Travel to Russia

Ermitazh

It was Catherine the Great who was responsible for the creation of the Hermitage museum within the walls of her escpectacular Imperial residence, the Winter Palace. At the time of her death the collection contained nearly 4,000 paintings. Today there are more than three million items making the Hermitage one of the largest and most prestigious museums in the world. Investigate every corner in each of the five linked buildings could take years, that can gave you an idea os the dimentions of this marvellous place.

Politseiskii Most

This cast-iron bridge crosses the Moika River at Nevskii Prospekt. It was known as the green bridge because of the color it was painted. In the 1770s, it was named Politseiskii Most because chief-of-police Chicherin lived next door. In 1806, the wooden bridge was replaced by a cast-iron one made by engineer Geste.

Edmond J Safra Grand Choral Synagogue

The Edmond J Safra Grand Choral Synagogue is one of the largest as well as architecturally elegant synagogue in Europe. Builted in Arabesque-Mauritanian style between 1880 and 1883 under Professor I.I. Shaposhnikov and architect Viktor Aleksandrovich Shreter and consecrated in 1893. The synagogue was shelled during World War II but not seriously damaged. The main prayer hall holds 1200 and has women's galleries on three sides. There are also smaller halls. Prayers are held daily from 10a-12:30p and from 1p-3p.

Dunes Golf and Country Club

Golf is still at an embryonic stage of development in Russia. This club was founded 4 years ago on the territory of the Soviet resort village 'Dunes', 38m kilometres north of the city centre. There is a driving range, putting green, executive golf course, a mini-golf course and 5 hireable cottages if you fancy staying the night. Membership options begin from a 2-month card, but visitors are also welcome. Thanks to the winter, the golf season here runs from the beginning of May until the end of November.

Peter and Paul Cathedral

This cathedral's monumental belfry, with its spire topped by an angel bearing a cross, is one of St. Petersburg's most distinctive landmarks. It stands at a height of 122.5 meters. The foundation stone of the cathedral was laid in June of 1712 and the cathedral was inaugurated on June 29, 1733. There is also beautiful iconostasis, showcasing the finest traditions of Russian woodcarving.

Concerts at Jazz Philharmonic Hall

The ground floor of this famous club is the home of big band jazz in St Petersburg; upstairs, more intimate jazz concerts entretain those looking to escape from the crowds. The Philharmonic isn't crowded as other jazz clubs in the city, and it's far better appointed. The walls are decorated with pictures of the many jazz geniuses who played with club founder David Goloschokin.

Klub Viking (Viking Club)

At the Viking Club, kids can enjoy five hours of dance and entertainment with professional jugglers, magicians and clowns who arrange competitions and quizzes every half an hour. One chocolate cocktail or cake is included in the ticket price while the rest of the dishes are paid for separately. The menu is fairly traditional and tasty, featuring dishes with funky names such as Little Red Cap. The admission is free for adults (well it is a place for kids) and children under 14 can go for 280R ($10).

Faceted Palace (Granovitaya Palata)

This Kremlin building is Moscow's oldest secular structure. It is also the only surviving part of the palace complex of Ivan III. Architects Marco Ruffo and Pietro Antonio Solari definitely drew on the palazzi architecture of northern Italy for inspiration when building the palace between 1487 and 1491. The faceted limestone blocks and regularly spaced rectangular windows on the main facade conjure up images of renaissance buildings in Italy. As always russian architecture can blow your mind away and this is certanly not and exception.

Schatz I

The gallery sells paintings by museum-grade artists such as Viktor Borisov-Musatov, Leonard Turzhanskii, Pyotr Petrovich and others. They all worked between 1900 and 1940, often referred to as a golden age in Russian art. The gallery's team of qualified art-historians can carry out appraisals of works by Russian artists. Schatz I also arranges exhibitions of works from private collections and expends great efforts in retrieving Russian works which for one reason or another currently lie beyond the borders of Russia.

Art of Gardens exhibition

The Art of Gardens exhibition at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts looks particularly interesting in the light of the current popularity of metropolitan landscaping. The exposition consists of 16th-19th century engravings which reflect the history of landscaping development in different parts of the world. Of particular interest are the engravings of the parks in classic and antique styles that were very popular in France during the reign of Louis XIV.