Russia Tours & Holidays

Russia may be one country but it’s the sum of its varied parts. You’ll find the European parts of Russia, like St Petersburg and Moscow, quite fast-paced and cosmopolitan compared to Siberian towns like Lake Baikal. Then there’s the far north and Arctic towns like Murmansk that have an entirely different way of life again.

The most widely practised religion is Russian Orthodox Christianity, with about 40 percent of Russians identifying themselves as adherents of the sect. There is also a significant population of Muslims and about a quarter of the population identify as non-religious. Around Lake Baikal there is a fairly large population of Old Believers – Christians who practise an older form of Orthodox Christianity and more traditional way of life.

Russians may have a reputation for being frosty but most locals across this vast land value camaraderie and hospitality. Smiles aren’t necessarily doled out just to make strangers feel more comfortable, but no matter where you are, if you’re polite and curious you can expect to be embraced by Russians (though maybe not in the physical sense). An invitation to dinner will undoubtedly end in the host showering you with copious amounts of food and drink (yes, we’re talking about vodka).

Fiercely proud of (and vocal about) their contributions to the arts and sciences (brush up on your Tolstoy and Chekov before your visit), Russians don’t take kindly to negative stereotypes and generalisations about their country. Go with an open mind and you’ll find Russians ready and willing to share their hospitality, traditions and love for their country with you.

Ancient

There isn’t a lot of concrete information available on the early humans who lived on the land now known as Russia. However, rudimentary tools unearthed in the North Caucasus region (near Georgia and Azerbaijan) suggest that the greater region has been occupied (not necessarily continuously) for around 1.5 million years.

The Mongols vs The Princes

Legend says the Viking ruler of Novgorod, Oleg, conquered Kiev in the ninth century and used its strategic position to form the Slavic state of Rus’ – a collection of various noble families that coordinated trade but ruled each of their territories independently. The 13th century saw all Rus’ territories ceded to the Mongols, but the royals were often allowed to continue governing their territories as long as they paid lavish tribute to their Mongol superiors. The princes of Rus’ bided their time, buttering up their rulers by crushing peasant uprisings, and in the 15th century the nobility of Rus’, led by Ivan the Great, began to take back territory from the Mongols by force.

Tsars time

Ivan the Terrible crowned himself the first ‘Tsar of all the Russians’ in 1547. His legacy includes the beginning of the exploration and colonisation of Siberia and the unification of Russia under a nationalist autocrat. Michael Romanov assumed the position of Tsar of Russia in 1613, which began the approximately 300-year reign of the Romanov family, during which Russia conquered territory in Belarus, Crimea, Ukraine, Georgia, Estonia, Kazakhstan and more.

In 1917, widespread strikes and protests broke out across the country, motivated by a desire for better working conditions, better pay and a fairer society. As a result of this uprising, the last of the Romanovs in Russia (many royals and their supporters had at this point already fled the country) were first placed under house arrest and then executed in 1918.

Soviet Union

The series of uprisings in 1917 led to a years-long period of civil war between the Bolsheviks (communists) and the Whites (anti-communists), from which the Bolsheviks emerged triumphant. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was formed in the same year, led by Joseph Stalin. He consolidated his power and emerged as a fierce dictator, with policies of forced labour and brutal repression replacing dreams of a democratic socialist state led by workers. After Stalin’s death in 1953, the USSR began to decentralise, modernise and become less repressive until its eventual dissolution – or collapse – In 1991. 

Today

After the dissolution of the USSR, Russia underwent a very fast period of economic liberalisation, with mixed results. Russia experienced a series of financial crises throughout the 1990s from which it was slow to recover, and income disparity is still a big problem throughout the country.

Like a lot of countries with colder climates, Russia's food is typically heavy and hearty. Pickling and preserving are popular as a result of the need for food that can last through harsh winters when produce may be scarce. In large cities like Moscow and St Petersburg, the food scene is cosmopolitan and diverse, with plenty of chefs experimenting with fusion dishes and new takes on Russian classics.

