Russia

A land of gargantuan contrasts, Russia is one of the world’s most intriguing destinations. The home of atheist communism has some of the most sacred churches on the planet. There’s nothing Bolshevik about the pomp and ostentation of its imperial palaces. Censorship notwithstanding, Russian art, music, dance and literature have swayed global imagination. The flux of new money has replaced the erstwhile austerity with a correspondingly intense desire to live the good life. The past, the present and the future all await the traveller who embarks on the Russian quest.

The Baltic States, emerging from the shadow of their colossal neighbour, are becoming the favourites of those who seek the unusual. Equally historic, quirky and endowed with natural beauty, the countries of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have plenty to fill your soul and appease your wanderlust.

Not to be missed

The White Nights Festival
St. Petersburg
Scarlet Sails and crimson skies - will wonders never cease?! Take a walk at midnight under a clear, bright sky in St. Petersburg to experience the spirit of the White Nights Festival.
It is a three-month long celebration of brightness and sunlight. From May to July, the summer months in Russia see a surfeit of arts, theatre and revelry. Ballets, operas and some priceless masterpieces are performed much to the delight of art connoisseurs and culture keepers.
Alternatively, experience White Nights Fest on the streets. Period plays with creative costumes, gypsy music, hypnotic drumbeats, street moves and romantic tête-á-têtes are all yours to savour.
Watch in wonder as the bridge heaves open across the Neva, raise a toast with Sovetskoye Shampanskoye or Soviet Champagne, head to the famed bar ‘The Idiot’, for gourmet meals and exotic wine. Take your fill of Vodka, indulge in some native specialities like Lobio, a thick red bean soup, Khachapuri Tarkhunit, a cheesy herbed bread or enjoy spicy meatballs called Abkhazura.
The celebration culminates with the grand event of the Scarlet Sails. As fireworks decorate the sky, the Scarlet Sails float along the Neva signalling the culmination of yet another school year. The glee of thousands of children adds to the festive spirit. Streaks of peach, violet, crimson and pink render the white sky ornate. And a general feeling of cheer and joy envelops the city.

Must Dos

Take a seat. Both the Nikulin Moscow Circus and the Bolshoi Ballet are legendary.
See the giant bell on the Kremlin grounds. Standing at 20 feet tall and weighing 25,000 pounds, this bell also has a colourful history to it.
Sample local delicacies like Borshch (a beet soup), Caviar, Ikra and Pirozhki (pastries stuffed with potatoes, meat, cabbage or cheese).
Shop for Soviet era souvenirs at the Izmaylovo Market, Moscow.
Hit the shores of the world’s deepest lake, Lake Baikal. Hike on the Great Baikal trails, environment friendly routes, almost entirely created by volunteers.
Drink Medovukha at Suzdal; it’s a light alcoholic drink derived from honey.
Don’t get into any Vodka drinking contests. You can’t best the locals.
Learn that the word ‘Kremlin’ simply means a fortress or fortified surroundings. You’ll see more than one Kremlin.
Take in a musical at Russia’s iconic theatre, the Mariinsky theatre, St. Petersburg.
The metro stations will stun you; they have chandeliers, frescoes and sometimes even a library!
Cruise to Helsinki from St. Petersburg, and feel literally on top of the world.
Visit the lighthouse network in North Estonia. The ones at Tahkuna and Ristna were designed by Gustav Eiffel himself, while the Kopu lighthouse, is one of the world's oldest operational lighthouses.
Marvel at the well preserved Art Nouveau buildings of Tallinn’s old town. A World Heritage site that shows the Hanseatic origins of the city.
Spread your arms out on Rozena Street, the narrowest street in Riga, where you can touch the opposite walls.
Learn about Riga’s prosperous past as a member of the Hanseatic league in the Old Town, with its cobblestone streets and medieval houses.
Vilinus Old Town is also a Heritage site, with a multi-cultural history that dates way back. See the St. Anne’s church which so enthralled Napoleon, he wanted to take it back.
Do a tour of a Lithuanian brewery.
Drop by at the Grūtas Park or Stalin World for a quick trip into the dark side of Soviet rule. Want more? Sign up to be part of the Soviet Bunker re-enactment, where you’re subjected to all the horrors of being rounded by and interrogated by KGB guards.

A tour of Moscow is one of the best ways to see its many sights. Start at the Red Square, with the prototypical 16th Century St. Basil's Cathedral, known for its onion domes. See Lenin’s massive Mausoleum and travel to the Kremlin, the most powerful seat in this hemisphere. Inside the Kremlin walls are four palaces and cathedrals. See the islands on the Moskva river, including the red brick factory of Red October on Bolotny Island, now a hub for entertainment and food.

