You will not believe how cold it is outdoors - and how overheated the indoors usually are.

Unfortunately this makes long underwear impractical (you would die of the heat indoors. that leaves you with layers of very warm clothing. You will need snow boots that are well-insulated on the bottom and lined to be very warm. You will need hat - preferably covering your ears, scarves and very warm gloves (not leather). Plus a heavy winter coat, long sleeve shirts, heavy woolen sweaters and warm pants -preferably wool or heavy cords.

Don;t forget that the Russian winter defeated both Napoleon and Hitler - do not underestimate how cold and windy it will be - the latter esp in St Pet. (Do check a wether web site to see the averages - but I believe the average high is about 20 and the average low around 15. But - naturally it can get much colder.) It turned cold on us in St pet in mid Sept - going from highs around 60 down to the low 40s over one night. Locals had pulled out their winter clothes and seemed set for the season.

Generally the snow is kept under control (unless you hit a major storm) but the sidewalks will be very cold due to weeks of a hard freeze.

No, take long, silk underwear - available thru LLBean, Most important are those lined, well-insulated boots, preferably with a platform sole and heel. You can get silk gloves to layer with heavy gloves at a ski shop. If you don't have a fur coat, go to a second-hand shop and get a nice, long one. They should be cheap with all the PETA people getting rid of theirs. See if you can find one for your husband, too. Everyone in Russia will be wearing fur. It's the only way to deal with that sort of cold. Just make sure you have restaurant reservations for Christmas Eve, Jan. 6, and Christmas Day, Jan. 7. Enjoy !

I have never been so cold as when we went to Moscow in January. It was so cold, there was ice on the INSIDE of the windows of the tour bus!

You have gotten exactly the advice I would give, especially about wearing fur. If you have it, wear it! You won't regret it.

Do you have tips on where I might find the type of boots you are referring to? links? I've been looking around here in the US but seems I need something warm, practical, and somewhat stylish as everything that I've read seems to keep saying how stylish the Russians are. I figure if I can find a nice pair and fit in, then its a win win.

Any suggestions for restaurants where I should make reservations for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? We are staying at the W in St. Petersburg and that is where we will be for those days.

Also, any suggestions on Flying or Train to Moscow? Seems cheaper and obviously quicker to fly, but wasn't sure if flying in jan. was smart with winter conditions?

Will most things be closed on those two days Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? Shops, restaurants, museums, etc? Anything fun that we might be able to do or will we be stuck in our hotel mostly on those days? Maybe an organized tour would run that day?


I appreciate ALL of your help on these matters. I have so many questions. I'm just trying to make this is a memorable trip because not sure when we will be able to get back to Russia, and I know we aren't really going at an ideal time.

I would check out the cold weather boots from La Canadienne. I think in the US you can order the La Canadienne brand from zappos.com.

Here's an example of one of their cold weather boots:

http://www.lacanadienneshoes.com/boots/kia-black.html

The cosiest shoes for January are uggs, the cosiest clothes - down coat or jacket. About Christmas we never know, the government changes plans for holidays every year. But don't worry, in Moscow you always find a lot to do. We never have complete days off. Something always works. May be some museums will close, but you always find a lot of open air activities which don't require tickets. Shops and restaurants are open. If you need any help, feel free to ask.

Russians in the whole are NOT known for being fashionable. Yes, there will be some young, wealthy, trendy, fashionable people. There will also be a lot wearing the most basic cold weather
gear.

That bootie is very cute - but I would want something taller - that you can tuck your pants legs into (it will make a big difference in keeping your legs warm.)

I have been to Moscow and St Petersburg in the summer only but my mom went in winter and she told me that her hands were literally freezing inside her gloves. Besides a fur or a very warm alternative, you need a hat that will keep you very warm and will cover your ears very well. And I mean it. A knitted hat that you can pool over your ears won't do it. Russians have a winter hat they call ushanka. Google it and you will see what I mean.

You will notice how well all Russians are prepared for winter in terms of clothing. They spare no money for quality furs, hats and other accessories to be warm.

