Winston Churchill described Russia as "riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma".
Although more and more Western tourists are venturing into Mother Russia, it retains its cold war mystique.
A lot of people are put off independent travel in Russia because of the hassles getting a visa, and it can be a bit of a mission. We were lucky to be living in Wellington so were able to go up the embassy and personally deliver our forms (to a woman with metallic bronze lipstick who looked like she had just stepped out of a Bond movie) and check that
they were correct and weren't going to be declined. The process took about 3 weeks. I'm not sure how quickly they process visas at other embassies - try searching the Eastern Europe branch of Lonely Planet's
Thorntree for information. Everbrite's website is also invaluable for information about Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
Once in Russia you must register your passport in each place you stay for more than 72 hours. Most hostels and hotels can do this for you for a fee of about �25.
Moscow
Visited: August 2004
Arrive
We arrived on a Korean Air flight from Seoul to Sheremetevo-2 airport north of the city. We had arranged an airport pick up from G & R Hostel Asia for �70. In true Russian style we were met at in the arrivals lounge by a woman who could speak a couple of words of English who led us outside the airport grounds (so she didn't have to pay for a parking ticket!) to a battered 1980's Lada. The drive into central Moscow took about an hour, during which we spotted some gray concrete towers that looked suspiciously like nuclear power plants. Apparently you can get a shuttle to the nearest metro station which is only a short distance from the airport. After our long flight we didn't have the energy to investigate this option.Explore
The Kremlin - The Kremlin totally blew us away..Red Square and St Basil's - Like something from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
The White House - Impossible to find.
Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery - Relaxing place.
The Metro Stations - More elaborate that Tottenham Court Road and Charing Cross.
Rest
We had booked accomodation at G & R Hostel Asia before we arrived in Moscow. It is not the flashest place by any stretch of the imagination (very "retro" Russian decor) and it is a little bit out of the centre of the city but the main thing it has going for it is that it is about 50m from the Ryazansky Prospekt metro station (see here for a Moscow metro map). Right next to the metro station there is a bank and a small market selling fruit and vegetables - when you speak no Russian you have to eat at places where you can point at what you want to eat or you'll starve! Breakfast was included in the hostel price but it seemed to consist of a plastic chocolate muffin and 5 cornflakes floating in some strange tasting milk so the market might be a better option. In mid 2004 there didn't seem to be a huge range of budget accomodation options in Moscow - this is possibly to do with the visa registration requirements.
St Petersburg
Visited: August 2004
In 1703 Peter the Great decided to move Russia's capital north to the site of St Petersburg, which was then
an inhospitable swamp. As Tzaravich, Peter had spent many years travelling in Scandanavia and Western Europe and
decided that Russia's capital should be a "window on the West". Peter was also a keen yachtsman and also used his new capital as
a base for Russia's first navy.
St Petersburg was certainly built on a grand scale and it is difficult not to marvel at the architecture. Many of the buildings are now run down but it is not difficult to imagine what they would have looked like in their prime.
There seemed to be
a least half a dozen trains per night so you don't really have to book too far ahead. The main problem
we had was actually buying tickets. We got one of the surley staff at our hostel to write a note in
Russian that asked for two train tickets. It still took us a while to find a ticket kiosk and then we ended
up with tickets for seats rather than the sleeping car tickets we expected.
Peter and Paul Fortress - Across the river from the Winter Palace - it's fun to walk around the ramparts and look back at the city.
Winter Palace and the Hermitage - Amazing for its size and gradeur, the thousand-odd room palace also houses one of
the most impressive arts museums in the world. Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Picasso - think of a famous artist and you can guarantee
that there will be at least half a dozen there. Unless you are an art fanatic you may get arted out after the first two floors.
Nevsky Prospekt - St Petersburg's main drag.
Summer Gardens - Beautiful gardens filled with statues and pavillions - great place for a picnic.
Peterhof - It's hard to believe that Peter the Great's magnificent summer palace was totally levelled by the Nazis. Every jewell encrusted chandelier has been faithfully recreated. Peter obviously also had a thing for fountains - the 235 acres grounds are riddled with them - some even hidden ready to catch the unsuspecting stroller. Up there with Versailles when it comes to spectatularly ornate palaces. We got there by taking the metro to Baltic Station and then caught a minibus out to Peterhof.
Canal Tours - Catch a canal boat along the Fotanka Canal and onto the Neva River for a different view of the city.
Churchs - Check out the Church on Spilled Blood built on the site of Tsar Alexander III's asassination. There is small touristy market close by. The massive Kazan Cathedral on the Nevsky Prospekt is also worth a visit.
St Petersburg was certainly built on a grand scale and it is difficult not to marvel at the architecture. Many of the buildings are now run down but it is not difficult to imagine what they would have looked like in their prime.
Arrive
We caught an overnight train from Moscow's Leningradsky Station to St Petersburg.
There seemed to be
a least half a dozen trains per night so you don't really have to book too far ahead. The main problem
we had was actually buying tickets. We got one of the surley staff at our hostel to write a note in
Russian that asked for two train tickets. It still took us a while to find a ticket kiosk and then we ended
up with tickets for seats rather than the sleeping car tickets we expected.
Explore
Peter's Walking Tours - Fantastically informative walking tours. We took the Classic Tour and had Peter as our guide. The Classic Tour shyed away from the famous sites of St Petersburg but concentrated on the hidden sights and Peter gave us an insight into things such as life during the seige and religion in post-communist times. Peter's Tours also offer themed tours such as a food tour, Lenin's Secret Walk PUb Crawl and the communist legacy. Most tours meet at the St Petersburg International Hostel - check them out here.Peter and Paul Fortress - Across the river from the Winter Palace - it's fun to walk around the ramparts and look back at the city.
Winter Palace and the Hermitage - Amazing for its size and gradeur, the thousand-odd room palace also houses one of
the most impressive arts museums in the world. Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Picasso - think of a famous artist and you can guarantee
that there will be at least half a dozen there. Unless you are an art fanatic you may get arted out after the first two floors.
Nevsky Prospekt - St Petersburg's main drag.
Summer Gardens - Beautiful gardens filled with statues and pavillions - great place for a picnic.
Peterhof - It's hard to believe that Peter the Great's magnificent summer palace was totally levelled by the Nazis. Every jewell encrusted chandelier has been faithfully recreated. Peter obviously also had a thing for fountains - the 235 acres grounds are riddled with them - some even hidden ready to catch the unsuspecting stroller. Up there with Versailles when it comes to spectatularly ornate palaces. We got there by taking the metro to Baltic Station and then caught a minibus out to Peterhof.
Canal Tours - Catch a canal boat along the Fotanka Canal and onto the Neva River for a different view of the city.
Churchs - Check out the Church on Spilled Blood built on the site of Tsar Alexander III's asassination. There is small touristy market close by. The massive Kazan Cathedral on the Nevsky Prospekt is also worth a visit.
Rest
We stayed at St Petersburg Puppet Theater Hostel (named after the Puppet Theatre next door). It was cheap, clean, central and the staff were very helpful. The breakfast wasn't bad either.
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The two-headed eagle
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Peter the Great's "window on the West"
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Check out what Lonely Planet has to say about Russia.