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 Russia
River - Ocean - Harbour Cruises
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As Russia
moves forward into the 21st century, it leaves behind
a turbulent history of tyranny
and a crippled economy: from Ivan the Terrible to Peter
the Great, from the fall of the tsars to the dictatorship
of the Soviet government. Today it is a nation embracing
its newfound freedom and future potential, whilst enjoying
a renewal of the rich cultural heritage of its past.
Despite the visible effects of hardship and economic
disparity, and its previous isolation from the rest of
the world, travellers will encounter a country of enormous
diversity and vitality, with cultural treasures and historical
monuments, great imperial cities and glittering cathedrals.
Visitors will experience the enchantment of Tchaikovsky,
the Kirov and Bolshoi Ballet, and marvel at priceless
Russian icons and the unique style of decorative onion-domed
architecture.
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Russia
is divided into 11 time zones ranging from GMT +2 in the
east to GMT +12 in the west. In summer the time is +1 from
the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in September.
The local time in Moscow and St Petersburg is GMT +3 (GMT
+4 in summer).
Electrical
current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Round two-pin plugs are standard.
Russian
is the official language. Some people speak English,
French or German.
The
international access code for Russia is +7. When calling Russia from
abroad the initial zero on the area code must not be omitted. The outgoing
code is 810 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 81044 for the
United Kingdom). City/area codes are in use, e.g. 095 for Moscow and
812 for St. Petersburg. Public phones are good for local and international
calls; they take phonecards, which can be bought at newspaper kiosks
and post offices. Phone booths in airports and major hotels usually take
Amex or Visa cards but are generally much more expensive than street
phones. Mobile phones work in most large towns and cities. There are
numerous local operators using GSM networks, each covering relatively
small areas. Visitors are required to declare mobile phones at customs
when entering Russia. Email and Internet access is available at Internet
cafes throughout the major towns and cities.
The main holiday season for Russians and foreigners
is during the warmest months of July and August, but it also
rains a lot at this time. The best times to visit are May and
June or September and October, avoiding most of the crowds
and the rain. Winters are very cold and bitter, especially
in Siberia.
Entry
requirements for Americans: United States
passport holders must have passport valid for the length of
their stay. A visa is required.
Entry requirements for UK nationals: British citizens must
have a passport valid for the length of their stay. A visa
is required.
Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadian citizens must have
a passport valid for the length of their stay. A visa is required.
Entry requirements for Australians: Australian citizens must
have a passport valid for the length of their stay, and a visa.
Entry requirements for South Africans: South Africans must
have a passport valid for the length of their stay, and a visa.
Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealand nationals
require a valid passport valid for the length of their stay
and a visa.
Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals require
a valid passport valid for the length of their stay and a visa.
Passport/Visa Note: Visitors must carry ID at all times whilst
in Russia; a photocopy of your passport and visa will suffice.
An Immigrant Card will be issued on board the aircraft or on
arrival. All visitors staying for longer than three days must
register their Immigrant Cards with their hotel or sponsor.
Anyone travelling on a tourist visa must hold hotel vouchers.
Exit permits are required on departure. These are usually issued
with the visa, or can be obtained at hotels not less than two
days before departure. Passports must be valid for period of
intended stay.
Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at
short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry
requirements with their embassy or consulate
You can also travel by boat. As the largest global canal boat wholesaler,
we offer you a choice of 3 self skipper companies: Amadeus Waterways,
Imperial River Cruising, Viking River Cruise and Value World Tour River Cruise
cruising is lots of fun. No license is required and boats are available for
2-12 passengers. It really is a terrific bonding time for families or just
a
great time for a group of friends. The boats are very comfortable and most
boats have en-suites and comfortable cabins. BBQ's , fishing rods and outdoor
deck
furniture complete the picture.
For details, Russia
River - Ocean - Harbour Cruises
Moscow
is the capital of the world's biggest country, situated in the centre of
the European part of Russia. At the very heart of the
city, and indeed the country, is the Kremlin, the Russian place of command
for almost eight centuries, and the religious centre. Red Square and the
exquisite,
colourful domes of Saint Basil's Cathedral, and the jewelled, Fabergé Easter
eggs of the Tsars are images that have long been associated with the Soviet
Union in the minds of Westerners.
The city of Moscow is a fusion of both splendour and ugliness
that is evident in the massive concrete slabs and high-rise
apartments of the Stalinist era, and in the ornate churches,
beautiful neo-classical houses, and the impressive architecture
of the old city. Wide grey thoroughfares give way to narrow
winding inner city streets, and golden church domes gleam between
the looming skyscrapers. It attracts not only those eager to
embrace new business and free enterprise, but also the poor
from across the country, and the extremes of affluence and
impoverishment are evident everywhere.
