Russia intinerary suggestions?
Feb 19th, 2002, 08:12 AM
#1
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Russia intinerary suggestions?
I am going to Russia for a little more than two weeks in late May and early June. I plan to spend 4 or 5 days in Moscow and 5 in St. Petersburg, with a day trip to Novgorod. This still leaves us 5 days.<BR><BR>I have been to st. petersburg before. This time, I am taking my parents, who have never been to Russia.<BR><BR>My question is this: Where to spend those final 5 days? I'm thinking about a side trip to Warsaw and Krakow. Are there other must-sees in Russia that are not in the immediate vicinity of Moscow and St. Petersburg? Most guidebooks cover those two cities and nothing else.<BR><BR>Thanks for your help.
Feb 19th, 2002, 10:38 AM
#2
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Remember that most likely if you leave Russia for an excursion and return you will need a dual entry visa in advance.<BR><BR>Depending on your airline schedule (ie, are you transfering in Helsinki?) I would recommend Tallinn, Estonia. The problem is that there are few flights from Russia, and the train service from Petersburg has been suspended. It is well worth a few days, along with Tartu and Parnu.<BR><BR>If you are a bit adventurous go up to Petrozavodsk and on to Kizhi (in northern Russia)--well worth the overnight train to and from, but I highly recommend taking some kind of organized excursion or a guide with you if you don't speak Russian.<BR><BR>I would highly recommend the Lake Baikal region of Siberia, about an overnight plane trip from Europe, but five days might be a little tight--that is an unexplored (by Americans) region that has both historic signifigance and natural beauty (similar in impact to the Grand Canyon).<BR><BR>Also, you might try a few of the Golden Ring cities around Moscow--Suzdal, Vladimir, Segiev Posad--again, not easy if you are doing on your own unless you speak the language.<BR><BR>Depending on your time of trip, you could take a cruise between Moscow and Petersburg--most are about five or six days, or alternatively a cruise from Petersburg to Valaam and Kizhi.<BR><BR>The only guidebook in English recently published that covers regions in European Russia beyond Moscow/Petersburg (at least that I know of) is the Lonely Planet Guide to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus--you might want to look at it to see what destination would match you and your parents' interests.
Feb 19th, 2002, 10:42 AM
#3
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mh--<BR>Although Moscow and St. Petersburg are not very close to each other, they are close compared to other huge distances in Russia, as you probably already know. But nothing in Poland is close to either Russian city. I would guess that with the kind of schedules for trains in Russia, you will lose a day just going between Moscow and St. Petersburg. So if you add up the days left, you will have about 3 days at most to spend somewhere else. A train trip to Poland will be the better part of a day each way unless you go overnight. That would leave you with perhaps 2 days to see one of the cities in Poland. Seems like a lot of travel for just one more city, but you will have enough time to at least get a flavor. If you choose to stay in Russia, Kaluga and Tula south of Moscow, and Sergiev Posad north of Moscow, are supposed to be interesting places. Although I have studied a lot about Russian geography and history, and I speak the language passably, I haven't been to these cities I just named as possible side trips. My recommendation comes from my reading. Enjoy your trip.
Mar 13th, 2002, 08:41 PM
#6
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Alice:<BR><BR>If you book your travel arrangements through an agent or tour company they will usually take care of this formality by getting a letter of invitation from your hotel. From what I understand a lot of it depends on the type of visa you are applying for. The tourist visa is the least restrictive in this regard.
