Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
INTRODUCTION TO MOSCOW AND ST
PETERSBURG
EuropeanRussiastretchesfromthebordersofBelarusandUkrainetotheUralmoun-
tains, over 1000km east of Moscow; even without the rest of the vast Russian Feder-
ation, it constitutes by far the largest country in Europe. Formerly a powerful tsar-
ist empire and a Communist superpower, Russia continues to be a source of fascina-
tionfortravellers.WhileaccessisstillmaderelativelydifficultbylingeringSoviet-style
bureaucracy-visasareobligatoryandaccommodationusuallyhastobebookedinad-
vance - independent travel is increasing every year, and visitors are doubly rewarded
by the cultural riches of the country and the warmth of the Russian people.
Moscow
, Russia's bustling capital, combines the frenetic energy of an Eastern city with the
cosmopolitan feel of a Western one. With its dense human traffic and show-stopping archi-
tecture-fromtheKremlin'stsaristpalacesandoniondomesofStBasil'sCathedral,through
the monumental relics of the Communist years to today's massive building projects - the
metropolis can feel rather overwhelming. By contrast, with its beautiful canals and grace-
ful buildings,
St Petersburg
, Russia's second city, is nicknamed “the Venice of the north”.
Foundedasaseaportbytheeighteenth-centurytsarPetertheGreat,whowantedtheRussian
fleet to be the strongest in the world, the city was intended to emulate the best of Western
European elegance. Today, its people are more relaxed and friendly than the capital's, and
its position in the delta of the River Neva is unparalleled, giving it endless watery vistas.
Uneven - and often ostentatious - wealth creation in both cities has made them twin figure-
heads for Russia's recent high-speed renaissance.
