Europe Travellers , Europe

Europe @ Travel Notes -- Online Travel Guides -- European Countries Car Hire Cruises Flights Hotels Tours Vacations About Travel Notes™ Destinations Budget Travel Feedback Search Travel Forums Travel Writers Africa Asia Caribbean Europe Middle East North America South America Oceania Countries in Europe Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia&Herz. 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Denmark Estonia Faroe Islands Finland France Georgia Germany Gibraltar Greece Greenland Holland Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Monaco Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Svalbard Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine UK Vatican City Food Travel Fiction Health Kids Bios Humor Mags Software Gifts Tech Business Other Your Ad Here Travel Notes Mailing List European Union European Union : Naturally the EU site is in all the languages of the member states. Just who are the member states? News Headlines World News Directory of newspapers and news sources from around the world. Hotel City Search : Travel Notes™ guides you around every country in Europe . Map of Europe -- 1800-Countries.com Free Maps for Personal Webpages Money Matters The Euro : The official currency in 12 European countries and the accepted currency in border towns of others. Top Tourist Attractions in Europe -- European City Tours The Essential Sights and Attractions in Europe's Cities Where else can you experience fine food, exquisite art, architectural splendour and world-class museums? Europe's top destinations of London , Paris , Rome , Amsterdam and Venice .... offer all of this and more. If you've been there, done that take a look at some of the other exciting tour options in the popular cities of: Athens , Barcelona , Berlin , Brussels , Budapest , Copenhagen , Madrid , Munich , Prague or Vienna . If you'd rather do a self-guided tour of Europe's famous museum's, be sure to arm yourself with a copy of Rick Steeves' Mona Winks . Getting Around Europe Europe Through The Back Door -- 2005 : Includes itinerary planning, what form of transportation is best for you, sleeping and eating cheap, packing light, doing laundry, how to avoid theft and rip-offs, travel photography, communicating in a language you don't understand, using the phones for local and long-distance calls, keeping healthy while travelling, and advice for women travelling alone. Europe by Air : Each Europe by Air Ticket costs only $99 (plus tax) and can bring you to nearly 100 cities in over 20 countries, with more than a dozen participating airlines. Europe by Rail : For the budget-minded, overnight trains are a great way to save on accommodation, and you'll wake up in a new city, or even a new country. The romantic can enjoy a lakeside breakfast on the move, with views of snow-covered mountain peaks. European Driving Distances : Driving distances between major European destinations. How Many Air Miles : Interactive Distances between major world cities, in miles or kilometres. Eurolines : Eurolines connects over 500 cities in 25 European countries and offers travellers the freedom to explore Europe at their own pace, in the greatest comfort and the lowest price possible. Europe Travellers Enjoy Europe : Rather than a guidebook, John Bermont's How To Europe (out of print -- check availability ) is a practical handbook for Americans planning a trip to Europe. It is essential reading for first-time travellers and will probably enlighten and amuse even experienced Europhiles . Some chapters are available online. London to Athens : Nicole Liu's account of a Contiki tour through Europe. A pleasant little online journey, stopping at: London, Paris, Lucerne, Munich, Hopfgarten, Venice, Florence, Rome, Corfu and Athens. Cruising Europe's Waterways Go Barging : All inclusive luxury cruise barge vacations in Europe. Gourmet meals, private tours and transportation provided. Adventure cruises include special golf cruises and horse riding cruises. Europe Weather Satellite View of Europe's Weather : How's the cloud cover over the European continent? Weather Map : One of our favourite weather maps. Colourful aerial view of weather formations over Europe and north Africa. European History European History : If you're interested in European history, Eurodocs has a reviewed list of links to primary historical documents from Western Europe. Christmas Traditions Rick Steves' European Christmas : From