Since the fall of communism Moscow has been injected with
a sense of urgency to change the face of the 'Mother City',
embracing capitalism and shaking off the years of communist-imposed
atheism, with flashy shop fronts housing western franchises,
new restaurants and glossy hotels, and the restoration of lavish
Orthodox churches. The once dreary streets are now a vibrant
commotion of life with markets and eager vendors offering an
assortment of goods that were unavailable during the Soviet
years.
It is also a city of entertainment, with theatres and the
renowned Moscow Circus, museums and art galleries. It boasts
the world's largest and most efficient metro system with gleaming
stations deep underground, astonishingly decorated in elegant
marble, glittering chandeliers and gilded works of art and
magnificent mosaics. It is the soul of the new Russia and an
intriguing mix of history and politics, business and culture.
ATTRACTIONS IN MOSCOW
St Basil's Cathedral
St Basil’s Cathedral with its multicoloured domes is
the most famous image of Russia, standing on the edge of Moscow’s
Red Square, a striking design that was commissioned by Ivan
the Terrible to commemorate his victorious military campaign
against the Tartar Mongols at Kazan in 1552. Legend has it
that Ivan was so overwhelmed by its beauty that he had the
architect blinded to prevent him from creating anything to
rival it. It comprises a central chapel surrounded by eight
red brick tower-like chapels, each crowned with a different
coloured and uniquely patterned onion-shaped dome. The church
escaped demolition many times during the city’s turbulent
history and with the beginning of the Soviet regime the cathedral
was closed and later turned into a museum. The interior is
a dimly lit maze of corridors and delicately decorated chapels,
one of them housing a priceless 16th century screen decorated
with icons that shields the inner sanctuary. In comparison
to the exquisite exterior, the interior can seem disappointing.Address: Krasnaya Ploshchad 4; Telephone: (095) 298 5880;
Transport: Metro stop Kitai Gorod; Opening time: Daily except
Tuesdays between 11am and 5.30pm; Admission: 100 rubles, concessions
50 rubles
Red Square
Red Square is a dramatic open cobbled space in the centre
of Moscow, originally the city’s market place that served
as a public gathering place to celebrate festivals, listen
to government announcements or to witness executions, especially
common during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The Soviet state
turned it into a memorial cemetery, and constructed Lenin’s
Mausoleum to one side - a crystal casket containing the preserved
body of the founder of the Soviet Union that is still open
to public viewing today. The communist government destroyed
several ancient buildings around Red Square, including the
Resurrection Gate and chapel, to make space for and to allow
easy tank access to the demonstrations and military parades
that frequented the area. The current Resurrection Gate and
chapel are replicas that were built in the 1990s. Its most
impressive parade involved the gathering of thousands of Russian
soldiers ready to march to war against the Nazis in 1941, the
rumble of tanks a demonstration of Soviet might during the
Cold War. The word ‘red’ doesn’t apply to
the colour of the brickwork, neither is it a reference to communism.
The meaning of the word ‘krasny’ originally meant ‘beautiful’ in
Old Russian, referring to St Basil’s Cathedral at the
southern end, but over the centuries the word changed to mean ‘red’ too,
thus the square’s present name. St Basil’s Cathedral
is the city’s most well known building and is crowned
by the bulbous multicoloured domes that have made it an instantly
recognisable landmark.Address: Krasnaya Ploshchad; Transport: Metro stop Ploshchad
Revolutsii
The Kremlin
The oldest part of Moscow dating back to the city’s foundation
in 1147, and situated at the very heart of the city on top
of a hill, the Kremlin is a fortress surrounded by a thick
red wall interspersed with 20 towers. The complex consists
of a number of glittering, golden-domed churches and palaces,
museums, residences, offices, assembly halls and monuments.
It was the royal regime during the Tsarist rule and from 1918,
the seat of the Communist government. Cathedral Square is the
religious centre of Moscow and the historic heart of the Kremlin,
and is home to numerous churches. The attractive Annunciation
Cathedral was set aside for the private use of royalty and
contains beautifully painted murals and icons on the interior
walls. The throne of Ivan the Terrible can be found in the
Cathedral of the Assumption, which was used for the coronation
of tsars; most of the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church
were buried here and their tombs line the walls of the spacious,
richly coloured interior. The Belfry of Ivan the Great is the
tallest structure within the walls and a visible city landmark.
