"I love Russian literature and have always wondered what it would be like to visit Russia"

RUSSIA

I went to Russia in February 1998. There was snow on the ground. I felt I was in the Russia of novels. Moscow was founded in 1147. It is a mix of Classic Russian architecture of Imperial Russia and the non- descript buildings of the communist era.

Red Square will probably be your first stop. The Square is quite impressive. Along the square is Lenin's Mausoleum, the famous GUM government run department store and St. Basil's Cathedral. To me, St. Basil's Cathedral stands out with its beautiful colored onion shaped domes. It is really something to look at! Walk around the cathedral and admire the architecture and wonderful colors and then go inside. Inside is plain compared to the outside. The Kremlin is a self contained city with many palaces, armories, churches and a medieval fortress. The treasures in the armory are overwhelming. There are 50 Faberge eggs and next door is the famous 190 carat Orlov Diamond.

I also went to the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum and The Tretyakov Gallery. The strongest collection at the Pushkin is the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists paintings. The Tretyakov has the finest collection of Russian paintings in the world. I saw a ballet at the Bolshoi Theater. What an experience! This was not an experience to forget. Another must are the beautiful subway stations of Moscow . The Moscow subway stations have been called the "Peoples' Palaces".  The subway was built during Stalin's rule and was to show the best of Russian architecture and how privileged the Russian lifestyle was. Mayakovskaya station is the most impressive with mosaic panels depicting "A Day in the Life of the Soviets".

There are also other stations with beautiful mosaics, chandeliers, vaulted ceiling and marble columns. I took the overnight train from Moscow to St. Petersburg .  Tea was made in a huge teapot boiling over coal and was delivered with breakfast to passengers before arriving in St. Petersburg . I felt I was being sent back in a time warp. We went through the snow filled countryside and saw some beautiful Dachas and rural poverty. St. Petersburg often referred to as the " Venice of Russia " is a beautiful city. It is more sophisticated and more European than Moscow .

 Fyodor Dostoyevsky, a St. Petersburg author, described three brothers who represent the intellectual, sensual and spiritual world in "The Brothers Karamazov". He was really talking about St. Petersburg . It is all these three worlds. It is an Imperial City built by Peter the Great about 300 years ago. The Winter Palace was the residence of the Czars and now is the home of the Hermitage. The Hermitage was established in 1764. Catherine II bought famous Dutch paintings that are now in the Hermitage. This is the world's largest museum of art. St. Isaac's Cathedral is the third largest Cathedral in the world and it took 40 years to build. I also went to the Mariinsky Theater and saw the Kirov Ballet. Ballet in Russia is quite extraordinary.

The Summer Palace is a must and one of my favorite attractions. Peter the Great gave it to his wife, Catherine. Over the years, this was developed into one of the richest palaces of the world. The rooms and grounds are spectacular. You must walk down Nevsky Prospect. This is the business center of the city with restaurants, stores, galleries and some hotels. You can also take a luxury river cruise from St. Petersburg to Moscow and make stops along the way. Russia is definitely a special and unique vacation and a very interesting cultural destination to visit.

Contact Anne our Europe specialist at:

888 333 7071 (toll free) or 808 573 3332



SWEDEN

"Sweden referred to as "The Kingdom of Sweden " is a Nordic country in Scandinavia"

You must visit the Royal Palace which is built in the Baroque style. There are more than 600 rooms, several museums including The Royal Treasury, and a few churches. Visit Drottningholm Castle with its beautiful park. Some refer to this as the Versailles of the North. This Castle was built by Queen Hedwig Eleonora. There are beautiful unique baroque gardens which are known for their symmetry. The estate has several buildings, a court theater, and a palace church. The theater is the oldest in the world and is still in use. The Royal family has lived here since 1981.

In 1991, Dorttningholm was nominated to become Sweden 's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. You must also visit the Vasa Museum . Here you will see the Vasa warship from the 17th century. It was built by Henrik Hybertssen and was ready to sail in 1628. It was to be the largest warship in the world. In front of spectators, the ship began to sink after only a few minutes sailing. About 40 of the 150 people on board died. In 1991, 333 years later, it was brought to the surface. Seeing this museum will enhance your appreciation of ship building and Swedish history. Visit the old town with is cobbled street and medieval houses. It was a place of sin, execution and Royal weddings. The old city is crowded day and night. People enjoy sitting at open-air restaurants eating delicious Swedish food, having a beer or a glass of wine. With the midnight sun during the summer, people stay out very late.
                  
Sweden is not only the cities. The countryside is very beautiful. Much of Sweden is covered in forests and there are thousands of lakes. The lakeside resort of Otersund is very popular with Scandinavians. Another major attraction is "the Kingdom of Glass " located between Stockholm and Mahmo. There are many fine glassworks in this area.

The Baltic Islands , especially Golland, are popular for their beaches and medieval churches. Go to Lapland and visit Sweden 's Ice hotel in the village of Vukkasjarvic .  This hotel has an ice sauna, ice chapel, ice rooms and an absolute ice bar. This part of Sweden is very magical and has its own energy that can not be experienced anywhere else. Go dog sledding, ice fishing and skiing in winter. In the summer, there is beautiful flora and fauna. There is hiking, golfing, cycling, boating and fishing. Sweden is also famous for watching the migrating birds. Sweden has something to offer everyone. It has cities with history, beautiful countryside with charming hotels and great food and activities galore. Call us to plan a special vacation for you.