Russia’s Caucasian region is a beautiful, sweeping landscape where you can scale Europe’s highest peak, enjoy restorative spas, and visit the spot where the hard-living poet and novelist Mikhail Lermontov fought a fateful duel. Located between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, the region lies close to Russia’s border with Georgia. Its main settlement is the city of Pyatigorsk. This city, whose ... Read Full Article
Three Symbols of Russian Life in Moscow
Moscow is not just the capital of Russia - it is also a city full of sights that reflect fascinating aspects of the life and soul of the Russian people. Here is a personal selection of three of the most interesting sights, reflecting different aspects of what Russia is all about. Cathedral of the Intercession The Eastern Orthodox faith, the predominant religious belief in Russia, is a big part ... Read Full Article
Three of the Best Political Monuments in Moscow, Russia
Russia has a fascinating history and present, and the capital, Moscow, is where you’ll find some of the most impressive, thought-provoking and downright bizarre monuments to the political changes the country has gone through. Here is a personal selection of three that particularly stand out. The Kremlin The huge walled citadel, encompassing a 68-acre area with no fewer than four palaces and ... Read Full Article
The State Hermitage Museum – St. Petersburg, Russia
The woman in the ball gown is waving at us. Her hair, elaborately piled atop her head, rises slightly in the breeze and settles back over her brows. “Zdrastvuyte!” she calls out. She mimes taking a photograph. “Photo with Russian Countess only 100 rubles!” The actress is one of several who roam Palace Square in St. Petersburg. The pickings are ripe, for a determined Countess; tourists constantly ... Read Full Article
Top Three Arts Venues in Moscow, Russia
Moscow is a great city to experience Russian culture, whether you’re looking for world-class ballet, unforgettable literature or inspiring symphonies. Here is a personal selection of three of the best artistic attractions. Moscow Conservatory Founded in 1866, this renowned music academy is not only a place for students and scholars. It is also a place where members of the public can come to ... Read Full Article
Exploring the Churches of St. Petersburg, Russia
St. Petersburg is like an old photograph: mysterious, alluring, strangely nostalgic. Its palaces, with their shuttered windows and paint peeling in pastel strips, invite fantasies of more elegant times. Flat-bottomed boats swoop through the canals, ducking past the remnants of Russia’s imperial past. While it has transformed into a bustling, modern city, St. Petersburg retains its historical ... Read Full Article
Russian-Style Tea: How to Use a Samovar
Russia is a great tea-drinking nation, and no Russian living-room is complete without the distinctive samovar bubbling away in the corner. Ever-present in the home interiors of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky novels, the appliance remains a fixture of Russian contemporary life, from Moscow to Siberia. The one concession to modernity is that nowadays it is usually heated electrically, rather than by ... Read Full Article
St. Petersburg, Russia and its Iconic Art
It was a frigid, bland kind of Tuesday in St. Petersburg. I could not tell if it was colder than the day before, but it was definitely weather for the wooliest, thickest socks and gloves. It was the kind of weather that starts to freeze the blood in your face so that you can't feel the tip of your nose, and it becomes hard to talk or even smile. The clouds, in a wan blue sky, were ... Read Full Article
Riding the Trans-Siberian Railroad
The Trans-Siberian railroad connects Moscow with Mongolia and China, stretching across European Russia into Asia. The route was completed in 1913 and spans nearly 6,000 miles (one-third of the way around the world) and eight time zones. Today the line carries goods across the continent and transports mostly Russian passengers, though many foreign tourists also come along for the journey – not only ... Read Full Article