With love from Russia – Travel tips and How to book the best hotel location?

Travel tips for Solos, friends, couples, and families!!

 

The calm before the storm!!!

These words seem to linger in my head daily. Why? My work life has been somewhat stressful. I think humans struggle with changes, and we are not completely honest about how the changes in our lives affect us.

There is a lot of changes happening at work, and yes, it’s making me nervous.

So what does Superlady do when she has no control over the changes that are happening? Apart from adapting and accepting these changes, whether they will have a positive impact on me or not, I packed up and decided to travel!!!!

Changing my scenery and giving myself much-needed space has always worked for me. While that might not be possible for everyone, we all need to find at least one thing that makes us feel better about life.

My journey to Russia

     

Firstly, Russia is beautiful and warm in June.

I was surprised by the first question I received when I returned from my trip. Was it cold?

Some people think Russia is a consistently cold and freezing country. Movies filmed in Russia have not helped our misconceptions about the place. Russia always looks icy on the big screen.

My decision to visit in June was to experience the real beauty of the country and to get away from the humid and sticky weather at home.

Russia is so green and so beautiful in the Summer!!!

 

Why travel to Russia?

 

I always wanted to travel to the largest country in the world. What can I say I have big ambitions? I also do not need a visa to enter, which is always a bonus.

Russia has its doors open to a lot of countries like South Africa. All you have to do is visit this website http://ru.vfsglobal.co.uk/visa_free_regime.html to check your status.

If you are not legible for immediate entry, don’t let that deter you from taking a trip to this beautiful country. Follow the visa process steps, and you will get a visa.

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My top reasons for visiting Russia

1. Russia was a five-hour flight from Sharjah airport. I love the fact that I can be somewhere completely different in just 5 hours. I know many people that have to travel for longer, but the short travel time was a plus for me.
2. Russia is not expensive– I have read that Russia can be costly, but after spending nine days in Russia, I don’t think it’s super expensive. It’s all about budget and priorities. Any holiday can be costly if you allow your wallet to hang loosely!!
3. The architecture – I love admiring the design of buildings. A walk around the city of St. Petersburg and Moscow will give you plenty of time to admire the age-old buildings.
4. The parks – I have never seen such green parks and the beautiful marble monuments that welcome you will take your breath away.
5. The metro stations– There are guided tours of Moscow’s beautiful underground metro stations. Moscow is known to have the most beautiful underground metro stations in the world.
6. Religious sites– Russia has so many churches it’s unbelievable. Visited by people from all walks of life, it is really impressive to see the architecture.
7. The atmosphere – Russia has a vibrant and carefree atmosphere. A day spent visiting the fantastic sites will allow you to experience what the locals love about their country. Couples and families enjoy the beautiful parks. The restaurants have music and people enjoying Russian cuisine or the other international flavors available.
8. Taking a trip between St. Petersburg and Moscow– Some would say they prefer St. Petersburg over Moscow. Yes, there is a difference between the two cities. They also very far from each other and share a lot of history. I took a one and half hour flight between Moscow and St. Petersburg. There are many transport options, but the quickest is by air.
9. The hotels – Russia has some beautiful hotels and accommodations. If you want to enjoy your holiday and feel comfortable, I suggest using booking.com to help you decide.
10. The nightlife– Russia comes alive at night. The sun sets late in St. Petersburg and Moscow during the Summer. So you can enjoy sightseeing, eating, and boat cruises.

 

What to pack for Russia

It doesn’t matter where in the world I travel, I always layer my clothes.

Climates are known to change, and weather can be unpredictable.

Russia in June was beautiful. Not very hot, as the country was at the beginning of their summer. The guide who took me on a tour of the city noted that summer started early this year.

It is usually in July that they have hot summer days and not June.

My advice is to layer!!

You will need an umbrella for all the weather conditions. Russia will have its rainy days.

• A light coat, scarf (My favorite item, especially if you plan on entering a church), hat, and comfortable shoes.
• Sandals and wet wipes (another essential) – I have seen people suffocating their feet on a hot day in trainers and socks.
• If you on holiday, try to wear shoes that allow your feet to breath. A lot of walking will leave your feet dirty. I use wet wipes to keep my feet and shoes clean.
• Hand sanitizer- Try to keep your hands clean with a good hand sanitizer. Finding a washroom can be a challenge. Some of the toilets in Moscow and St. Pietersburg will charge you a small fee

From Moscow to St. Petersburg

I flew with S7 Airlines. Russia’s largest domestic airlines from Domodedovo Airport https://www.dme.ru/en/  to Pulkovo airport https://pulkovoairport.ru/en/

I didn’t book my domestic flight until I arrived at Domodedovo airport because I didn’t want to risk missing the flight if there were any delays with my international flight. I opted to book it on arrival. This can be expensive and you are not always guaranteed a flight at the time you wish to leave. I am a flexible person and didn’t mind waiting at the airport.

