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• Destinations : Afrique, Amérique du Nord, Amérique du Sud, Asie et Pacifique, Caraïbes, Europe du Nord, Europe du Sud, Moyen-Orient

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Bleu, blanc, green

Grand rêve blanc, pétri de clichés et de récits d’aventuriers, le Groenland révèle aujourd’hui un nouveau visage. Un face-à-face entre une nature grandiose en sursis et une génération d’Inuits, fière de renouer le dialogue avec ses racines et d’écrire un avenir en vert.

Knud Hendrik fixe l’horizon, les pommettes fouettées par le vent du nord, les pieds solidement ancrés dans la neige fraîche tapissant le sol. Son regard bridé plonge vers le fjord d’Ameralik – miroir opalin qui s’enfonce sur une centaine de kilomètres vers la calotte glaciaire, l’ inlandsis – il file entre les aiguilles de granit dégringolant du ciel jusqu’au bleu glacial de l’Arctique, et pour finir, se pose sur des dômes de meringue explosant de lumière. Entre deux bourrasques, le jeune homme, sourire aux lèvres, souffle son rêve : “Un jour, j’irai explorer ce glacier. Personne, je crois, n’y a jamais posé le pied”. Folle idée ? L’esprit pionnier coule de source chez ce jeune Groenlandais qui partage le patronyme d’un des premiers explorateurs du pays et a pour terrain de jeu, depuis l’enfance, un immense domaine vierge entourant la montagne de Hjortetakken.

Nous sommes à seulement vingt minutes de bateau de Nuuk, la capitale du Groenland, tout au bord du monde. Charpentier de formation, skieur précoce, Knud manie marteau et réseaux pour retaper une poignée de minuscules refuges bâtis par son père dans ce grand désert blanc, il y a près de quarante ans. À l’époque, l’acheminement des matériaux, depuis les rives du fjord jusqu’au pied des montagnes, s’est fait à dos d’amis. Aujourd’hui Knud ne se prive pas d’utiliser motoneige et téléphone satellite pour accélérer la restauration de ces cabanes de lutins perdues sous les sommets vierges. Eau courante… au ruisseau, éclairage à la bougie, chauffage au poêle : un confort minimaliste dans un cadre au luxe démesuré, destiné aux voyageurs en mal d’espace. Car si l’époque a changé, les paysages sont ici toujours aussi grandioses.

Premier choc visuel : l’échelle vertigineuse entre le skieur et les paysages vierges. Dissonance cognitive pour les frêles rétines européennes, si peu habituées à une telle profondeur de champ.

Deuxième étourdissement fracassant : le son oublié du silence. Une chape de coton, à peine ciselée par le frottement sur la neige des peaux de phoque en synthétique, qui permettent ici de gagner les sommets de la façon la plus “éco-logique”. Au plaisir de la vue, s’ajoute alors le goût du chocolat chaud décuplé par l’effort. Enfin, lorsque tombe la nuit, la pureté du ciel cobalt laisse place à la poussière solaire qui orchestre le spectacle magique des aurores boréales.

« Juste s'asseoir et pêcher deux heures peuvent vous rendre heureux. »

“Nature is the boss !” clame Tom, ancien pêcheur devenu chauffeur de taxi, en récupérant sur le port de Nuuk l’équipage de randonneurs-skieurs, fraîchement revenus sur terre, après un passage par la mer bien frappé. Ne jamais oublier qui est le maître reste une évidence sur cette île-continent trois fois et demie plus grande que la France, encore recouverte de glace à 80 % malgré l’avancée du réchauffement climatique, et dont la population globale dépasse à peine celle de la Creuse. Une nature âpre, à laquelle les premiers peuples nomades se sont frottés il y a plus de 4 500 ans, avant de disparaître, refroidis sans doute par un climat extrême qui, au cours des millénaires, continuera à repousser l’Homme. Même les vigoureux Vikings, invités à la fin du Xe siècle par Erik le Rouge à s’installer à la pointe sud de ce “grœnland”, pays verdoyant, puis un peu plus tard ici, le long du Godthabsford (fjord de l’Espérance), ne résistèrent pas. Furent-ils terrassés par le “petit âge glaciaire”, par un manque cruel de vivres, ou une confrontation virile avec les Paléoesquimaux poussés, eux, vers le sud ? “Les avis divergent et le mystère reste entier !”, constate Ujammiugaq Engell, curatrice du petit musée national de Nuuk, niché sur le vieux port de la ville aux façades écarlates.

Seul un peuple fut capable de survivre de manière durable dans cet environnement hostile : les Thulé . Grâce à une formidable capacité d’adaptation, à l’invention entre autres du kayak, de l’ umiaq (barque traditionnelle) et du qamutiq (traîneau à chiens), ils réussirent à étendre leur territoire de chasse jusqu’à la côte est de l’île. Une culture en totale osmose avec cette nature rude mais généreuse et dont les Inuits modernes – de l’Alaska au Groenland – sont les directs descendants. Passés du harpon au smartphone, de l’amulette à internet en moins de cinquante ans, les Groenlandais ont troqué la vie de chasseurs nomades nés sous un igloo pour la sédentarité en appartement chauffés, avec la même capacité d’adaptation que leurs ancêtres, même si, face à ce bouleversement d’identité, une partie s’est égarée dans les méandres de la violence et de l’alcoolisme. Pour autant, la nature a gardé une place essentielle. “Cet environnement difficile vous rend fort physiquement et spirituellement”, explique Liisi Egede Hegelund, propriétaire de l’adorable Inuk Hostels, posé au bord du fjord, à la manière d’un camp nomade moderne. “Si je suis stressée ou triste, je vais marcher, je regarde les montagnes, je respire, j’écoute le silence… et je reviens apaisée. Juste s’asseoir et pêcher deux heures peuvent vous rendre heureux. Nous sommes ainsi capables de vivre dans une société difficile”, poursuit la sexagénaire rayonnante. Depuis cinq ans, elle s’attache à transmettre à ses pairs la culture de leurs ancêtres. “Ma génération a oublié progressivement son héritage inuit. À l’adolescence, nous étions envoyés au Danemark pour notre scolarité, de retour nous faisions tout pour nous intégrer dans une société européanisée”.

Aujourd’hui Liisi réveille donc ce patrimoine engourdi, notamment grâce à sa gastronomie. À sa table, elle fait déguster les saveurs puissantes de la mer sous forme de “tapas groenlandaises”, composées de poissons séchés ou fumés, de viande de phoque, de baleine… – une dose homéopathique pour se réhabituer au goût, également adaptée aux palais sensibles de passage. Un challenge gustatif, adouci par les herbes rares, récoltées en été. On redécouvre l’angélique de nos campagnes, qui apaise le système digestif (et le souvenir de la graisse de béluga se dissout peu à peu), le thym arctique et ses vertus anti-inflammatoires, ou encore le lédon du Groenland – dont la feuille évoque un petit kayak –, sous forme de thé antistress. Apaisé, on regagne sous un ciel halluciné d’aurores, le cabanon baptisé Nanoq (ours polaire) – celui-ci étant désormais contraint de chercher sa pitance ici, aux portes de Nuuk.

Loin de se perdre dans les profondeurs du fjord qui borde ses fenêtres, le message de Liisi trouve écho chez une génération de trentenaires actifs, fiers, et bien décidés à défendre leur héritage naturel et culturel.

À 31 ans, Innunguaq Hegelund, a aussi choisi la gastronomie comme porte-voix. “Parce que les saveurs marquent bien plus durablement que les mots”, précise-t-il d’une voix tranquille, mais pressé de rejoindre le marché aux poissons où l’on annonce un arrivage. Né à Paamiut, un petit village de la côte sud-ouest, Innunguaq a fait ses études au Danemark puis au Portugal avant un retour sur son île natale. À vingt ans, il doit alors réapprendre une langue qu’il a oubliée. Le jeune chef perfectionne ensuite sa technique et libère sa créativité à l’Hotel Artic d’Ilulissat, avant de se lancer à la reconquête des saveurs inuites. “Je ne supportais plus de voir des chefs groenlandais servir uniquement du poulet ou du porc. C’est tout aussi aberrant que des restaurants français qui ne proposeraient que du phoque !” Regard doux mais avant-bras tatoué, Innunguaq se bat donc pour remettre au goût du jour bœuf musqué, caribou, phoque, canard, et moules sauvages. De la chasse à l’assiette, il confectionne une cuisine locavore, à l’état brut ou presque – crue, fumée, fermentée –, servie sur un morceau de granit, sans pour autant se priver de la fantaisie d’une mousse flambée à l’infusion d’herbes du Sud. Un langage papillaire simple, résolument dans la tendance – René Redzepi, à la tête du célèbre Noma, est d'ailleurs venu récemment s’inspirer des ingrédients arctiques – et pratiqué à des prix modérés afin de parler au plus grand nombre.

Lorsque les hommes manquent de respect à la nature, Sedna, la déesse marine, retient dans sa chevelure la faune nourricière. Seul un chaman peut alors tenter d'apaiser sa colère.

Objectif : ressusciter un patrimoine sacrifié sur l’autel de la mondialisation. Afin de mieux diffuser le message, ce chef nomade (il officie aussi à Portland et Helsinki) a opté pour des restaurants éphémères, tournant à travers tout le pays, durant une soirée ou plusieurs mois. En parallèle, il lutte contre le gaspillage en utilisant ses invendus pour nourrir les plus démunis, et intervient dans les prisons pour former à la cuisine de jeunes criminels. Une réinsertion par les fourneaux. Père de famille engagé pour son pays, Innunguaq voit dans l’utilisation des ressources locales et la limitation des importations une façon de préserver une culture et un environnement exceptionnels, mais en danger. “J’aimerais que mes filles voient la calotte glaciaire avant qu’elle ne disparaisse”, songe-t-il à voix haute, en roulant vers l’université de Nuuk où, dans les cuisines, il fait fumer son poisson. Car si le changement climatique permet désormais de développer la culture de légumes au sud de l’île, la progression du phénomène à de quoi inquiéter. Libérant une nouvelle voie commerciale maritime, des réserves de pêche et l’accès aux ressources du sous-sol mondialement convoitées, la fonte des glaces pourrait bien changer la face du pays. En 2017, le Groenland a connu le début d’hiver le plus chaud depuis quarante ans, et les experts lancent, de nouveau, unanimement, un cri d'alarme à protéger ce patrimoine universel.

Ce soir, entre ses anciennes maisonnettes colorées et ses récents immeubles gris, Nuuk (ou Godthab – bonne espérance –), comme elle fut baptisée à l’origine, fond lentement dans les rayons mordorés d’un astre qui tombe au ralenti dans le fjord, éclaboussant au passage les montagnes d’un crépuscule pastellisé. Pour autant, la capitale reflète un visage d’avenir. Celui d’une génération gardienne d’un précieux patrimoine, qui, à l’inverse de ses aînés, ne bâillonne plus son identité inuite mais y puise sa force. Sourire éblouissant, contrastant avec le blizzard glacial qui, ce matin derrière la fenêtre, fige les silhouettes fantomatiques, Anika Krogh, raconte ainsi son enfance, passée à chasser le caribou et à récolter les myrtilles. Cela lui a inspiré, explique-t-elle, un camp de luxe éphémère et écoresponsable. Une bulle de confort, perdue à la manière des ancêtres sur les rives du fjord de Nuuk, dans des paysages grandioses de toundra et d’icebergs à la dérive. Le summum du glamping version groenlandaise, imaginé par Anika et son danois de mari, renaît chaque été, au grand bonheur des voyageurs en quête d’un retour aux sources, devenu si rare.

