Russia
Russia being the largest nation in the world, no doubt has wide range of options to explore. The highlight of the country would be that the entire country still flourishes in its rich culture and heritage, simultaneously developing in terms of infrastructure, technology and trends. Moreover, as the country borders European as well as Asian countries, it sports a unique culture. When it comes to tourist places in Russia, it happens to be a paradise for history lovers given the various monuments and sites that each have a story to discover. The country also flourishes in ancient art styles, being a treat for artistry tourists. Each region of the country has a historical story and deserves separate attention.
It is very important to note the climate and plan your visit accordingly as many attractions and places are subject to seasonal changes and you might miss out on them. There is a sea of tourist places in Russia, and not to forget it is home to about 23 UNESCO World heritage centres with a few more lined up as a tentative list. The culture and heritage of the country has been a key feature in attracting tourists and the tourism industry has seen a big boom in the recent years. While most of your time will be occupied by visiting the heritage sites, do not miss the local street markets and food that will have you in for surprise.
The food of Russia is definitely unique and will have your taste buds in for s surprise. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that bureaucracy and occasional inconveniences may come in your way, especially in places away from the urban cities and thus it is important to keep in mind certain do’s and don’ts during you visit there. We have compiled a few answers to the most frequently asked questions on travelling to Russia. We hope this list will help you plan your trip well and ensure you have a fun, fulfilling and safe trip.
Russia Packages
Russia FAQ's
When is the best time to visit Russia?
The best time to visit Russia is during the summer months that extend from May to October. That is because Russia is one of the coldest countries and it is important to note the climate well in advance and then plan a visit.
As many places and attractions are subject to various seasonal changes. And, you definitely do not want to miss out on them. You can also plan a visit during the spring time as the summer months happen to be high travel season for tourists that make the country a crowded destination. So, if you desire a good time but amidst lesser crowds then plan your visit during spring.
How to reach Russia?
The easiest and best way to reach Russia is by taking a flight to reach Moscow. Russia’s Sheremetyevo International Airport is the major airport and there are many direct flights from various countries that land here.
You could also reach Russia via the Volga-Baltic waterway if you are coming from Europe. And, again if you are coming from Europe, you can reach Russia through the Russina Railways.
But, if you are going from India for instance, then the best way to reach Moscow would be to take a direct flight via the Russian Airline named Aeroflot and reach the International Airport of Sheremetyevo. It would take about six hours to reach.
What is Russia famous for?
2. Culture: Russian culture is the most influential and richest. And it is inclusive of Russian literature besides the popular form of art, the ballet dance.
3. Cuisine: The Russian drinks and food are going to satisfy you so much that you crave for more. Hence, whenever in Russia, do not miss on trying the Piroggi, Blinis, Syrniki, and Borscht soup.
4. Lake Baikal: The most famous and breathtaking destination has to be the deepest and oldest freshwater Lake Baikal. And you cannot miss out on witnessing its pure, crystal-clear water.
5. Moscow: When in Russia, you cannot miss the Red Square and Kremlin in Moscow because the city is the cosmopolitan capital of the country.
Do I need a visa for Russia? How does one get a Russia visa?
Yes, you require a visa for visiting Russia because there is no option of visa on arrival. And, you can get a Russian Visa by visiting the nearest consulate in your city. You will require specific documents for the process of visa and those include confirmed tickets, passport validation, and stay confirmation.
In about twenty days you will get your visa but you must apply well in advance because visa processing takes time. You have to download the application form and reach the Russian Consulate for further processes and interviews.
Is Russia expensive to travel?
Is Russia safe for tourism?
What are some famous tourist attractions in Russia?
2. Valley of Geysers: The Valley of Geysers is the world’s second largest geyser that comprises boiling springs, thermal fields and waterfalls that are all worth a watch.
3. St Sophia Cathedral: The 125 feet high adorned cathedral with five spectacular looking domes is the most attractive location with gates that are ornately carved.
4. Suzdal: If you are an architecture enthusiast then you can make the most of the historic architecture of Russia in Suzdal (called the “Golden Ring”). It is full of monasteries, Kremlins with onion-dome tops, monasteries, cathedrals and preserves Russia’s living museums.
5. Moscow Kremlin: This walled enclosure is home to the top offices of the government and is filled with all kinds of royal treasures that include a diamond of 190 carats.
6. Hermitage Museum: This massive culture and art museum is a must visit for its collection of more than three million items that include the historical building of Winter Palace.
7. Lake Baikal: The oldest, the deepest and the clearest lake of Baikal must be on every tourist’s list as it is the best vacation destination and is home to numerous resorts.
8. Kizhi Island: Kizhi Island is blessed with some of the picturesque Russian ensembles that include Lake Onega, wooden churches, and dozens of barns, chapels, windmills and houses.