There are many service desks available after you receive your luggage and before you exit the airport. The price will be higher if you choose this option.

If you prefer to shop online for a cheaper ticket try this link https://www.bravofly.com/offers/flights/moscow-saint_petersburg/siberia-airlines

My return flight I booked on my arrival at Pulkovo airport, and it was half the price.

 

Russia Taxis – How to be street smart?

You don’t have to take a taxi to Moscow city!  There are trains and buses available at the airport.

Since I was traveling with my ten years old son, I chose the taxi. Taxis are easier for families with small kids. Traveling can be tiring.

TIP– My number one rule of thumb is to always ask the price before getting into the cab. If you are a foreigner in a country, do not let someone else drive you to a location without knowing how much it will cost. This will get you into trouble. If you are not able to negotiate a price and you feel unhappy with the amount given. Don’t get in. Wait and try another taxi.

I paid 3500 Ruble –  55  US Dollars from Domodedovo airport to Red square. The driver wanted to charge me 5000 Ruble, but I said no. Considering it was peak hour and traffic would be heavy. I was generous. A trip should cost 2000 Ruble.

 

I paid 1200 Ruble-  18  US Dollars from Pulkovo airport to St. Petersburg city. The taxi driver wanted 2000 Ruble. I negotiated, and he agreed.

 

TIP- Be cautious taxi drivers will take advantage of you whether it’s from the airport or in the city. Remember, there are a lot of taxis. If you have asked 2 or 3 different taxis and you cannot get the rate you want to pay. Then you can decide whether it’s worth it or not, but I guarantee you will not be overcharged of you stay street smart!!

Currency in Russia

Everyone pays with Ruble. I didn’t use any Dollars or Euros.

TIP– Make sure you take enough cash. Plan your trip so you know exactly how much Ruble you will need. It’s difficult to change Ruble back into your own currency. You might be stuck with Ruble if you are not able to spend it all in Russia. If you run out of cash use the ATM wisely. Each transaction will charge you a fee. Any money left can be spent at the Duty-free. I got a lovely perfume on sale for 30Euros – 2164 Ruble!!

What is the best hotel location in St. Petersburg, Russia?

Tsentralny is a great choice for travelers interested in Museums, Art, and Culture.

I chose the Grey House hotel- Use this link https://join.booking.com/r/d/fea907b6?lang=en-us&p=4.

           

It is a 14-minute walk from Anna Akhmatova Museum and 1.9 km from Faberge Museum.

Summer Garden is 3.4 km from the accommodation, while Palace Square is 3.7 km from the property.

Closest Landmarks

• Dostoyevskaya Metro Station 2 km
• Vladimirskaya Metro Station3 km
• Vladimirskaya Church3 km
• Dostoevsky Museum5 km
• Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace6 km
• Alexandrinsky Theater6 km
• Anichkov Palace6 km
• Aprashka Shopping Centre6 km
• Arctic and Antarctic Museum6 km
• Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater 6 km
• Restaurants & Markets
• Бекицер — Israeli Street Food Bar Cafe/Bar2 km
• Burger&Crab Restaurant2 km
• Prisma Market3 km
• Waterloo Cafe/Bar4 km

Natural Beauty

• Финский залив Ocean/Sea11 km

 

 Closest Airports

• Pulkovo Airport9 km

 

 Most Popular Landmarks

• Faberge Museum 8 km
• Anna Akhmatova Museum 9 km
• State Russian Museum3 km
• Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood 6 km
• Summer Garden 9 km
• Hermitage Museum 2 km
• Saint Isaac’s Cathedral 1 km
• Winter Palace 1 km
• Nicholas Naval Cathedral 2.4 km
• Mariinsky Theater 6 km

 

TIP– The entrance of the hotel is unexpected, but beyond the old lift is a black door that will lead you into a clean and cozy establishment. There are no great views from the bedroom, but the location is so perfect it won’t matter. Breakfast was served at your given time, and we can select options from the menu list offered each day. I do like that there is no rush or long line to get breakfast and you can enjoy it in your room privately.

