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Before You Go to Russia

Marisa Petrich

on October 8, 2009 10:00 AM | Comments (1)

Okay, I admit it: before a recent excursion to Russia, I could do little more than find it on a map. Having scored an embarrassing four out of ten on Traveler's Worldwise Quiz on Moscow, I was clearly starting from scratch when it came to preparing for this trip.

Now that I've been, I know that Russia is incredible and definitely worth a visit, but you ought to be in the know before you leave. Here are a few helpful tips to get you started.

Apply for your visa early. You need a visa to visit Russia--and to get one you need someone in the country to sponsor you. Usually your hotel or a Russian travel agency will act as your sponsor. Be sure to apply for your visa at least three weeks in advance and make sure all the information on it is correct before you go.

Keep your papers with you. By the time you leave Russia, you will probably have enough slips of paper to fill a scrapbook--there will be a form for just about everything you do, and yes, people will ask you for them. The first important document you'll receive (besides your visa) is the Migration Card you get upon arrival. You'll give half to the customs official when you enter, and keep the second sheet. Don't lose it! You need this form to exit the country.

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Celebrating the Season: Moscow

Susan O'Keefe

on December 10, 2008 12:00 PM | Comments (0)

All through December, we're showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Moscow and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below.

Michael Hopf, Chief Concierge

Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow

Take in the Nutcracker ballet by Tchaikovsky at the Bolshoi Theatre from the end of December through the middle of January, or the Nikulin Circus (aka the Old Moscow Circus) on Tsvetnoy Boulevard.

Visit Ismailovsky souvenir street market located outside of the city center to buy handcrafted Russian folk goods (like Matryoschka nesting wooden dolls), and paintings and souvenir items from the Soviet era. The nearby park is popular with locals for winter sports.

In several parks you can meet Ded Moroz (the Slavic Santa Claus) and his granddaughter Snegurochka giving small gifts to children. The Tsaritsino Park--a huge park outside of Moscow with a beautiful refurbished castle, is a popular park.

Among the traditional Russian dishes you should not miss are pirozhki (pies filled with meat or cabbage), salat olivier (the traditional salad in Russia) and a good shashlik. Other specialties include dishes from Siberia (Restaurant "Expedition") like pelmeni (a dumpling filled with meat or vegetable) soup, or the frozen raw ice fish cut into thin pieces and served with different sauces.

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