The largest collection of non-Russian art is on display here, starting from Ancient Civilisation relics to the paintings of the Dutch Golden Age. The collection of Rembrandt’s works, including “Portrait of an Old Woman” eclipses even the masterpieces of Botticelli, Tiepolo etc.

Visit the towns and sites that take you to Russia’s tumultuous past. Important centres before the Mongol invasions, they now serve as reminders of the country’s glorious tryst with architecture and religion. Some of Russia’s most sacred sites are on this circuit.

Considered the diamond of the Golden Ring, Suzdal with its wooden cottages and quiet air seems to exist in a time capsule. An erstwhile royal capital, it is now a must see tourist spot, especially for the onion domed church at the Euthymius Monastery. It also has an open air Museum of Wooden Architecture, featuring archetypal wooden churches.

The blue and gold domes of the Trinity Cathedral in the Monastery of St. Sergius dominate the skyline of this iconic Russian town. The monastery is considered the spiritual home of the Russian Orthodox Church, while the Church houses Russia’s most precious and famous painted icon: The Holy Trinity, by Rublev. Sergiev Posad is also the birthplace of the famous Russian Matryoshka dolls.

Built on the spot where Alexander II was assassinated, the Cathedral is St. Petersburg’s most significant landmark. Its multi-coloured domes are similar to St. Basil’s. The interiors resemble a painting, with a kaleidoscopic collection of religious mosaics - the largest in the world.

The most popular and extensive collection in Russia is housed in four buildings including the sumptuous Winter Palace. The Hermitage's collection include works of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandts, Rubens, Renoir, Cezanne, Manet, Monet and Pissarro. Other A-listers include Van Gogh, Matisse, Gaugin and Rodin. The Gold and Diamond rooms are also top attractions. A day is simply not enough to take in its grandeur.

The Grand Palace of Petersburg is gilded with gold and is the work of several Tsars and Tsarinas. Founded by Peter the Great, it was conceived to be an even grander version of Versailles. The ensuing Tsars ensured that Peterhof retained its glory, especially Nicholas I. The Great Cascade featuring four fountains is one of the main attractions.

Established to guard St. Petersburg, the city grew from this fortress on Zayachy Island. It is also the final resting place of the House of Romanov. Steeped in history and with panoramic views from the fortress walls, it’s one for the books.

Imagine the KGB knowing everything from your choice of appetizer to your phone call home! The residents of the Hotel Viru were spied upon by the dreaded Secret Service which had a radio station right on the 23rd floor. The secret room was discovered only in 1994 and is of great interest to Cold War buffs.

The sight of the ‘3 brothers’ (natural rocks) welcoming visitors in the Avachinsky bay is a harbinger of things to come. The Kamchatka peninsula (Kamchatka Krai) is a world unto itself with 169 active volcanoes, colour changing mountains, a valley of geysers, huge wild Salmon populations, lakes, thermal springs, Brown Bears and Sea Eagles. Those making this long trip eastwards are sure to be entranced by the sheer variety of landscapes & natural wonders. Your list should include the Klyuchevsky group of volcanoes, the black volcanic deserts of Tolbachik, the Uzon caldera and the Kutkhiny Baty, a valley made of light and whitish pumice stone whose shape resembles upturned boats.

Two of Russia’s biggest cats are also the most endangered animals on the planet. Roughly 40 or so Amur tigers and leopards roam the vast swathes of the Sikhote Alin region. It is also an unusual biosphere having a mix of temperate and taiga vegetation, making it home to other rare species like the Goral, Sika Deer and Asiatic Black Bear. The lakes here are practically bird magnets hosting Temminck’s Cormorant, Hazel Grouse, Chinese Merganser, Mandarin Duck, Asian Spruce Grouse, Blakiston’s Fish-owl, Hodgson’s Hawk Eagle, White-tailed Eagle and Steller’s Sea Eagles. Explore this fantastic region and do your bit for conservation with customized tours that join anti-poaching patrols.

All it takes is two wheels to absorb the sheer beauty and variety of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Gear up for brilliant landscapes, long stretches of coast, rich history and architectural splendour. Start from the Lithuanian capital Vilnius and travel on, seeing the fairy tale island castle of Trakai, natural wonders like the Curonian Spit & Gutmana caves, the quirky Hill of Crosses, the oldest Latvian Church at Krimulda (1205), the striking lighthouses of Estonia, 16th century castles and manor houses. Enjoy local produce and fresh seafood, along with the bracing Baltic air. The journey ends at Tallinn, Estonia’s capital.

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