Russia

Why You Should Add Kazan, Tatarstan to Your Trip to Russia

June 1, 2018 by Bino Leave a Comment

Ironically enough, the city that excited me the most during my trip to Russia was neither St. Petersburg nor Moscow. Sure, I was really looking forward to seeing St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square with my own eyes and to wander around the exhibits in the Hermitage but there was something about the Tatars, a Turkic people that call parts of Russia home, that really piqued my interest.

Compared to the Orthodox Christian majority that define most of Russia, Tatarstan (a republic within the Russian Federation) has a Muslim majority. The result is a hodgepodge of cultures. You have Russian with a distinct Turkic blend and this is manifested in the bilingual signs and varied cuisine in Kazan, its capital.

As it is a bit out of the way relative to the typical Russian itinerary, most people don’t visit Tatarstan at all. But if you have a couple of extra days to spare, I wholeheartedly recommend taking the 1.5 hour or so flight to Kazan for a slice of Russia that you definitely don’t see in Moscow or St. Petersburg. Without further ado, here are the top things you can do in Kazan.

…

The Perfect Itinerary for Russia – St. Petersburg to Moscow in One Week

May 31, 2018 by Bino 7 Comments

Given the vastness of Russia, a visitor can come here for any number of days and find that they’ve barely scratched the surface of what this northern country has to offer. A cross country trip would easily entail a medium-haul flight so it is perhaps not surprising that most visitors concentrate in the main touristic centers between St. Petersburg and Moscow, the capital. If you are visiting Russia and have around one week to spare, here is a suggested itinerary for you to follow.

…

Moscow or St. Petersburg – Which Russian City Is Better?

June 4, 2017 by Bino 7 Comments

As two of the most popular tourist destinations in Russia, most travelers who visit the world’s largest countries end up making their way to both Moscow and St. Petersburg. Both cities have a wealth of attractions, including palaces, churches as well as exciting culinary and nightlife scenes. But what if you find yourself able to visit only one – should you visit Moscow or St. Petersburg? Alternatively, if you have time for both, in which city do you spend more days?

During a recent trip to Russia, I had a similar problem deciding. My trip allowed me to visit both cities but I was not sure in the beginning whether I should stay for more days in Moscow or St. Petersburg. As such, the comparison I am going to do here applies both to those trying to allocate the number of days between the two cities as well as those who have enough time to visit only one,

…