Siberians have a reputation for being extraordinarily friendly, and indeed they are. In fact, that's the first thing you notice in Novosibirsk, the largest city in Siberia, where the winters are long, the summers are fleeting and the people are so warm-hearted they seem to brighten up a city plagued by lengthy winter nights.

And that's not all the city has to offer.

Formerly called Novonikolyevsk, the city has a population of about 1.6 million, which afforded it official city status in 1903. Today it offers visitors a wide choice of entertainment to suit a variety of tastes.

If you take the Novosibirsk metro to the Ploshchad Lenina station and exit to Krasny Prospekt, you will not only see a massive statue of Lenin, echoing the Soviet era, you will also see a large square that houses the State Academy Opera and Ballet Theater in all its magnitude. This huge construction, with a large metallic dome and solid stone base, looks so solid it seems it was specifically designed to withstand a tank attack. Interestingly enough, this theater was built during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, and, on May 9, 1945 – Victory Day – the theater first opened to the public.

The magnificent interior of the theater is even larger than that of Moscow's Bolshoi Theater, though the balcony seats are still under construction. Buying a ticket to see a performance here is easier and cheaper than in the capital, and the quality of performances is just as high as in Moscow or St. Petersburg.

Another must-see is the Chapel of St. Nicholas, situated in the middle of Krasnaya Ploshchad. This pretty little chapel was originally built in 1915 to mark 300 years of the Romanov dynasty's reign. In the 1930s, it was knocked down – and then finally rebuilt in 1993. The little white church with its Golden Dome now stands proudly as before, marking the exact geographical center of Russia. Passing through the wooden doors, you might be surprised by the amount of space inside. Many beautiful icons decorate the interior, where services are held throughout the week and on weekends.

Central Park, a seven-minute walk north of the Opera and Ballet Theater, is a popular place for families all year round. In the summer, residents enjoy outdoor concerts, while in the winter a snow-sculpture competition entertains children and adults alike.

A good day trip from Novosibirsk is the town of Akademgorodok, located 30 kilometers away and created in the 1950s by the Soviet Academy of Sciences. Once home to 23 institutes, it is still a center of science and research.

A 15-minute walk from Akademgorodok's center is a lovely yellow-sand beach, a popular swimming spot in the summer for locals and folks from Novosibirsk. The Ob Sea was actually created in the late 1950s as the reservoir for the Novosibirsk hydroelectric-power plant.

Sounds interesting? Actually, it is. This Siberian city features quality entertainment, beautiful forests and very friendly people. Where else can you find all that at a reasonable cost?