Plus modestement installé à bord d’un minuscule atelier perché sur un container surplombant les flots glacés, Anders Zeeb s’est lancé un autre défi. Dans un pays dépourvu d’arbres, ce jeune ébéniste fabrique, grâce à du chêne importé, des meubles design qu’il vend au Canada et au Danemark. Un frondeur, lui aussi, qui puise son inspiration dans le patrimoine de son pays : un fauteuil qui ressemble à un ulu , le couteau traditionnel, une façade de buffet imitant la crête de la montagne de Sermitsiaq qui borde Nuuk.

Jeunes entrepreneurs, à la fois liés à leur époque et à leurs racines, ils sont connectés à Facebook et Instagram mais également à Sedna, la déesse marine qui, lorsque les hommes manquent de respect à la nature, retient dans sa chevelure la faune nourricière. Seul un chaman, capable de passer dans le monde invisible, peut alors tenter de calmer sa colère contre les fautifs, en lui peignant les cheveux. Le mythe environnementaliste résonne au présent et particulièrement chez cette génération consciente d’avoir entre les mains un trésor fragile. Sur ses doigts façonnant un plat de céramique, Lena Augusta Olsen porte des tatouages traditionnels évoquant la déesse. “Le tatouage traditionnel, longtemps interdit par l’église danoise, refait surface”, glisse la jeune artiste qui sculpte un motif inspiré par les tailleurs de tupilaks (esprits du mal) habituellement représentés sur des os. Partie étudier la poterie au Wyoming, Lena est rentrée à Nuuk, il y a deux ans : “Je suis attachée au Groenland même si j’ai dû me préparer à ce retour au calme après les États-Unis”, murmure-t-elle. “Là-bas, votre inspiration est constamment stimulée, les possibilités de distraction sont perpétuelles. Ici, je peux me concentrer sur l’essentiel, et sur les gens qui m’entourent”.

Prendre soin de son environnement, également humain, un réflexe naturel chez les Groenlandais. “Lorsqu’on se croise, même dans la tempête, on se regarde, personne n’est invisible”, témoigne Lena. Plus loin, dans les minuscules communautés qui bordent le fjord menant jusqu’au village isolé de Kapisillit (79 âmes, chiens compris), la bienveillance est paraît-il encore plus forte. Et dans les minuscules communautés qui bordent le fjord, la bienveillance est décuplée. Paradoxalement, choisir “Nuuk York” (trois musées et un centre culturel, tout de même, pour 18 000 habitants) ne condamne pas l’artiste à l’isolement. La capitale compte une communauté bien active de sculpteurs, peintres, photographes, chanteuses, comédiennes… Une scène créative qui communique à la fois avec ses origines et avec le monde. Ce matin, Lena échange sur Skype avec l’une des designers du collectif français Hors Pistes, venus chercher l’inspiration ici, à l’été 2017 : “Nous étions attirés par la richesse de la culture inuite, la finesse de son artisanat. Nous avons été fascinés par le dialogue entre les artisans et ce territoire qui limite drastiquement les matériaux et force la créativité”, témoigne Amandine David, cofondatrice du projet.

Enrichie de rencontres, l’expérience des grands espaces arctiques prend une nouvelle dimension. On comprend mieux le désir de découverte du jeune skieur rencontré en début de voyage. Lors de l’escale de retour à Kangerlussuaq, saisis à vif par un bon moins 35° C, l’esprit engourdi se focalise sur un groupe d’aventuriers des temps modernes qui s’apprêtent à rallier, à ski de randonnée, le village de Sisimiut, 180 kilomètres plus à l’ouest. Une semaine en autonomie totale, perdus dans l’immensité glacée. Une grande parenthèse blanche qui réveille la capacité de l’homme à s’adapter, à se réinventer et à entretenir le dialogue avec cette nature à la fois extrêmement exigeante et vitale pour nous tous. Un rêve de pionnier qui soudain ne semble plus si éloigné.

BAPTISTE BRIAND

Photographies

OLIVIER ROMANO

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Blanc Bleu Voyages

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Merci à madame la directrice qui a était très gentille avec ma famille à cause des problèmes au Mali.

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Excellente agence. Tous mes déplacements professionnels sont pris en charge par la responsable de l'agence, Jessie, avec un grand professionnalisme. Tout est géré avec une extrême gentillesse et une grande réactivité.

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Très bonne agence

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personnel aimable et est bien à l écoute des désirs des clients.

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Elablissement humain et a l'écoute

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Bonjour. Bien situé sur la place de la fontaine, proche du centre commercial, à la sortie de la gare routière, à la sortie de la gare rer Cergy Préfecture. Pour les personnes à mobilité réduite non véhiculées: utiliser l'ascenseur de la gare routière (à la sortie de la gare rer...face aux escalators). Equipe disponible et aimable (pour ma part, souvent deux dames). Je m'y présente régulièrement pour consulter et les brochures lors de mes phases préparations de séjours/trekking/trip. Et des brochures spécifiques me furent gentiment remises pour mes projets ...Alors merci ! Anecdote: présente alors qu'une étudiante démarchait pour son alternance, j'ai fortement apprécié la réponse qui lui fut faite par la dame de l'agence (gérante selon moi...). Le plus: 2-3 tabourets(même empilables) mis à disposition des personnes qui patientent, serait un plus.

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Je recommande cette agence de voyage par sont personnels agréables et professionnels avec un directeur fort compétent

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J'adore cette agence qui me propose toujours d'exellente prestations . Je remercie l'équipe mes voyages sont à chaque fois inoubliable ..

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Une agence où vous pouvez discuter de votre projet de vacances en accord avec vos besoins et votre budget! Vous pouvez aussi payer en plusieurs fois ! Des voyages sur mesure à petits prix ou des croisières grand luxe vous avez le choix c'est top! merci à cette équipe de pro hors du commun de bon conseil

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Équipe au top, le personnel est sympathique et accueillant ! Bons conseils et possibilité de payer en plusieurs fois ce qui n'est pas négligeable.

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Agence de voyage avec un personnel haut de gamme qui sait vous renseigner quelque soit votre destination . Le patron au top encadrant son équipe . Avec des prix défiants toutes concurrence !!! Je recommande . Je traverse toute la région parisienne pour prendre mes séjours !

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Agence à côté des 3 fontaines bon accueil

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Soviet and Post-Soviet Moscow Tour

The tour begins with a drive or walk down Tverskaya Street – a Soviet masterpiece. In the years of Soviet power, Tverskaya began to undergo a transformation: it was widened...

Tretyakov State Gallery Tour

This world-famous gallery contains masterpieces of Russian art beginning in the 10th century up until today. You will view exquisite Russian icons and paintings from the 18th and...

Jewish Heritage of Moscow Tour

This tour offers a detailed look into the history and present-day life of the Jewish community of Moscow. On the tour, you will visit sites connected with the cultural and religious...

Vodka Museum Tour with transport (excursion only)

Lena, our guide in Moscow was excellent. She was very knowledgable and could answer any question we had for her. We liked that she could pick up on our interests and take us places we might not have thought of to go. When we realized that one of the places we had chosen to see would probably not be that interesting to us, she was able to arrange entry to the Diamond Fund and the Armoury for us. Riding the Metro with Lena was a real adventure and a lot of fun. In Saint Petersburg we found Anna well versed in the history of the Tsars and in the Hermitage collection. Arkady in Veliky Novgorod was a very good guide and answered all of our questions with ease. Novgorod was perhaps a long way to go for a day trip, but we did enjoy it. Vasily was a great driver to have and kept us safe with good humour and skill. We enjoyed ourselves so much, my daughter says she is already planning to return. We would both have no hesistation to recommend ExpresstoRussia to anyone we know.

Just wanted to let you know that My grandson Bruno and I couldn´t have been more pleased with our week in Moscow (6/15 - 6/21). We were absolutely enchanted with the whole experience, including getting lost a couple of times in the Metro during our free time. Although both our guides (both Eleanas) were excellent, I would particularly commend the first one (she took us to the Tatiakov, the KGB tour, and to that beautiful cemetery where so many great Russian artists, authors, composers, musicians, militarists, and politicians are buried). Her knowledge is encyclopedic; and her understanding of today´s Russia as a product of its past was, for us, truly enlightening. I will be taking another tour in Russia, with my wife, within the next two or three years. I will be in touch with you when the time comes. Meanwhile, I will refer you to other potential visitors to Russia as I meet them.

Tours to Moscow

Our Moscow tours are land only meaning that you arrange your own air travel to Russia and our expert staff meets you at the airport and handles everything else from there. Our online Airline Ticket booking system offers some of the most competitive rates to Russia available on the web so if you need tickets, please visit our Russian air ticket center . Rest assured that you will be taken great care of on one of our Moscow tours. Express to Russia has a fully staffed office in Moscow that will help to make your visit fun, informative and unforgettable. Please remember that of all these tours are private and can be adjusted to your taste. You can add, replace or skip some sights; you can add more days to the package or cut the tour short. Our specialists will be glad to help you create the tour of your dreams!

Moscow, a City Like No Other

Moscow is Russia’s largest city with a population of between 12 and 13 million. It is also Europe’s largest city and when you visit Moscow, you can feel it. The layout and architecture of the city is eclectic, ranging from crooked, ancient streets and alleyways to wide, bustling boulevards, from medieval churches to Stalin skyscrapers and to modern, glass buildings towering over everything and of course in the center of it all is the Kremlin and the magnificent Red Square. Moscow is also home to a fantastic, efficient and very beautiful metro system – each station having its own special design. In fact, Express to Russia’s Moscow metro tours and excursions are some of our most popular attractions that we offer. On our Moscow tours, you will see this and more.

Moscow Tours centering on Russian History

Moscow has a long and interesting history and has been the capital of Russia in many of its different iterations – capital of the Grand Duchy of Moscow , the Russian Empire and of course the Soviet Union (who could ever forget the Soviet Union?). Moscow, was founded in the 12th century by Prince Yuri Dolgaruki (Yuri of the long arms – he really did have long arms!). From that time on, it was home to the Russian Tsars until Peter the Great moved the capital to St. Petersburg in 1703. The city has survived invasions and sieges from the Mongols, the Tartars, the Poles, Lithuanians and Napoleon but has always persevered. Our Moscow tours will enlighten you on this great history and give you insights into Muscovites and their unique culture. Our Moscow tours show you what the city is like today but also brings to life the past. Moscow never seems to sleep and is bursting with energy. A Moscow tour with Express to Russia is truly the best way of getting to know Russia’s largest and most vibrant city.

Frequently Asked Questions From Our Travelers

What is the best time to visit moscow.

