I admit that I was mildly terrified when my friend recommended that we go to the banya outside of his uncle’s house. I’m terrible with the heat, but I was lucky enough to have a good friend happy to explain the ins-and-outs of the Russian banya, one of the most unique experiences to have while you’re…
Moscow is a stunning city, however culture lovers cannot miss the stunning Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius in Sergiev Posad. This stunning Russian UNESCO recognized monastery is an easy day trip from Moscow and perfect for those interested in learning about the Russian Orthodox Church. Keep reading for tips on visiting Sergiev Posad from Moscow.
Last year was a magical Christmas. Jacob and I visited our dear friend Nikita in Moscow.  Celebrating Christmas in Moscow was magical and one of my favorite parts of spending the holiday season in Russia meant that we got to visit some of the Christmas markets in Moscow, including the Red Square Christmas Market. Keep…
I LOVE a unique hotel. When I was visiting Moscow last winter, I happened upon Hotel Sovietsky. This historical hotel in Moscow is one of the most interesting hotels that I’ve stayed in. Keep reading for photos because who doesn’t love a gorgeous retro hotel?
One of the most unique experiences that I had this year was ringing in the new year in Russia. For a bit of context, my friend Nikita invited us to join his family for an intimate New Year’s celebration at his uncle’s house. I don’t expect that everyone will have our experience, but I’m experimenting a…
One of my favorite parts of my trip to Moscow was visiting the Izmailovsky Market in Moscow. This flea market is a favorite of both visitors and locals who love to browse for a good deal. Keep reading for tips for negotiating, how to visit the Izmailovsky Market independently, and what to look for as…
While visiting Moscow, I was very curious about seeing some of the historic cities along the Golden Ring outside of Moscow. When my Russian friend suggested that we visit Yaroslavl, a beautiful Russian city with a UNESCO recognized historic center, how could I say no? This post is about our experience in Yaroslavl, including what…
One of the best things to do before your trip to Russia is to learn the Russian alphabet aka the Cyrillic alphabet. This post will detail how to learn the Cyrillic alphabet with tips from my previous trips to Russia and Serbia. I include the best free apps for learning the Cyrillic alphabet as well as…
Earlier this year, I was invited by a Russian friend to spend New Year’s Eve with his family. I realize that my experience traveling to Russia may be atypical for other travelers as we spent the trip with friends, however I hope that my experience helps you prepare to visiting Russia for the first time….
Getting a tourist visa to visit Russia as an American was not easy. I say this as someone who has traveled to a lot of countries, however I’m so glad that we visited Moscow this winter. When researching how to get a Russian visa, I encountered a lot of websites that are written exclusively by the…