England to Norway, Burgundy to Bavaria, and Rome to the top of the Swiss Alps, Rick Steves' European Christmas gets you a seat at the family feast, up in the loft with the finest choirs, and into the kitchen with grandma and her best-kept holiday secrets. With enchanting photos and more than a dozen recipes, this great gift book captures the spirit of the season perfectly. After producing a hundred travel shows, Rick Steves and his public television crew finally went to Europe for Christmas. And the cameras were rolling. As only they can, Rick and his gang brought home a vivid and authentic portrait of how Europeans celebrate the holiday. This book is the companion to that PBS special. From Yule logs to mistletoe, from singing shepherds to the split personalities of Santa, from traditional recipes to the top ten ways to celebrate in Paris, you'll learn something new -- or old -- about Christmas in Europe . Europe Travel Forum : From Albania to Vatican City, Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, Europe is culturally eclectic and full of lavish history. Join us in the travel forums if you have a question about Europe or would like to share your experiences about travelling or living in Europe. The Internet TravelNotes.org Europe Through The Back Door Flight Tickets : Save money on Round The World flight tickets. 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Golf Vacations with priceline

Ireland Golf Vacations -- | Airfare | Hotels | Car Rentals | Vacations | Cruises Ireland Golf Vacations Ireland Golf Vacations with priceline Priceline offers great vacations to exotic and tranquil locations. Priceline provides all inclusive vacations year-round to more than 110 locations. With priceline, staying comfortably at your favorite vacation destination is a simple mouse-click away. Ireland Golf Vacations from priceline Priceline knows that ordinary fun in the sun vacations are not for everybody. Because of this, priceline offers specific Ireland Golf Vacations. Priceline offers numerous golf vacations to cities and countries scattered across the world. Priceline will book your flights, hotels, and even car rentals, so that you can spend your time enjoying your Ireland Golf Vacations. With great Ireland Golf Vacations destinations all over the world, priceline invites you to start your Ireland Golf Vacations today. Not looking for Ireland Golf Vacations? Search more vacation themes at priceline • Beach Vacations • Bird Watching Vacations • Casino Vacations • City Vacations • Cruise Vacations • Disney Vacations • Disney World Vacations • European Vacations • Family Adventure Vacations • Family Vacations • Fishing Vacations • Golf Vacations • Hiking Vacations • Horseback Riding Vacations • Ireland Golf Vacations • Island Vacations • Montana Fishing Vacations • Mountain Vacations • National Park Vacations • Rocky Mountain Vacations • Romantic Vacations • Sailing Vacations • Scuba Diving Vacations • Ski Vacations • Spa Vacations • Summer Vacations • Tropical Vacations • Walking Vacations • Wilderness Vacations • Winter Vacations • Yellowstone Vacations -- Airfare Hotels Car Rentals Air+Hotel Vacations Cruises Search For Vacations Departure City: Destination: -- Over 165 Destinations -- Acapulco Albuquerque Amsterdam Anchorage Annapolis, MD Aruba Aspen, CO Atlanta Atlantic City - Cape May Austin Baltimore Banff, Canada Barbados Barcelona Berlin Bermuda Biloxi, MS Birmingham Boise Boston Breckenridge, CO Brussels Buffalo - Niagara Falls, NY Burlington, VT Cabo San Lucas Calgary Cancun Charleston Charlotte, NC Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Colorado Springs, CO Columbia, SC Columbus Copenhagen, Denmark Corpus Christi, TX Costa Rica Cozumel Curacao Dallas Daytona Beach Denver Des Moines Detroit Disneyland, CA Dublin Edinburgh, Scotland Flagstaff Florence Fort Lauderdale Fort Myers Frankfurt Freeport Gatlinburg - Pigeon Forge, TN Grand Cayman Guadalajara Hamburg Harrisburg, PA Hartford, CT Hawaii - Big Island Hawaii - Kauai Hawaii - Maui Hawaii - Molokai Hawaii - Oahu/Honolulu Hilton Head Island Houston Indianapolis Ixtapa Jackson Hole, WY Jacksonville Jamaica (MBJ) Jamaica - Kingston Kansas City, MO Key Largo Key West Killington - Okemo, VT Lake Tahoe Las Vegas Lexington, KY London Long Beach, CA Los Angeles Louisville, KY Madison, WI Madrid Mazatlan Memphis Mexico City Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis - St. Paul Mont-Tremblant, Quebec Monterey, CA Monterrey, Mexico