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Russia is open for international travelers regardless their citizenship/country of residence. Tourist visas are being issued in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, EU, Japan, and worldwide. Electronic visas (up to 16 days of stay, single entry) are available for the following nationals: Austria, Andorra, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, China, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Myanmar, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Philippines, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, Vatican, Vietnam.

You can bring foreign currency and exchange money freely in Russia. You can open a bank account and g et a debit card in one hour time, once you will have arrived, we assist.

Medical insurance is available for international travelers through Russian insurance companies.

International flights to Moscow and St Petersburg are available via Tbilisi (Georgia), Yerevan (Armenia), Baku (Azerbaijan), Istanbul (Turkey), Belgrade (Serbia), Dubai & Abu-Dhabi (UEA), Doha (Qatar), Algiers (Algeria),Tehran (Iran), Muscat (Oman), Cairo (Egypt), Astana & Almaty (Kazakhstan), Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Qingdao & Xian (China), Delhi (India), Colombo (Sri-Lanka), Male (Maldives). Information changes frequently, please inquire.

Trans-Siberian travels can fly in/out Vladivostok via Beijing (China), Harbin (China), Bangkok (Thailand), Tashkent (Uzbekistan).

Trans-Siberians taking off in Irkutsk/Lake Baikal, fly to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Dushanbe (Tadjikistan), Namangan (Uzbekistan), Osh (Uzbekistan), Beijing Daxing (China), Bangkok (Thailand), Ulaaanbaatar (Mongolia).

Explore the best travel destinations in Russia with our wide range of sightseeing tours to Moscow, St Petersburg, Golden Ring, Kazan; Northern Lights viewing tours; wildlife & nature tours to Lake Baikal tours, Altai, Kamchatka tours, Trans-Siberian train tours, and more. Find the best guided trips and expert planned Russian holidays 2023-2024.

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Tasty Russia Tours

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Tasty Russia Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Tasty Russia Tours

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

TASTY RUSSIA TOURS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Russian Vodka Tasting with Local Cuisine

Vodka is one of the famous national drink in Russia. It warms you up in the cold and refreshes in the heat. Vodka is a strong drink for strong people. It is about 40% of alcohol, and from our tour you can get 100 % of amusement! 

We offer not just tasting the best types of Russian vodka. We will tell the story of this drink creation, what snacks are suitable and how to avoid and identify a fake from a real vodka. And that is not all! We will serve red caviar with Blini(Russian pancakes) and some other traditional snacks that go perfectly with cold vodka! Past days, only kings and nobles could afford this delicacy, but now the treat is available to you! 

Come to enjoy a good conversation, food and vodka with your local host!

Many kinds of Russian vodka Traditional Russian snacks

• Sandwiches with herring
• Homemade lard
• Different types of pickle
• Blini(Russian pancakes) with various toppings
• Far Eastern red caviar

Also includes

• History and story of Russian vodka
• Learn which food goes well with vodka

The starting time can be customized, please write down at the booking page

• 4:00 pm: Meet at the culinary studio
• 4:10 pm: Introduction to Russian Vodka culture
• 5:00 pm: Enjoy appetizers and a delicious meal with Vodka
• 6:00 pm: End of the class

Included Highlights

Additional information, confirmation.

You will receive the confirmation of your booking's availability within 24 hours. Once confirmed, please present your booking reference number at the cooking school.

Cancellation

Full refunds will be issued for cancellations made at least 48 hours prior to the activity

Building 2, Krasutskogo Street 3, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Meeting Point

Meet at the cooking school

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I absolutely loved this experience, getting to try traditional dishes and discuss Russian culture... read more

My friend and I had a brilliant time together - the morning absolutely flew by! A really wholesome... read more

Unique and fun!

I cannot wipe the smile off my face! Nadia was an excellent host and teacher. It was just the two of us and it was so much fun to paint our dolls and chat. And I can’t believe how well the doll turned out. I was afraid going in because I’m not a good artist, but the step by step instruction was easy to follow. (And Nadia helped with the eyelashes. Ha!) Every visitor to St Petersburg should do it! And we had a delicious tea service while the doll was drying. Zefir and halva are my new favourites.