Hi,

uggs are great for keeping feet warm, but not for keeping out water at all. if you walk through slush water gets in and your feet are cold. Look at Frye boots and LL Bean is a good resource. Fur and a scarf and layer.

have fun, Yipper

I was in Moscow this past Feb and have been there in winter more times than I can remember. Not every winter is very cold and the temperature can vary from day to day. Anything down to -15c/5F is OK for walking around, when it gets below that or very windy then it's a bit uncomfortable. I've been in NY during March with snow and it was just as cold if not worse due to the wind. It was only -5C/23F

Uggs are completely useless for this type of climate. Boots that are waterproof (so when you trudge thru the snow & it melts your feet don't become wet.) and a thick sole (for grip) is what I would recommend, plus some thermal underwear. I have Rockports which are more like trekking boots and I wear with thick socks and find that perfect. Tall expensive leather boots will get ruined & not necessary if you wear pants and have thermals underneath and wear with socks. La Canadienne Kia boot, it's a wedge boot made of suede? Gorgeous as it is, it will be both useless and ruined in about 5 mins. The style called Avery is more suitable IMO but a hell of alot less stylish. There is alot of walking to do to see the various sites.

Far from finding Russians unfashionable (which is a last century comment & completely out of touch with the Russia of today), you will find they are both fashionable and stylish esp when it comes to winter dress (there are notable exceptions obviously but in the main....). And Russians dress up to go out - not down.

Russians don't wear ushanka's very much, you will be hard pushed to find a fur hat anymore, mainly in the older generation & the police/military. Just take a winter overcoat, hat, boots and gloves plus normal clothes for evening and/or restaurants or being indoors generally which is quite overheated in same cases. Hat is very important.

It's true the Russian government changes public hols (the May ones this year were all over the place) but Christmas and New Year never changes - it's always the 1st 2 weeks of Jan.

There is no prob with either flying or train between St Pete and Moscow, it's personal preference, I like the train because it's an experience. There are no issues flying due to snow unless there is a particularly bad storm.

I live in San Diego, too, and although I have never been to Russia, I grew up in the Midwest and New York City, so I know about cold wintry weather. In general, the winter coats you find in San Diego will not be warm enough for St. Petersburg in January. I suggest layering. Make sure you bring a scarf to wrap around your neck, even a regular cotton one will do. Also warm gloves, not the stylish leather ones we see in San Diego.

You probably don't want to spend a lot of money on winter clothing since you won't need it at home. Maybe one of these coats would work:

Land's End down coat: http://www.landsend.com/pp/womens-down-long-commuter-coat~233874_59.html?cm_mmc=128660126&applyPromo=0

North Face Arctic parka:
http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/sc-gear/womens-arctic-parka_2.html

The North Face Bella Alta snow boot gets good reviews on this site.
http://www.altrec.com/the-north-face/womens-bella-alta-snow-boot
If you don't wear a size 6 or 7, you can also find them on other websites.

Check the last paragraph for advice on what to wear:
http://www.saint-petersburg.com/weather/winter.asp

Here's some climate info:
http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/russia/fahrenheit/st--petersburg.htm

Also, I always check the long-range weather forecast before I travel overseas. Not perfect, but it will give you a general idea of what to expect:
http://www.accuweather.com/en/ru/st-petersburg/295212/weather-forecast/295212

Thank thank you for all your comments…lots of good suggestions!

I ordered these boots yesterday: http://www.onlineshoes.com/womens-sorel-tofino-black-oyster-p_id228948
I hope this was a wise purchase, as the cost wasn't too bad…any thoughts?


Next step is a good coat! I was really hoping to buy one of the big black fur (stereo typical) Russian hats when I get there. As someone mentioned earlier they are hard to find? I figured they would be all over?

You could try ordering a hat online:

http://www.furhatworld.com/womens-russian-hats-c-36_48.html

http://www.bigfurhats.com/servlet/the-Russian-Hats--fdsh--Ushanka/Categories

http://www.rusclothing.com/traditional-russian/fur-hats/

Your Sorel boots look good. I bought a fox hat like the one I think you mean in a fur shop in GUM in Moscow on sale for $200. Have you hit the second-hand shops in La Jolla for a fur coat yet ?

Yes, this boot looks better. You should be able to find a lot of options at Eddie Bauer, Land's End or similar. They also have good down winter coats (my B has one that's good to minus 40) since it does get cold, wet and windy in NY some winters), But if you won;t ge to wear it elsewhere you may may to try to find a second hand one online (you can always have it cleaned before wearing).

As for scarves - you need wool and big enough that you can wrap around your entire lower face if the weather gets bad. If you try to breathe in really cold and dry air your lungs can hurt like anything and you can end up with a nosebleed.