 

Things to do in St. Petersburg

                       

• Hop on Hop of Bus– If you want a bit of St. Petersburg history and a tour of all the necessary and famous attractions, then Citysightseeing Bus is for you. There are many private tour companies, but I prefer the hop and hop off service. It’s less stressful, and you get to learn some facts along the way. TIP – Keep your bus receipt for a 10% discount on any other Cityseeing bus ticket anywhere in the world.
• Summer Garden – The bus will drop you off in the summer garden. There is a museum in the garden that is free, and you can enjoy a cup of coffee at the restaurant in the garden square. The greenery and monuments of the garden will prevent you from keeping your camera in your bag. Instagram and Facebook lovers will love this place. The amount of pictures you can take is ridiculous. It’s a postcard place to visit and a great way to enjoy nature.
• Savior on the spilled blood – A must see! I didn’t go into the church but instead enjoyed taking selfies in front of it and the market behind the church. Here you can shop for souvenirs paintings and all sorts of cool Russian things. The river bank is also to the left and if you walk straight down you will find a beautiful park with an arch monument. The church is well located next to a beautiful park and its perfect for a small picnic by the river.
• Hermitage Museum– The second largest Art Museum in the world. It’s impossible to see all the art on display, but spending a couple of hours inside the Museum is worth a visit.
• Peterhof– For those who want to feel enchanted and love gardens and Palaces.
• Winter Palace – Ticket Prices: RUB 300–700  –  US Dollars 4-10
• Issacs Cathedral- This is also the hop on and off stop for the Red and Green line bus if you are going to use Citysightseeing Tours.
• Palace Square – Take a stroll along the Palace square, enter the gates that lead to the winter palace and enjoy the view. Be aware of the Bronze man and the many characters that will try to lure to take a picture. After taking a happy picture with your phone, they will demand a fee. This is their scam.
• Faberge Museum –Privately owned Museum. Explore masterpieces of jewelry and artistry as you tour the museum’s 4,000 exhibits spread through in 12 opulent galleries. The Blue Room, fittingly the central hall of the Shuvalov Palace, contains the Imperial Easter Eggs by Fabergé. TIP- The Museum is open every day from 10 am until 9 pm, except Friday.
• Summer Garden – My favorite place. Spend a few hours enjoying the park and taking beautiful pictures of the marble statues displayed throughout the park.
• The Drawing of the Bridges- If you are a romantic person or just a single night owl. The boat leaves at 1:00 am and takes you along the Neva river. You will see the Winter palace all lit up. Four bridges open up for the massive ships to sail through. This happens every night during the summer months.
• White nights in St. Petersburg- From late May to early July the nights are bright in St. Petersburg, with the brightest period, the White Nights, normally lasting from June 11^th to July 2^nd  Due to such a high latitude the sun does not go under the horizon deep enough for the sky to get dark.

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Save your cash and enjoy ST. Petersburg for free!

Free- Admission Days- First Thursday of every month the Hermitage Museum welcomes guests to enjoy the Art. Other museums that offer free days are Vladimir Nabokov Museum or the Sigmund Freud Museum of Dreams.

TIP- Arrive super early the lines are insane. If you want to avoid the lines during regular days, there is a self-service located in the garden. It costs 700 Rubles and the waiting time to get in is less. Children can enter for free.

Enjoy the City’s Parks and Garden- Yusupov Gardens, the royal Mikhailovsky Gardens, the calm Tavrichesky Gardens, or the famous Summer Garden with its marble sculptures (Museum and Restaurant inside)

Alexander Nevsky Monastery- The most important Orthodox monastery in St Petersburg; its Church of the Annunciation was the first resting place for the tsarist family.

Russian Art- Enjoying Russian art will cost nothing.  Anna Nova (annanova-gallery.ru), Marina Gisich (gisich.com), Art Re.Flex, KGallery (kgallery.ru), Bulthaup (design-gallery.ru) and Name Gallery (namegallery.ru) –

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Visit Udelnaya flea Market

TIP- One of the largest Flea Markets in the world. Here you surely will find some hidden treasures to take home. If you a shopaholic this place is worth a visit.  To get there, take the metro Line 2 north towards Parnas and get off at Udelnaya station.

 

Take a Tour of St. Petersburg beautiful Metro Stations

The beauty and architecture will amaze you. I am envious that the Russians get to travel in such beauty.

List of Stations

• Avtovo
• Kirovsky Zavod
• Narvskaya
• Pushkinskaya
• Ploshchad Vosstaniya
• Sportivnaya
• Mezhdunarodnaya

 

What is an anti- café ?

 TIP-You only pay for the time you spend in the café and not what you order. Sound like your type of café? I didn’t spend time in any of the cafes in the city, but this will give me a reason to go back to Russia.

From St. Petersburg Russia to Moscow

 

Arriving in Moscow City is amazing. As the taxi driver approached our hotel, I could see the floating bridge and St. Bastille Church welcoming us.

 

My Room with a View!!

 TIP- I never book hotels before the time. I only use booking.com because the rates I affordable and the service is excellent.