Montreal Munich Myrtle Beach Mystic - New London, CT Napa Naples/Marco Island, FL Nashville Nassau New Orleans New York City Newark, NJ Oakland, CA Oklahoma City Omaha Orange County Coastal, CA Orlando Palm Springs Paris Park City, UT Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Portland, OR Prague Providence - Newport, RI Puerto Plata, D.R. Puerto Rico Puerto Vallarta Punta Cana, D.R. Quebec Raleigh/Durham, NC Reno Richmond, VA Riviera Maya Rome Sacramento Salt Lake City San Antonio San Diego San Francisco San Jose, CA Santa Fe, NM Santo Domingo, D.R. Savannah Scottsdale Seattle Sonoma County, CA South Padre Island, TX St. Croix St. John - USVI St. Kitts St. Louis St. Lucia St. Maarten St. Petersburg, FL St. Thomas Steamboat Springs, CO Stowe - Sugarbush, VT Tampa Telluride, CO Toronto Tucson Tulsa Vail, CO Vancouver Venice Victoria Vienna Virginia Beach Washington D.C. West Palm Beach Whistler (via Vancouver) Williamsburg - Yorktown, VA Zurich Depart: Return: Number of Passengers: Adults 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Children 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Infants 0 1 2 3 4 Rooms: 1 2 3 4 Find out More About Ireland Golf Vacations • Vacation Themes , Vacation Brands , Vacation Properties , Vacation Destinations , Vacation Packages Find out More About Priceline Travel Services • Airfare , Hotels , Car Rentals , Vacation Packages , Cruises Book Your Travel Now on Priceline • Discount Airfare , Discount Hotels , Discount Car Rentals , Discount Vacation Packages , Discount Cruises More Money Saving Travel Sites • Lowestfare.com , Travelweb.com , Rentalcars.com , BreezeNet.com , Flycheap.com , MyTravelGuide.com All material herein © 1998-2002 priceline.com Incorporated, all rights reserved. PRICELINE.COM, and PRICELINE are registered service marks, and NAME YOUR OWN PRICE, and NAME YOUR PRICE are service marks of priceline.com Incorporated. ws-16 priceline.com home | priceline.com site map

Switzerland Travel

Welcome to Plustravel powered by schmoe Home -- Offers About us Switzerland Travel Centre (Plus Travel) knows about all the qualities Switzerland has to offer and would like to inspire you to discover them for yourselves. We hope this website will help you to do so. Order our Winter 05 / 06 Brochure . Our new Winter brochure is now available. To order a copy of our ski brochure simply send your name and address to the following e-mail: sales@stc.co.uk A copy of our new brochure will automatically be forwarded to you. Pre-order our Summer 2006 brochure Our new Summer brochure will be available from the beginning of December. If you would like to pre-register to receive a copy, please send your address to sales@stc.co.uk . A copy will be forwarded to you 'hot from the press'. Alternatively you can always speak to our experienced staff who will be happy to help you with your holiday requirements. Telephone: 020 7 420 4900, Email: sales@stc.co.uk Rail Passes and Tickets Online. Order here. Book our hotels here. Online and real time. Sign up to our newsletter Special Offer Spend half term in Davos The famous resort of Davos consists of two large villages, Davos Dorf and Davos Platz which have merged into one, stretching alongside the Landwasser river in the valley of the same name. At 1560m, it is one of the highest towns in Europe and has grown to become Switzerlands largest ski resort, attracting visitors from all over the world. 4* Hotel Sunstar Park - 7 nights - half board The Sunstar Park Hotel is a modern first-class hotel with a relaxed and informal atmosphere. It enjoys a quiet location just above Davos Platz, only a few minutes walk from all resort amenities. Hotel facilities Indoor pool Sauna Solarium Squash courts Lounge with fire place A la-carte restaurant Room facilities En suite facilities cable TV Radio Telephone Minibar Hairdryer Starting at 977 per person, our package is available for departure on 11th February 2006 and includes the return flights with Swiss, return train transfers in Standard class as well as 7 nights half board in the 4* Sunstar Park Hotel in Davos from 977 pp get offer Download PDF:

Cheap Travel

