Tourism - Russia Beyond The Headlines

Three days to discover Moscow

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:59:00 +0400

The Kremlin, Arbat, and Vorobyovy Gory are on any traditional itinerary for tourists in Moscow. But if you venture off the beaten track, three days is all you’ll need to discover another face of the city

Street level Moscow

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:57:00 +0400

Moscow is full of interesting spots that aren’t in any guidebooks – and many of them are an affordable way to spend an afternoon in one of the world’s most expensive cities

Semyonkovo: traditional architecture of the Vologda region

Sat, 12 May 2012 14:28:00 +0400

Vologda region has many towns and villages with rich traditions of vernacular architecture associated with a free peasantry. To preserve and propagate this heritage, the Semyonkovo open-air museum was opened in 1992

What’s Russian for “salsa”?

Fri, 11 May 2012 17:42:00 +0400

It may be a little late to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but quesadillas and tequila are good any time. RBTH looks at Moscow’s best (and worst) Mexican restaurants – which, depending on the reviewer, may be the same

Komsomolsk: Taiga to high tech

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:01:00 +0400

Founded 80 years ago, Komsomolsk-on-Amur is one of those towns whose very existence begs the question: Why is it here at all?

Russia to launch round-the-world trip

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:32:00 +0400

Russian sailors, cadets and rock musicians are planning to sail around the world, cross three oceans and visit 21 countries to mark Russia’s anniversary

Off the beaten track: hidden Russia revealed

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:31:00 +0400

A major investment program is helping to transform Russia’s more remote regions into world-class tourist destinations

The Golitsyn Church at Dubrovitsy: A Passion for Divine art

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:14:00 +0400

Church at Dubrovitsy represents at once an extreme of Muscovite ornamentalism and the quickening pace of Westernization that would turn Russian architecture from Byzantium to Rome

The coming of America…to Moscow

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:35:00 +0400

When Americans visit Moscow, they want both a taste of home and things that seem slightly exotic. Shawn McKenna brought American-style dining to Russia’s capital. He and other American expatriates share their favorite Moscow places

Dinosaurs to pull Chinese tourists into Russia

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:38:00 +0400

Skepticism regarding China’s intentions hampered economic integration in Russia’s Far East, yet trade is booming

Talashkino: Reviving Russia's artistic traditions

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:03:00 +0400

The estate of Princess Maria Tenisheva at Talashkino is located in the rolling, forested countryside to the south of Smolensk.

Ski resort with a past gets a reset

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:26:00 +0400

The first chair lift and two trails opened March 18 in the North Caucasus resort of Arkhyz. However, the real heights at the resort are still to be scaled

Bringing Russia to the disabled

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:24:00 +0400

Two women in St. Petersburg have established a travel company for people who cannot get around independently

Within the Russian hospital

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 19:30:00 +0400

Among the sites few tourists to Russia hope to see is the inside of a local hospital, but should such a visit be necessary, it isn’t something to fear

Ulan-Ude: A taste of Asia

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:54:00 +0400

A British tourist shares her experience about the trip to Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Republic of Buryatia, which encompasses part of Lake Baikal

Smolensk: Russia’s western citadel

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:47:00 +0400

The architecture of the city of Smolensk has managed to survive despite four centuries of being on Russia’s front lines

The Caucasus – Ancient traditions and a complex history

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:08:00 +0400

The grand mountain range: a south-eastern frontier of Europe, a natural border between it and Asia and the Russian strategic junction

Totma: From the Russian North to Russian America

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:16:00 +0400

Now a small town off the beaten path, Totma’s unique mix of architecture styles reflects its changing fortunes throughout the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries

French vines take root in Altai

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:20:00 +0400

A cross-culture experiment bears fruit in Siberia

Krasnoyarsk: Taking a break from the Trans-Siberian

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:08:00 +0400

On the route of the Trans-Siberian railway, the city of Krasnoyarsk is a good stop between the major destinations of Yekaterinburg and Irkutsk. Among Russian tourists, the city is known as a destination for extreme sports.