The cooking class with Kristina and her mom was one of the main highlights of our trip. I highly recommend this experience. I did the class with my just my partner, but a larger group or just friends would be great too. When we walked in the door we were met with a welcoming drink of Russian champagne. Then they explained what dishes we would be cooking. After that, we got to chopping vegetables, mixing and rolling dough, and filling the dumplings. We were chatting and laughing the whole time and got to ask Kristina and her mom all sorts of questions about Russia and St Petersburg. We also had various vodka tastings throughout the meal prep. Once everything was prepped and cooked, we sat down to eat our hard work! We started with a vodka and appetizer course which had already been prepared for us. We got to try all the traditional Russian vodka snacks. Then we got to have our main meal which turned out delicious (best pelmeni and shchi we've had). Of course, more vodka tasting throughout dinner. :) We sat and chatted and laughed for hours. Kristina gave us lots of recommendations for restaurants and bars and they were also excellent. I feel like we made new friends!! :)

We loved every moment of the cooking class. The hospitality couldn't have been warmer and we learnt so much, not only about russian cuisine but also the culture. We ate like kings! Such delicious food that we may have not otherwise got the chance to try. We also got to taste many traditional vodkas and spirits. Thank you so much for a wonderful evening.

We can’t thank you enough for your kind words! Our main purpose is to show real russian hospitality in warm home atmosphere. Hope that back at home you will repeat all the dishes we cooked together :)

We LOVED this experience!!! We travel all the time, and this was absolutely the best. We went on our first day in St. Petersburg, and it was a brilliant way to start our time here. The hostesses were warm and welcoming (even kindly accommodating us when we overslept from jet lag) and offered many recommendations for the city. They made baked homemade cakes and Russian treats in an oven right in the studio and served them with the very best tea from a silver samovar. The studio is bright, comfortable, very clean and pretty — a lovely respite from the bustle of the city. Each of us was given an unpainted doll, there were lots of example dolls available for guidance, and the artist, Natalia, gave excellent instruction and guided us every step of the way. She shared stories and tidbits about Matryoshka dolls and Russian culture as we painted together. Our 12-year-old loved it also, so we especially recommend it if you are traveling with family or anyone who enjoys arts or crafts; I’m not a good artist, but my doll is beautiful thanks to Natalia’s instruction. It was amazing to do something a little different and off the beaten path, while still learning about the local culture, and we even left with magnificent dolls and bags of treats from the hostesses as souvenirs.

My partner and I booked the Russian cuisine cooking class experience for the very first night we arrived in Russia and it was such a wonderful way to start our trip - through it we learnt about St Petersburg, got recommendations and tips for the rest of our stay, and it really set the mood for a great holiday. Ludmilla and co. were fantastic hosts - they made us feel at ease, taught us all we needed to know about the meals we cooked, and managed the group dynamic with other guests so well that we came away from the night with new friends from different countries. The food itself was super tasty and it felt like sitting down to eat with family. It's also worth noting that the kitchen is absolutely spotless, and hygiene throughout the class is a priority. The whole experience (including the fantastic wine throughout the night!) exceeded our expectations. 100% recommended!

Thank you for such a nice review and your kind words about our cooking class! Ludmila is extremely hopitable person and passionate about food :) Our main purpose is to show real russian hospitality in warm home atmosphere. We will be more than happy to welcome you again in our studio!

I had the best afternoon at Tasty Russia Tours, painting my Matryoshka doll! It was so much fun, they were very patient (I was super slow at my painting!) and I got to share a lot of stories with them! I can't recommend this enough. They also provided tea and delicious Russia pastries, and a very friendly atmosphere. If you have time when visiting St. Petersburg, just book an activity with them, you won't regret it! Pasé la mejor tarde en Tasty Russia Tours, pintando mi Matryoshka! Muy divertido, me tuvieron mucha paciencia (fui bastante lenta pintando!) y compartí muchas historias con ellas! Muy recomendable! También sirvieron té y unas tartas rusas deliciosas, en un ambiente muy amigable y encantador. Si tienes tiempo en San Petersburgo, recomiendo hacer una actividad con Tasty Russia Tours, no se van a arrepentir!

Juliana, thank you for choosing us, and your kind words. We are more than pleased to hear that you enjoyed our Matryoshka Doll Painting class! We will be more than happy to welcome you again in our studio!

Russian weapons help Iran harden defenses against Israeli airstrike

Intelligence officials say tehran’s growing partnership with moscow is strengthening the capabilities of both countries.

Last March, a Russian arms maker invited a delegation of Iranians to a VIP shopping tour of its weapons factories. The 17 visitors were treated to lunches and cultural shows and, on the final day, toured a plant that makes products long coveted by Tehran: advanced Russian air defense systems for shooting down enemy planes.

