Irkutsk is one of the oldest cities in Siberia. It grew out of a fur-trading post that was obviously active before the C16th, but the first traces of a town here are from the C17th. These were Russian settlers from the West, because the area itself was ethnically asian - the traditional homesteads of the Irhut and Buryat peoples. (The Buryat largely moved to the other side of Lake Baikal, away from these settlers). Irkutsk is rather more attractive than some other Siberian cities (for example the large industrial cities of Krasnoyarsk or Novosibirsk) of similar size - its centre still has many of the traditional old wooden buildings that were the characteristic appearance of such cities for many centuries. Most people come to Irkutsk to visit Lake Baikal, however. The Lake is most easily visited from this Westerly shore, and there is the best set-up of services to visit. Villages along the lakeshore like Listvyanka now have many B&B's and pensions where you can stay, reasonable transport to/from Irkutsk, and small cafes and bars are appearing too. However, the wilder side of Baikal is only as many kilometers along the shore as you want to walk - within 5 km you will have left civilisation behind, and be enjoying stupendous views over the world's largest lake. only a few km from Listvyanka Village you're in the middle of Siberian wilderness Selling the unique local fish, Omul, from smokeries on the lakeshore in Listvyanka