Any time of year is fine depending on what you plan to do. Summertime is pleasantly warm, ideal for exploring the city and its vibrant atmosphere, but Moscow will be much busier and accommodation is more expensive. Winter can be quite cold but beautiful nonetheless, and this is unproblematic if you intend to spend most of your trip in museums and galleries. There are also various festivals and events organised throughout the year. For more information about the best time to visit, read our guide

How many days are enough in Moscow?

If you plan your itinerary strategically and aren’t averse to a packed schedule, you can cover Moscow’s main sights over a long weekend. Most popular attractions are in the city centre, and the Moscow Metro allows you to cover much ground in a small amount of time. Ensure that your accommodation is fairly central and book tickets in advance, so that you can make the most of your days. For an informative and well-organised day out, check out our Moscow day tours with options to suit all interests.

Do they speak English in Moscow?

As Russia’s capital city, tourists are well accommodated in Moscow. There should be English-speaking staff in restaurants, bars, hotels, shops and attractions in tourist hotspots, and there are also English-speaking tourist police. Transport services have English translations on their maps and English announcements via intercom; alternatively, order taxis from the Yandex Taxi app (Russian Uber), though it’s unlikely that your taxi driver will speak English. If you get stuck and cannot communicate, it’s fine to use Google Translate.

Is it safe to travel to Moscow?

It is no less safe to travel to Moscow than to any European city if you exercise common sense and look after your belongings. As with every city some regions can be more unsavoury than others, but no tourist attractions are located there. The traffic in Moscow is notorious, so exercise caution when crossing roads. Do not take unlicensed taxis; book in advance or take public transport, which is widespread and perfectly safe. If you encounter any problems, look for the special tourist police who can help you. For more information, read our guide about staying safe in Russia .

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Votre plus beau voyage

Qui n’a jamais rêvé de se glisser le temps d’un voyage dans la peau d’un trappeur et de partir à la découverte des plus beaux paysages enneigés du Canada, de l’Alaska ou de la Laponie… C’est dans ces territoires où givre, neige et glace à perte de vue côtoient pourvoiries confortables et chalets accueillants, que l’hiver rime vraiment avec féérie. Ivresse d’une virée en motoneige ou en traineau à chiens au cœur des étendues immaculées, plaisir d’une belle descente à ski dans les Rocheuses, sérénité d’une marche en raquettes sous les frondaisons givrées, émerveillement lors de l’observation d’ours polaires à Churchill ou des somptueuses aurores boréales du Yukon, bien-être profond d’une soirée chaleureuse au sein d’une auberge nichée au fond des bois : à vous de choisir ! Toutes ces sensations et émotions sont à votre portée. Blanc Indigo aura à cœur de mettre son savoir-faire et son expérience dans l’élaboration, à votre mesure et selon vos envies, d’une parenthèse hivernale unique et rare, riche en enchantements.

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Technicolor

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Arc-en-ciel

Un voyage vers des lieux mystiques et sacrés… 
le voyage d’une vie. Temples grandioses et citadelles du Rajasthan, labyrinthe de canaux des Backwaters du Kerala, en Inde la couleur est partout : elle danse sur les murs des palais, sur les saris chatoyants et les épices aromatiques, dans le brouillard de couleurs du festival sacré Holi et le pelage des tigres du Bengale. Perdez-vous, chakras grands ouverts, dans les mystères d’une Inde profonde et fervente, une expérience inoubliable ! 
Question sérénité, flore et faune luxuriantes, superbes plages, éléphants sacrés, traditions séculaires préservées et peuple accueillant, 
le Sri Lanka, la “larme de l’Inde”, n’a pas à rougir de la comparaison avec sa voisine, tant sa diversité est incomparable. Et pour encore plus de zénitude, en route vers Bali, l’île aimée des Dieux, alliance parfaite entre spiritualité, nature et douceur de vivre. Des étapes les plus secrètes aux lieux incontournables de l’Asie du Sud et du Sud-Est, Blanc Indigo s’attache à vous offrir le plus beau des voyages.

A la croisée des traditions et de la modernité, cette fascinante région du monde, foyer historique de maintes civilisations, compose une mosaïque passionnante pour les voyageurs. Pour un voyage hors du temps, explorez Pétra, la mythique cité taillée dans le grès rose et les châteaux du désert jalonnant les grandioses paysages de la Jordanie. Une halte baignade sur 
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la nouvelle capitale culturelle du Moyen-Orient, son Louvre et ses monuments. En quête d’authenticité ? Tombez sous le charme du discret Sultanat d’Oman, de son peuple accueillant et de ses paysages incroyables de montagnes et de criques paradisiaques. Simple escale ou long séjour, Blanc Indigo saura enchanter les plus exigeants.

De toutes les couleurs

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voyageur une infinie palette d’escapades entre sites naturels époustouflants et centres historiques de premier plan.

Ils nous ont fait confiance

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Résumé de « Bleu, blanc, vert » de Maïssa Bey : Un voyage poignant à travers l’Algérie

« Bleu, blanc, vert » de Maïssa Bey est un roman captivant qui nous emmène dans un voyage poignant à travers l’Algérie. L’auteure nous plonge dans une atmosphère riche en émotions et en questionnements, nous invitant à découvrir la réalité complexe de ce pays. À travers les yeux de ses personnages, Bey explore les différentes facettes de l’identité algérienne, entre traditions et modernité, espoirs et désillusions. Ce récit nous transporte au cœur d’une Algérie en pleine mutation, offrant une réflexion profonde sur la société et l’histoire de ce pays. Un livre à lire absolument pour ceux qui souhaitent comprendre et ressentir l’Algérie d’aujourd’hui.

Le contexte historique de l’Algérie

L’Algérie, pays riche en histoire et en diversité culturelle, a connu de nombreux bouleversements au fil des siècles. Pour comprendre pleinement l’essence de ce pays, il est essentiel de plonger dans son contexte historique.

L’histoire de l’Algérie remonte à l’Antiquité, où elle fut successivement occupée par les Phéniciens, les Romains et les Vandales. Cependant, c’est avec l’arrivée des Arabes au 7ème siècle que le pays connaît une véritable transformation. L’islam devient la religion dominante et la langue arabe s’impose progressivement.

Au cours des siècles suivants, l’Algérie est soumise à différentes influences étrangères. Les Ottomans s’emparent du pays au 16ème siècle, instaurant un régime de domination qui durera jusqu’au 19ème siècle. C’est à cette époque que la France entre en scène, colonisant l’Algérie en 1830.

La colonisation française marque un tournant majeur dans l’histoire de l’Algérie. Les Algériens sont soumis à un régime de discrimination et d’exploitation, privés de leurs droits et de leur identité culturelle. Cette période est marquée par de nombreuses révoltes et résistances, dont la guerre d’indépendance qui éclate en 1954.

La guerre d’indépendance algérienne est un conflit sanglant qui durera huit ans, opposant les nationalistes algériens au pouvoir colonial français. Après de nombreuses luttes et sacrifices, l’Algérie obtient finalement son indépendance en 1962.

Depuis lors, l’Algérie a connu des périodes de stabilité et d’instabilité politique, marquées par des bouleversements économiques et sociaux. Le pays a également été confronté à des défis tels que le terrorisme, la corruption et les inégalités sociales.

Aujourd’hui, l’Algérie est en quête d’un nouvel élan, cherchant à construire un avenir meilleur pour ses citoyens. L’histoire complexe et tourmentée de ce pays continue de façonner son identité et sa société, et il est essentiel de la comprendre pour apprécier pleinement les récits qui en émanent, tels que « Bleu, blanc, vert » de Maïssa Bey.

La vie quotidienne sous le régime colonial

La vie quotidienne sous le régime colonial en Algérie était marquée par une oppression constante et une discrimination systématique envers la population autochtone. Dans son roman « Bleu, blanc, vert », Maïssa Bey nous plonge dans cette réalité poignante à travers le récit de personnages qui luttent pour leur dignité et leur liberté.

L’auteure dépeint avec finesse les différentes facettes de la vie quotidienne des Algériens sous le joug colonial. Les restrictions imposées par les autorités françaises étaient nombreuses et touchaient tous les aspects de la vie. Les déplacements étaient strictement contrôlés, les Algériens devaient obtenir des autorisations pour se rendre dans certaines zones, tandis que les colons français jouissaient d’une totale liberté de mouvement.

La discrimination raciale était également omniprésente. Les Algériens étaient relégués à des emplois subalternes, mal rémunérés et souvent précaires. Les colons français bénéficiaient quant à eux de privilèges et d’avantages économiques, renforçant ainsi les inégalités sociales.

Mais au-delà de ces conditions de vie difficiles, Maïssa Bey met en lumière la résistance et la force de caractère des Algériens. À travers ses personnages, elle dépeint des individus qui refusent de se soumettre et qui luttent pour leur dignité et leur identité. Ils s’organisent, se soutiennent mutuellement et cherchent des moyens de résister à l’oppression coloniale.

« Bleu, blanc, vert » est un voyage poignant à travers l’Algérie coloniale, où l’on découvre la réalité quotidienne des Algériens sous le régime colonial. Maïssa Bey nous offre un témoignage puissant sur la résilience et la détermination d’un peuple face à l’oppression, et nous rappelle l’importance de lutter pour la justice et la liberté.

La lutte pour l’indépendance

La lutte pour l’indépendance de l’Algérie est un chapitre essentiel de son histoire, marqué par des années de combats, de sacrifices et de résistance. Dans son roman « Bleu, blanc, vert », l’écrivaine algérienne Maïssa Bey nous plonge au cœur de cette période tumultueuse, offrant un voyage poignant à travers les différentes étapes de cette lutte.

L’histoire se déroule dans les années 1950, alors que l’Algérie est encore sous le joug colonial français. À travers les yeux de ses personnages, Maïssa Bey nous fait revivre les injustices, les humiliations et les violences subies par le peuple algérien. Les protagonistes, qu’ils soient militants engagés ou simples citoyens, sont tous confrontés à un choix crucial : se soumettre ou se battre pour leur liberté.

Le roman met en lumière la diversité des acteurs de cette lutte pour l’indépendance. Des femmes courageuses, des étudiants idéalistes, des ouvriers déterminés, tous unis dans un même combat pour la dignité et la souveraineté de leur pays. Maïssa Bey dépeint avec finesse les relations complexes entre ces différents groupes, leurs divergences d’opinions, mais aussi leur solidarité face à l’oppression.

Au fil des pages, l’auteure nous fait également découvrir les différentes stratégies mises en place par les nationalistes pour affaiblir le pouvoir colonial. Des manifestations pacifiques aux actions plus radicales, chaque geste de résistance est décrit avec une intensité palpable. Maïssa Bey nous rappelle ainsi que la lutte pour l’indépendance n’était pas seulement une bataille armée, mais aussi une lutte culturelle, intellectuelle et politique.

« Bleu, blanc, vert » est un roman qui nous plonge au cœur de l’histoire de l’Algérie, nous rappelant les sacrifices et la détermination du peuple algérien dans sa quête de liberté. À travers une écriture poignante et des personnages attachants, Maïssa Bey nous offre un témoignage vibrant de cette période cruciale de l’histoire du pays. Un voyage littéraire à ne pas manquer pour comprendre les enjeux et les héritages de la lutte pour l’indépendance.