The factory, NPP Start, in the city of Yekaterinburg, is under U.S. sanctions for supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine. Among its wares are mobile launchers and other components for antiaircraft batteries — including Russia’s S-400, which military analysts assess to be capable of detecting and destroying stealth fighter jets flown by Israel and the United States.

A leaked Russian document, part of stolen Iranian emails posted online in February by a hacker group, described the tour as a showcase for “scientific and technical potential and production capabilities” that Russia could offer Iran.

Whether the visit led directly to a purchase is unknown. But the trip is emblematic of what intelligence officials describe as a deepening strategic partnership between Moscow and Tehran in the two years since Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine — an alliance that could emerge as a significant factor as Israeli leaders weigh possible military strikes in retaliation for the hundreds of drones and missiles launched against Israel over the weekend.

Iran opened a dangerous new chapter in its relations with Russia by agreeing in 2022 to supply thousands of battlefield drones and missiles to aid Moscow in its war against Ukraine. The expanded ties have now helped cement agreements between Moscow and Tehran, including a pledge by Russia to provide its ally with advanced fighter jets and air defense technology, assets that could help Tehran harden its defenses against any future airstrike by Israel or the United States, according to U.S., European and Middle Eastern intelligence officials and weapons experts. The officials, like several others interviewed for this article, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

It is not known how many of the systems have been provided and deployed, but Russian technology could turn Iran into a far more formidable adversary, with an enhanced ability to shoot down planes and missiles, the officials and experts said.

The weapons deals, some details of which have not been reported previously, are part of a broader collaboration that includes co-production of military drones inside Russia, the sharing of anti-jamming technology, and real-time battlefield assessments of weapons deployed against NATO-equipped forces in Ukraine, the intelligence officials and weapons experts said. The cooperation is reaping substantial benefits for both countries, while elevating Iran’s status from junior ally to strategic partner, they said.

“It’s no longer the patron-client dynamic, where Russia holds all the leverage,” said Hanna Notte, director of the Eurasia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. “The Iranians are accruing benefits from this change. The nature of their relationship has gone beyond just getting things. There’s knowledge transfer, there’s intangible gains.”

Intelligence officials described Russia as “advancing” agreements negotiated in secret to supply Iran with Su-35s, one of Russia’s most capable fighter-bombers and a potentially dramatic upgrade for an Iranian air force that consists mainly of rebuilt U.S. and Soviet aircraft dating from before 1979. Russia also pledged to provide technical help with Iranian spy satellites as well as assistance in building rockets to put more satellites into space, the officials said.

There is no public evidence that Su-35s have been delivered; the holdup may be a delay by Iran in paying for the planes, according to a U.S. and a Middle Eastern intelligence official with detailed knowledge of the deal.

On the defensive side of the ledger, Iran has long sought Russia’s top-of-the-line antiaircraft missile batteries to protect its nuclear and military facilities against a possible U.S. or Israeli strike. In 2007, Tehran cut a deal to purchase Russia’s S-300 antiaircraft system, but Moscow delayed supplying the weapons amid pressure from the United States and European powers. The self-imposed ban ended in 2016, and Iranian S-300s became operational in 2019.

Iran has since sought to purchase Russia’s more capable S-400 system, although whether Moscow has moved to provide S-400 batteries is not publicly known.

Some variants of the S-400 are equipped with radars that can defeat stealth technology used by modern warplanes. Russia has deployed the S-400 to protect its military bases in Syria, and the batteries constitute a potentially lethal threat to U.S. and Israeli military aircraft that occasionally operate in Syrian airspace.

An Israeli airstrike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus on April 1 killed two Iranian generals and led directly to Iran’s decision to launch drones and missiles against Israel over the weekend.

Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, said Monday that Iran’s attack “will be met with a response.”

If delivered, the new Russian antiaircraft missiles and anti-stealth systems, deployed to protect underground bases carved in rocky mountains , would assuredly make Iranian airspace “a more dangerous place,” said Can Kasapoglu, a senior fellow with the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank.

“This is important at a time when the regime is fast and unchecked moving toward a bomb,” Kasapoglu said. In addition, he said, “any engagement [with Israel] will take place in the Iranian airspace, where Tehran will hold the advantage of playing at home.”