At its foot lies the world’s biggest bell, broken in
a fall from its bell tower in 1701, and nearby is the world’s
largest cannon, the Tsar Cannon. Also within the Kremlin is
the Armoury Palace, the richest and oldest museum housing a
staggering collection of treasures gathered over the years
by the church and Russian state, including jewel-studded coronation
capes, thrones encrusted with diamonds, royal coaches and sleighs
and the renowned jewelled Fabergé Easter eggs, each
containing an exquisitely detailed miniature object of precious
metal inside. The Diamond Fund Exhibition in the same building
contains the 180-carat diamond given to Catherine the Great
by Count Orlov.Telephone:
(095) 202 3776; Transport:
Metro stop Biblioteka imeni Lenina or Aleksandrovsky
Sad; Opening time: Daily except Thursdays from 10am to 5pm;
Admission: 300 rubles; Armoury Museum 350 rubles. Concessions
available
Situated on the
Gulf of Finland and spread over numerous islands in the Neva
Delta, St Petersburg is a city of arched
bridges, winding canals, wide boulevards, elegant palaces,
impressive squares and ornate churches, and as such is
often referred to as the ‘Venice of the North’.
It has an elegance also reminiscent of cities like Paris,
Berlin and Amsterdam, but is at the same time too Russian
to be European, and beguiles with a charm of its own.
It is the country’s most beloved and beautiful city,
founded by Peter the Great in 1703. It became the original
capital of Tsarist Russia, and the greatest artists, sculptors
and architects worked together to create the city’s
unique look. Rich aristocratic palaces and government buildings
line the streets, along with majestic cathedrals and elaborate
churches, from the golden spires of St Peter and Paul Cathedral,
the magnificent gleaming dome and grand colonnaded façade
of St Isaac’s, to the colourful multi-domed Church
of the Resurrection.
With its romantic
waterways and decorative tsarist architecture, St Petersburg
is also the perfect setting for the famous ‘White
Nights’, and the summer months of June and July are
crowded with visitors who come to experience the dreamy twilight
that takes the place of night, an occurrence due to its northerly
latitude when the sun never dips far enough below the horizon
to create total darkness, along with music festivals and
cultural events.
ATTRACTIONS IN ST. PETERSBURG
Nevsky
Prospekt
Almost three miles (five km) long, Nevsky Prospekt is one
of the best-known streets in Russia and is the main thoroughfare
of St Petersburg, starting at the Admiralty whose gilded
spire is a famous city landmark, to the Moscow Railway
Station and then to the Alexandr Nevsky Monastery where
some of the country's most celebrated artistic figures
are buried. It has been the hub of the city for centuries,
cutting through the most historical part, and home to
the most important sights in the city. Intersected by
rivers
and canals, the most beautiful part of the avenue surrounds
the Griboedova Canal. Here the impressive colonnade of
the grand Kazan Cathedral catches the eye, curving around
a small grassy square, and opposite the view along the
canal towards the multi-coloured onion domes of the Church
of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood (officially called
the Resurrection of Christ Church) is breathtaking. Modelled
on St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow and adorned with exquisite
mosaic panels the church is one of St Petersburg's most
striking landmarks, built on the site of the assassination
of Emperor Alexander II in 1881. As well as many churches
the street boasts St Petersburg's finest shops and restaurants,
old manors and impressive buildings, and a beautiful
mixture of architectural styles from the different periods
of its
history.
St Isaac's Cathedral
The golden dome of St Isaac's Cathedral dominates the skyline
of St Petersburg, the colonnade around the cupola offering
superb panoramic views over the city. It was commissioned
by Tsar Alexander I to be a magnificent imperial cathedral,
and the ensuing masterpiece was of grandiose proportions
that took over 40 years to build and was decorated in the
most extravagant manner. The Russian Classic style exterior
encloses a splendid interior adorned with red granite columns,
exquisite mosaics, painted ceilings, sculptures, frescoes,
and a beautiful stained glass window, incorporating many
different kinds of stone and marble work into the massive
structure. The cathedral can accommodate 14,000 worshippers,
but today services are only held here on special occasions.
It is worth noting that no photgraphy or filming is allowed
in either the Cathedrak or the Colonnade.