What are the different activities one can do in Russia?
2. Visit the Mausoleum of Lenin: The Mausoleum of Lenin is another stunning attraction for tourists as it houses the ever renowned “modern mummy” (embalmed body) of Vladimir Lenin with a colored step-pyramid.
3. Unveil the city of dead: Dargavs Village is the most mystifying destination that is popular for its unusual stories. It will surely present you the right amount of adrenaline rush to unveil the folklore of this region.
4. Feel weightless in the Star City: For an unforgettable experience you must partake in zero-gravity flight experience or a simulated launch of the rocket, all in the training center of cosmonauts, Star City.
5. Visit the Temple of all religions: The colorful Kazan Temple is called the Temple of all religions that exhibits a stunning mashup of several architectural flourishes depicting the world’s major religions.
6. Take a canal tour: The most memorable thing to engage in at St Petersburg is to take a canal tour in the artificial canals.
7. Spend hours at the Psychedelic salt mines: Witness colorful and unique swirls of mineral carnallite with beautiful designs in blue, red, white and yellow colors when in Russia. These enticing mines of salt are sure to cast a spell.
How many days are enough for Russia tour?
What is the currency of Russia and where can I get my money exchanged?
The Russian Currency is called Russian Ruble and the code of the currency is RUB. 1 RUB= 1.13 INR while 1 USD = 57.98 RUB. You can easily get your money exchanged in bureaus of airport exchange, hotels, and banks.
It is vital to remember that exchanging money with the Russian street vendors is illegal, unlike other countries. You also cannot trade with Euros and US dollars, transactions will happen through RUB.
What is so famous about Russia’s nightlife?
1. Drink liquor at Kot Schrodingera: You must experience unconventional cocktail servings at the zestful yet unusual bar of Kot Shredingera. Every drink has a unique taste, colors and the serving cups are contrasting and unusual.
2. Visit the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Moscow: Catch some of the most refined classical musical performances by Romantic composers in this mega amphitheater.
3. Enjoy the music and dance scene at Krysha Mira: The atmosphere at Krysha Mira is invigorating and if you desire to witness the river and cities bird’s eye view or soak in some foot tapping electronic music scenes, then this club is for you.
4. Night stroll in the Red Square: Enjoy a liberating and free stroll at night in the Red Square that houses some of the popular landmarks like St Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin’s Mausoleum, and Kremlin.
5. Catch art performances and shows at the Bolshoi Theatre: If you are a fan of theatrical performances or performing arts then you cannot miss Moscow’s Legendary Bolshoi Theatre that hosts several classic orchestral music and Russian opera performances.
6. Experience nightlife at the SOHO Rooms: SOHO Rooms is one of the most upscale and glitzy nightclubs that presents you with the ideal escape with their cutting edge light and sound systems, disco room, bar, and restaurant.
7. Photograph at Gorky Park: When Gorky Park hosts no fun fairs, festivals, and open concerts in the evenings you can make the most of the dazzling ambiance there. Enjoy a long and quiet stroll while clicking pictures.
Which are some best destinations for road tripping in Russia?
1. Moscow: On the “Golden Ring” road trip route, you will come across Moscow that houses the mighty city square called the Red Square, the Moscow Kremlin, Bolshoi Theatre and other iconic locations.
2. Plyos: When you go road tripping you will come across the charming Plyos. It is a city that is situated on the Volga River and is known for its art museums.
3. Vladimir: During the road trip in the city, you will stop at the destination of Vladimir that is a must visit for any art connoisseur as it houses fashionable cafes, golden domes and ancient churches.
4. Suzdal: Very near to Vladimir this picturesque and small beautiful town of Suzdal is one of the most hospitable cozy cities with monasteries, churches, and wooden houses galore.
5. Yaroslavl: Yaroslavl is a site of world heritage. And, it is known for the religious architecture of Assumption Cathedral’s gilded towers, planetarium, and numerous theaters.
6. Kostroma: Standing on the Volga River’s banks, the city of Kostroma is considered a paradise for lovers of history and art as there are the Romanovsky Museum, Ipatiev Monastery, and Russian-style buildings.
What are the do's and don’ts in Russia?
- Do register your visa on arrival: It is a must to register your visa within a week of your arrival because doing it late can cost a fortune.
- Do check the calendar of events: If you do not want to miss out on visiting institutions and museums make sure you are well informed about the major holidays.
- Do learn Cyrillic Alphabet: Learning Cyrillic alphabet pays tenfold as you can easily decode menus, timetables, maps, and metro signs.
Dont's:
- Don’t smile every time: In Russia people reserve their smiles for only their close acquaintances hence it is recommended that you do not smile in public transport looking at strangers.