Moscow also is reaping benefits from the collaboration, intelligence officials said. In addition to thousands of drones procured from Iran, Russia agreed late last year to purchase about $2 billion worth of additional military goods, including anti-drone defensive systems that have become a top priority for Russian generals in Ukraine, according to two intelligence officials with detailed knowledge of the deal.

Iran has separately agreed to sell Russia surface-to-surface missiles for use in Ukraine and, according to a new intelligence assessment, is expected to begin transfer of the weapons imminently. Spy agencies have seen no evidence so far that the missiles have been delivered, the officials said.

The production of battlefield drones, meanwhile, has evolved into a joint venture between the two countries, intelligence officials said. Initially, Iran’s provision of drones to Russia was an attempt by Tehran to help its ally plug a hole in its military campaign against Ukraine. Russia, which possessed few battlefield drones at the start of the war, began using two types of Iranian-made Shahed drones in the fall of 2022: the long-range, sweptwing Shahed-131 and the Shahed-136.

By midsummer 2023, Russia was beginning to manufacture Iranian-designed Shahed-136 drones indigenously, at factory in Alabuga, a town in Russia’s Tatarstan region, about 500 miles east of Moscow. Russian documents obtained by The Washington Post last year described plans to manufacture 6,000 drones by summer 2025 to use in its campaign of strikes against Ukrainian forces as well as electricity plants and other vital infrastructure.

Concerned about Russia’s domestic production, the Ukrainian military launched a drone attack of its own against the Alabuga complex on April 2.

More recently, Moscow and Tehran have begun working cooperatively on new kinds of unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, according to intelligence officials and leaked documents. The trove of Russian and Iranian emails and records released by the hacking group Prana Network were purportedly stolen from an Iranian server linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps earlier this year.

Among the documents were details of visits by Iranian and Russian delegations to tour weapons facilities in both countries. The Iranians’ trip to the NPP Start factory was described in a Russian “program” for the visit that listed tours of defense facilities in five cities. The document was signed by officials of Technodinamika JSC, which operates NPP Start, as well as the Russian Defense Ministry.

The Post could not independently verify the documents, but two Biden administration officials acknowledged that U.S. intelligence agencies have closely studied the leaked materials and do not dispute their authenticity. Neither Russia nor Iran has publicly responded to the leak.

Several documents describe an April 2023 trip to Iran by a delegation of Russian engineers to watch a demonstration of a new jet-powered drone as well as a line of hunter-killer UAVs designed to destroy enemy drones. Both appeared to impress the visitors.

Variants of the jet-powered drone, dubbed the MS-237, Shahed-238 and Shahed-236, were described as having a maximum speed of about 400 mph — about three times faster than previous iterations of Iranian drones. Tehran revealed the existence of the new drone at an air show in November.

In the demonstration, the jet drone — code-named “motorboat” in the Russians’ internal communications — “successfully took off, accomplished the tasks … and successfully landed by parachute,” a leaked Russian report said. “Given its high speed, the boat is essentially a cruise missile.”

The test apparently helped cement an agreement to acquire more than 600 of the Iranian-designed jet drones, with most of them built on Russian soil with Iranian parts and help, according to the leaked emails. The documents also describe protracted negotiations over how Russia would pay for the drones. At least two installments were to come in the form of gold bullion valued at about $140 million, the documents show.

In January, photos of the remains of a jet-powered drone that appears identical to the MS-237 were posted by Ukraine bloggers after the aircraft reportedly was shot down somewhere over central Ukraine. It is not yet known whether any of the jet drones were launched against Israel in the recent Iranian attack.

“It’s faster, which means it is more difficult to intercept,” said Fabian Hinz, a defense analyst and expert on UAVs and missile systems with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank. But, he said, the jet drones are “probably also substantially more expensive, because these types of jet engines are tricky to build.”

Producing the drones as a joint production offers substantial benefits for Iran, including the ability to evaluate their performance on Ukrainian battlefields. David Albright, an expert on Iran’s weapon systems and president of the Institute for Science and International Security, a Washington nonprofit, noted that the leaked documents show evidence of Russian engineers incorporating design improvements on Iranian drones.

“Mistakes and flaws in the designs were identified and fixed,” he said, “and Iran would benefit from that.”

Even if Russian systems such as the S-400 have not already been sold to Iran and deployed there, Albright said the sharing of design information and technological expertise could quietly bolster Iran’s capabilities without triggering alarms in the West.

“You might not see anything,” he said.

