Being Russian I always felt an urge to write about travelling in my home country but I have not done it yet because it is a daunting task, even for a native. It will require a totally new blog and a lifetime to describe everything you need to visit, see and experience in Russia… So I wondered for a long time what information I could share with you, my readers, that would be most useful without spending years on comprehensive guides for each individual city/area? And then my recent trip to Russia gave me an idea: I can provide you with universal travel tips that will be applicable to any major city or regional center in Russia that you may visit during your trip. So here they are:
Find a Kremlin
Most foreigners think of “Kremlin” as that place in Moscow where the Russian President resides, while in fact the country has a lot of Kremlins around. A Kremlin is essentially an old fortress with high walls and watch towers that was used to protect the heart of a town. There are 12 fortresses in 12 cities in Russia that are officially called “Kremlin” and many more that look and function just like one but called “fortress”. The photos below are from Smolensk fortress.
Usually, the fortress will have a historic museum within its walls. The one in Smolensk has an exhibition dedicated to the siege of the city in the 17th century. You can see old weapons and costumes on display.
The oldest and the most beautiful part of town is usually within the walls of the Kremlin.
Explore a Central Park
Major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg will have many beautiful parks and gardens. Smaller cities will have 1 main park, often called “Central” park. The parks will have nice alleys for walking, playgrounds for kids and often amusement rides in summer and skating rinks in winter.
Locate a River
Most of major Russian cities are built on a river. There will be nice walking/hiking trails along the waterway that usually runs through the heart of the city. You may take a boat tour in warmer months on bigger rivers and some of them will have swimmable beaches too.
Go on a “Church tour”
Russia is famous for its phenomenal churches and cathedrals, some of which are close to 1000 years old! Each city will have several churches but usually there is one most important cathedral in town (not always the oldest but definitely the most elaborate in terms of beauty and architecture) Most of them are free and open for public to visit. Please, be respectful: talking in churches is only allowed in a whisper and photography is typically forbidden.
Visit local museums
Typically, as anywhere in the world, there will be art, history and science museums in most Russian cities, which is a no-brainer. But there will also be ethnic, cultural museums that are very specific to the area you are visiting. They may not be as big as mainstream museums but I find them most interesting because they tell you about the people, traditions, culture. For instance, in Smolensk you can visit Flax Museum. The area is famous for growing flax and making linen cloth and items produced from linen (clothes, towels and other household items).
In my native city of Kaluga there is a museum called House of the Masters dedicated to traditional handmade things (crafts) created in our region for centuries.
Just on the outskirts of Moscow you can find Etnomir (which means “EthnoWorld”) – a huge and most outstanding ethnographic and cultural park and museum. I have a detailed article about it – A Trip Around the World in 1 Day.
Go to the theater
Russia is famous for its theatrical productions. If you don’t speak the language drama theater will not make sense but opera and ballet will be just perfect. Bolshoi and Mariinsky theaters (in Moscow and St. Petersburg respectively) are undoubtfully one of the best in the world. However, Russian ballet school traditions are so strong that any regional ballet production in Russia will be on par with the best European ballet schools.
Try Russian food and drinks
Russian food in a nutshell is quintessential comfort food. Hearty soups, lots of dishes made with dough, endless variety of pancakes (plain and stuffed, from flour and from potatoes, sweet and savory, etc.), yummiest deserts on the planet (dozens of them) and the list goes on and on. It is really hard to go wrong with Russian food – anything you try will be delicious.
And don’t forget Russian famous drinks too (no, not vodka): kvas (made from fermented bread) and Ivan-chai, herbal tea made from Fireweed wildflower.
Read Russian folk tales before travelling
Folk tales traditions are very strong in Russia. The same way as you would need to get acquainted with Greek mythology to understand all major architectural wonders in Greece, the same way you will need to know some Russian folklore to make sense of things you will see and experience in the country. There aren’t many Russian folk tales translated in English but there are some good books available on Amazon. Additional bonus: kids love reading folk tales and I promise you, they will be definitely intrigued by Russian ones.
Another book I would also recommend for travelling to Russia is called A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel. It is a work of fiction but it gives a great account of history of Russia in the 20th century and description of many major attractions that you would probably be visiting in Moscow in addition to a quite intriguing plot line. Russian traditions, mysteries of the Russian soul and ways of thinking are also integral to the book and I personally guarantee you that it will be a very exciting read:
Visit Russia during major holidays
If you can, visit Russia during major holidays such as winter holidays (from December 31 to January 7), Maslenitsa (Russian Mardis Gras but celebrated on a Sunday – the date changes each year), Victory Day (May 9). There will be a lot of festivities, parades, cultural performances (songs, dances, games) and fireworks in most cities. All cities will be beautifully decorated for winter holidays.
Keep an open mind
Keep an open mind and be open to learning and trying new things – this is probably a universal tip for travelling anywhere abroad. Forget the stereotypes and things you hear on the news, try to learn a couple of words in a local language, be adventurous and have fun!
If you need a comprehensive guide to Russia, DK Eyewitness is a good general country guide and then you can purchase city specific guides depending on where you are going.
If you found this Universal Guide to Travel in Russia useful, please do me a little favor and share this information with others, for there’s a good chance that it will help them with their travel plans. 🙂 If you want to be notified when new itineraries are published, please, subscribe to our blog or follow us on Facebook.
An interesting post I’d love to visit Russia, it seems so magical and the architecture is beautiful. I never knew there was more than one Kremlin.
I am glad I was able to provide useful information! Yes, there are lots of interesting things beyond the boundaries of Moscow 🙂