Russia

What to expect from celebrating Christmas in Moscow

October 4, 2018 by Karen Turner 3 Comments

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 reading for tips for attending the Christmas markets in Moscow.

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The unique Soviet-era hotel in Moscow that you must see

January 23, 2019 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

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?

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Our experience celebrating New Year’s Eve in Russia

December 26, 2018 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

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 bit with storytelling and I hope that you can enjoy reading about our New Year’s Eve celebration in Russia!

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Izmailovsky Market: a fun and kitschy market in Moscow for souvenirs

February 8, 2019 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

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 a souvenir from Russia!

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Yaroslavl: A picturesque weekend trip from Moscow

August 7, 2018 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

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 we did during winter in Yaroslavl. I emphasize the winter bit as Yaroslavl is a popular summer destination, however we didn’t let the cold bother us too much. I also include tips on where to stay and eat in Yaroslavl.

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How to Banya: Your guide to the Russian banya

July 18, 2018 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

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 visiting Russia. …

How to easily learn the Cyrillic alphabet before your trip

May 21, 2018 by Karen Turner 1 Comment

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 helpful language apps for learning useful phrases in Russian (or another language). This post also applies to learning the Cyrillic alphabet for other countries, including Serbia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Belarus, …

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One day in Sergiev Posad, the perfect day trip from Moscow

July 6, 2018 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

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….

Russian travel tips: 30 things to know before visiting Russia for the first time

September 1, 2018 by Karen Turner 7 Comments

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.

Seeing Moscow and the surrounding areas with my friend gave me the opportunity to see a side of Russia that many tourists don’t get to see as well as some of the main tourist attractions in Moscow. I’ve included a number of Russian travel tips as well as a few things that surprised me about traveling in Russia.

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A no-nonsense guide on how to get a Russian visa for Americans

January 12, 2018 by Karen Turner 7 Comments

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 vendors themselves and a lot of bad advice/advice intended for other nationalities, so I decided to write about my experience doing the Russian visa process and getting a invitation letter for Russia in order to get a single-entry Russian visa (similar for multi-entry Russian visa). The process on how to get a visa for Russia varies A LOT by country, so I’m focusing on the process for Americans.

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