Israel-Gaza war

The Israel-Gaza war has gone on for six months, and tensions have spilled into the surrounding region .

The war: On Oct. 7, Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel that included the taking of civilian hostages at a music festival . (See photos and videos of how the deadly assault unfolded ). Israel declared war on Hamas in response, launching a ground invasion that fueled the biggest displacement in the region since Israel’s creation in 1948 .

Gaza crisis: In the Gaza Strip, Israel has waged one of this century’s most destructive wars , killing tens of thousands and plunging at least half of the population into “ famine-like conditions. ” For months, Israel has resisted pressure from Western allies to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave .

U.S. involvement: Despite tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some U.S. politicians , including President Biden, the United States supports Israel with weapons , funds aid packages , and has vetoed or abstained from the United Nations’ cease-fire resolutions.

History: The roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mistrust are deep and complex, predating the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 . Read more on the history of the Gaza Strip .

• Israel strikes Iran, Israeli official says; White House declines to comment on attack April 19, 2024 Israel strikes Iran, Israeli official says; White House declines to comment on attack April 19, 2024
• After Israeli strike in Iran, both sides appear to downplay incident April 19, 2024 After Israeli strike in Iran, both sides appear to downplay incident April 19, 2024
• Homes burned, animals killed: Palestinians describe Israeli settler rampage April 16, 2024 Homes burned, animals killed: Palestinians describe Israeli settler rampage April 16, 2024

Tasty Russia Tours

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Tasty Russia Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

Tasty Russia Tours

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

TASTY RUSSIA TOURS (St. Petersburg) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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Here Is Every Outfit Zendaya Has Worn During The "Challengers" Press Tour, And Each Look Is A Game, Set, Match

From sporty mini dresses to Wimbledon-white ensembles, Zendaya and her stylist, Law Roach, are a match made in tennis heaven.

BuzzFeed Staff

Zendaya , the mother of " method dressing ," is here again, serving us with a whole slew of tennis-themed ensembles for her Challengers press tour , where she not only acts in the film but produces as well.

Challengers,  premiering April 26, is about a woman named Tashi (played by Zendaya ), a pro tennis player who is forced to become a coach after being injured during a match. This leads her to coach her husband, who is described as a mediocre tennis player. Eventually, after a streak of losses, Tashi signs him up for a "challengers" event, where he's positioned against his former best friend —and Tashi's ex-boyfriend. 

For this press tour, Zendaya and her image architect of 13 years, Law Roach , have teamed up to create a slate of looks that embody Zendaya's character, Tashi, and the overall vibe of the film.

"I think we are constantly trying to be inspired by the film — whether that be literally. Like this morning, I had tennis balls in my shoes — or more just the essence of the character or a concept or idea. So I keep wearing my 'tennis whites,'" she said during an interview with Vogue . 

In a separate Vogue interview , Zendaya also said she purposely dyed her hair blonde for this tour, so it "felt like a different press tour; a little reset."

So, since Zendaya has been making a racket — in a good way — with every single Challengers press look, we thought it would be important to round up all of her fashion outfits so far.

1. first up: this custom glittery green gown by loewe at the australian premiere..

Jonathan Anderson, who is the fashion house's creative director, was also the costume designer for  Challengers . According to Law Roach , in a podcast interview with Vogue , the shadow figure on the dress is actually a grab of Zendaya's shadow from the film. 

The back of the dress is a complete score.

Need a closeup of the makeup, too.

2. Next, a sparkly custom pleated tennis dress by Loewe at a photocall at the Hotel Hassler in Rome.

A plunging neckline with a pleated skirt? Say no more. 

Closeup of the makeup and the Bulgari earrings.

Zendaya's footwear is literally killing the competition with these custom Loewe heels, which feature tennis balls with the Loewe logo pierced through each heel.

3. A pinstripe vest and mini skirt set by Vivienne Westwood at the photocall at Claridge's Hotel in London .

This look is pulled from Vivienne Westwood's Spring/Summer ’94 ready-to-wear collection. A few adjustments were made to give it a more "sporty" look.

Gotta get a closeup of the bangs, makeup, and feather bustle.

I also love that she wears some variation of a tennis bracelet in most of her looks so far. 

4. A custom white sequin drop-waisted pleated halter dress by Thom Browne at the London premiere.

A high-slit gown that has a juxtaposition of sporty and preppy, Thom Browne gave full deets of the dress on the fashion house's Instagram : "Mesh inserts, red, white and blue intarsia hem detailing and white bullion half drop tennis racket icon embroidery."

