Top 10 List

Moscow is a fascinating city full of old world charm mixed with post-Soviet growth. It is full of old buildings with beautiful carved facades and pale pastel colors. Old women wearing head scarves and young people scantily clad can be seen rushing up and down the streets. It is the land of the bare midriff and garishly dyed hair! English is not really spoken at all here, though, and you won’t find signs in English, so learn how to read the Cyrillic alphabet and learn some basic phrases! A helpful guidebook is essential, with a metro map in English and Russian inside. The city is known to be a bit rough, so don’t showcase that you are a tourist. Also, don’t drink the water! All warnings aside, this is a great place to come see the beauty of Europe and tour the place where so much history has been played out. It’s also less touristy than most places, so you will feel like your travels are more authentic and adventurous!

1. Go to the Moscow Metro Stations to see amazing architecture and ride old Soviet trains. The Moscow metro has got to be the best in the world. I have never waited for more than one minute for a train, it’s cheap, and the best part is how beautiful they are. Each station is sumptuous, with marble, chandeliers, carvings…and they have wonderful old wooden escalators that go incredibly deep into the ground.

2. If you’re not staying in one of the Moscow hotels, stay at a small and cozy hostel instead, like the Trans-Siberian Hostel. Your experience in Russia will be much more authentic if you stay in one of the flats and are in a neighborhood. It feels like going back in time and you have a chance to live with or around Russians.

3. Go and see the Ballet (the Bolshoi was touring when I came, but any ballet you see here will be amazing). Even if you don’t like ballet, this is a huge part of Russian cultural history and a night at the theatre seeing Swan Lake, composed by the Russian Tchaikovsky, will make you feel like you are back in Tolstoy’s Russia.

4. Of course you must go to Red Square, an important place in Russian history, as well as a great place to see many famous Russian landmarks. My favorite part of Red Square is St. Basil’s Cathedral, which is beautiful inside and out. I highly recommend going inside, it’s worth the few extra rubles.

5. In the big red building in Red Square, opposite St. Basil’s Cathedral, is the State History Museum. It’s comprehensive and fascinating. Save some money by getting a joint ticket to the museum and St. Basil’s at the museum entrance. The collection is impressive, dating from early human history in Russia and each room is beautiful and each one is decorated differently.

6. Go see the most famous mummy in the world, that of Comrade Lenin, in the Lenin Mausoleum. This is also in Red Square. The line isn’t too bad and though the viewing is quick, it’s pretty amazing to see the man (even if he is dead) that has played such an important role in human history. Stalin’s grave is there too and you can give his state the evil eye.

7. Get away from the hubbub by visiting the Novodenichy Convent. Not only is this large building impressive and beautiful, but the grounds are very peaceful and nuns in black habits roam about. It is beside a lovely lake, so bring a picnic lunch for a nice day out. If you are interested, you can visit the cemetery next door, which houses famous Russians such as the playwright Anton Chekhov.

8. Take a walk through the neighborhoods. While it may seem like an obvious suggestion, a lot of people forget to leave the well-trod sight path and never get a chance to really begin to understand a city and its people. Moscow has scores of old and charming buildings and churches that are tucked away behind the main streets, as well as fascinating people watching. The city is very walkable and you will often see a nice place to have a meal or get a coffee.

9. No trip to Moscow, or Russia for that matter, would be complete with a rest in one of the lovely parks. I went to Statue Park which is across from Moscow’s most famous park, Gorky Park. Statue Park is a lovely place to spend a few hours as it is chock full of old and new statues and has been benches than people. It’s quiet, peaceful, and easy to get to. There are many examples of Soviet-era statues with a propaganda bent, as well as a number of lovely and unique art sculptures. If you are in the mood for more park, you can always walk across the street to Gorky Park.

10. Head over to the Kremlin. I found the long lines and lack of things to do once inside unappealing, but it is one of the most famous landmarks of the country. There are, of course, lovely churches inside the Kremlin as well as the Tsar’s Cannon. If you’re lucky like I was, you may get to see Putin’s convoy drive by.

More Resources:

St. Petersburg Hotels
Exploring Moscow

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Guest writer Demetria Fehst chronicles her travel experiences and tips in her Realtravel blog, In Wanderland.

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Fretless in Logrono, Spain

Have you ever wanted to find the hidden gems of Spain? Traveling beyond the large cities to the small towns off the beaten path can be a fantastic way to really get to the know this beautiful country. Autumn is the perfect time to explore, with comfortable temperatures and thinning crowds, but any time of the year is a great time to go off the beaten path in Spain.

Realtravel blogger and travel enthusiast Fretless had an incredible adventure traveling Spain by foot, walking the 500-mile Camino Santiago. With all of her first-hand knowledge, she wrote us a great Top 10 list that is sure to inspire you to plan your own trip!

Top 10 Off the Beaten Path Spots in Spain

1. Puenta La Reina [Navarra Province, Spain]

Named for the many-arched Romanesque bridge spanning the River Arga, this town of 2,000 has long been known for its hospitality to travelers. And, indeed, for a town of this size, there are numerous shops and establishments catering to both Camino pilgrims and other wayfarers. There are bars and restaurants as well as lodging for both pilgrims (basic) and tourists (ranging from comfortable to luxurious.)

