Russia Travel Stories

Jan 3, 2018 • 6 min read

Nothing in classic Russian literature captures the idea of paradise lost better than Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. The M2 highway going directly…

Dec 4, 2017 • 4 min read

Set along its storied namesake river, Rostov-on-Don is a geographic crossroads, standing at the historical border between Asian and European cultures and…

Dec 4, 2017 • 4 min read

Prior to its 2014 debut on the world stage, Sochi was celebrated in Russia for its sunny skies and balmy temperatures, which attracted privileged Party…

Oct 5, 2017 • 6 min read

Click-clacking along the tracks for thousands of kilometres, getting a glimpse into some of the most intriguing places on earth – it’s easy to understand…

Jul 21, 2017 • 5 min read

The Volga, at 3530km in length, is not only one of Russia’s longest rivers but plays an outsized role in Russian history as well. It was the main conduit…

Jun 6, 2017 • 4 min read

Lonely Planet Local Kira Tverskaya has been a Moscow dweller for over 16 years. A lot has changed in Moscow in recent times – from the appearance of bike…

Jun 2, 2017 • 5 min read

The Russian metropolis of Volgograd is a city on war footing – that war being WWII, of course. Seemingly everywhere you look there’s a sign, symbol or…

May 31, 2017 • 5 min read

Lonely Planet Local Ksenia Elzes was born and raised in St Petersburg and has lived there for almost 30 years. Petersburgers might joke about the weather…

Jan 31, 2017 • 6 min read

In recent years, Moscow’s major urban parks have undergone a great transformation – these days they draw people of all ages and social groups, and some…

Dec 8, 2016 • 5 min read

Russia’s fourth-largest city doesn’t overstate its importance with glitz and glamour. Yekaterinburg, instead, sits back and lets its pedigree reel you in…

Dec 6, 2016 • 4 min read

It’s well known that St Petersburg isn’t a cheap destination, and most of its entertainment comes with a price tag. But there are still many attractions…

Sep 19, 2016 • 5 min read

Huge and prone to architectural gigantism, full of energy, both positive and dark, refined and tasteless at the same time, Moscow is overwhelming in every…

Aug 17, 2015 • 4 min read

Contemporary art is not usually prone to hiding in the remote countryside, but here is an exception. Taken over by a group of architects and land artists…

Aug 10, 2015 • 4 min read

With wide avenues lined with propaganda posters, plenty of military uniforms in sight and its Stalinist-era name, Kaliningrad at first comes across as…

Aug 5, 2015 • 4 min read

While icons and onion domes still have their place in Moscow, the capital is now the epicentre of Russia’s cutting-edge contemporary culture. Long-dormant…

Aug 5, 2015 • 3 min read

Spend a perfect day in Moscow walking through history, discovering the city’s medieval foundations and modern flare and everything in between. The Russian…

May 29, 2015 • 4 min read

East of Moscow lies the land of small historical towns, ancient onion-domed churches, gingerbread cottages and largely unspoilt countryside, all in sharp…

May 15, 2015 • 5 min read

Fresh from celebrating its 250th birthday in 2014, St Petersburg’s Hermitage has completed the bold conversion of its General Staff Building, the…

May 12, 2015 • 5 min read

The 24-hour daylight gives the forested landscape an otherworldly sheen as the train rattles north, past several white-water rivers. Having previously…

Apr 29, 2015 • 4 min read

Stepping onto Red Square never ceases to inspire. For starters, the vast rectangular stretch of cobblestones, surrounded by architectural marvels, is an…

Apr 13, 2015 • 5 min read

Russia’s Arctic north draws adventurers looking for the unvarnished Russia: gritty yet lively northern cities; tranquil, remote villages amid placid lakes…

Apr 10, 2015 • 4 min read

On a quiet roadside in Kazan, a cluster of sky-blue towers and polka-dot domes erupts seemingly out of nowhere. The Temple of All Religions is as…