Makemytrip.Com, Indian Tour Operators, Travel Agents, Travel Agency, TravelGuide Offering Great Air Fare Deals To India From USA Read what others have to say | MakeMyTrip in India -- -- -- ForAustralian airfares Sydney Great airfare deals to India from -- -- rou nd trip one-way from to departure 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2005 2006 Any Time 00.00-01.00 01.00-02.00 02.00-03.00 03.00-04.00 04.00-05.00 05.00-06.00 06.00-07.00 07.00-08.00 08.00-09.00 09.00-10.00 10.00-11.00 11.00-12.00 12.00-13.00 13.00-14.00 14.00-15.00 15.00-16.00 16.00-17.00 17.00-18.00 18.00-19.00 19.00-20.00 20.00-21.00 21.00-22.00 22.00-23.00 23.00-24.00 return 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2005 2006 Any Time 00.00-01.00 01.00-02.00 02.00-03.00 03.00-04.00 04.00-05.00 05.00-06.00 06.00-07.00 07.00-08.00 08.00-09.00 09.00-10.00 10.00-11.00 11.00-12.00 12.00-13.00 13.00-14.00 14.00-15.00 15.00-16.00 16.00-17.00 17.00-18.00 18.00-19.00 19.00-20.00 20.00-21.00 21.00-22.00 22.00-23.00 23.00-24.00 travelers 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 adult (12-64) child (2-11) infant in lap (under 2 years) Full Search Search -- "Hello, I want to point out that all your guys are knowledgeable. Dharamvir Kansal is awesome. I am yet to see a travel professional more knowledgeable than him." Bejoy Narayana Chicago, IL Atlanta Austin Boston Chicago Dallas Denver Detroit Houston Los Angeles Miami New York Philadelphia Raleigh Durham SFO Seattle Washington Exclusive TAJ HOTEL holidays inside India Best of Karnataka US$440 Best of Golden Triangle US$538 Best of Rajasthan US$835 Best of Kerala US$1675 NEW YEAR holiday specials outside India Langkawi Magic $210 Relax in Mauritius $282 Maldives - Embudu Village $370 Alpine Splendor $525 Opinion Poll Are you willing to pay extra for a non-stop flightfrom the US to India? Yes No Email: -- Opinion Poll Would you be comfortable taking a non-stop flight to India? Yes No Can't say Indiads Code Starts. Do NOT Modify--- //-- flights | hotels | holidays | cars | rajasthan | kerala | goa | golden triangle | wildlife | ayurveda | pilgrimages weather | currency calculator | maps | about us | site map | disclaimer | payment security | faqs | contact us links | forex | insurance | passport | visa regulations (new) | 2005 MakeMyTrip.com Technology and Creative Partners Studiosmile

Russia Travel Guide, climate:

Russia Travel Guide - Information and Advice Russia Travel Guide Information and Advice 'A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma' Churchill St Petersburg Travel Guide | Moscow Travel Guide Russia Map | Russia Pictures Russia Travel Guide, climate: Best: May, June, Sept, Oct. July/August can be wet . Worst: Nov-March [winter is long, dark and extremely cold with short days, but the snow scenes will be stunning. Early Spring is muddy, slushy and falling icicles kill! ] Length of stay: Minimum worthwhile stay, not including flights: Moscow or St Petersburg are excellent for a wild and wooly underwear weekend. Recommended: 2 weeks to take in Moscow, St Petersburg and some of the surrounding towns - such as the Golden Ring - and countryside. The Trans-Siberian Railway to Irkutsk [Lake Baikal] will require at least 5 days. Main Russia Festivals Guide : 25 Dec- 5 Jan, Russian Winter is celebrated with traditional activities such as music, dance, sleigh rides, folk shows. New Year's Eve tends to be a family/friends occasion, so not wildly exciting. late Feb-early March, Goodbye Russian Winter, as above. Easter Sunday, Moscow, procession and service in stunning Kolomenskoe [Orthodox] church. April/May, Moscow Music Spring Festival , classical music. May 9, Victory Day Parade, Moscow. A stirring military procession. June, the White Nights arts festival is St Petersburg's liveliest event. April/May, St Petersburg Music Spring Festival , classical music. For some precise dates, more suggestions and information see: Colourful Festivals or European Festivals Activities Guide: The country is spacious - to say the least - and outdoor activities are popular but facilities and safety measures can be primitive so get specialist advice before undertaking anything halfway dangerous. Hiking: There is no shortage of excellent trekking terrain, just a shortage of marked trails or maps, so extracting information from locals regularly is essential, and as a consequence a few words of the language are vital. Either that or get a good guide. Lake Baikal [see Russia travel favourites, right], the Elbrus area of the Caucasus, west Ural Mountains and Altay Mountains are prime targets. Check the travel safety situation . White Water rafting: The Katun River in the Altay Republic, Vladisvostok and Kamchatka. Climbing: The Elbrus area of the Caucasus are superb but get specialist