Les conséquences de la guerre d’indépendance

La guerre d’indépendance de l’Algérie, qui a duré de 1954 à 1962, a laissé des séquelles profondes dans le pays. Dans son roman « Bleu, blanc, vert », Maïssa Bey nous offre un voyage poignant à travers l’Algérie post-indépendance, mettant en lumière les conséquences de cette guerre sur la société et les individus.

L’auteure nous plonge dans un pays en reconstruction, où les cicatrices de la guerre sont encore visibles. Les personnages du roman, issus de différentes générations, portent en eux les traumatismes de cette période sombre de l’histoire algérienne. Les anciens combattants, marqués par la violence et la perte, tentent de se reconstruire tandis que les jeunes générations cherchent à comprendre et à se réapproprier leur histoire.

Au-delà des blessures individuelles, c’est toute la société algérienne qui est impactée par les conséquences de la guerre d’indépendance. Les clivages entre les différentes communautés, les tensions politiques et les luttes de pouvoir sont autant de séquelles qui persistent encore aujourd’hui. Maïssa Bey nous montre comment ces divisions ont façonné la société algérienne, créant des fractures profondes et des difficultés à construire une identité nationale unifiée.

Le roman de Maïssa Bey nous invite également à réfléchir sur les conséquences psychologiques de la guerre d’indépendance. Les personnages du roman sont hantés par leurs souvenirs, leurs regrets et leurs remords. Ils sont en quête de réconciliation avec leur passé, cherchant à trouver un sens à leur existence dans un pays en pleine mutation.

En somme, « Bleu, blanc, vert » de Maïssa Bey nous offre un regard poignant sur les conséquences de la guerre d’indépendance en Algérie. À travers les histoires de ses personnages, l’auteure nous montre comment cette période a marqué durablement la société algérienne, laissant des cicatrices profondes et des questionnements sur l’identité et la mémoire collective. Un roman qui nous pousse à réfléchir sur les conséquences des conflits armés et sur la nécessité de se souvenir pour mieux avancer.

La place des femmes dans la société algérienne

Dans son roman « Bleu, blanc, vert », Maïssa Bey nous offre un voyage poignant à travers l’Algérie, mettant en lumière la place des femmes dans la société algérienne. À travers les yeux de son personnage principal, elle dépeint les défis et les luttes auxquels les femmes algériennes sont confrontées au quotidien.

L’auteure nous plonge dans un pays où les femmes sont souvent reléguées à des rôles traditionnels et soumises à des normes sociales strictes. Elles sont souvent cantonnées à la sphère domestique, chargées des tâches ménagères et de l’éducation des enfants. Pourtant, elles aspirent à plus, à une plus grande autonomie et à la possibilité de réaliser leurs propres rêves et ambitions.

Maïssa Bey met également en évidence les inégalités de genre qui persistent dans la société algérienne. Les femmes sont souvent victimes de discriminations, que ce soit dans le domaine de l’éducation, de l’emploi ou de la participation politique. Malgré les avancées législatives en faveur de l’égalité des sexes, la réalité sur le terrain reste complexe et les femmes continuent de lutter pour faire valoir leurs droits.

Pourtant, au fil des pages, l’auteure nous montre aussi la force et la résilience des femmes algériennes. Elles sont capables de se battre pour leurs droits, de se révolter contre les injustices et de se soutenir mutuellement. Elles sont les véritables piliers de la société, contribuant à sa reconstruction et à son développement.

En somme, « Bleu, blanc, vert » de Maïssa Bey nous offre un aperçu poignant de la place des femmes dans la société algérienne. À travers son roman, l’auteure nous invite à réfléchir sur les défis auxquels elles font face, mais aussi sur leur résilience et leur détermination à changer les choses. Un voyage captivant qui nous pousse à remettre en question les normes sociales et à soutenir les femmes dans leur quête d’égalité.

Les traditions et coutumes algériennes

Dans son roman « Bleu, blanc, vert », Maïssa Bey nous emmène dans un voyage poignant à travers l’Algérie, mettant en lumière les traditions et coutumes qui font la richesse de ce pays. Au fil des pages, l’auteure nous plonge dans un univers où se mêlent les couleurs, les saveurs et les sonorités de cette terre ancestrale.

L’Algérie, pays aux multiples facettes, est le berceau d’une culture riche et diversifiée. Les traditions y occupent une place prépondérante, témoignant de l’attachement profond des Algériens à leur héritage. Parmi ces traditions, on retrouve notamment les fêtes religieuses qui rythment le calendrier algérien. De l’Aïd el-Fitr, célébrant la fin du ramadan, à l’Aïd el-Kebir, marquant le sacrifice d’Abraham, ces moments de partage et de convivialité sont l’occasion pour les familles de se réunir et de perpétuer les rites ancestraux.

Les coutumes algériennes sont également marquées par une hospitalité légendaire. L’accueil chaleureux et généreux des Algériens est une véritable tradition, où l’hôte est considéré comme un membre de la famille. Les repas partagés en famille ou entre amis sont l’occasion de découvrir la richesse de la gastronomie algérienne, avec ses plats traditionnels tels que le couscous, la chorba ou encore les délicieuses pâtisseries orientales.

Au-delà de ces traditions culinaires, la musique et la danse occupent une place centrale dans la culture algérienne. Les rythmes envoûtants du chaâbi, du raï ou encore de la musique kabyle résonnent dans tout le pays, invitant les Algériens à se laisser emporter par la magie de la danse. Les fêtes populaires, telles que le Mawlid Ennabaoui ou le Nouvel An berbère, sont l’occasion de célébrer ces traditions musicales et de partager des moments de joie et de convivialité.

En somme, « Bleu, blanc, vert » de Maïssa Bey nous offre un aperçu captivant des traditions et coutumes qui font la richesse de l’Algérie. Ce voyage à travers les pages du roman nous permet de plonger au cœur de cette culture millénaire, où se mêlent traditions religieuses, hospitalité légendaire et musique envoûtante. Un véritable hymne à la diversité et à la beauté de l’Algérie.

La diversité culturelle en Algérie

Dans son roman « Bleu, blanc, vert », l’écrivaine algérienne Maïssa Bey nous offre un voyage poignant à travers les différentes facettes de la diversité culturelle en Algérie. À travers les yeux de son personnage principal, elle explore les multiples identités qui coexistent dans ce pays riche en traditions et en héritages.

L’Algérie, pays situé au carrefour de l’Afrique et de l’Europe, est le fruit d’un mélange de cultures et de civilisations. Au fil des siècles, les Berbères, les Arabes, les Ottomans et les Français ont tous laissé leur empreinte sur cette terre. Cette diversité se reflète dans la langue, la religion, la cuisine, la musique et les coutumes des différentes régions du pays.

Maïssa Bey nous plonge dans ce kaléidoscope culturel à travers les rencontres de son personnage avec des individus issus de milieux différents. Elle nous fait découvrir la richesse des traditions berbères, avec leurs chants, leurs danses et leur artisanat. Elle nous fait également explorer la culture arabe, avec ses poèmes, ses contes et sa cuisine épicée. Sans oublier l’influence française, qui se manifeste dans l’architecture, la mode et la littérature.

Mais au-delà de cette diversité culturelle, Maïssa Bey aborde également les tensions et les conflits qui peuvent surgir entre les différentes communautés. Elle met en lumière les préjugés, les stéréotypes et les discriminations qui persistent encore aujourd’hui. Cependant, elle nous rappelle aussi que la diversité culturelle est une richesse à préserver et à célébrer, car elle contribue à l’identité plurielle de l’Algérie.

En résumé, « Bleu, blanc, vert » de Maïssa Bey nous offre un regard profond et émouvant sur la diversité culturelle en Algérie. À travers son personnage, l’auteure nous invite à embrasser cette diversité, à la comprendre et à la valoriser. Un véritable hymne à la tolérance et à la coexistence pacifique des différentes cultures qui font la richesse de ce pays.

Les défis économiques et sociaux du pays

L’Algérie, pays riche en histoire et en ressources naturelles, fait face à de nombreux défis économiques et sociaux. Dans son roman « Bleu, blanc, vert », Maïssa Bey nous emmène dans un voyage poignant à travers les réalités de ce pays.

Sur le plan économique, l’Algérie est confrontée à une dépendance excessive aux hydrocarbures, qui représentent la principale source de revenus du pays. Cette dépendance rend l’économie vulnérable aux fluctuations des prix du pétrole sur le marché international. De plus, la corruption et la mauvaise gestion des ressources ont entravé le développement économique et la création d’emplois durables. Les inégalités sociales se creusent, avec une grande partie de la population vivant dans la précarité et l’exclusion.

Sur le plan social, l’Algérie est confrontée à de nombreux défis. Le chômage, en particulier chez les jeunes, est un problème majeur. Les jeunes diplômés peinent à trouver un emploi correspondant à leurs qualifications, ce qui entraîne une frustration et un sentiment d’injustice grandissant. De plus, la question de l’accès à l’éducation et à la santé reste préoccupante. Les disparités entre les régions urbaines et rurales sont flagrantes, avec des infrastructures de base souvent insuffisantes dans les zones les plus reculées.

En outre, la question de l’émigration clandestine est un défi majeur pour l’Algérie. De nombreux jeunes, désespérés par les difficultés économiques et sociales, risquent leur vie en tentant de rejoindre les côtes européennes. Cette situation met en lumière les lacunes du système de gouvernance et la nécessité de mettre en place des politiques efficaces pour lutter contre l’émigration clandestine et offrir des perspectives d’avenir aux jeunes générations.

Face à ces défis économiques et sociaux, il est essentiel que l’Algérie mette en place des réformes structurelles pour diversifier son économie, promouvoir l’entrepreneuriat et l’innovation, et investir dans l’éducation et la formation professionnelle. Il est également crucial de renforcer la transparence et la lutte contre la corruption, afin de restaurer la confiance des citoyens et d’attirer les investissements étrangers.

Le roman de Maïssa Bey, « Bleu, blanc, vert », nous rappelle l’urgence de ces défis et nous invite à réfléchir sur les solutions possibles pour un avenir meilleur en Algérie.

Les récits de vie des personnages principaux

Dans le roman « Bleu, blanc, vert » de Maïssa Bey, les récits de vie des personnages principaux sont au cœur de l’intrigue. L’auteure nous plonge dans un voyage poignant à travers l’Algérie, en nous dévoilant les histoires de ces hommes et femmes qui ont vécu les bouleversements de leur pays.

Au fil des pages, nous faisons la connaissance de personnages attachants, tels que Samia, une jeune femme en quête de liberté et d’émancipation. Son récit de vie nous transporte dans les années 1990, une période sombre marquée par la violence et l’oppression. À travers ses yeux, nous découvrons les difficultés auxquelles elle est confrontée en tant que femme, mais aussi en tant qu’Algérienne.

Puis, il y a Ahmed, un homme d’âge mûr qui a vécu les années de guerre pour l’indépendance de l’Algérie. Son récit nous plonge dans les souvenirs d’une époque révolue, où la lutte pour la liberté était le moteur de sa vie. À travers ses mots, nous ressentons la force et la détermination de ces hommes et femmes qui ont sacrifié leur jeunesse pour un idéal.

