Nevyansk is a small Ural town with one sight strong enough to pull travellers off the Yekaterinburg route: the Leaning Tower of Nevyansk. The Demidov industrial dynasty built it in the 18th century, and its odd tilt, clock, acoustic room, and legends of secret laboratories give the town a story that is hard to forget.
The tower stands beside the Transfiguration Cathedral and the local history museum, so the visit is compact. Nevyansk still feels like a factory town rather than an open-air museum, but that roughness suits its ironworking past.
Come as a day trip from Yekaterinburg if you are interested in the Urals beyond the big city. The town is not worth a long detour on its own, but it easily clears the one-spare-day test for anyone already in the region.