Mariinsky Theatre Primorsky Stage
Vladivostok
This impressive new theatre is the Far Eastern stage of the venerable Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg and is the best place to see serious classical…
Must-see entertainment in Eastern Europe
Constanţa
Legendary rock club with a rep that goes back to the '90s for bringing to Constanţa Romania's biggest rock and metal acts. Check the walls for a list of…
Kazan
Contemporary art gallery and performance space, dedicated to the visual arts, including film, photography and painting. Check in during your visit to find…
Arbat & Khamovniki
This huge circus holds 3400 spectators, but the steep pitch means that everyone has a view of the action. The company includes hundreds of performers –…
Arbat & Khamovniki
At this unusual theatre, acrobatic cats do all kinds of stunts for the audience’s delight. Director Yury Kuklachev bristles at the use of the word 'train'…
Sofia
This slick venue, located in the National Palace of Culture (NDK), is the city's largest live-music club. All swished up in cabaret style, it hosts local…
Vilnius
Closed over the summer season, in the darker months this atmospheric cellar hosts live jazz acts – both homegrown talent and acts from abroad. Cover…
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg’s top venue for the classical performing arts often hosts visiting directors and soloists, as well as regular performances by the acclaimed…
Kaliningrad
This beautifully restored neo-Gothic church has excellent acoustics, and is perfect for organ concerts, chamber-music recitals and the occasional symphony…
Bucharest
Run by students, this underground club is a classic and beloved by all who go there. Most weekends bring live music, with anything from rock and pop to…
Evgeny Panfilov Ballet Theatre
The Urals
A wide range of dance performances are held here, some quite unique and memorable – such as performances by the 'Eugene Panfilov Ballet of the Fat' group.
Volga Region
One of the best conservatories in Russia, holding frequent performances by resident and visiting musicians in an architectural highlight of Saratov.
Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theatre
Ufa
A beautiful, historical theatre popular with locals and travellers alike. It's also the theatre where Rudolf Nureyev took his first steps.
Sochi
Many of Russia’s top music acts play in Sochi – most at this massive hall with its front open to the sea embankment below.
Western Estonia & the Islands
This striking riverside glass-and-steel auditorium with first-rate acoustics is considered the best concert venue in Estonia.
Iaşi
The Iaşi State Philharmonic Orchestra's home hall is excellent for classical music; there's a 50% student discount.
Krasnoyarsk
A place to watch sophisticated art-house cinema, often shown in the original language, with Russian subtitles.
Irkutsk
Head to this cheap no-frills pub and diner to check what Siberian and indie music are about.
Old Rīga
Home to the acclaimed Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Great Guild dates to 1854.
St Petersburg
Finally opening its doors in 2013 after more than a decade of construction, legal wrangles, scandal and rumour, the Mariinsky II is a showpiece for St…
Odesa
Housed in Odesa's beautiful former stock exchange building. Unfortunately, the original inhabitants (traders) asked the architects for a building with…
Zagreb
It does what it says on the tin. Perched at the top of the buzzy Tkalča strip, this haven of jazz, blues and soul rhythms stands out with its weekend live…
Kyiv
Kyiv's main football arena was completely rebuilt for the Euro 2012 football (soccer) tournament. Today it's the home stadium for Dynamo Kyiv and hosts…
Belgrade
Part of the Tašmajdan Sports Centre, Belgrade’s favourite basketball court is formally named after the legendary Yugoslav national team's coach Aleksandar…
Moscow
‘Maly’ means small, meaning smaller than the Bolshoi across the street. Actually, the name dates back to the time when there were only two theatres in…
Belgrade
Somewhat shielded from the crowds of nearby Knez Mihailova by its more ostentatious neighbours, at first glance this is just a bar inspired by Alphonse…
Bucharest
Housed in the courtyard of the French Institute, one of the most frequented cultural institutions in Bucharest, this cinema screens a variety of…
Belgrade
The Yugoslav Cinematheque's impressive and recently renovated building across from the Ethnographic Museum screens everything from the classics of world…
Bucharest
The National Theatre is the country's most prestigious dramatic stage. The building is a 1970s-era big box that's gotten a long-overdue facelift; the…
Bucharest
Situated in the renovated former Gabroveni Inn, ARCUB is a multidisciplinary cultural centre, with a regular line-up of art exhibitions, happenings,…
Belgrade
Serbia’s largest stadium and home to Red Star football club is officially named after its legendary player Rajko Mitić, but is better known as Marakana…
Belgrade
A collective of young and restless artists scouted, cleaned up and created a three-storey art space in an abandoned building next to the New Cemetery…
Belgrade
Mikser House is a creative nucleus that once transformed Savamala with its focus on design, sustainable development, art, music and culture. It has since…
Bucharest
This old-school basement jazz club runs a lively program of jazz and experimental theatre most nights through the week, and hosts an international jazz…
Arbat & Khamovniki
Almost all of the films shown in Russia are dubbed into the Russian language, but this cinema theatre is a pleasant exception. Apart from sticking with…
St Petersburg
This historic hall was constructed for Russia’s oldest professional choir, the Emperor Court Choir Capella, founded in 1473. Originally based in Moscow,…
St Petersburg
Very small and very New York, this cool club is the best place in the city to hear modern, innovative jazz music, as well as blues, bluegrass and various…
Moscow
This old-style blues club hosts an open jam session on Wednesday night, acoustic blues on Sunday and live performances other nights. The restaurant is…