Enfin, il y a Leïla, une vieille femme qui a traversé les épreuves de la colonisation et de la guerre. Son récit nous transporte dans un passé lointain, où les cicatrices de l’histoire sont encore vives. À travers ses souvenirs, nous comprenons l’importance de la transmission et de la mémoire, pour ne pas oublier les luttes passées et continuer à avancer.

Maïssa Bey réussit brillamment à entremêler ces récits de vie, offrant ainsi une vision panoramique de l’Algérie et de son histoire mouvementée. À travers ces personnages, l’auteure nous invite à réfléchir sur les thèmes de l’identité, de la liberté et de la résilience. « Bleu, blanc, vert » est un roman qui ne laisse pas indifférent, et qui nous rappelle l’importance de connaître et de comprendre notre passé pour mieux appréhender notre présent.

Les paysages et la nature algérienne

L’Algérie, ce pays aux mille et une merveilles naturelles, offre des paysages à couper le souffle. Des montagnes majestueuses de l’Atlas saharien aux plages paradisiaques de la côte méditerranéenne, en passant par les vastes étendues désertiques du Sahara, le territoire algérien regorge de trésors naturels à découvrir.

Dans son roman « Bleu, blanc, vert », Maïssa Bey nous emmène dans un voyage poignant à travers les paysages et la nature algérienne. L’auteure nous transporte au cœur de ces contrées sauvages, où la beauté brute de la nature se mêle à l’histoire complexe du pays.

Au fil des pages, nous découvrons les montagnes enneigées du Djurdjura, qui se dressent fièrement dans le ciel, offrant des panoramas à couper le souffle. Les forêts verdoyantes qui recouvrent les flancs de ces montagnes abritent une faune et une flore d’une richesse exceptionnelle. Les randonneurs et les amoureux de la nature trouveront ici un véritable paradis, où la quiétude règne en maître.

Mais l’Algérie ne se résume pas seulement à ses montagnes. Le paysage côtier est tout aussi enchanteur. Les plages de sable fin s’étendent à perte de vue, baignées par les eaux cristallines de la Méditerranée. Les amateurs de farniente pourront se prélasser au soleil, tandis que les passionnés de sports nautiques trouveront leur bonheur dans les vagues qui viennent s’écraser sur le rivage.

Et comment ne pas évoquer le Sahara, ce désert mythique qui s’étend sur des milliers de kilomètres carrés ? Les dunes de sable doré, sculptées par le vent, offrent un spectacle à couper le souffle. Les nomades qui y vivent, au rythme des caravanes, nous plongent dans un autre temps, où la nature règne en maître et où l’homme se fond harmonieusement dans ce paysage aride.

À travers « Bleu, blanc, vert », Maïssa Bey nous invite à un voyage sensoriel à travers les paysages et la nature algérienne. Un voyage qui nous fait prendre conscience de la richesse et de la diversité de ce pays, où la nature est à la fois un refuge et un témoin silencieux de l’histoire tumultueuse de l’Algérie.

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Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow: The Best of Moscow!

I just got back from one week in Moscow. And, as you might have already guessed, it was a mind-boggling experience. It was not my first trip to the Russian capital. But I hardly ever got enough time to explore this sprawling city. Visiting places for business rarely leaves enough time for sightseeing. I think that if you’ve got one week in Russia, you can also consider splitting your time between its largest cities (i.e. Saint Petersburg ) to get the most out of your trip. Seven days will let you see the majority of the main sights and go beyond just scratching the surface. In this post, I’m going to share with you my idea of the perfect travel itinerary for one week in Moscow.

Moscow is perhaps both the business and cultural hub of Russia. There is a lot more to see here than just the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Centuries-old churches with onion-shaped domes dotted around the city are in stark contrast with newly completed impressive skyscrapers of Moscow City dominating the skyline. I spent a lot of time thinking about my Moscow itinerary before I left. And this city lived up to all of my expectations.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow

Day 1 – red square and the kremlin.

Metro Station: Okhotny Ryad on Red Line.

No trip to Moscow would be complete without seeing its main attraction. The Red Square is just a stone’s throw away from several metro stations. It is home to some of the most impressive architectural masterpieces in the city. The first thing you’ll probably notice after entering it and passing vendors selling weird fur hats is the fairytale-like looking Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It was built to commemorate one of the major victories of Ivan the Terrible. I once spent 20 minutes gazing at it, trying to find the perfect angle to snap it. It was easier said than done because of the hordes of locals and tourists.

As you continue strolling around Red Square, there’s no way you can miss Gum. It was widely known as the main department store during the Soviet Era. Now this large (yet historic) shopping mall is filled with expensive boutiques, pricey eateries, etc. During my trip to Moscow, I was on a tight budget. So I only took a retro-style stroll in Gum to get a rare glimpse of a place where Soviet leaders used to grocery shop and buy their stuff. In case you want some modern shopping experience, head to the Okhotny Ryad Shopping Center with stores like New Yorker, Zara, and Adidas.

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To continue this Moscow itinerary, next you may want to go inside the Kremlin walls. This is the center of Russian political power and the president’s official residence. If you’re planning to pay Kremlin a visit do your best to visit Ivan the Great Bell Tower as well. Go there as early as possible to avoid crowds and get an incredible bird’s-eye view. There are a couple of museums that are available during designated visiting hours. Make sure to book your ticket online and avoid lines.

Day 2 – Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the Arbat Street

Metro Station: Kropotkinskaya on Red Line

As soon as you start creating a Moscow itinerary for your second day, you’ll discover that there are plenty of metro stations that are much closer to certain sites. Depending on your route, take a closer look at the metro map to pick the closest.

The white marble walls of Christ the Saviour Cathedral are awe-inspiring. As you approach this tallest Orthodox Christian church, you may notice the bronze sculptures, magnificent arches, and cupolas that were created to commemorate Russia’s victory against Napoleon.

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Unfortunately, the current Cathedral is a replica, since original was blown to bits in 1931 by the Soviet government. The new cathedral basically follows the original design, but they have added some new elements such as marble high reliefs.

Home to some precious collection of artworks, in Tretyakov Gallery you can find more than 150,000 of works spanning centuries of artistic endeavor. Originally a privately owned gallery, it now has become one of the largest museums in Russia. The Gallery is often considered essential to visit. But I have encountered a lot of locals who have never been there.

Famous for its souvenirs, musicians, and theaters, Arbat street is among the few in Moscow that were turned into pedestrian zones. Arbat street is usually very busy with tourists and locals alike. My local friend once called it the oldest street in Moscow dating back to 1493. It is a kilometer long walking street filled with fancy gift shops, small cozy restaurants, lots of cute cafes, and street artists. It is closed to any vehicular traffic, so you can easily stroll it with kids.

Day 3 – Moscow River Boat Ride, Poklonnaya Hill Victory Park, the Moscow City

Metro Station: Kievskaya and Park Pobedy on Dark Blue Line / Vystavochnaya on Light Blue Line

Voyaging along the Moscow River is definitely one of the best ways to catch a glimpse of the city and see the attractions from a bit different perspective. Depending on your Moscow itinerary, travel budget and the time of the year, there are various types of boats available. In the summer there is no shortage of boats, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

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If you find yourself in Moscow during the winter months, I’d recommend going with Radisson boat cruise. These are often more expensive (yet comfy). They offer refreshments like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and, of course, alcoholic drinks. Prices may vary but mostly depend on your food and drink selection. Find their main pier near the opulent Ukraine hotel . The hotel is one of the “Seven Sisters”, so if you’re into the charm of Stalinist architecture don’t miss a chance to stay there.

The area near Poklonnaya Hill has the closest relation to the country’s recent past. The memorial complex was completed in the mid-1990s to commemorate the Victory and WW2 casualties. Also known as the Great Patriotic War Museum, activities here include indoor attractions while the grounds around host an open-air museum with old tanks and other vehicles used on the battlefield.

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The hallmark of the memorial complex and the first thing you see as you exit metro is the statue of Nike mounted to its column. This is a very impressive Obelisk with a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon at its base.

Maybe not as impressive as Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower , the skyscrapers of the Moscow City (otherwise known as Moscow International Business Center) are so drastically different from dull Soviet architecture. With 239 meters and 60 floors, the Empire Tower is the seventh highest building in the business district.

The observation deck occupies 56 floor from where you have some panoramic views of the city. I loved the view in the direction of Moscow State University and Luzhniki stadium as well to the other side with residential quarters. The entrance fee is pricey, but if you’re want to get a bird’s eye view, the skyscraper is one of the best places for doing just that.

Day 4 – VDNKh, Worker and Collective Farm Woman Monument, The Ostankino TV Tower

Metro Station: VDNKh on Orange Line

VDNKh is one of my favorite attractions in Moscow. The weird abbreviation actually stands for Russian vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). With more than 200 buildings and 30 pavilions on the grounds, VDNKh serves as an open-air museum. You can easily spend a full day here since the park occupies a very large area.

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First, there are pavilions that used to showcase different cultures the USSR was made of. Additionally, there is a number of shopping pavilions, as well as Moskvarium (an Oceanarium) that features a variety of marine species. VDNKh is a popular venue for events and fairs. There is always something going on, so I’d recommend checking their website if you want to see some particular exhibition.

A stone’s throw away from VDNKh there is a very distinctive 25-meters high monument. Originally built in 1937 for the world fair in Paris, the hulking figures of men and women holding a hammer and a sickle represent the Soviet idea of united workers and farmers. It doesn’t take much time to see the monument, but visiting it gives some idea of the Soviet Union’s grandiose aspirations.

I have a thing for tall buildings. So to continue my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow I decided to climb the fourth highest TV tower in the world. This iconic 540m tower is a fixture of the skyline. You can see it virtually from everywhere in Moscow, and this is where you can get the best panoramic views (yep, even better than Empire skyscraper).

Parts of the floor are made of tempered glass, so it can be quite scary to exit the elevator. But trust me, as you start observing buildings and cars below, you won’t want to leave. There is only a limited number of tickets per day, so you may want to book online. Insider tip: the first tour is cheaper, you can save up to $10 if go there early.

Day 5 – A Tour To Moscow Manor Houses

Metro Station: Kolomenskoye, Tsaritsyno on Dark Green Line / Kuskovo on Purple Line

I love visiting the manor houses and palaces in Moscow. These opulent buildings were generally built to house Russian aristocratic families and monarchs. Houses tend to be rather grand affairs with impressive architecture. And, depending on the whims of the owners, some form of a landscaped garden.

During the early part of the 20th century though, many of Russia’s aristocratic families (including the family of the last emperor) ended up being killed or moving abroad . Their manor houses were nationalized. Some time later (after the fall of the USSR) these were open to the public. It means that today a great many of Moscow’s finest manor houses and palaces are open for touring.

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There are 20 manor houses scattered throughout the city and more than 25 in the area around. But not all of them easily accessible and exploring them often takes a lot of time. I’d recommend focusing on three most popular estates in Moscow that are some 30-minute metro ride away from Kremlin.

Sandwiched between the Moscow River and the Andropov Avenue, Kolomenskoye is a UNESCO site that became a public park in the 1920’s. Once a former royal estate, now it is one of the most tranquil parks in the city with gorgeous views. The Ascension Church, The White Column, and the grounds are a truly grand place to visit.

