As you know, Russia is a vast country boasting many wonderful museums. Pretty much everyone has heard about the most popular ones, such as the Hermitage Museum, Winter Palace, Armoury Chamber, and Faberge Museum.

But what do you know about sights a bit further from the public eye? The country houses numerous museums and galleries that are less widely known but just as deserving your attention. Let’s have a look at some of the most interesting options to spice up your travel plans.

explore Russian museums

Tags: museum

Russia is a country with deep-rooted traditions and customs, some of which can be quite unexpected to Westerners. Everyone knows about the locals’ weird quirk of not smiling at strangers, but do you know that wearing your shoes inside is very disrespectful towards the homeowner, almost as much as visiting someone’s home emptyhanded. If you’re planning a Russia trip for business or pleasure, here are some things that you should better avoid.

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Why do you need this old stuff?

It is important to note that this is by no means a question of furnishing the renovated room with completely old furniture – let this remain the prerogative of themed quests and nostalgic restaurants. This is a conversation about a few carefully selected things in good condition that can dissolve into a new space.

The result, with a healthy dose of irony, can be called “Soviet minimalism” (by analogy with Scandinavian). But in fact, it will turn out, rather, a light fusion, strongly inspired by the Scandinavian style, – however, quite organic.

These things are undoubtedly memory. This point can become simultaneously decisive both for those who decided to throw everything away and for those who are inclined to leave something behind, depending on their personal perception of the Soviet period.

In an apartment passed down from generation to generation, the preservation of certain pieces of furniture will gracefully emphasize continuity and family history. And the new fashionable upholstery will change the usual furniture silhouettes beyond recognition.

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Yaroslavl is one of the oldest Russian cities founded in the 11th century. In 2010, this city located about 260 km northeast of Moscow celebrated its millennium. It is depicted on a 1,000-ruble banknote.

The historical center of Yaroslavl with 140 monuments of architecture is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Yaroslavl is traditionally included in the famous tourist route “The Golden Ring of Russia”. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

fly over Yaroslavl

Tags: Yaroslavl city

Gambling has always been of interest to the people of Russia, but they have found it hard to access for most of history. For many years, casinos were banned throughout the country, and residents who wanted to stake on table games had to travel elsewhere to do so.

Indeed, this was the premise of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Gambler in 1887, which was set in the fictional city of Roulettenberg in Germany. Nowadays, it is possible to travel to Russia for a gambling holiday, as there are some casinos in certain areas of the country. But there are some things you need to know before you visit.

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“Lesnoy Terem” in Astashovo is a former residence of the peasant Martyan Sazonov (1840/2-1914) located in the central part of Kostroma Oblast, about 200 km from Kostroma.

This is quite a unique phenomenon – a country residence built in the middle of a small village in a remote place. This picturesque wooden house was built in the Russian style with rich and varied carved decor. Lesnoy Terem in Astashovo on Google Maps. Photos by: Alexandr Lipilin.

amazing wooden house

Tags: Kostroma oblast

If you are thinking about becoming an international student, you are just about to start the most memorable and exciting journey of your life. Choosing this path has many perks, both immediate and long-term.

But the only question is, what will your destination be?

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Over the decades, Russia has turned from the largest post-soviet republic recovering from the economic crisis which followed the fall of the USSR into a world’s superpower that dictates the rules. Even though there are still many internal policy issues that need to be resolved, the country’s main asset remains unchanged – educated and hardworking people driving scientific and industrial progress.

That’s why Russia has started to enjoy particular attention being paid to its universities by foreigners. Several of its educational institutions have recently made it to the list of the world’s best universities. That brings over 300,000 international students interested in enrollment in Russian colleges every year.

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Kizhi is an island in the northern part of Lake Onega in the south of the Republic of Karelia. It is known primarily for the exposition of the historical, architectural and ethnographic museum-reserve “Kizhi” located here, including the architectural ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Most of the buildings are monuments of architecture, a lot of them were moved for exposition from other villages of this region. Kizhi Island on Google Maps. Photos by: Alexandr Lipilin.

snow-covered monuments of wooden architecture

Tags: churches · Karelia Republic · Petrozavodsk city

Naryan-Mar (meaning “Red town” in the Nenets language) is a town in Russia with a population of about 25 thousand people, the administrative center and the only town in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

It is located in the Arctic Circle, in the lower reaches of the Pechora River, 110 km from the Barents Sea. The distance from Moscow to Naryan-Mar is about 1,500 km, from Arkhangelsk – 660 km. The nearest railway station – Usinsk – is located at a distance of 350 km. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

aerial view of Naryan-Mar

Tags: Naryan-Mar city · Nenets okrug