Zendaya donned Bulgari earrings with a bold, red lip.

Is it just me, or do her earrings resemble the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy that's given to the winner of the Ladies' Singles tournaments in Wimbledon? 

5. A custom structured single-breasted jacket and matching full-length skirt by Calvin Klein at the Rome premiere.

According to Calvin Klein's Instagram , the whole outfit is made from soft white leather. In an interview with Vogue , Zendaya called this look: "Business-woman Tashi in her tennis whites."

The snake-like necklace — which is called the Serpenti Viper necklace — could evoke a character trait of Tashi.

6. A custom white, strapless drop-waist gown by Louis Vuitton at the Paris premiere.

This look — with a wide leather belt at the hips — was created by Louis Vuitton's Artistic Director, Nicolas Ghesquière .

Bulgari diamonds to complement her Wimbledon-white dress.

If you don't know, players are only allowed to wear white at Wimbledon because sweat stains are less visible on white garments. 

7. A tennis-green satin set by Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton at a photocall at Hotel de Crillon in Paris.

The tennis whites are replaced with metallic heels for this Spring/Summer 1999 Louis Vuitton ensemble. 

This sunkissed makeup is an ace.

8. A checkered minidress with tennis-green and white hues by Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs at a photocall at the Maison de l'Amerique Latine in Paris.

This preppy little number was taken from the 2013 archives. 

The overall style gives "'60s mod" with an all-white headband and side bangs.

9. A custom white mini dress by 16Arlington on the Italian TV Show Che Tempo Che Fa in Milan.

Zendaya is sticking with the Wimbledon - white memo — and we don't hate it.

This is the look she gave to the camera when the TV host asked : "Does Spider-Man give you gardenias?" Her response: "I hope he's watching."

10. A halterneck minidress by Ralph Lauren at the photocall in Milan.

This little white number is from Ralph's Spring/Summer '92 collection. Cindy Crawford was the original model who wore it. 

Like the Italians say: Molto buona!

11. A cable-knit sweater and a maxi skirt by Brunello Cucinelli at a photocall at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters tournament in Monaco.

Hi, Mr. Hairstylist, I would like the "Hot-Honey" blonde, please, and thank you.

12. A custom all-white tennis ensemble by On Running in Monaco.

View this photo on Instagram

This look from OR pays homage to  Althea Gibson , the first Black woman who won a Grand Slam tournament. 

13. A custom lingerie-inspired corset gown by Vera Wang at the Los Angeles premiere.

In a red carpet interview with ET , Zendaya mentioned that she and Law had this gown for a while. "It just felt like the right time to bring her out — but I don't know. Maybe it's inspired a little bit by ... she wears her nightgown to do her...  things.  Okay? I think maybe a hint of that. Maybe."

The makeup? Soft, glowy, and pink to match her gorgeous soft pink gown.

14. After the red carpet, Zendaya went from serving in lace to serving back in tenniscore with this custom plunging bright green dress by Celia Kritharioti.

The tennis ball detail is *chef kiss*.

15. A double-breasted blazer dress with a mismatch tie and pocket square by Ralph Lauren at the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show.

Yes, Zendaya can also do menswear better than most men can. This blazer is from Ralph Lauren's spring/summer 1992 collection. And, of course, she matched it with Tashi's "tennis whites" to complete the look.

Oh, and you thought we were done? Zendaya Did. Not. Rest. when it came to the Challengers press interviews, either. Here are some of her other looks.

16. let's start with this casual elisabetta franchi set that involved striped boxer shorts and a matching button-down she wore in australia..

17. Or this amazing green long-sleeve number that makes her look like a tennis star.

18. And let's not forget this cozy yellow Loro Piana sweater set she wore in London.

Do you have a favorite outfit from the Challengers press tour? Tell us in the comments below.

This story will be updated with new looks.

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Definitely a must! - Tasty Russia Tours

• Europe    
• Russia    
• Northwestern District    
• St. Petersburg    
• St. Petersburg - Things to Do    
• Tasty Russia Tours

I absolutely loved this experience, getting to try traditional dishes and discuss Russian culture... read more

My friend and I had a brilliant time together - the morning absolutely flew by! A really wholesome... read more

Definitely a must!