I lived in St. Petersburg, arriving the end of January. I'd say you did great buying the Sorels, as they are warm, waterproof, have a nice grip at the bottom, and are fashionable. You will see many wearing those kind of boots around Russia.

I was in heaven with my North Face boots. My feet would get so hot considering the temps outside were excruciatingly cold. The Sorels remind me of my boots. I also brought my knee length goose down coat, which was also a godsend. I was a walking warm pillow!

What's also important is finding a scarf (bring a few) that you can wrap around the bottom part of your face and still continue to breath. I found I did worse with my cashmere scarf as it got wet due to my breathing. Perhaps wool would be best.

Any warm hat that covers your ears, and warm gloves are literally lifesavers. I wouldn't go crazy looking for a fur hat, only old people wear them. It's finding one that covers your ears that's important. As long as you've got a good coat, don't bother about the silk underwear or long John's. Indoors will be very warm. I didn't buy anything special for regular clothes, and wore my normal NYC winter clothing.

I hope this helps.

I live in San Diego too, and the winter weather in Russia will be brutal in contrast. Keep in mind that the winter daytimes will be very short, esp. in St. Pete. It will seem dark almost all the time - which can get sort of depressing. Too bad you won't be in St. Pete in the summertime with its white nights.

Russians often keep indoor places heated HOT, so you'll be wanting to take off all that outerwear at the entrances. Coat check rooms are everywhere, sometimes for a fee or tip. Make sure that your coats have a sturdy cloth or leather hook in the neck or you'll get dirty looks from the babushkas. I'd also iron name labels inside your outerwear. Most homes have hooks and coat racks, plus slippers for guests to put on after they take off their outdoor shoes.

I disagree with a prior poster: Russian women, in particular those under 40, dress very fashionably and American women may feel underdressed even if they're out shopping or on the subway if they don't look sharp. Average Russian women may not have as many outfits as the typical American, but they rotate their nice outfits frequently and keep themselves made up well.

I had friends in Russia and they laughed at the outerwear I brought. Thankfully, they shared their extra coats and gloves with me. However, I have very wide feet and it's best to buy footwear in the U.S. and break it in first.

It will be helpful to learn some common letters in Cyrillic so you can read a few signs, as well as common words like "Entrance" "Exit" "restroom" "please" and the ubiquitous NYET and neznayu (Я не знаю) for "I don't know."

Theft, trickery, and petty crime against foreigners is rampant. Read up on common Russian scams before you go. Moscow and St. Pete are VERY expensive.

I must have a different view of fashionable. When we went to the ballet the locals were certainly dressed up - and had obviously had their hair done and covered themselves in some very strong perfume. Granted there were a few younger women that were well-dressed- but most of the younger - and almost all of the older - were either quite tacky ( as in totally overdressed) or looked like TJ Max originals.

When I first visited, fashion wise, I felt insecure. It seemed every woman appeared flawless. When I lived there, yes, there were times I felt under dressed, but I have to agree with nytraveler, once I mixed with other Russians, I noticed the women's clothing was hardly classical. It was more overdone, tacky and sparkly.

One thing though is for certain, younger Russian women on average do go to extremes to do their hair and apply makeup. I could get self conscious about this and rarely ever left the house without checking my hair in the mirror.

hi! I am from Saint-Petersburg. I do agree with the tips on really warm boots, better high boots. It certainly will be very cold, there is rarely a medium cold weather like last winter, when it was about 0C, usually it is very snowy (sleety if it snows in the center, due to all the salt they spread on pavements), but in the very center pavements are usually clean of snow, only if it wasn't really stormy. And it is around -10 \ -25C. So a hat, nice warm scarf and mittens or warm gloves will help.
As for Christmas days off, I think most if not all the stores, restaurants and attractions will be open and till late, so you won't have any problem going somewhere. I don't think you will need a restaurant reservation in advance as Orthodox Christmas is an in-home holiday and at the same time not that many people celebrate it. New years eve is the celebration day here and everyone is outside, fireworks are everywhere, that's quite a thing to see.
I don't know for sure if all the museums are open, but usually they are, they have their own days off. Like Hermitage is always closed on Monday, Russian museum on Tuesday.
And there was a Christmas bazaar past couple of years near Alexandrinski Theatre, that's a very nice place to go to just to look around, have some hot pancakes, buy souvenirs, etc.

Hope you like it here, the city is magnificent, enjoy your stay!