advice before arriving in Russia, safety aspects included . Cycling: roads are often in bad shape, cars and drivers even worse shape, but bike travel can still be rewarding, with care, a tough bike and essential spares. Local hospitality is tremendous. Canoeing: rivers can be heavily polluted so inland water travel is difficult to recommend, though the Volga River delta is supposed to be alive and delightful, while the coasts up north offer prospects of isolated adventure. Boat cruises: either on posh tourist boats or cheap, dilapidated Russian craft. The main highway is the Volga River and boats go to/from Moscow, Novgorod, Volgograd and many other attractive cities. Volgograd to Rostov-Don is supposed to be the most interesting section. June-September only. Fishing: mostly salmon out east e.g. from Vladivostok and Khabarovsk. Skiing: Cross country skiing is traditionally more popular than down-hill skiing; snowboarding is becoming increasingly popular and heli-skiing is available and remarkably good value. There are more than a hundred ski areas, many of which need modernisation, though some resorts in the Caucasus Mountains offer good facilities and comfortable accommodation. For instance, Cheget in the Baksan Valley offers challenging runs, including the longest of 2.5 km; or Mount Elbus - Europe's highest peak at 5,642m [1,8513 ft] - hosts one of Russia's largest resorts, Prielbrusye. There are at least 20 ski slopes within 50 miles of Moscow and some can even be reached by metro! Ice Skating: Possibly the country's most popular pastime with frozen lakes and outdoor rinks all over during the long winter and even indoor rinks open in the summer. Inexpensive and very cheerful. Banya bathing: this Russian style sauna is a good way to experience authentic Russian social life, particularly if you are a graduate of an old British public school where extreme heat, cold and beatings were a way of life. There are banyas everywhere, ranging from appallingly dilapidated to highly polished. The Trans-Siberian Railway This week long, non-stop 10,000km [6,000mls] or so ride travels from Moscow to either: - Vladivostok on Russia's Pacific coast. - via Mongolia to Beijing. - via Manchuria and Harbin to Beijing. This is reputedly one of the world's great train journeys but does not necessarily deliver a comfortable or fascinating experience for everyone. Downside: - there are no showers, except for a few lucky 1st class travelers. - conditions will be cramped. - dining car food will be abysmal. - the scenery is mainly dull, tending towards endless forests and grassy plains, interspersed with the occasional log cabin, log village or vast lake. The train stops for 10 minutes a few times a day, leaving no time to explore, just time to aquire emergency supplies from the platform. - As a consequence, life on the train is paramount, and this depends on various factors coming together. Is your car attendant cordial? Are your fellow passengers interesting? Does anyone snore? Do you mind living off fairly basic food for six days? Can you happily stare out of a dirty window looking at birch trees for hours on end? Is TV an integral part of your life? Do you have a good selection of books with you? Do you like vodka? And so on... Upside: - you can arrange to take a stop over at key points en route, for example attractive Irkutsk [see Russia travel favourites, right] and nearby huge, mountain-hemmed Lake Baikal. Siberian timber buildings are often charming, colourfully decorated and carved. - due to the fame of the train and the number of serious travellers on it there will almost always be someone interesting you can find to chat to for days , though a good companion and a monster picnic hamper [loaded with - you've guessed - vodka] would be a useful starting point. - if you are actually going east/west for a purpose - such as for work in Japan or China - you will be saving the air fare. Train Survival hints: - don't drink the tap water. A samovar [hot water pot] in each carriage supplies sterile water. - clean your window to improve views and photos. - stand well clear when flushing the toilet , it can backfire if the train travels at speed. - learn a few key Russian phrases to charm your surly attendants. - take lots of vodka with you . You can buy some snacks, fruit, cigarettes etc during 15 minute stops at stations, but no alcohol, and you will be doing a lot of socialising! Russia Travel Star Guide: Monuments **** Shopping