The first metro system built in Russia, the Moscow metro glorified the technological progress of the Soviet Union and is today one of the world’s busiest subway systems. It is most famous for its extravagant and unique interior design, exalted as the ‘Palace of the People’. Passengers on the metro not only travel around the city in comfort and ease, but travel back in time with the exquisite displays of Russian history located in its halls.
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Although it doesn’t boast the sheer number of architectural gems of St Petersburg or the buzz of Moscow, Russia’s 4th biggest city has for the past hundred years persistently kept popping up in international headlines. From the banal— its residents consume the most mayo (11kg/annum!) in the world— to the ground-breaking— the protests held in 2019 were one of the few significant civil movements in Russia at the time— to the heart-breaking— this being the place where the Royal family were murdered— Yekaterinburg has something for everyone.
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The quickest and easiest way to get around St Petersburg is certainly the metro, used by over 2.5 million passengers every day. The stations below are just like the streets above – beautifully and thoughtfully designed, a visual expression of Russian history. What’s the story behind the St Petersburg metro, and which are the stations you must visit?
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Maslenitsa is an Eastern Slavic traditional holiday marking Shrovetide, the last week before the beginning of Lent. Although now part of the Orthodox calendar, Maslenitsa retains many elements of Slavic folk and pagan traditions. Whilst Shrovetide in other branches of Christianity involves just one day of eating indulgent foods, the Orthodox festivities of Maslenitsa go on for an entire week. What is the history behind Maslenitsa, and how do Russians celebrate it today?
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When people decide to visit Russia, they endure the headaches that come with obtaining a visa and the long and arduous flight. (If you are not from the Antipodes or thereabouts you have no right to complain about the flight – ed.) But what all these tourists have in common is that they appreciate the art, architecture, and history of Russia, and want to learn more about it.
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In the mere three hundred years that St Petersburg has existed it has played a whole range of roles. The richness of its history means that even born-and-bred petersburgers can’t claim to have seen all the treasures of this city - there’s simply too much to fit into a lifetime! From a visitor’s perspective this is both a blessing and a curse. Here, we’ve listed the best places to springboard your journey into St Petersburg.
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When visiting Moscow it can be far too easy to get stuck on the well-trodden tourist routes and never see anything remotely close to the real Moscow. To get a feeling of the rhythm of Moscow city and get to know the +10 million people who go about their everyday lives in Europe’s biggest city, take a step off the tourist trail and wander into the hipster corners and beautiful parks of this megapolis.
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To really get a feel of a city you have to step outside the normal tourist trail and dive in to the unreviewed and unlisted places waiting to be uncovered downtown. That is, unless you’re a non-Russian speaker, in which case exploring a city like Rostov without a rough guide would probably be fruitless as all the gems are generally tucked away in nondescript courtyards. So instead of wandering hopelessly round Rostov-on-Don, use this list of cool-and-happening places to springboard your journey in finding the real Rostov, Russia’s rap capital.
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Rostov has always been a city of strong, fearless and slightly ferocious people. In the 1570’s the city was established by the Cossacks and it remained their home for more than two centuries till the early 20th century when their tsarist loyalties forced them to flee from the Red forces. Then in the infamous 90’s, Rostov was taken over by the Mafia who set about making it Russia’s capital of crime. Thankfully, the only ‘strongmen’ you’ll see swaggering down Rostov’s streets today are the rappers who have kickstarted Rostov’s burgeoning music and alternative art scene.
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Today, St Petersburg’s libraries contain some of the world’s largest, oldest and rarest collections of books - both in Russian and foreign languages. These libraries are often housed in buildings as grand as palaces and are well worth a visit for the architecture and wood-paneled interiors alone.
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The predominant religion in Russia is Orthodox Christianity, but there are others, too. Judaism, Buddhism, Islam and Russian Shamanism - learn more about the followers of these religions in Russia
So-called “gateway to Asia”, Ural mountains gave a name to the Ural Federal District. In its capital city, Yekaterinburg, one may learn about the tragic end of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II and his family. Nowadays Yekaterinburg serves as a center for winter sports like skiing and ice skating.
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Definitely off-the-bitten-track region of Russia: Far Eastern Federal district with its capital Khabarovsk - educational and industrial center, surrounded by stunning nature and remarkable villages. One of them is Sikachi-Alyan which attract visitors from all over the world.
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The biggest and most famous city of the Volga Federal District is Nizhny Novgorod. This town is full of history and culture. The Tartarstan Republic is situated in the far east of Europe and serves as a bridge between the European and Asian parts of Russia.
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An old Cossack proverb says: "Everyone is happy in a quest on the Don". Here you'll find ample opportunity for a taste of history and clean air. One can enjoy peaceful walks, lounging by the lake or sailing along the Don River.
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Siberian federal district has a lot to offer to a curious traveller who has already seen Moscow and Saint Petersburg and looking to explore Russia on a deeper level. Lean more about the cities of Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Omsk and the natural wonders: Stolby Reserve, breath-taking landscapes of Altai Republic and of course, world-famous Lake Baikal
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