Ideas & things to do
Go to the Hermitage Gallery in St Petersburg. It’s huge, beautifully sited on the banks of the Neva, free for students and under 18s, and of course that small matter of having some of the best art in the world.
Click here >> for more info
See Lenin: you have to! Is it really him or creative waxwork? No laughing though, it’s all taken very seriously by the guards. Opening hours: Friday - Wednesday, 10am - 5pm (closed for lunch 12pm - 2pm), closed Thursday.
For the CD and DVD stock-up trip of a lifetime you have to go to Garbushka market in Moscow. Follow the crowds from Metro station ‘Bagrationovskaya’, at 120 roubles for the latest piratated copies you’ll find yourself in cheap disc heaven.
Click here >> to see the Moscow Metro map
Take a train and escape Moscow and St Petes, cities seen by most Russians as ‘pseudo - Russia’. Not only will the train ride be fun but in provincial Russia you’ll also see the real Russia, rough around the edges!
Visit Suzdahl. One of several of the Golden Ring towns just outside Moscow, it is one of the most beautiful towns in Russia, especially in winter. Take a horse-drawn sleigh across the frozen fields and lakes.
Go to an Orthodox Church. They are magnificent buildings inside and out, and the church music is enchanting. Just remember to dress and behave respectfully, and girls: you must cover your head with a scarf.
Check out a market. You’ll never be far from a one, the life and soul of Russia. There you’ll find a bit of banter and bargaining and plenty of random things for sale (pig’s head anyone?).
Make sure you see a ballet or opera, in the Bolshoy Theatre if you can manage it. The décor of the theatres and skill of the players will make you appreciate the rich Russian culture.
Click here >> for the Bolshoy Threatre website where you can book tickets online
Try the local food and drink. There is no better way to have a good time than sitting down to a bowl of Borsch while sipping a glass of champagne or knocking back a shot of vodka.
Banya time. This is like a steam sauna but more hard-core and enjoyable. You sweat like you’ve never sweated before, get beaten by a man with birch branches, drink beer to stay hydrated, and then dive into a freezing pool or run out screaming into the snow. Now what more could you ask for from a country?
Teach English in schools and universities...
Click here >> for an article about teaching English in Russia with GAP Activity Projects.
Travel on the Trans-Siberian railway...
"...The days passed quickly, too quickly, and the boredom that I had feared never set in. I’d hardly have read a page of my book before my eyes would drift towards the window and I became lost in what lay outside... Old women often came up to the doors of the train offering hot meals. A three-course meal could be enjoyed from your window if you didn’t want to visit the dining car that day..."
Click here >> for loads of info about the Trans-Siberian Railway
Ski or snowboard in Russia
Click here >> to find out more
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