a snowy Siberian winter without the bone-chilling, sub-zero temperatures that other cities in the region are so famous for.  For an authentic Russian experience, there may be no better city than Vladivostok! 

Contributed by Carly of Fearless Female Travels.

Krasnador, Russia

While I was a college student and Russian Studies major at the University of Kentucky I spent two summers learning Russian at Kuban State University in Krasnodar, Russia. There are many highlights to living and studying in Krasnodar. Due to its location in the south of Russia, the weather is much milder than Moscow or St. Petersburg. The summers are hot, and the winters are fairly mild at least in comparison to much of Russia. The culture is vibrant with people from many Caucasian ethnic groups represented in the city. You can enjoy delicious food from all around the Caucasus region and easily travel to countries like Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The city is also within easy reach of the Black Sea and the beautiful Caucasus mountains, including the tallest mountain in Russia – Mount Elbrus, so regional travel options are nearly endless.

It’s unlikely that you will have a lot of foreigner friends if you live in Krasnodar as there are much fewer foreigners here than in the larger cities. This is great for language learning but can be a bit lonely at times. It’s also more difficult to find foreign groceries and other products. However, the trade-offs are well worth it! 

Contributed by Melanie of Adventure Family Life. Check out her info on traveling the Trans-Siberian with kids!

Petrozavodsk, Russia

The town is situated in the Karelian republic in northern Russia and there are Russian language classes with a good reputation there during the summer months. It has a nice setting on Lake Onega with a beach promenade. There are many museums and cultural activities in the town. It is also a good base for exploring the nature and forests of Karelia. Various trips and excursions are organized for tourists in the summer months.

Petrozavodsk is however quite remotely located, so travelling to other parts of Russia takes quite a long time. It is also predominantly a summer destination. In winter it can get quite cold and gloomy.

Contributed by Anders Bäckman.

Barnaul, Russia

Barnaul is located on the left bank of the Ob River in the West Siberian Plain. I spent 3 months in the city as an au pair. Living with a Russian family was a great way to improve my knowledge and learn about Russian culture. Barnaul also has some universities, where foreign students can learn Russian as a second language, but these options are quite limited. I enjoyed my time in Barnaul, as it had everything I needed including shops, restaurants and a cinema. It also had a good train connection to Novosibirsk–Almaty and Biysk. Barnaul is very safe and clean and everyone was very friendly to me, which was not the case in some of the bigger Russian cities that I visited during my time in the country.

Contributed by Eniko of Travel Hacker Girl.

Learn Russian Outside of Russia

Minsk, Belarus

Minsk is the capital of Belarus and combines a big city feel with a small town atmosphere. There are efficient public transport systems, high rise apartments, and several shopping malls along with many green, forested parks and corner farmers’ markets. In all of this Minsk provides a great alternative place for learning Russian. Russian is an official language of Belarus (along with Belarusian); therefore, immersion in Russian is a guarantee in Minsk. Russian is the language on the streets, in the museums, and on the menus. Living and studying in Minsk is also very budget friendly. Living expenses are equal to or just slightly more expensive than living expenses in Moscow (around $500/month comfortably, not including rent).

There are two main ways to learn Russian in Minsk: attending university or hiring a private tutor. Attending the university is more intensive and can also include room and board and a visa; it is also more expensive. Courses at the university can be customized by entry level, number of students per class, and skill level. For price, see bsu.by Belarusian State University. For a more relaxed and personalized course of study, it is possible to hire a private tutor for about $40/hour. To do this, you will have to secure your own visa (by working) and find your own place to live. Because Minsk is a capital city, people are used to hearing foreigners speak Russian with an accent and can generally understand broken and grammatically incorrect Russian. But if you find yourself stranded in a parking garage and can’t figure out how to pay to get out, usually someone who can speak English will materialize to help.

Contributed by Jamie of Jamie in Belarus.

Odessa, Ukraine

Odessa is a port city on the Black Sea, founded in 1794 by the Russian empress Catherine the Great.  Its reputation as the summer capital of Ukraine draws in visitors who are eager to stroll around the city’s tree-lined “Old Town” taking in the pastel neoclassical architecture, historical monuments, delicious cuisine, and seaside resorts. The city is currently enjoying a boom as travelers are staying away from the political unrest in Crimea and heading to Odessa instead. 

The locals speak either Russian or Ukrainian, not much English at all, so if you’d like to learn or improve your Russian while in a historic seaside retreat, this is the perfect place.