Definitely a must! Nadia was such a lovely host. She was really supportive and kind throughout the whole experience. Apart from the Matryoshka painting itself, teatime (which we could try Russian traditional snacks) was amazing also. This would be my most special experience in Saint Petersburg. +Plus, if you got enough time in the city, I'd recommend you to try their vodka tasting class also--we were lucky enough to taste some of their own vodka and they were so good!

I had a great time with Kristina, Ludo and Leo. I was welcomed warmly and we had great Russian wine, delicious snacks and already great talks before we started cooking. The cooking was great as well, Ludo gave good advices how to do everything. The dinner itself was absolutely delicious and we had great talks and I could try nice vodkas as well. I even stayed longer than planned and will definitely come back when I’m in St. Petersburg again one day.

We did the doll painting plus tea party as a shore excursion from a cruise ship. This was the perfect choice for our family. They are well organized. Everything was set up and ready to go when we arrived. They are warm and friendly and very knowledgeable, both about the painting of the dolls and about the delicious Russian food and tea. Just an excellent experience.

Nadia and Leo we're excellent hosts. They explained everything to us and taught us the different techniques of painting. They helped us mix the colors and gave suggestions, all while letting us do our own thing. Afterwards, we had tea, sandwiches, and lots of great communication with them. It was a great experience to learn from them and to laugh with them. I didn't know what to expect but was very pleasantly surprised. I would do this again the next time we are in St. Petersburg.

This was such a lovely experience to have in Russia. It wasn't planned but it was raining whilst we were there so even better! It was a lot of fun and something completely different. Not sure we were quite pros but happy to have something personal to take home too and the hosts were very knowledgeable in sharing info about the traditions of Russia.

This is such a great experiment. I was there with my mother who doesn't speak English and Nadia has let me translate. We learned a lot about matrioshka, Russian culture and food. This is such a pleasure to paint on wood and to see how the matrioshka is made layer by layer. As there was only 4 participants, it was easy to talk with each other and the meal was really good. Also, as we came from the metro, they sent me pictures of the way so we could go there easily. I warmly recommend it to everyone.

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Germany’s Leader Walks a Fine Line in China

Chancellor Olaf Scholz tried to promote German business interests while delivering warnings from Europe about trade and geopolitical tensions.

By Alexandra Stevenson and Melissa Eddy

Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany tried to strike a delicate balance on a trip to China this week, promoting business ties with his country’s biggest trading partner while raising concerns over its surge of exports to Europe and its support for Russia.

Mr. Scholz met with China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Tuesday, the culmination of a three-day visit with a delegation of German officials and business leaders. He also met with Premier Li Qiang as the two countries navigate relations strained by Russia’s war in Ukraine and China’s rivalry with the United States, Germany’s most important ally.

Throughout his trip, Mr. Scholz promoted the interests of German companies that are finding it increasingly hard to compete in China. And he conveyed growing concern in the European Union that the region’s market is becoming a dumping ground for Chinese goods produced at a loss .

But Mr. Scholz chose a conciliatory tone over a combative one in his opening remarks before sitting down with Mr. Xi on Tuesday morning, in a meeting that stretched over three hours and turned into a walk and lunch.

It was the German leader’s first visit to China since his government adopted a strategy last year that defined the Asian power as a “partner, competitor and systemic rival ,” calling on Germany to reduce its dependency on Chinese goods.

Germany’s economy shrank last year, and its weaknesses have exposed a reliance on China for growth. Energy prices have risen because of the war in Ukraine, which has been facilitated by Beijing’s support for the Kremlin. German companies have pushed for more access to China and complained that they face unfair competition .

The chancellor visited German companies with extensive investments in China and met with trade representatives and officials in the sprawling industrial metropolis of Chongqing in China’s southwest and in Shanghai and Beijing.

At a talk with a group of students in Shanghai on Monday, Mr. Scholz fielded a question from a student who planned to study in Germany this year, who said he was “really worried” because the country had partially legalized cannabis. “When you study in Berlin, you can run around the whole time and never meet anyone who does that,” the chancellor assured him.

But he also used the platform to push more serious messages about trade. “Competition must be fair,” Mr. Scholz told the students. “We want a level playing field,” he said.

Mr. Scholz’s trip was an example of the difficult dance that Germany is trying to do: maintaining economic ties with China while managing U.S. pressure to align itself more closely with Washington against Beijing.

In his meetings, Mr. Scholz highlighted Germany’s commitment to doing business with China, but he also warned that Beijing had to curb the flood of Chinese goods into Europe. At the same time, he expressed reservations about the European Union’s investigations into China’s use of subsidies for green technology industries, saying that any discussion about trade must be based on fairness.