We’ve compiled a list of the most bread-sopping, jaw-dropping, mouth-watering Russian drinks and dishes you should make a beeline for during your travels:

1. Laghman
   A signature dish of Tatarstan, a semi-independent part of western-central Russia, laghman is a tasty meal of thick pulled noodles served with meat and vegetables.
2. Vodka
   Even if you’re not normally a fan of the clear spirit, drinking vodka in Russia is undeniably a cultural experience just as much as a way to get your buzz on. Usually served straight from the freezer – neat or in a shot glass – and accompanied by a rousing toast (and sometimes a little snack called a zakuski), vodka is an easy way to bond with locals – just don’t ask for a mixer.
3. Medovukha
   This liquor, made from fermented honey, has been around since bee farming first became a thing and the drink still maintains a vintage air. Russia has a long beekeeping tradition and honey is still a huge industry across the country, which also makes for a healthy medovukha (mead) industry.
4. Pelmeni (dumplings)
   A Siberian classic, these meat and vegetable-filled packages are the perfect antidote to frigid winters. Often served with sour cream and dill, the little parcels of goodness have a more rustic and earthy flavour profile than their South East Asian counterparts.
5. Blini
   Somewhere between a crepe and a pancake, the blini can be served with either sweet or savoury toppings as diverse as caviar, salmon, jam and honey. They’re most popular during Maslenisa, the week before Great Lent in Russian Orthodox Christianity.
6. Pickles
   Pickling, the art of preserving produce in jars, is a widespread artform in Russia. From wooden cabins in rural villages to cramped apartments in St Petersburg, you’ll see jars filled with slowly curing cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms and more lining the kitchen shelves of local homes.
7. Chebureki
   Another Tatarstan classic, chebureki consists of meat stuffed in flaky pastry that is then deep fried. Onions, beef and pepper make up the traditional filling in this easy-to-eat street food staple, which are perfect as a roadside snack or bite between sightseeing.
8. Borscht
   It’s sad that this soup has become little more than a punchline to an unfunny joke about Eastern European food since in reality it’s a rich and respectable dish with an impressive history. Made from beetroot and typically including meat, garlic and stock, there’s a longstanding cultural stoush over who the sour soup really belongs to, with Ukraine also claiming the dish as its own.

Plant-based options

Forget what you’ve heard! Travelling as a vegetarian in Russia has always been relatively easy, as many staples of Russian cuisine are vegetarian by default. In terms of classic Russian dishes, vegetarians can safely order dishes like blini (pancakes), boiled potatoes, beetroot salads, fried potatoes and cabbage pelmeni.  

Travelling as a vegan requires a bit of creativity if you’re planning on leaving the major cities. Vegans should be aware the side dishes favoured by vegetarians are often prepared or served with animal fats. However, even eateries in small towns will usually have a few vegan options on the menu like salad, bread and potatoes cooked in oil. Both vegetarians and vegans should keep in mind that vegetable soups are frequently made with meat stock that may not be listed on the menu. 

Of course, this is all a lot easier when you’re travelling with a local, someone who knows the language and the culture and can help you tell your sorrel from your schi (they’re both soups FYI). If you travel with Intrepid, you’ll have a local leader who can help you decipher menus and recommend good plant-based choices.

Sharing its border with 14 countries, as well as the Pacific and Arctic oceans, Russia is the largest country in the world (twice the size of runner-up Canada). It’s not surprising, then, that Russia’s environment is incredibly diverse and ranges from Arctic tundra to coniferous forests and mountain ranges.

Siberia is the vast expanse that makes up almost 80 per cent of Russia’s territory. This region is known for its bitter climate and wilderness, with winter temperatures ranging from -45°C (-49°F) in the Sakha Republic to -22°C (-7.6°F) in warmer areas like Omsk. Though much of Siberia’s landscape cannot support agriculture, it’s home to a wealth of natural resources like natural gas, oil, coal and gold. For this reason, Siberia is home to some industrial cities that operate in mind-boggling environments, built on permafrost with expert engineering to withstand extreme conditions.