and souvenirs *** Walkability *** Food Quality and Variety *** Value for Money *** Hotel Prices and Value *** Beaches black sea Wildlife * Landscape *** Local People **** Architecture **** Safety ** Nightlife and Clubbing ***** Health Problems ** Museums ***** Why Travel to Russia? This vast and diverse country, occupying the top chunk of a continent all the way from Poland to Japan - and a big chunk of world history too - demands travel attention. The architecture is both glorious and hideous, the history is monstrous, the art is sensational and the people can be touchingly friendly . Absurd Fabergé eggs? Extraordinary onion domes? Caviar crepe? Yes, please. A hard day's White Night in St Petersburg? Slamming vodka with your taxi driver? Da! Big , brutal, beautiful and intriguing, Russia is an enigma that's got to be sampled by any serious traveller. Downside: - Accommodation is hardly cheap if comfort is an issue, though plenty of budget options are available. - Hygiene can be a problem. - Officials are often unpleasantly boorish . - Crime and corruption in the cities requires an ever-open eye . - Despite the size of the country, internal flights are unreliable and Russian airlines have the world's worst safety record. Some Russia tra vel favourites: 1] ***Moscow, a diverse and interesting city with masses of history, action and must-see spectacles, though not on the same planet as St Petersburg for elegance. See Moscow Travel Guide . 2] ***St Petersburg , one of the world's most beautiful cities, with many splendid buildings and museums, including the spectacular Hermitage, with a sophisticated service industry. See St Petersburg Travel Guide . 3] ***Novgorod, 190 km [118mls] south of St Petersburg , an important political and artistic centre from the 9th century and still holds a wide and varied collection of magnificent structures including Russia's oldest cathedral, frescoes galore, and plenty of glorious oddities. 4]***The Golden Ring,a few hours travel northeast of Moscow, are a collection of attractive historic towns dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. These can be visited on day trips, but better, hire a car or join a boat with a guide and take your time to enjoy: ***Suzdal , the most important town in the Golden Ring, Suzdal used be a political and religious centre and has more than fifty quaint and well-preserved old structures. About 210km [131 mls] from Moscow. It is a major tourist attraction, yet still retains an enchanting, pre-Soviet atmosphere. **Vladimir is famed for its Golden Gate and two splendid cathedrals. About 180km [112 mls] from Moscow. **Rostov. This quiet, rustic town offers the usual churches but also a lovely lake and spectacular kremlin. **Yaroslavl is much bigger than other towns in the Ring but totally crammed with gorgeous churches, if you haven't seen enough. 250kms [156mls] from Moscow. 5] **Irkutsk , the 'Paris of Siberia', is a long way from anywhere except Mongolia, but is on the Trans-Siberian train route [see more info left] and well worth a stop-off. The city is mostly charming, with considerable Chinese influence and some magnificent architecture, including typically elaborate Siberian 'gingerbread' houses. Another of Irkutsk's attractions is the proximity to lovely, 636km [398mls] long Lake Baikal where hiking, biking, horse trekking, fishing and boating are big time. The north end is the most beautiful and isolated. Listvyanka village is a popular place to stay for tourists. 6] ***Cruising the Volga River via some superb old towns like Kazan [ancient Tatar city], Shiryaeva and Ulyanovsk [Lenin's birthplace]. See Boat cruises, left. 7]**Black Sea, Sochi. This is a Russian beach resort town with a warm climate and sophisticated health spas [sanatoria], with beaches and tennis courts, scenically situated at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains. 8] ** Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains is a pretty, pleasant city except perhaps for Tsar Nick II and his family who met their end here and the USA's U2 spy pilot who was shot down in the area. The place offers excellent architecture, museums, entertainment and access to the Urals for varied activities. Cuisine Guide: You can eat well and inexpensively nowadays, especially in cafés and fast food places in the cities. Do choose places that look clean and are busy , poor hygiene could result in intestinal blowout. Moscow and St Petersburg in particular have seen