 

IZBA Red Square Guest House

 

Imagine waking up in the morning to the view of Christ the Savior Church and taking in the full beauty of the architecture. This is the experience I had, and it felt spectacular.  Attractively located in the Yakimanka district of Moscow, IZBA Red Square Guest House is a 12-minute walk from Tretyakov Gallery, 1.8 km from Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and 2.1 km from Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. The property is around 2.6 km from The Kremlin, 2.9 km from State Historical Museum and 3.5 km from Zaryadye Park

Closest Landmarks

• House on the Embankment-1 km
• Estrada Theatre-2 km
• Krasny Oktyabr-2 km
• Cathedral of Christ the Saviour-5 km
• Lumiere Brothers Centre for Photography-5 km
• Tretyakov Gallery-5 km
• Kadashi Church-6 km
• Kremlin Armoury-6 km
• Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts-6 km
• Kropotkinskaya Metro Station-7 km

 

Restaurants & Markets – Just below the building entrance there is a lovely supermarket

• Магнолия Supermarket-3 km

Closest Airports

• Vnukovo International Airport-5 km
• Sheremetyevo International Airport-5 km
• Zhukovsky International Airport-5 km

 

Most Popular Landmarks

• The Kremlin-9 km
• Red Square-2 km
• Zaryadye Park-3 km
• GUM Shopping Center-3 km
• Arbat Street-4 km
• Bolshoi Theater-8 km
• Donskoi Monastery-4 km
• Neskuchny Garden-5 km
• Victor Vasnetsov House Museum-7 km
• Luzhniki Stadium-9 km

 

Discover Moscow City

There is so much to do and see in Moscow!  It’s impossible to spend only a few days and feel like you have done it all.

 

TIP– Plan what to do, what to see, and where to eat. If you are going to stay in the location, I recommended or the hotel I shared you will start your trip perfectly. In walking distance of the hotel to your left, there is a huge Red Building right across the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Here you will find a lot of eating places. If you want to walk on the bridge, there are steps that take you to this historic landmark.

 

Don’t feel Hungry in Moscow!

Mizandari Restaurant

My previous travels to Georgia left me impressed with Georgian food. I always eat vegetables, fish and cheese when I travel, so this is the perfect place. My favorite is Lobio (Beans dish and Azari Khatchapuri made with cheese) If you cannot eat meat, chicken on your holidays. This place will satisfy your appetite. The location is hidden inside the huge red building across Christ of Saviour Church. There is a sign that will direct you. You may also opt to try the other restaurants there since.

 

Arbat Street Moscow

If you are looking for a tourist atmosphere, international food, American branded coffee shops, souvenir shops, antique shops, and free entertainment. This street is a must visit. I went searching for it. There is a lovely park nearby, and it is within walking distance from the  Christ of Saviour Church. I enjoyed the place and had a lovely Cinnabon.

TIP-Always be mindful and careful when walking around with cash. I did find Moscow to be reasonably safe, but it’s always best to protect yourself and keep an eye on your surroundings.

Free things to do in Moscow

Start with Moscow Free Tour –https://www.instagram.com/moscowfreetour/

These guys will give you great tips and make sure you get the best out of your stay in Moscow!

Hanging Bridge Zaryadye Park Moscow Russia

     

Just across the Kremlin lies the beautiful park with an amazing floating bridge. Feel free to walk to the end of the bridge and watch the boats sail pass below. The views of the city are breathtaking. The V shape is unique, and it’s impossible not to see people on the bridge. There are seating areas for you to sit and enjoy a small picnic. The amphitheater hosts free concerts, and there is an ice cave near the media center. TIP-On Mondays, the attractions in the park are half prize.

Lenin Mausoleum – Want to see a mummy? Sealed in a glass sarcophagus, lies the embalmed body of Russian dictator Vladimir Lenin. Frozen in time, Lenin’s body has been on display here since his death in 1924.

 

Visit Gorky Central Park– https://park-gorkogo.com/  There are a lot of events and things to do.

Alexandra Garden –The public garden runs along the west wall of the Kremlin, in the former riverbed of the Neglinnaya which now flows underground through a tunnel.

 

Changing of the Guard- Before entering the garden across the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with the eternal flame, stop and wait. Every hour the changing of the guard ceremony takes place.

 

Shopping Mall-Across the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier walk down and enter the doors to a shopping mall. There are branded names and lots of eating places. If you love McDonald’s you will find it in the mall, and there is an ATM. On weekends you will see children playing in the fountains and people casually sitting outside enjoying the summer month.

GUM shopping Center– Across the Kremlin. Here you can find eating places and high priced brands. Famous Russian hand made ice cream can be bought for 100 Ruble

There is so much to do in Moscow and so many precious memories to take home.  I will take another trip to this great country. I hope my tips and my experience will help you have a better and more memorable holiday!

 

Superlady!!