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…
Moscow celebrates its 869th anniversary!
On the first weekend in September, Moscow has traditionally celebrated its city day. This year, the festivities have been moved to the weekend of 10th and 11th September in a bid to separate the celebrations from the commemorations of victims…
Have you considered a trip to Kazan?
Ask many overseas visitors to Russia to list the country’s great cities and you’ll be hard pushed to find Kazan on a list. That’s not because Kazan isn’t great. It’s because, despite receiving 2.1 million tourists last year, Kazan is…