Shopping
Overview
Almost all western consumer goods are now available in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In all tourist centers there are special shops where you can pay with hard currency. In all other shops you have to pay in local currency; here you have to queue for the items, to pay and to receive the goods. An export license is required for antiques, other valuable objects, works of art and manuscripts that are not bought in the souvenir shops. Popular souvenirs are Matryoshkas, the brightly painted wooden dolls, boxes with fairy tale motifs, carved toys and paintings on wood or enamel. Shop opening hours: Mon-Sat 09.00-17.00. Many shops are also open on Sundays.
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Nightlife
Introduction
Theater, circus, concerts and vaudeville are usually on the visitor program. Moscow is the cradle of Russian theatre. Tickets should be ordered from the service office of each hotel. details on site. Music and dancing are also featured in most restaurants, nightclubs and larger restaurants. There are 69 casinos in Moscow. Nightclubs and discotheques are usually open from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
events
National events
Culinary
Overview
The breakfast is usually very rich and consists of sausage, boiled eggs, bread, sour cream, yoghurt, jam and Russian tea. Kascha, a pearl barley porridge, is also often served for breakfast. The main meal usually consists of three or four courses. One of the most famous Russian dishes is borscht, a beetroot soup served hot with sour cream that tastes similar to akroshka (cold kvass soup). Boeuf stroganow (sliced beef tenderloin stewed in sour cream), blini (pancakes usually served with caviar or salmon and sour cream), aladyi (sweet blini with jam filling) and ikra or krasnaya ikra (black or red caviar) are well-known all over the world. Blintschi (pancakes) made from semolina or buckwheat with a sweet sauce are particularly popular for dessert. Drinks: One of the most popular drinks is chai (black tea). Vodka is often flavored with spices and herbs, e.g. B. with Zubrowka (a type of grass), Riabinovka (a type of berry), Starka (dark and pleasant in taste) and Pertsowka (with hot paprika). Russian sparkling wine is excellent and inexpensive. Kvass is a refreshing and unusual drink made from black bread and raisins. Drinks are usually ordered by the gram or bottle. According to current regulations, no more than 100g of alcoholic beverages may be sold per person per meal. Bars and cafes usually close at 10pm.
Accommodation
Camping
Numerous campsites are available.
Other accommodation options
Currently there are two hostels in St. Petersburg, two in Moscow, one in Novgorod and one in Irkutsk. Youth hostels are usually safer and cleaner than hotels in the same price range. Reservations should be made at least 3-4 weeks in advance. There is no age limit. For more information, contact the Russian Youth Hostel Association, St Petersburg International Hostel, 3rd Sovietskaya Street, Building no 28, RU-St. Petersburg 193069. Tel: (812) 277 0569 or 329 8018. (Internet: www.hostelling-russia.ru or www.ryh.ru)
Culture
Religion
Mainly Christian religions; the Russian Orthodox Church is the largest denomination (15-20%). There are also Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish minorities.
Social Rules of Conduct
Appropriate manners: Only men shake hands when greeting. Visitors are always impressed by the obvious hospitality. Company gifts are gladly accepted. Clothing: Basically, you can never go wrong with rather conservative clothing. Smoking: Smoking is in schools, colleges, in elevators, in stairwells, in children’s playgrounds, within a 15-meter radius around the entrances to the metro, in restaurants, cafes, clubs, in stations and on trains, as well as in all others forbidden on public transport. Tipping: If the service charge isn’t already included in the bill, 5-10% tipping is common in the city. In upscale hotels and restaurants in Moscow and other major cities, a 10-15% tip is expected. Maids and tour guides also expect tips.
Climate
Best travel time
Large seasonal fluctuations and regional differences. The range extends from hot temperatures that melt the asphalt to below -30°C in the Siberian winter. The climate changes from arctic climate in the north to continental climate in the south. It’s hard to say in general, except that you should be prepared for anything. In northern Russia, spring and autumn are cooler than in central Europe. In the far north there is a strictly polar climate. It is milder on the Baltic Sea coast, where many Muscovites like to spend their holidays. Sochi, seaside resort and venue for the 2014 Winter Olympics, was dubbed the “Florida of Russia” thanks to its tropical temperatures – minus the tanned seniors, of course.
South: Shorter winters than in the north. In the steppes (southeast) hot, dry summers and very cold winters. Winters are mild in the northern and north-eastern Black Sea region. High rainfall all year round. The best travel time starts in May and ends in October.
Siberia: Very cold winters; pleasant, short summers with numerous precipitations. Spring and autumn significantly cooler than in Central Europe.
Country data
Phone prefix
+7
Area (sq km)
17098242
Population
145,934,462 (Source: homosociety)
Population density (per square km)
8.4
Population statistics year
2020
Member of the EU
No
Main emergency number
112
