Most visitors to Russia will have heard of Fabergé, creator of the most ornate and precious Easter eggs on the planet. But how much do you know about these eggs? Here’s what you need to know. The son of a…
What you need to know about visiting Kizhi Island in winter
Given its location in the far northern republic of Karelia, you could be forgiven for thinking that the UNESCO-listed museum on Kizhi Island would be off-limits to visitors during the winter months. Actually, the museum is open year-round. The museum…
A beginner’s guide to Russian nesting dolls
If there’s one souvenir that’s synonymous with Russia, it’s surely the nesting dolls known as matryoshkas. It’s hard to resist bringing a set home from your holiday, but few who do know much about their origin and how they get…
How would you like to visit the home of Leo Tolstoy?
Leo Tolstoy, author of the classics Anna Karenina and War and Peace, is undisputedly one of Russia’s greatest writers. He was born on 9th September 1828 at the family estate, Yasnaya Polyana, located about 120 miles from Moscow in Tula…
It’s mushroom picking time in Russia!
As summer draws to a conclusion, it’s time to think about the harvest. In British parks (and even by the roadside), you’ll spot people with old plastic ice cream tubs furtively looking for juicy, sweet blackberries, but in Russia, one…