AnnaBanana1

We're planning on spending 11 days in Russia. Definitely want to see St. Petersburg and Moscow. We feel that we have time to squeeze in one more stop. Ideally, we'd like to go to a mountain resort (think Tahoe, Aspen, Iceland, etc.). Does anyone have any recommendations that fit that bill and are closer to either St. Petersburg or Moscow? Doesn't necessarily have to be in Russia....is there anything in Finland, Estonia, or Sweden?

Purpose of the trip is to celebrate my fiance's 30th birthday. We do want to splurge on a five-star resort, especially since the dollar is so much stronger than the ruble. Thanks in advance for any help!

kja

Depending on your interests, 11 days could go very fast in these two amazing cities -- each can easily merit 5 or 6 days. And I'm talking days-on-the-ground, excluding travel time.

I would encourage you to make sure you have enough time in Moscow for a day trip to Segiev Posad. And I would encourage you to make sure you have enough time in St. Petersburg for a day trip to at least one of the outlying palaces. If you have time beyond that, Novgorod would be worth considering -- but it is not a "mountain resort."

My opinion is that trying to fit a "mountain resort" into this trip would not mesh well with your goal to see these two cities in the time you have for this trip. For many of us, Moscow and St. Petersburg are not the most convenient locations to reach, so unless you can get to them easily, you might consider taking full advantage of your time in the area, rather than trying to carve out time to see something you can more readily visit from another destination on a later trip. Just my opinion....

Happy birthday, congratulations & best wishes for your upcoming marriage, and happy travels! Hope this helps....

janisj

kja: I'm not 100% sure -- and maybe the OP can come back and clear things up but this <i>might</i> be a troll.

She registered and asked her question -- then a short while later someone else registered and posted a response (since deleted) including a link to a resort.

tower

Anna Banana (great name!):

what are your travel dates? You might have more and better choices for the resort in Finland, Sweden or even one 1890's old elegance and resort (indoor pool, no less) and heavily forested hiking trails. We were there in winter, snow all around. This was in the High Tatras of Slovakia where we stayed in The Grand Hotel in a village called Stary Smokovec(vech).

I've been to the USSR during the cold war (faux war)and in the new Russia (as far east as Uzbek(SSR), now Uzbekistan....no sign of mountain "resorts," not that there aren't any. Putin would know, I suppose...he's a narcisstic outdoorsman. Don't tell him I said so!

I have pics of that classic Grand Hotel in Stary Smokovec, and many of the birch-tree forests of mid-Finland where there is a spate of hotels and cabins if that's what you want.....if you wish I can post them.

kja

@ janisj -- oh, that would make sense! It did seem like an odd request.... It'll be interesting to see if we hear back.

tower

Maybe I'm being a bit naive, Janis and KJA, but I also notice that more and more newer Fodorites are exhibiting travel knowledge or lack thereof that requires extra handholding. This is not the first or the oddest request of this nature that we will be seeing. I don't enjoy being made a fool of, as I'm sure both of you agree. However, it seems to go with the territory these days. Our choices are to "play the game out" and try to help, or just abandon the poster. There are all too many poster that throw out a question and are never heard from again. Remember the old song, "yes, we have no bananas"...?(Look it up)

nytraveler

Perhaps a troll - since it is a very odd request - not just the usual lack of knowledge of a first timer.

kja

@ tower -- I don't disagree! That's why I responded in the first place.

AnnaBanana1

Thank you everyone for your responses. I apologize if I offended anyone by my question on a mountain resort near St. Petersburg or Moscow. Indeed, I wasn't very familiar with Russian geography and resorts, which is why I resorted to ask online.

tower

Anna, dear. Thank you for returning. I, for one, do appreciate it, although 8 months later makes one wonder.
I repeat, try both Finland and Sweden's far north...although I recommended an interesting option in the High Tatra Mountains in Slovakia/Poland, The Grand Hotel in Stary Smokovech. Eastern Slovakia.

tower

Anna:https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...wSlovakiaThese will give you an idea of the surroundings in winter when we were there.(Scroll down to pic#12 onward.)

tower

Anna...sorry gave you an inccorect link.
This should work https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...TheNewSlovakia