an astronomical growth in cafés, bars and restaurants, including classic Chinese, Japanese and Italian offerings, western fast food chains and traditional Russian cuisine . Russian food tends to be rich and on the heavy side in winter , such as meaty dumplings, meaty cabbage rolls, cabbage soup with sour cream, and the national icons - borscht [beetroot soup], blinis [pancakes] and caviar, while lighter foods like superb soups and salads are around in the summer . Avoid eating shellfish except in St Petersburg and street ice cream anywhere. Drinks: We all know the varied pleasures of vodka, particularly drunk chilled and in one gulp, but Russia also does a fine line in local beers with lively flavours, good champagne, not such good wine , passable tea and effective coffee. Russians love to press drinks on foreigners so prepare your excuses now. Or practice chugging. Accommodation guide: You are supposed to have a place booked in order to get a tourist visa . There's a wide range of accommodation from luxury hotels at silly prices to cheapish hostels at around $20 pn, but it's important to book well ahead for the June-September season. Private home stays are widespread , giving the tourist relatively good value rooms and a close look at real Russian life. The downside is that the place may be out of the way, the bed lumpy and the morning-after breakfast provider in-your-face during your recovery time. Camping is fine in many places though - as usual - check with locals before bedding down. Organised camping sites are rare and usually open mid-June to mid-September. Russia Tours Tour operators offering travel to Russia can be found in our listings here: Russia Tours For links to Tourist Offices, Embassies, Cheap Air Tickets, Currency Converter, Climate, Language advice, other online Travel Guides and more, visit Bugbog Travel Directory Map of Europe Travel Safety: Travel to Chechenya and the north Caucasus is not recommended; check the Foreign Office site or tour operators for up-to-date warnings. Otherwise stay on the regular tourist routes. Don't flash your cash! Pickpocketing and bag filching may occur on crowded public transport while hotel rooms are by no means thief-proof. Lock everything into your bags before leaving the room and use a safe deposit if there is one. Take care with taxis. Don't get in if there is anyone other than the driver inside, and don't necessarily trust the driver. See Safety page. Travel Health: Do not drink Russian tap water , not even for cleaning your teeth. Check you are up to date with all jabs, and consider including vaccinations for diptheria, typhoid, hepatitis A and B. A flu jab is also useful if you plan to travel to Russia in spring or autumn when the bugs are rampant. Foreigners usually prefer to be treated at private clinics, which are very costly. Get Insurance! Costs: Russia can be good value if you don't mind slightly crude accommodation and eat/drink at local establishments rather than typical tourist places. Change money for roubles only at official exchanges or banks. Cash is easier to change than travellers cheques. Tipping: About 10% to taxi drivers and 10-15% to waiters in restaurants. Electricity : Electric sockets are 230v and take 2 round pin plugs. Internet: There are masses of reasonably priced web cafés in bigger cities. Local travel: The big cities have good metro and bus services at low prices . Locals enjoy life as illegal taxi drivers for extra cash. Beware though, some are pure evil, others wonderful, hospitable guides. Hitch-hiking is common for Russians but not advisable for tourists . Intercity travel: Trains connecting Moscow to St Petersburg are common, efficient and inexpensive . The Aurora day train takes 6 hours, the evening train 4 hours. Passenger boats are common between cities - tho' slow - including Moscow to St Pete. For exploring the countryside around big cities consider car hire, with or without a driver/guide. It's not expensive and very convenient. International travel: Moscow and St Petersburg are both easy to reach from many European cities by fast, efficient trains and buses ; other Russia cities are more difficult to access directly. Language: Some locals speak English, French, or German but ability to recognise the Cyrillic alphabet and a few words of Russian would really help your experience along. Visas: All visitors need a visa which needs a hotel/hostel booking . 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