You could easily spend a full day here, exploring a traditional Russian village (that is, in fact, a market), picnicking by the river, enjoying the Eastern Orthodox church architecture, hiking the grounds as well as and wandering the park and gardens with wildflower meadows, apple orchards, and birch and maple groves. The estate museum showcases Russian nature at its finest year-round.

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If my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow was a family tree, Tsaritsyno Park would probably be the crazy uncle that no-one talks about. It’s a large park in the south of the city of mind-boggling proportions, unbelievable in so many ways, and yet most travelers have never heard of it.

The palace was supposed to be a summer home for Empress Catherine the Great. But since the construction didn’t meet with her approval the palace was abandoned. Since the early 1990’s the palace, the pond, and the grounds have been undergoing renovations. The entire complex is now looking brighter and more elaborately decorated than at possibly any other time during its history. Like most parks in Moscow, you can visit Tsaritsyno free of charge, but there is a small fee if you want to visit the palace.

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Last, but by no means least on my Moscow itinerary is Kuskovo Park . This is definitely an off-the-beaten-path place. While it is not easily accessible, you will be rewarded with a lack of crowds. This 18th-century summer country house of the Sheremetev family was one of the first summer country estates of the Russian nobility. And when you visit you’ll quickly realize why locals love this park.

Like many other estates, Kuskovo has just been renovated. So there are lovely French formal garden, a grotto, and the Dutch house to explore. Make sure to plan your itinerary well because the estate is some way from a metro station.

Day 6 – Explore the Golden Ring

Creating the Moscow itinerary may keep you busy for days with the seemingly endless amount of things to do. Visiting the so-called Golden Ring is like stepping back in time. Golden Ring is a “theme route” devised by promotion-minded journalist and writer Yuri Bychkov.

Having started in Moscow the route will take you through a number of historical cities. It now includes Suzdal, Vladimir, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Sergiev Posad. All these awe-inspiring towns have their own smaller kremlins and feature dramatic churches with onion-shaped domes, tranquil residential areas, and other architectural landmarks.

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I only visited two out of eight cities included on the route. It is a no-brainer that Sergiev Posad is the nearest and the easiest city to see on a day trip from Moscow. That being said, you can explore its main attractions in just one day. Located some 70 km north-east of the Russian capital, this tiny and overlooked town is home to Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, UNESCO Site.

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Sergiev Posad is often described as being at the heart of Russian spiritual life. So it is uncommon to see the crowds of Russian pilgrims showing a deep reverence for their religion. If you’re traveling independently and using public transport, you can reach Sergiev Posad by bus (departs from VDNKh) or by suburban commuter train from Yaroslavskaya Railway Station (Bahnhof). It takes about one and a half hours to reach the town.

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a great place to get a glimpse of filling and warming Russian lunch, specifically at the “ Gostevaya Izba ” restaurant. Try the duck breast, hearty potato and vegetables, and the awesome Napoleon cake.

Day 7 – Gorky Park, Izmailovo Kremlin, Patriarch’s Ponds

Metro Station: Park Kultury or Oktyabrskaya on Circle Line / Partizanskaya on Dark Blue Line / Pushkinskaya on Dark Green Line

Gorky Park is in the heart of Moscow. It offers many different types of outdoor activities, such as dancing, cycling, skateboarding, walking, jogging, and anything else you can do in a park. Named after Maxim Gorky, this sprawling and lovely park is where locals go on a picnic, relax and enjoy free yoga classes. It’s a popular place to bike around, and there is a Muzeon Art Park not far from here. A dynamic location with a younger vibe. There is also a pier, so you can take a cruise along the river too.

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The Kremlin in Izmailovo is by no means like the one you can find near the Red Square. Originally built for decorative purposes, it now features the Vernissage flea market and a number of frequent fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. Every weekend, there’s a giant flea market in Izmailovo, where dozens of stalls sell Soviet propaganda crap, Russian nesting dolls, vinyl records, jewelry and just about any object you can imagine. Go early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds.

All the Bulgakov’s fans should pay a visit to Patriarch’s Ponds (yup, that is plural). With a lovely small city park and the only one (!) pond in the middle, the location is where the opening scene of Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita was set. The novel is centered around a visit by Devil to the atheistic Soviet Union is considered by many critics to be one of the best novels of the 20th century. I spent great two hours strolling the nearby streets and having lunch in the hipster cafe.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To conclude, Moscow is a safe city to visit. I have never had a problem with getting around and most locals are really friendly once they know you’re a foreigner. Moscow has undergone some serious reconstruction over the last few years. So you can expect some places to be completely different. I hope my one week Moscow itinerary was helpful! If you have less time, say 4 days or 5 days, I would cut out day 6 and day 7. You could save the Golden Ring for a separate trip entirely as there’s lots to see!

What are your thoughts on this one week Moscow itinerary? Are you excited about your first time in the city? Let me know in the comments below!

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24 comments.

Ann Snook-Moreau

Moscow looks so beautiful and historic! Thanks for including public transit information for those of us who don’t like to rent cars.

MindTheTravel

Yup, that is me 🙂 Rarely rent + stick to the metro = Full wallet!

Mariella Blago

Looks like you had loads of fun! Well done. Also great value post for travel lovers.

Thanks, Mariella!

I have always wanted to go to Russia, especially Moscow. These sights look absolutely beautiful to see and there is so much history there!

Agree! Moscow is a thousand-year-old city and there is definitely something for everyone.

Tara Pittman

Those are amazing buildings. Looks like a place that would be amazing to visit.

Adriana Lopez

Never been to Moscow or Russia but my family has. Many great spots and a lot of culture. Your itinerary sounds fantastic and covers a lot despite it is only a short period of time.

What was their favourite thing about Russia?

Gladys Parker

I know very little about Moscow or Russia for the\at matter. I do know I would have to see the Red Square and all of its exquisite architectural masterpieces. Also the CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. Thanks for shedding some light on visiting Moscow.

Thanks for swinging by! The Red Square is a great starting point, but there way too many places and things to discover aside from it!

Ruthy @ Percolate Kitchen

You are making me so jealous!! I’ve always wanted to see Russia.

Moscow is in my bucket list, I don’t know when I can visit there, your post is really useful. As a culture rich place we need to spend at least week.

DANA GUTKOWSKI

Looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for all the great info! I’ve never been in to Russia, but this post makes me wanna go now!

Wow this is amazing! Moscow is on my bucket list – such an amazing place to visit I can imagine! I can’t wait to go there one day!

The building on the second picture looks familiar. I keep seeing that on TV.

Reesa Lewandowski

What beautiful moments! I always wish I had the personality to travel more like this!

Perfect itinerary for spending a week in Moscow! So many places to visit and it looks like you had a wonderful time. I would love to climb that tower. The views I am sure must have been amazing!

I was lucky enough to see the skyline of Moscow from this TV Tower and it is definitely mind-blowing.

Chelsea Pearl

Moscow is definitely up there on my travel bucket list. So much history and iconic architecture!

Thumbs up! 🙂

Blair Villanueva

OMG I dream to visit Moscow someday! Hope the visa processing would be okay (and become more affordable) so I could pursue my dream trip!

Yup, visa processing is the major downside! Agree! Time and the money consuming process…

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bestmenscolognes.com

Your source for reviews on the top fragrances

Nautica Voyage vs Nautica Blue Cologne Comparison

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I’ve already done multiple reviews of Nautica fragrances and a list of the best smelling scents from this brand . As such, I think it’s time to narrow down the field a bit more and compare two of this brand’s best sellers, Voyage and Nautica Blue. In this post, I want to compare how each scent smells, how it performs, and determine which one is the better buy in my opinion. Please continue below for the full comparison.  Also see: Voyage vs Voyage N-83

Table of Contents

Tale of the Tape Nautica Voyage vs. Blue

Nautica Voyage 

Notes include: apple, musk, cedar, green leaf, amber, mimosa

Read my original review here

Nautica Blue

Notes include: Musk, cedar, bergamot, sandalwood, peach, pineapple, water lily

Read my original review 

Click here to try Nautica Blue!

The differences between the openings of these two fragrances is that, Voyage gives off a juicy/citrus scent while being an aquatic cologne, and Blue is leaning more towards the woodsy/aquatic.

Yes, blue has citrus/fruity notes as well but it’s cedar note is more noticeable while Voyage’s fruit notes take center stage.

Voyage starts thinks off with apple, musk, some watery notes, and floral notes. This is a greenish floral fragrance, at times, particularly after the opening. You will get plenty of lotus and mimosa in Nautica Voyage. For such an inexpensive scent, it really is quite unique.

Nautica Blue is a blend of bergamot and pineapple, up top. The newer bottles really seem really quite sharp in the opening act. Like a sharp fruity detergent. It’s strange, as older bottles didn’t have this same level of intensity. It will get woodier, later on, and settle itself down.

It’s really a matter of taste…but I give Voyage a slight edge. Actually, with the newer batches, Voyage wins this category hands down.

Edge: Voyage

Both of these scents are moderate, however, Blue tends to be on the lighter side in my opinion. Neither is really a projection beast, but they get the job done, for the most part. Blue gets softer, much earlier than does Voyage.

I get about 7 hours of wear out of Voyage most of the time. Blue, on the other hand, is really hit and miss with somewhere between 2-5 hours depending on the circumstances.

Voyage definitely starts to open a lead over Blue with this category. The last batch of Blue that I tried, really hit the lower end of its spectrum, too. Voyage owns this category.

Versatility

Nautica colognes are well known for being casual aquatic scents and that holds true in the case of these two. Blue is a fresh and clean fragrance that is quite simple and linear in its aroma. Both are good for work, school, casual situations.

Both would be best for younger guys, maybe Voyage has an edge for the older set head to head, but not enough to make a difference.

Overall Scent

Voyage to me, smells better overall and add that to its better performance and it has to be the winner out of these two. I remember Blue being much better in the past, not as much of a detergent like smell. The opening of this latest batch, really turned me off this cologne.

Voyage is an easy to wear go to. It’s really the pinnacle of the Nautica brand, that they don’t ever seem to be able to top. For the price, it’s a great option. Crisp fruit notes, green/floral blend, and a musky finish. There’s a reason that this fragrance, has become a best seller, at this price point.

I’d rather wear Voyage over Blue, every time, nowadays. In the past, Blue might have gotten a few wears, but it’s lost a lot of luster in my book.

The good news is that, since these colognes are so inexpensive, one could simply buy both of them and not break the bank in the process. See if you actually like Blue, and if not, it’ll only set you back $10-15.

Winner: Voyage

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User Review

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.

Related posts:

• Nautica Blue by Nautica
• Voyage by Nautica
• Nautica Voyage N-83 by Nautica
• Nautica Voyage vs Voyage N-83 Cologne Comparison

Privacy Overview

Districts [ edit ]

Central Moscow districts [ edit ]

Outlying districts [ edit ], understand [ edit ].

Moscow is the financial and political centre of Russia and the countries formerly comprising the Soviet Union. It has a population of around 13 million and an area of 2,511 square kilometres (970 sq mi) after an expansion in 2012. One-tenth of all Russian citizens live in the Moscow metropolitan area. Moscow is the second most populous city in Europe, after Istanbul . Moscow is in the UTC+3 time zone; there is no daylight saving time.

