Ostrov Yunosti (Youth Island) is a small island in the Angara River within the city limits, connected to the riverbank by a footbridge. It's a green, low-key park used by Irkutsk residents for weekend picnics, cycling, and in summer, swimming from the pebbly beach on the downstream end. In winter, the island's paths become cross-country ski trails.
The island has no specific tourist attractions — it's the kind of place that locals go to get away from the city without leaving it. A walk across the bridge and around the island takes about 40 minutes at a relaxed pace. The views back to the embankment and the churches are good from the far shore.