2. Cirauqui [Navarra Province, Spain]

To say that Cirauqui is in the Middle of Nowhere would make it seem actually cosmopolitan. This medieval town sits proudly on a hill, so it is visible from afar for the traveler approaching from the surrounding roads or from the Camino Santiago. Inside the town are winding streets, preserved stone houses with balconies, and a few lodging places for both pilgrims and tourists. And wine, there is always wine in Spain. But more than this, Cirauqui has several kilometers of well-preserved Roman road, including an arched Roman bridge… (more…)

3. Agés and Atapuerca [Burgos province, Spain]

About 20 kilometers/12 miles east of the city of Burgos are the two tiny towns of Agés and Atapuerca…along a sleepy Agés street, I found a restaurant adjacent to the El Pajar Hostel that served the best coffee I had ever tasted. I stayed for refills, and then a sandwich, and finally walked out to take a look at this timeless town: one main street, rows of old buildings, yet two pilgrim hostels – including a quite modern one next to the restaurant where I had breakfasted…when I reached Atapuerca a short while later, I saw a town where people indeed had stayed forever…two weeks after my visit, the Atapuerca Foundation announced the discovery of a million year old human tooth, representing Western Europe’s “oldest human fossil remain.” (more…)

4. Astorga

About 50 kilometers /30 miles from León you will reach little Astorga, originally the Roman town of Asturica. But, on arriving at the Plaza Catedral, you might think you’ve actually reached a section of Disneyland - the first thing to catch your eye is the Palace for Bishops, designed by the famous architect Antonio Gaudí… (more…)

5. Molinaseca

Molinaseca is a refreshing little town with the prettiest entrance of any town on the Camino Santiago. Coming down from the mountains, you cross the river Meruelo over an ancient arched stone bridge, Puente de Peregrinos (“Pilgrims’ Bridge.”) There the riverside restaurant beckons immediately, with its music and al fresco seating along the river. The lovely village has been declared a ‘Patrimonio Historico Artistico’ as much of its original architecture has been saved… (more…)

6. Pontferrada

Astorga may have its palace, but Pontferrada has a castle. And what a castle it is! The magnificent 12th century Castillo de los Templarios is the most complete castle I have seen, dominating the medieval part of the city. With a population of 60,000, Pontferrada is large for inclusion in an “off-the-beaten -track” list, but the many interesting historic sites are concentrated in the small old town quarter, which lies on the opposite side of the river Sil from the bustling modern city. This quarter boasts a number of pleasant plazas, with restaurants offering outdoor seating and wonderful regional Bierzo food… (more…)

7. Sarria

Like many Spanish towns, Sarria has its “old town” and its “new town.” But luckily for Sarria and its visitors, the new town developed away from the old quarter toward the railway line, leaving the old town unchanged. Along steeply rising calle Mayor (rúa Maior) in the old quarter, you will find the 13th century Church of the Savior (Iglesia del Salvador) and the ruins of the castle Fortaleza de Sarria from the same period. About 10 miles outside Sarria is the tiny town of Samos, with its famous and much-visited Monasterio de Samos… (more…)

8. San Adrian de Cobres, Rectoral de Cobres [Pontevedra province, Spain]

This is one of the best little hotels in the world. Some of the guests come back twice a year, every year. Others, like Her Royal Highness Cristina (daughter of the King of Spain), come only once. But hotelkeepers Juan and Randi at Rectoral de Cobres treat all guests royally, and indeed you will feel very welcome here….San Adrian de Cobres is not on your usual map of Spain. But the town is only a 15-minute drive from Vigo and an hour from Santiago, both cities with international airports. Since the hotel has only eight rooms, be assured you will enjoy the best hospitality. But, since it is small, you’ll want to book early. I have stayed here twice, and plan to come back at least once a year… (more…)

9. Noia [Pontevedra province, Spain]

The town of Noia first came to my attention while watching the Spanish movie “The Sea Inside,” which won the 2004 best foreign film Oscar. The magnificent scenery of the mountains and the sea caught my attention, so I researched the filming locale and discovered Noia. That summer I visited Noia and thus began my love affair with Galicia… (more…)

10. Finisterre [A Coruña province, Spain]

Finisterre, the “end of the world,” was just that to the ancients, a rocky cape at the westernmost edge of the known world. The name of Cape Finisterre derives from Finisterrae in Latin, which literally means “Land’s End”. Today’s Cape Finisterre has a notable lighthouse with a well-worn trail to the rocky point of the cape, with its much-photographed cross monument. Nearby is seaside Fisterra - an ancient port and fishing village, its narrow streets leading to the central plaza with a number of basic hotels. In fact, all along the rocky coast leading to Finisterre you will find picturesque towns with hotels, inns and restaurants… (more…)

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To read this Top 10 list in its entirety, visit her blog entry here, and also read about her European pilgrimage in her blog, El Camino Santiago. Be sure to also check out Fretless’s whole travel page, where you can read about her other trips from Lake Tahoe to Liverpool and beyond!

To share your own set of travel tips or a Top 10 list, visit this topic on our Forums or send an email to: carrie-at-realtravel.com.

Resources:

Spain Travel Guide
Top Spots in Spain
Spain Travel Map
Noia Introduction of the Galcia Guide
More Top 10 Lists

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