World Travel 4 Indians

Russia

No trip to Russia is complete without a visit to the theatre. The most famous of Moscow theatres is the Bolshoi opera and ballet house. The Bolshoi Ballet often performs in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses.

The Stanislavsky Musical Theatre and the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow are a must for music lovers, as is Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theatre (The Kirov) in St. Petersburg. The world-famous Circus is located in Tsvetnoy Boulevard.

For late evening entertainment many night clubs and restaurants feature floorshows. A restaurant meal in Russia is an event to be enjoyed for the best part of an evening.

You'll have the choice not only of Russian cuisine but Georgian, Armenian, Uzbek, to name just some. There are many international restaurants offering American, Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Mexican menus, too.

For Russian souvenirs, check the specialty shops or visit the Izmaylovo market (Metro "Izmaylovskiy Park"). Among traditional Russian handicrafts are painted wooden dishes from the city of Khokhloma, exquisite lacquered boxes from Palekh and Mstyora.

You might also want to buy linen, Kzhell porcelain dishes, "Matryoshki" painted wooden nested dolls, or even caviar and vodka.

The city of St. Petersburg was created by the Russian Tsar Peter the Great in the 18th century as a "window to Europe". It soon became the capital and architectural showpiece of the Russian Empire. St. Petersburg was called Leningrad during Soviet times. Criss-crossed by many canals, it is a true "Venice of the North."

St. Petersburg has a wealth of attractions: Palace Square, the Winter Palace, the Peter and Paul

Cathedral - the resting place of the Romanov emperors - the Peter and Paul Fortress where the writer Dostoevsky and other leading intellectuals were once imprisoned, and the Russian Mint.

The Hermitage rivals the Louvre in Paris for its rich collection of art and should not be missed by any tourist.

You could try visiting other residences of the tsarist family - Peter the Great's country palace with its magnificent park and fountains, or the houses at Pushkino and Pavlovsk.