We are traveling to Russia the first week in May. We have 10 nights altogether and we land in St Pete - and return out of Moscow. We planned to take the train and wondered if there are any towns worth stopping in between the two cities for any amount of time.

Also I read in another thread about mosquitoes - will they be bad in early May?

Thanks

I suggest Yaroslavl. Marvelous church with a wall of golden icons. The town even has a very nice McDonald's.

Novgorod is a good and easy place to stopover between St Pete and Moscow. It is a very old city despite the name and very interesting with a kremlin and a river running through it. Take repellent - don't remember any in St Petersburg itself, I remember them in the countryside and in Moscow during the summer.

Thanks for the responses. Is Novgorod is good place to stay overnight? Will language be an issue? We will try to learn some basics before we go but ...

Thanks

Merri

Merris


Novgorod is a large town, and has an accessible kremlin....try to take in the changing of the guard at the Eternal Flame ceremony next to the kremlin park..usually conducted by teenagers in uniform...quite impressive experience.

Several years ago we stayed at The Volkhov Hotel, good location...very inexpensive at that time. A good overnight stop before proceeding to either St. Pete or Moscow.

I also liked Yaroslavl..just visited this October. On the Volga, and is considered a Golden Ring city. Quite large but nicely spread out.

Language is not really a problem as long as you can fingerpoint and have some of the basics down...English is much more widely spoken throughout Russia, I found, than it was in my earlier visits during USSR days.

stu t.

Another vote for Novgorod - and the Volkhov Hotel. Definitely plan to visit the open-air museum nearby (the TI will tell you which bus to take). For some pix see kwilhelm.smugmug.com/Travel/287618. Yaroslavl is also worthwhile, but I wouldn't have thought of it as between Moscow and St. P - more part of a Golden Ring tour from Moscow, which is certainly worth doing, but maybe not if you only have ten nights.

Language - learn the Cyrillic alphabet and take a good phrase book.

I also vote for Novgorod.ididn't stay over night bit travelled there on a day trip by private minibus.There is also a very nice monestry just outside the town which host one of the oldest (possibly The oldest)Icon in the country.
There is also an open air wooden building Museum nearby which for me was the highlight of the trip.

if you have ever seen Michael Palin's Pole to Pole ,Novgorod is one of his stopping off places.

thursdaysd
thanks for posting the link to your wonderful photos ,brought back some great memories.

Thank you for all the feedback. I think we have settled on Novgorod. I looked the Volkhov and thought it looked very reasonable. I also looked at the Beresta Palace - any idea which one is best situated for sight seeing?

We were planning to take the train from St Peterburg to Novgorod and then from there on to Moscow. Is the train the best way to go for both legs? I know there have been other threads on buying Russian train tickets - but I'd still take any advice (and we'd prefer to buy in advance if it makes sense).

Thanks again

Merri

unclegus - glad you liked the pix!

Merrisr - I took the train for both legs - day train from St. P, and night train on to Moscow, although the policeman sharing my compartment said that train could get rowdy. (It carried armed guards...) I'd still take the train, but I'd organize the tickets ahead of time. I used www.travelcentre.com.au/travel/russia/index.htm but I'd recommend taking a look at www.waytorussia.net/Transport/ too.

I travelled by road from St Petersburg and back,in a small minibus,it was not the best road I have ever been on and our driver was stopped for a minor infringement which is very common for cars/minibuses with foreign number plates.rst stops are also very limited.I would advise the train,much more comfortable

I stayed in the Beresta Palace many years ago for a conference and it was surprisingly good. The reviews on TA suggest that it is still a good hotel but I don't believe it is the most conveniently located for sightseeing.

Train would be the easiest option for both legs. The journey from St Pete to Novgorod is not too long by road and it is interesting to see the landscape/people selling stuff at the side of the road/stop at some markets (rynok) etc. I've been on the overnight train many times in Russia and prefer to buy out the whole compartment so as not to share with strangers.