There are lots of amazing things to do in Odessa! Some of my favorite areas to explore are bustling Deribasovska Street, the Opera House, the famous Potemkin Stairs, the underground catacombs, and Arcadia Beach.

Contributed by Patti of Luggage and Lipstick.

Narva/Narva-Jõesuu, Estonia

Narva is situated in eastern Estonia, but the town is almost monolingually Russian speaking. Since it is within the borders of the EU it is more accessible for many people than locations inside Russia. The town is a bit run down, but has some historical sites and is being revitalized, so the cultural scene is evolving. Next to Narva on the Baltic seacoast there is the spa-town of Narva-Jõesuu, which is popular among Russian tourists. If one likes spending time at spas and using Russian at the same time it should be a great place to stay.

Narva is however a small town, so during a prolonged stay one might run out of activities. It is also definitely a summer destination; during winter it gets cold and there is not much activity in Narva-Jõesuu. It is also best suited for oral Russian language training, since the town is a part of Estonia most street signs, billboards etc. are in Estonian.

Contributed by Anders Bäckman.

Riga, Latvia

Latvia’s lovely capital is a popular choice for Russian learners, with many courses to choose from. Riga has traditionally been a bilingual city, and 55 percent of its residents are native Russian speakers. The Russian spoken in Latvia is considered relatively accent-free compared to Ukraine or Belarus, for example. Since Latvia is part of the EU, many students don’t need a visa. Numerous Russian-language cultural activities are available such as theater, cinema, and concerts. Riga’s stunning historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the highest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture anywhere in the world, and the beach resort of Jurmala is close by. Cheap flights connect Riga to the rest of Europe, and you can easily explore the nearby Baltic states of Estonia and Lithuania as well as Ukraine.

However, as in Ukraine, there is a growing movement in Latvia to preserve the national language. New laws limit Russian in schools, and many young people under 30 don’t speak it, preferring English instead. Worse, Latvians often resent Russian as the language of their former oppressors. If you study in Riga, it’s best to learn a few Latvian phrases and use them with locals as a sign of respect.

Contributed by Ingrid of Second-Half Travels. She also has great advice for learning Russian from TV shows!

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Almaty in Kazakhstan is a great place to learn Russian. Even though the city is in Kazakhstan, Russian remains the dominant language rather than Kazakh. There are several language schools and universities offering excellent Russian courses for foreigners. There are also plenty of Russian tutors if you prefer private lessons.

The biggest advantage of studying Russian in Almaty is that it is relatively cheap compared to studying in Moscow or Saint Petersburg. Not only are tuition fees very affordable, but the city itself is extremely budget friendly. Living costs are low and you get value for your money in Almaty.

But that is not the only reason to learn Russian in Almaty. Almaty is a very nice city to live in. With the snow capped peaks of the Tien Shan mountains visible from the city there are plenty opportunities to go hiking in the weekends and explore Kazakhstan’s incredible nature.

Almaty is also a city with a young population and plenty of students that are happy to talk with foreigners. It won’t be difficult to make friends and find people that are willing to practice their english while helping you improve your Russian.

Contributed by Ellis of Backpack Adventures.

Athens, Greece

Had I not been living in Athens already, I wouldn’t have even considered learning Russian in Greece was a viable option, however thanks to the Greek state offering citizenship to those with Pontic heritage towards the end of the Cold War, there was a large influx of Russian speakers from the late Eighties onwards, and the community is still thriving. Personally, I chose to study with a private tutor, which was easy to find even as an English speaker, but there are several schools which offer Russian language lessons, as well as proficiency exams, in English, German, and of course, Greek.

The downside to learning Russian here is if you’re not already familiar with Greek, it can be a little overwhelming having to deal with two new languages – and alphabets – at once. In addition to that, many of the younger Russian speakers are second generation immigrants, so their Russian, and slang in particular, has been “Hellenicised.” On the upside, if you’re an EU citizen, it’s super easy to live/work/study in Greece. Athens is a foreigner-friendly city, easy to get around, great food, amazing nightlife, with tonnes of interesting things to do and the locals are friendly folk, so there’s no shortage of people to practice your language skills with.

Contributed by Anneliese.  

Do you know of more alternative places to learn Russian? I would love for this list to grow, so if you would like to contribute your experiences, please just email me (amyrbutler at gmail) or leave a comment below!