- Don’t exchange money in evening: Russians believe that money dealings late in the day bring bad omen hence repay any money you owe by morning.
- Don’t whistle: You must not whistle indoors as Russians believe that whistling brings bad luck and that leads to money loss.
Which are the major tourist attractions in Russia?
Russia is not only large in size, it also is rich in its culture and history leaving travellers with numerous points of interest, well known as well as unexplored attractions. Some of the top attractions of the country are:
- Mount Elbrus – Mountain range
- Valley of geysers – second largest geyser field in the world
- St. Sophia Cathedral, Novgorod
- Suzdal
- Moscow Kremlin
- Hermitage Museum – Saint Petersburg
- Saint Basils Cathedral – Moscow
- Lake Baikal – deepest and oldest lake on Earth
- Kizhi Island – popular for its open air museum
What are the things to do in Russia?
The most popular things to do in Spain are:
- Ride the Trans-Siberian railway – the longest railway system in the world
- Trek Mount Elbrus – 5642 metres high
- Explore the Kizhi Island
- Visit the Temple of all religions for a sacred pilgrimage
- Visit star city, cosmonaut training centre – experience weightlessness
What is the local food of Russia? Which are the best places to taste this food?
Russia’s traditional food mainly consists of veggies and porridges. Overtime, these porridges have been customised and developed into many different varieties using different local ingredients. Apart from the basic, the popular dishes in the Russian cuisine consist of caviar, Borscht, Bliny, Beef stroganoff, Pelmeni and so on. Some of the best places to try these food are:
- Mari Vanna , Moscow
- Percorso, St Petersburg
- Grand Cafe Dr. Jhivago, Moscow
- Stolovaya No57, Moscow
- Palkin, St Petersburg
- Teplo cafe, St Petersburg
What is the best public transport to commute around Russia?
Russia is very well developed in terms of infrastructure and thus there are plenty of options when it comes to public transport over there. Some of the popular modes of transport to commute around Russia are:
- Boat – some cities located on rivers, coasts and other water bodies like Moscow and St Petersburg have boat rides which is an unique experience by itself.
- Metro – all major cities have the metro facility. Bigger cities have a more well structured metro, while smaller cities have smaller metros.
- Taxis – taxis are in plenty and are available everywhere. However, it is important for you to choose your taxi carefully in terms of safety and fare. Not all run by meter, so negotiate the price before getting into the taxi.
- Bus, Marshrutky, Trolleybus and Tram
Do I need to have any vaccinations before the trip to Russia?
Yes, it is advisable to have some vaccines taken before your travel to Russia. Apart from the routine background vaccines such as tetanus, some of the other vaccines recommended are : typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, Japanese encephalitis and Tick-borne encephalitis.
What is the local language in Russia and which are the most commonly used greetings?
The local language used to communicate in Russia is Russian. It can be quite difficult to communicate with the locals without knowing the language. It is advisable to have an English speaking guide with you at all times or if you feel privacy would be invaded that way, carry a Russian dictionary/language book along with you to make it easier. Some common phrases that may be useful to you during your travel are:
- Hello - Zdravstvuyte
- Thank you - Spasibo
- Good morning – dobroye utro
- What is the price of this?– Kakova tsena etogo?
- How far is this place? – naskol'ko daleko eto mesto?
- How are you – Kak dela?
Which are the best shopping places in Russia and what are they famous for?
Some of the best shopping places in Russia are:
- GUM mall in Moscow – international brands, retail stores and lot of cultural activities. Also known to be one of the best looking malls in the world.
- TSUM Mall – departmental store with everything you need from clothes to shoes and bags, a great place to relax and enjoy the Russian architectural structures.
- Arbart street in Moscow – great street for souvenir shopping.
- Izmailovo Craft, Flea, Art and Antiquity Market – best for antique shopping from paintings, coins, books, purses, furniture, vessels, etc.
Which are the most famous heritage sites to visit in Russia?
There are numerous heritage sites in Russia that travellers can visit. Some of them are also certified UNESCO heritage sites and the top ones are:
- Moscow Kremlin
- Red Square
- Virgin Komi Forests
- White monuments
- Solovetsky Islands
- Kizhi Islands
- Trinity-St. Sergius Monastery, Sergiev Posad
- Putorana Plateau
- Sikhote Alin
- The Caucasus
Here are the best tips Thrillophilia has to offer for your trip to Russia:
- Convert your cash to Russian Ruble before getting there and always have the local currency in hand.
- Don’t carry too much cash in your wallet.
- Carry a Russian dictionary or book that will help you communicate – or hire a local English speaking guide.
- Bargain your fares with the taxi driver.
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