Before I went on a trip of a lifetime on the Transiberian railway in July 2019, I explored two of Russia’s most known cities; Moscow and St Petersburg. Many of you have been asking for more photos of the trip so I decided to do a blog photo series. The pictures are hundreds and the human time concentration span is short (ahem, you know it’s true, mine is too) so I’m splitting them up into four separate blog posts. Following the chronicle of the journey, this first blog post will concentrate on the trip’s first two stops.

Enjoy!

St Petersburg

On first glance, St Petersburg oozes aristocratic charm with its palaces and historical establishments. Its canals and colourful buildings give a sort of European flair to it and in the evening they offer some warm sunset colours. Great photo material!

The State Hermitage Museum is a wonder, a jewel, a jaw-dropping building. It’s a massive museum with interior architecture that’s almost more beautiful than its art. Between the collection, the architecture and the people interacting with the space, there’s SO much to take in. Beauty is everywhere.

I really wanted to watch a Russian ballet as they are known as the best in the world. Bolshoi performances were in Moscow and of course sold out months before. Instead Mariinksy Theatre in St Petersburg had a performance of La Bayadere the week that I was there so tickets were booked almost immediately. The theatre itself was stunning, elegantly decorated in golden colour tones. People were dressed well, yet not too posh. I on the other hand, as I was travelling light, didn’t have any fancy clothes with me so I went in my jeans and sneakers haha.

For a what to see & do guide in St Petersburg, check out this new article published on The Travelettes platform.

Moscow

Hello, hello Moscow. Some of the biggest buildings I’ve ever seen were in this city, not for their height but their width. They might not stand tall, per say, but they do feel important and imposing.

If you know anything about me, you probably know that I love digging up good places to eat when travelling, pretty much like everyone else. Cafe Pushkin came highly recommended and a quickly online search convinced me. Its old-era vibe and decor is the showstopper and okay, the food is pretty great too! An upcoming article for The Travelettes will tell you all about it. If you can’t locate the post, email me and I’ll send to you.

Even its bathroom was gorgeous, though dark, so I of course photographed that too. See below.

The Moscow metro is a sight to be explored 100%. It’s not as grim as the photo above makes it seem, it’s actually pretty classy and artistic. I simply like the black & white look of this image. If you look at the last image though you’ll see just how gorgeous the city’s metro stations are.

Russia definitely has a lot to offer and though it was never on my travel list, it was an incredibly pleasant surprise. Mostly because of the people, their friendliness and kindness. The centres of the two big cities I visited were easy to navigate and with a myriad sights to see. As you leave the concrete jungle and head into the suburbs, the landscape changes drastically, but that’s another story for another blog post.

If you want to know about Russia, two articles are being published at www.travelettes.net in the coming weeks or, if you’re bursting with excitement already, scroll through my highlight reels on Instagram @eleniphilippou28