Many years since the break up of the Soviet Union, the economy has improved, and the modern era has brought upon a wide variety of construction projects, modern architecture and newer transport systems replacing the derelict ones during Soviet times.

Geography [ edit ]

Moscow is a large metropolis on the Moskva River, which bends its way through the city. The historical center is on the northern bank of the river. The other major waterway is the Yauza River, which flows into the Moskva east of the Kremlin.

Much of Moscow's geography is defined by the 3 'Ring Roads' that circle the city at various distances from the centre, roughly following the outline of the walls that used to surround Moscow. With Red Square and the Kremlin forming the very centre, the innermost ring road is the Boulevard Ring ( Bulvarnoye Koltso ), built in the 1820s where the 16th century walls used to be. It runs from the Christ the Savior Cathedral in south-west central Moscow, to the mouth of the Yauza in south-east central Moscow.

The next ring road, the Garden Ring ( Sadovoe Koltso ), derives its name from the fact that landowners near the road in Tsarist times were obligated to maintain gardens to make the road attractive. In Soviet times, the road was widened, and there are now no gardens there.

The Third Ring Road, completed in 2004, is not much use for tourists but is a heavily used motorway which absorbs a bit of Moscow's traffic. It roughly follows the outline of Kamer-Kollezhsky val , the customs boundary of Moscow in the 18th – early 20th century. The outer edge of Moscow is largely defined by the Moscow Ring Road (widely known by its abbreviation: MKAD-Moskovskaya kolcevaya avto doroga), a motorway which is 108 km (67 mi) long and encircles the entire city (similar to London's M25 and Paris' Périphérique ).

Climate [ edit ]

The climate of Moscow features warm summers and long, cold winters.

Get in [ edit ]

See Russia#Get in for visa requirements to Russia.

By train [ edit ]

Moscow is a railway hub, with connections to all parts of Russia and far into Europe and Asia. Due to its hub status, Moscow's train stations are often crowded; trains are the usual form of intercity transport for most Russians. The stations have a reputation for being unsafe but paradoxically the threat of terrorism has improved things: security gates, policing and surveillance deter the casual thugs and villains. Guard your valuables and yourself as you would in any big city.

All long-distance trains are operated by Russian Railways and its subsidiaries, except for a few international trains with other operators. Tickets can be bought at stations or online . For domestic trains, you can show the ticket officer your online boarding pass; however, international trains require a printed ticket. There are usually ticket counters with English-speaking personnel - they may be marked as such, or the clerk may direct you to another counter if they can't cope with your English. See Russia#By train 2 for more details on travelling in Russia by train.

From Europe [ edit ]

All trains from Europe halted since 2020

Train stations in Moscow [ edit ]

Moscow has 10 train stations, 9 of which are near metro stations close to the center of Moscow. Be sure to note the station from which your train is departing, which will be indicated on the ticket, or online . Three stations ( Leningradsky , Yaroslavsky , and Kazansky ) are on one huge square, informally known as the "Three Stations' Square". A running joke among Moscow taxi drivers since the Soviet times is to be able to pick up a fare from one of them to the other, taking the unwary tourist on an elaborate ride in circles. Be prepared for enormous queues trying to enter or exit the Metro at peak times, as people are getting off or on the commuter trains.

By car [ edit ]

Many entry points to Moscow over the Ring Road and into the city feature rotating roadblocks, where teams of traffic police may stop a vehicle, especially if it is not featuring Moscow plates. You may be stopped and questioned but you'll be allowed to proceed if you have all the proper documents.

Foreign cars, especially expensive cars, might attract unwelcome attention, and there is cumbersome paperwork involved to enter Russia by car.

By boat [ edit ]

There is no scheduled passenger service to Moscow by boat; however, cruise ships do provide service to the Northern River Terminal, on the Moscow Canal near the Khimki Reservoir. The pier is not convenient to the city and it can take over 2 hours to reach the city centre by car.

A system of navigable channels and locks connects the Moskva River with the Volga River, which is further connected to the Baltic Sea , White Sea, the Azov, the Black Sea, and the Caspian Sea. In the Soviet times this allowed the official propaganda to refer to Moscow as "a port on the five seas".

By bicycle [ edit ]

Moscow is the easternmost destination of the EuroVelo cycling routes . Eurovelo Route 2 , the Capitals Route, is a 5,500 km (3,400 mi) route starting in Galway , Ireland , passing through Dublin , London , Berlin , Warsaw and Minsk before terminating in Moscow.

By metro [ edit ]

The Metro is open from 05:30-01:00. Station entrances are closed at 01:00, and at this time the last trains depart from all of the termini stations. After 01:00, many locals will enter the train station using the exits, which are still open. Service on the ring line runs until 01:30, although entrances are closed at 01:00. The down escalators are also shut off at 01:00.

There is signage in the Metro stations in English and the Latin alphabet, but these signs are not everywhere. Each train carriage has a map in Latin script and there is one near the entrance to each station. Note the direction of the train before you alight. It is worth printing a map of the metro system in both Cyrillic and Latin letters to take with you.

All trains in the system have free WiFi onboard, but you will need to have a Russian phone number to get the authorization code to access the WiFi. Some of the older train cars are not climate controlled.

2 or 3 stations may be connected as transfer points but will each have a different name. There are 2 stations called Smolenskaya and 2 stations called Arbatskaya , but the station pairs are not connected to each other despite having the same name. Some of the stations are very deep underground, and transfer times between certain metro lines can take a lot of time. In the city centre, it can save time to go directly to the above-ground entrance of the line you want to take rather than to enter at a connecting station and transfer underground. On the escalators, stand on the right and walk on the left except for peak hours, when standing on the left side is also allowed.

Some of the train stations include beautiful architecture and it is worth taking a guided tour of the metro system. The most interesting stations in terms of decor are Komsomolskaya (ring line), Novoslobodskaya (ring line), Kievskaya (ring line), Kropotkinskaya (Line #1 - red), Kievskaya (Line #3 - dark blue), Arbatskaya (Line #3 - dark blue), Ploschad' Revolyutsii (Line #3 - dark blue), Mayakovskaya (Line #2 - dark green). Also look at the architecture of the ground entrance building of Arbatskaya (Line #4 - light blue) and Krasnye Vorota (Line #1 - red). History buffs may appreciate that Metro Line #1 (red) has the oldest stations, opened in 1935.

The Vorobyovy Gory Metro Station on Line #1 (red) is unique in that it is on a bridge crossing the Moscow River. This bridge also carries auto traffic road on another level. There is a beautiful view through the transparent sides of the station. A great observing point around Moscow is located nearby on Vorobyovy hills, next to the main building of Lomonosov Moscow State University.

There are a couple of unique trains operating through the system and you will be lucky if you get to ride them. Aquarelle (Watercolor) is a train that includes an art gallery. The train operates daily on Line #3 (dark blue). The Sokolniki Retro Train is a train modeled after the original 1930s trains and it occasionally is placed into service, usually around a major anniversary of the metro system.

The metro is relatively safe, although pickpockets are a problem, as they are in any environment where a lot of people are pressed together. Opportunistic petty crime, such as snatching someone's mobile phone and jumping out just as the doors are closing, is also commonplace. Take the usual precautions at night when gangs of inebriated teenagers may look for an excuse to beat someone up. There is no train guard or conductor, so the first car near the driver may be the safest. Every car is equipped with an intercom to the driver's cabin; they are beige boxes with a grill and a black button near doors, and mostly work, unless visibly vandalized.

By tram [ edit ]

There are several tram routes, although trams are not common in the city centre.

By monorail [ edit ]

Moscow Monorail is a 4.7 km (2.9 mi) monorail line with 6 stations. It is slower, less frequent, and has shorter operating hours when compared with the metro (every 30 min, 08:00-20:00). However, the view is picturesque. It is useful to get to the Ostankino Tower, or to get to the VDNKh exhibition centre from Metro Line #9 (silver). Interchanges between Moscow Metro and Monorail is free, no additional fee will be charged.

By hop-on-hop-off bus [ edit ]

The hop-on-hop-off bus is a convenient way for tourists to see the major sights quickly and efficiently. The buses feature English-speaking guides to answer any questions. A 1 day pass costs $24 for adults and $15 for children.

See [ edit ]

Do [ edit ].

Moscow has many attractions, but many of them are not friendly to a non-Russian-speaker. English-language newspapers like The Moscow Times , Element [dead link] , Moscow News and others can help to navigate towards English-language friendly attractions and services.

Circuses [ edit ]

Theatres [ edit ].

• Bolshoi Theatre , one of the oldest and best known ballet and opera companies in the world.

Learn [ edit ]

Moscow remains the educational center of Russia and the former USSR. There are 222 institutes of higher education, including 60 state universities & 90 colleges. Some of these offer a wide-spectrum of programs, but most are centered around a specific field. This is a hold-over from the days of the USSR, when Sovietwide there were only a handful of wide-spectrum "universities" and a large number of narrow-specialization "institutes" (mostly in Moscow & St.Petersburg). Moscow offers some of the best business/management, science, & arts schools in the world. Moscow is also a popular destination for foreign students to learn Russian.

Work [ edit ]

You will need a work visa which is not an easy process. The visa needs to be arranged well in advance of traveling. It is possible to work in Moscow, you just need to find a good company to support you. The main obstacle for many foreigners will be a mandatory Russian language exam required to obtain a work permit.

Shopping malls [ edit ]

Large shopping malls are common near metro stations.

Tipping [ edit ]

For information on tipping in restaurants, see Russia#Eat .

Ethnic food [ edit ]

Authentic ethnic food from countries of the nearby Caucasus ( Azerbaijan , Georgia , Armenia ) is common in Moscow. Japanese food, including sushi, rolls, tempura, and steakhouses are very popular in Moscow. Other Asian cuisines including Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese are becoming increasingly more common.

Budget [ edit ]

Street food [ edit ].

Free-standing kiosks serving sausages, meat pies, or kebobs are plentiful, although the origins of the meat served is questionable and the food has been known to occasionally make people sick.

Muscovites are also fond of their ice cream, consumed in any weather, even in the dead of winter, cheap and usually of superior quality; kiosks can be found all over the center and near all Metro stations.

Foodcourts 2.0 [ edit ]

This term is used in articles by local food critics: since 2016, several special food courts were opened with independent and small food chains, for those people who get bored of McDonald's-like food. They offer a wider choice of cuisines.

Clubs [ edit ]

Nightlife in Moscow is bustling, intense and exciting. It starts quite late; it's common for the headliners to start at 02:00-02:00. Most noticeable are areas near Solyanka street and Krasniy Oktyabr' place. At summer time a lot of clubs opening open-air terraces called "verandas". Most of clubs in Moscow are very picky of who they let in, so make sure you have a positive attitude and dress up if you are going to a fancy club.

Gazgolder [dead link] (not far from Kremlin) is among the best.

Cafes [ edit ]

Moscow has several café chains with great coffee including Coffeemania and Coffee Bean [dead link] . Moscow also has a good selection of tea saloons. High-quality infusion teas such as Newby, are widely available in cafes, both in packets and loose.