“This must be done from a position of self-confident competitiveness and not from protectionist motives,” Mr. Scholz told reporters on Monday.

China’s manufacturing push in green sectors like electric cars and solar panels has touched off trade disputes with Europe and the United States, where such industries have also received government support. But with 5,000 German companies active in the Chinese market, Germany stands to lose more than many of its European partners would if Beijing were to retaliate against the European Union.

“If the E.U. goes too hard against China, we could expect countermeasures and this would be a catastrophe for us,” said Maximilian Butek, the executive director of the German Chamber of Commerce in China.

“For us it’s extremely important that the Chinese market remains open,” he said.

In his meeting with Mr. Xi, Mr. Scholz indicated that Russia’s war on Ukraine and its arms buildup were high on his agenda. “They directly affect our core interests. Indirectly, they damage the entire international order,” he said in opening remarks at the meeting, a transcript of which was provided by Mr. Scholz’s office.

Despite pressing the issue with Mr. Xi, he did not appear to win the commitment that he had sought from the Chinese leader to take part in an international conference for Ukraine planned in June. Germany had hoped that China could use its influence over Russia to help work toward a peace agreement.

Germany would also like China stop selling goods to Russia that have potential uses on the battlefield, and Mr. Scholz told reporters that he had brought up the issue in his meeting. “The point has been made,” he said. “There can be no misunderstanding about how we see things.”

China is hoping to drive a wedge between Europe and the United States by courting leaders such as Mr. Scholz. State media reports depicted his visit as demonstrating the strength of China’s relations with Europe, playing up its economic ties with Germany.

In his opening remarks to Mr. Scholz, Mr. Xi said cooperation between China and Germany, which have the second- and third-largest economies, was beneficial to the world, a remark that could be read as directed at those who have urged Berlin to distance itself from Beijing.

“The two countries should view and develop bilateral relations from a long-term and strategic perspective and work together to inject more stability and certainty into the world,” Mr. Xi told Mr. Scholz, emphasizing the importance of seeking “common ground.”

Beijing is sure to welcome the message that German businesses are committed to China. The Asian giant is trying to court foreign investment to reinvigorate its economy, which has faltered because of a housing slowdown. Some Western businesses and investors have also been rattled by Mr. Xi’s emphasis on national security, which they regard as making it riskier to operate in the country.

From China’s perspective, Germany may be its best hope of delaying or watering down any trade restrictions from Europe, said Noah Barkin, a senior adviser in the China practice at the Rhodium Group, a research firm.

German carmakers have invested billions of dollars in China, and much of their revenue comes from there. Many worry that if the European Commission imposes higher tariffs on Chinese exports, and Beijing retaliates, German businesses will suffer most.

Chinese officials “know that German companies are heavily invested and they use that politically to influence political decision making in Berlin,” Mr. Barkin said.

Germany’s biggest companies, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and BASF, have large operations in China and strong, effective lobbies in Berlin, Mr. Barkin added. Executives from those companies, along with several others, traveled with Mr. Scholz to China.

“The supply chain in China is stuffed with German goods,” said Joerg Wuttke, a former president of the E.U. Chamber of Commerce in China. “If China has a price war with Germany, then no one will make money anymore.”

Mr. Scholz also brought along the German ministers for agriculture, the environment and transportation, officials who experts said would be particularly interested in working with China.

“You set an agenda with these three ministers, the tonality is overall a cooperative one, these are areas that we want to work on,” said Janka Oertel, director of the Asia Program at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Chinese officials, for their part, have brushed off the European accusations of unfair trading practices, calling them groundless and an act of “ typical protectionism .” They have hinted that they could retaliate for any actions taken by the European Union, saying that China was “strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes” its investigations.

In an interview with the German newspaper Handelsblatt, Wu Ken, China’s ambassador to Germany, said the competitive edge of Chinese electric vehicles “relies on innovation, not subsidies.”

“The challenge faced by developed countries lies more in the fact that Chinese companies are more efficient,” the ambassador said.

Vivian Wang contributed reporting from Beijing and Zixu Wang from Hong Kong.

Alexandra Stevenson is the Shanghai bureau chief for The Times, reporting on China’s economy and society. More about Alexandra Stevenson

Melissa Eddy is based in Berlin and reports on Germany’s politics, businesses and its economy. More about Melissa Eddy