Address: Isaakievskaya Ploshchad 1; Telephone: (812) 315
9732; Transport: Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor metro
stops; Opening time: Open daily except Wednesdays from
11am to 7pm. The colonnade is open until 6pm; Admission:
50 rubles. Colonnade: 18 rubles
Peter and Paul Fortress
Situated on a small island on the Neva Delta across the
river from The Hermitage, the Peter and Paul Fortress is
the oldest building in St Petersburg. Planned by Peter
the Great as a defence against possible attacks from the
Swedes, the fortress never served its original purpose
as they were defeated before its completion, and the six
bastions at its corners were turned into high security
political prison cells. The notorious dungeons held many
famous people, including Alexei, the son of Peter the Great,
Trotsky and Gorky, and it is now a museum. Other buildings
in the fortress house the City History Museum and the Mint.
The midday gun is fired every day from the roof, echoing
around the city from across the water. Also enclosed within
the imposing walls is the Cathedral of St Peter and St
Paul, its distinctive golden needle-like spire visible
throughout the city. The first church in the city to be
built from stone, it has a richly decorated interior containing
the tombs of every Russian Emperor since Peter the Great.
Address: Petropavlovskaya Krepost; Telephone: (812) 238
4550; Transport: Gorkoskaya metro stop; Opening time: The
fortress is open 24 hours daily. The cathedral and museums
are open daily except Wednesdays and the last Tuesday of
the month, from 11am to 6pm; Admission: There is no charge
to enter the fortress, but the cathedral and museums require
tickets
CONTACTS:
Lastly and I hope you don't need it, but should
you require consular help - here are the details
Russian National Group, Moscow: +7 (0)95 980 8440 or www.russia-travel.com
Russian Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 298 5700.
Russian Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7229 2666.
Russian Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 235 4341
Russian Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6295 9033.
Russian Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 362 1337/8.
Russian Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 492 3492 (Consular
section)
Russian Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 476 6113.
United States Embassy, Moscow: +7 095 728 5000.
British Embassy, Moscow: +7 095 956 7200.
Canadian Embassy, Moscow: +7 095 105 6000.
Australian Embassy, Moscow: +7 095 956 6070.
South African Embassy, Moscow: +7 095 540 1177.
Irish Embassy, Moscow: +7 095 937 5900
New Zealand Embassy, Moscow: +7 095 956 3579/956 3580.
Emergencies: 112
Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO)
Location: The airport is situated 16 miles (26km) northwest
of Moscow. Time: Local time is GMT +3 (GMT +4 from the last
Sunday in March to the last Sunday in September). Contacts:
Tel: +7 095 234 3130. Transfer between terminals: Most international
flights will arrive at Sheremetyevo II. Sheremetyevo I, about
15 miles (24km) away, serves domestic flights. Public and Express
buses, taxis and free airline shuttles are available between
the terminals. Transfer to the city: Taxis are available from
outside both terminals; passengers should avoid the renegade
taxi drivers and go to the official taxi counter. Rates are
fixed. There is an express bus services, which leaves from
outside Sheremetyevo 1 and 2 for the nearby metro stations
that connect to the city centre. Minibuses are also available.
Car rental: Car rental companies include Avis, Hertz, National
and Budget. Facilities: Moscow Airport is a soulless, dimly
lit, grey building and long stopovers here should be avoided
if possible. The staff are slow and inefficient and the queues
for passport control and check-in are long. Once through check-in,
however, the facilities are fine, including bureaux de change,
restaurants, bars, duty-free shopping and a post office. Disabled
facilities are limited but wheelchair transfer from the aircraft
to the terminal building can be arranged in advance. Left luggage
counters, a business conference centre and ATMs are available
in Terminal 2. Departure tax: None. Website: www.sheremetyevo-airport.ru
Pulkovo International Airport (LED)
Location: The airport is situated 10 miles (16km) south of
St Petersburg. Time: Local time is GMT +3 (GMT +4 from the
last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in September). Contacts:
Tel: +7 812 104 3450. Transfer between terminals: The two airport
terminals are a considerable distance apart and are only connected
by taxi; fares are usually exorbitant. Transfer to the city:
Bus No.13 leaves for Moskovskaya Metro Station from outside
Terminal 2, from where metros go to the city centre. Taxis
are also available from both terminals; prebooking a taxi is
far cheaper. Passengers who are staying in a major hotel can
arrange to be picked up. Car rental: Hertz car rental is represented
at both terminals. Facilities: Pulkovo is a 'no frills' airport.
There are some services available however, including a few
duty-free shops, a bureau de change, snack bars, restaurants,
a post office, Internet access and an ATM. Parking: Short-
and long-term parking is available. Departure tax: None
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