Preserving an ancient art

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0400

A cathedral in the northwestern city of Pskov has preserved a remarkable set of frescoes through centuries of war and occupation

Where the polar bears roam

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:26:00 +0400

Wrangel Island is a breeding ground for polar bears and one of the best-preserved examples of the Arctic ecosystem

Pskov: Fortress city in the Russian Northwest

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:12:00 +0400

One of Russia's most ancient settlements, Pskov is also among the most picturesque of Russian cities

Once a prison, now a spiritual and tourist hub

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:53:00 +0400

Located in the White Sea in northwestern Russia, the Solovetsky Islands once housed one of Russia’s first gulags, but now its centuries-old monastery and the seascape’s stark beauty attracts thousands of tourists and the spiritually inclined

Moscow according to Guinness

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:34:00 +0400

Moscow boasts the world’s largest cannon as well as its most impressive subway system

Pushkin Hills: The great poet’s country retreat

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:42:00 +0400

Alexander Pushkin spent many happy moments in the estates of his family and friends near the northwest Russian city of Pskov

Tourism and fun for $100 million

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:45:00 +0400

The Expeditsya brand focuses on selling original outdoor and novelty products

Know your restaurants

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:49:00 +0400

People who visit Moscow on a regular basis know there are restaurants in the Russian capital to suit any taste and any budget. Yet finding truly original and authentic places is a real challenge

Vyatskoye: Telling the story of Russian village life

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:11:00 +0400

It seems illogical to leave Yaroslavl for Vyatskoye. Yaroslavl is a UNESCO world heritage site boasting monasteries and house-museums. Vyatskoye is just a village. But it looks like a museum complex of 18th and 19th century rural Russia

Chita: gateway to China

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:22:00 +0400

The architecture of the Siberian city of Chita developed as the harsh climate allowed

Russia expects high demand for social workers

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:30:00 +0400

Prince Charles recently awarded Tony Widmer for his service of co-operation between the UK and Russia in social work

Verkhoturye: Passage to Siberia

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:24:00 +0400

Verkhoturye, one of the earliest trading outposts connecting Europe and Eurasia, is slowly throwing off its backwater reputation after years of stagnation and disregard to become one of Russia’s more appealing destinations

Fast Food, Russian Style

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:03:00 +0400

The Soviet style fast food joints still exist in Moscow and look like the Soviet relic. Regardless of their lack of glamour and old-fashion design, they are popular among some Russians

Naryan-What?

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:24:00 +0400

The names of some Russia's cities sound weird and unfamiliar even for some native Russians. RBTH blogger Evy Hua describes her trip to Naryan-Mar, a unique Russian city which embodies traditional stereotypes

Ekaterinburg: Where quirky meets history

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:49:00 +0400

Ekaterinburg, 33 hours east of Moscow by train, beyond the Ural Mountains, is Russia’s first city in Asia

Gorokhovets: A place of fragile beauty

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:44:00 +0400

Almost against all odds, the tiny town of Gorokhovets has managed to preserve its architectural heritage of ancient churches and brick manor houses

One big happy family on the Trans-Siberian

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:43:00 +0400

Train travel in Russia is a little like to going to a desert island or up to the top of a mountain – you are completely cut off from the world, so it’s best to just sit back and enjoy the ride

Krasnoyarsk: Frontier outpost to industrial center

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:16:00 +0400

The Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk is the capital of one of Russia's largest administrative regions, stretching from the Republic of Tuva , which shares a border with Mongolia, all the way to the Kara and Laptev Seas in the Arctic Ocean

Grand hotel: the iconic Ukraina is reborn as an ‘oasis of elegant luxury’

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:11:00 +0400

It now has all the elements of a five-star hotel, but the old trimmings still remain

Vologda's Cathedral of Divine Wisdom: The last of its kind

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:15:00 +0400

The great cathedral of St. Sophia in Vologda was the jewel of Ivan the Terrible, but its frescoes depict a world view that was rapidly coming to an end

A decade of growth and transformation

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:12:00 +0400

Kazan's extensive modernization is seen a key factor in attracting foreigners

Walking Phoebe’s walk

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:31:00 +0400

Moscow is, feet-down, Phoebe Taplin’s favorite city to walk in

Phoebe Taplin discovered a sublime Moscow by foot

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:44:00 +0400

She has walked more than 5,000 miles in her explorations

Welcoming foreign capital

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 23:34:00 +0400

To date, 55 projects have been supported by the regional Ministry of Economic Development

Dancing the sirtaki in Gorky Park

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:52:00 +0400

Moscow has more to offer tourists than just Red Square

Ecotourism in Russia faces an uphill battle

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:11:00 +0400

But development of tourist infrastructure could help remote regions preserve their natural habitats

The Underground Museum

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:02:00 +0400

From 13 stations in 1935 to 182 in 2011, Metro also attracts thousands as an underground museum; plans to add another 120 km track by 2020

Omsk: Garrison city on the Irtysh

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:40:00 +0400

The Siberian city has been defined by conflict, but is rich in history

Tula: Loved by Tolstoy, hated by Lenin

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:44:00 +0400

The city known for weapons, samovars and gingerbread celebrates the 865th anniversary of its founding this year

Khabarovsk: a Baltic dream in Russia's Far East

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 09:59:00 +0400

This city on the Amur River mingles romance, history and fabulous forests, making it a magnet for tourists