Youth Island Recreation Area

A green island among the channels of the Samara River within the town limits is a popular recreation area at the junction of Palanochna and Borysa Dzhonsona streets. It has a sandy beach, beach volleyball courts, a sports ground and good fishing spots, while walking paths run among the trees along the water. The island is easy to see from above: it is surrounded by channels, reed beds and picturesque willow-lined banks, so in the warm season people come here to swim, sunbathe and walk with children. In winter, at Epiphany, the island is one of the places for the blessing of the water and traditional ice plunges. A renovation was planned for 2022 but postponed because of the full-scale invasion, so the island keeps its natural, slightly wild character.