Travel Tips: Russia

Russia

Due to things such as language (written and spoken), political culture, etc. I highly recommend traveling to and within Russia with a guided tour. This could include hiring a guide or a personal tour as the guide of a Russian resident.

We traveled around the Baltic Sea with a cruise line which spent two days (one overnight) in St. Petersburg and utilized the guided excursions provided by the cruise line. We felt safe and were pleased with the options provided. We had an opportunity to travel by plane to Moscow, but chose to spend both days in St. Petersburg. One day we visited the Hermitage Museum as part of a city tour. The second day we visited the Palace of Catherine the Great which included a tour of the countryside around the city. I could easily have spent several additional days, but was grateful for the time we had and what we got to see.

Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg

Hermitage Museum is a must-see if you ever get a chance to visit St. Petersburg, Russia. Like the Paris Louvre or London’s British Museum, one needs to plan a strategy and allow at least 4 hours of time to see the highlights. We used a guide the one time I visited which was helpful in navigating this huge complex in a foreign country. However, if I have the privilege to visit again, I plan to be more personally prepared with my own list of “must see art” and once I get the “lay of the land,” see if I can allow some extra time to explore on my own.