The Ural Mountains separate Siberia from European Russia, which houses about 80 per cent of the country’s population despite making up around 20 per cent of its land mass. European Russia – which makes up most of the East European Plain – is made up primarily of large plains, waterways and wetlands. The climate here is more seasonal than in Siberia, featuring winters with temperatures below freezing, but warm and wet summers.

From the Ural Mountains, Russia’s 102,000 kilometres of waterways flow into the Baltic, White, Caspian and Black seas through this East European Plain.

It's not just stories you'll return home from Russia with. There'll be plenty of opportunities to get your mittens on one of these iconic Russian mementos (and maybe grab some for your friends too):

Vodka

You may not be able to bring a lot of it back, depending on your country’s customs laws, but you should try to grab at least one bottle of Russian vodka while you’re here. Extra points for grabbing a bottle of Putinka – named after Russia’s President Putin.

Matryoshka

Russia's famous matryoshka, or 'babushka', dolls were first crafted in the 19th century and remain one of Russia's most recognised souvenirs.

Ushanka

Need a stylish but no-nonsense hat that also protects you from the elements? Never fear, ushanka is here. You can get the kind made from inexpensive synthetic materials in tourist shops or pick up the animal fur variety, depending on whether you plan to use it for costumes or during a Trans-Siberian trek.

Samovar

Take your commitment to tea parties to an ornate extreme with a Russian samovar. A precursor to the kettle, a samovar has two main chambers. The inner chamber is ventilated and made for burning a small fire. This fire then boils water held in the outer chamber where tea can be steeped. If that all sounds a bit labour intensive for you, they also make a fancy decoration or the perfect vessel for cocktails on tap.

Believe the hype, not the stereotypes, because there's nothing Russians love more than a reason to celebrate. These are some of the biggest days on the festival calendar:

White Nights Festival

It isn’t always pretty living this close to the Arctic Circle. Winter in St Petersburg, while undeniably beautiful, can be brutal. Of course, the flip side of the freezing winters are summers where the days never seem to end. While true ‘midnight sun’ doesn’t occur in St Petersburg (the sun sets for at least a few hours each day), the city sees very little darkness over the high summer months of June and July. St Petersburg hosts parties, performances and cultural events throughout this period, the exact dates of which change every year. This is a great time to visit the city as the streets hum with energy while the locals celebrate summer.

Victory Day

On 9 May every year, a massive display of military strength takes place in Moscow’s Red Square. Partly a commemoration of the end of WWII, partly a celebration of Russian pride, this massively popular event seems to get bigger every year. If you’re interested in military history, national identity or modern Russian politics, you might be interested in planning your trip to coincide with Victory Day.

Winter Festival

It makes sense that a country that experiences sub-zero temperatures for so many months of the year would find a way to embrace the cold. Every year during December and January, Moscow transforms into a festive wonderland complete with a glittering Christmas village in Revolution Square, ice skating at Gorky Park and a public snowman-making extravaganza on Arbat Street. If you’re travelling to Russia during the darker months, a visit to Moscow during the Winter Festival is a must.

Maslenisa

With origins as a Pagan folk holiday to mark the end of winter, today’s Maslenisa celebration is a chance to eat your fill of Russian pancakes (blini) while taking in various celebrations before the sombre Russian Orthodox Pascha period comes around. It’s an incredibly joyful and delicious time to be in Russia.

For inspiring stories to prepare you for your Russia adventure, check out these books:

• War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
• GULAG: A History – Anne Applebaum
• The Women of Lazarus – Marina Stepnova
• The Big Green Tent – Lyudmila Ulitskaya
• Heart of a Dog – Mikhail Bulgakov
• Lenin's Tomb – David Remnick
• Secondhand Time – ­Svetlana Alexievich
• Selected Stories – Anton Chekov