Asking to add boiling water to the tea you ordered earlier is a practice that some cafes don't welcome, but normally it's acceptable.

Sleep [ edit ]

Stay safe [ edit ].

Moscow enjoys a relatively low crime rate.

Drunk people are the most likely sources of problems. In the past years, lots of policemen were corrupt, and it was best to avoid them. Nowadays Moscow has a Tourist Police force, whose officers are able to speak foreign languages and help tourists. Police officers are equipped with body-cameras.

It is preferable to avoid some parts of the outer districts of Moscow, especially in the south. Some of those areas are notorious for gopniks (drunkards notorious for muggings and starting fights with strangers, and will do so seemingly unprovoked), who normally hang out in sparse residential areas and in industrial zones. The same problems can be witnessed in the surrounding regions and in other Russian cities as well.

While traveling in Moscow, as in the rest of Russia, you should always have your passport with you. If you look non-white, your papers may get checked more often than otherwise. The police may demand to see your papers to check if you have been registered within 7 business days of your arrival into Moscow. Always remember that if you stay in a hotel then you are automatically registered and will be handed a confirmation paper at a time of check-in, so don't worry in this case. The police are usually looking for migrants from Central Asia and unless you fit this profile, you are unlikely to be questioned.

Women should take caution walking alone late at night since they may receive unwanted attention from drunk men. Women should also stay clear of large companies of men in front of bars, restaurants, etc. It is best to walk with a friend if possible.

Streets can become very slippery in winter. Wear shoes or, even better, boots with decent grip to prevent twisted ankles. Ice patches can be hard to spot. A waterproof raincoat is also sensible.

Traffic is poorly handled, and vehicle accident rates are very high. Stay safe.

If you need help with translation, ask students or pupils: younger people are more likely to be able to help you than the older generations.

Connect [ edit ]

For information on using telephones and buying SIM cards in Russia, see Russia#Connect .

Mobile Internet is quite affordable in Russia, but you have to buy Russian SIM-card first.

Wireless Internet [ edit ]

Moscow Metro has Wi-Fi in all trains. It is ad-supported.

Mosgortrans has Wi-Fi spots on every bus, trolleybus and tram. Also sometimes you can find Wi-Fi spot on a public transport stop.

Beeline Wi-Fi [dead link] operates the largest network of both paid and free Wi-Fi access points. If there is a charge, you can pay online via credit card.

There is a large network of free Wi-Fi hotspots in the city centre; check your device in the middle of a busy area and you may find one.

Many cafes and restaurants offer Wi-Fi - ask for password. Most bookstores offer free Wi-Fi, including "Dom Knigi" on New Arbat Street or "Respublika" bookstore on Tverskaya near Mayakovskaya Metro Station.

Some establishments that offer free Wi-Fi may require you to verify an authorization code sent to a Russian phone number before gaining access, but for the most part, foreign numbers also work as of 2016.

Cope [ edit ]

Embassies [ edit ].

Moscow is one of the global diplomatic capitals, competing with Berlin , Brussels , Beijing , Paris , London , Tokyo and Washington D.C. . Most of the world's countries have their embassies in the city.

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Blue, White, Red

At the beginning, there was the name.

A humdrum name.

A two-syllable name: Moki .  . .

At the beginning, there was that name.

Moki is standing in front of me. I see him again. He’s talking to me. He is giving me instructions. He tells me to take care of the rest with Préfet. Don’t ask him any questions. Just do what he asks me to do. Moki is there, his gaze turned upward toward the sky. He rarely takes a good look at his go-betweens. I listen to him. Continuously. Rapt.

Am I ready?

Have I seen to everything?

He is in a hurry. He doesn’t have time. We have to hurry. Don’t dormir debout —sleep on your feet, that’s his expression. We’re supposed to cross paths at noon at the Arc de Triomphe. Don’t say a word to anyone. Come alone. Make sure that you’re not being followed. Take a different route than the one we usually do. Don’t get there too early. Waiting around is a bad sign. You’ll end up getting caught that way. Be there on time. Not one minute later. Not one minute earlier. Everything happens so fast. You have to shape up. That’s the way it is with Moki . . . 

Moki is there.

I still hadn’t figured out that he’s the one who made the arrangements to get me into France. I couldn’t figure out that he was also the one who took me in and gave me shelter in this country.

I was one of those who thought that France was for the others. France was for those who we used to call les bouillants— the go-getters. It was that faraway country, inaccessible despite its fireworks that shimmered even in my smallest dreams, and from which I woke with a taste of honey in my mouth. True, I had been secretly working in my field of dreams on that wish to cross the Rubicon, to go there some day. It was a common wish; there was nothing special about that wish. You could hear that wish expressed from every mouth. Who of my generation had not visited France par la bouche —by mouth, as we say back home. Just one word, Paris , was enough for us to meet by magic spell in front of the Eiffel Tower, at the Arc de Triomphe, and on the Champs Elysées. Boys my age led their girls on by showering them with the serenade: I’ll be going to France soon. I’m going to live in the center of Paris. We were allowed to dream. It didn’t cost anything. No exit visa was necessary, no passport, no airline ticket. Think about it. Close your eyes. Sleep. Snore. And there we were, every night . . .

Reality caught up with us. The barriers were insurmountable. The first obstacle for me was my parents’ poverty. We weren’t dying of hunger, but a trip to France was nothing but an extravagance for them. We could do without it. We could live without having gone there. What’s more, the Earth continued to rotate. The sun followed its course and would visit other faraway places; we would cross paths in the same places, in our fields or at the marketplace at slaughter time or when the peanuts were harvested. My parents would be ruined for no good reason by contributing to an adventure like that.

I imagined their response: “What the hell will you do in the white man’s country? You abandoned your studies a long time ago!”

The other obstacle was my negative opinion of myself. I was my own harshest critic. I did not grant myself a single positive quality. I saw the dark side of things and imagined only the worst.

Convinced that I was a good-for-nothing, lacking self-motivation, I thought of myself as a sluggish, spineless character, incapable of resisting the vicissitudes of life outside my own country. To travel in search of success required a mind that was always on the look-out. You can’t look back once you’ve stepped into the wrong river. You need a strong stroke, and then you have to swim some more to reach the shore.

Above all, leaving means being able to fly with your own wings. To know how to land on a branch and continue the flight the next day all the way to the new land, the land that pushed the migrant to leave his footprints far behind in order to encounter a different place, an unknown place . . .

Could I leave? Fly with my own wings? I wasn’t certain. I was used to living with my parents. I could count on a roof over my head there, and meals. That’s how I could nestle in my laziness all day long without having to answer to anyone.

To my mind, France was not a good haven for a dormouse or snails. I fancied it a world where the clocks were set ahead and where, without a break, one had to catch up with time because that was the only way to live. France needed quick, well-informed, resourceful people, like Moki. France needed bouillants . Quick people, ready to bounce back from inextricable situations, as swiftly as a mosquito extracts blood.

I didn’t fit that profile . . .

I will remember.

It’s here and now that I have to make an effort to pick out the memories, one by one. Push aside the night that blurs my vision. Scrape the dirt, look for tracks, dust them off and set them aside so I can put things back in their place. It might be too late afterward.

In the beginning, there was the name, Moki.

I won’t recall the name Préfet, the man that I knew through his go-between, a little later, when I was already on the rue du Moulin-Vert. I won’t summon his name. Préfet. I will have time to remember him. He’s not getting out of things this way. I won’t need to do more than blow on the embers of reminiscence. I will see his face reappear exactly as I saw it that day, in Moki’s presence. I will instantly remember that warm handshake, his shifty eyes and the smell of alcohol . . .

For the moment all I see is Moki.

He is the origin of the whole thing. I’m sure that our lifelines are crossed. That my own personality was blanched and blurred to the advantage of his own. That we have the same breath, the same aspirations, the same fate. The same fate? Yes, so how is it that he doesn’t find himself in here with me?

And what if I were only his shadow? If I were only his double? I’ve asked myself that sometimes. We don’t look anything like each other. At least not physically. He is taller than me. Older too. He’s a little heavier than me right now. Me, I stayed puny, despite the dishes made with semolina and potato starch that certain compatriots advised me to eat as soon as I arrived in France, in the hope that this skinny body would put on a few kilos and stop sullying the image of our country in the eyes of real Parisians: the men with chubby cheeks and white skin, and who cut an elegant figure.

No, Moki and I bear no physical resemblance. I lived like his shadow. I was always behind him.

Especially in the days preceding my journey. I was nothing but a shadow. A shadow is nothing in and of itself. It needs a presence and a virgin surface to print its outline. Sometimes a shadow wants to make a big mistake. It wants to take the initiative. I know. But a shadow molts at its own risk and peril.

I was Moki’s shadow.

He was the one who created me. In his own image. His lifestyle bankrolled my dreams. A way of living that I will not forget . . .

I remember the many trips he made home while I still hadn’t set foot in France. The white man’s country had changed his life. Something had shifted, there was an undeniable metamorphosis. He was no longer the frail young man who, we used to say, if he’s as thin as a dry stalk of lantana, it’s because he ate standing up and slept on top of an old mat. There was a wide chasm. It wasn’t the same Moki. He was robust, radiant, and in full bloom. I could take note of this, with a tinge of bitterness, because his parents’ home was next door to our own. This intimacy compelled me to see his comings and goings over the years. I studied his doings and his gestures with a magnifying glass. France had transformed him. It had chiseled his habits and prescribed another way of life for him. We took note of him with envy.

According to Moki, a Parisian should not live in a hovel like his father’s any longer—a shack made from mahogany planks topped by a corrugated sheet metal roof. Their hut was at the edge of a gully, just before the main street. Stunned passersby wondered by what miracle this home had managed to outsmart the guardian of tempests during the rainy season. It’s not as if Moki’s father was indifferent to the dilapidated state of his home. On the contrary, many years before, the old man had the initiative to begin construction on another house with his own two hands. This one would be solid, like the one he dreamed of before he went into retirement. He bought sand, gravel, and a few bags of cement. And that’s not all. He had to pay the labor costs and provide for the workers’ needs. Back home, skilled workers were fed and paid in vin rouge de France , and invited into your home in the evening with their apprentices, to the point that you were devoting your body and soul to their every need. It was the owner who had to kowtow, to wait on them hand and foot, and to beg them for months on end. The numbskulls who challenged the ingrained order of these customs watched their own projects drag on for ages.

Moki’s father was one of the latter.

First of all, he could not convince this union of slackers to drastically change their work habits. The most obvious reason was mainly to do with his cashbox. Without financial means, his best intentions were translated into pathetic and laughable creations. He hadn’t done more than pile up rows of bricks and trace the foundations. He quickly ran out of steam. His pockets emptied sooner than expected. He didn’t know which lender to turn to. They all slammed the door in his face. His hidebound workers would not work for credit. The work came to a halt. The old man threw in the towel. Then he began to experience the nagging headaches of small proprietors who abandon their projects before completion.

Bricks disappeared from their place. He counted on starting the work again someday, so he outlined his lot by piling one brick on top of another. He filled his Sundays—the day for small projects in the courtyard—by counting his bricks. He mortared and reset any bricks that came loose. He underestimated the gangs that worked at night: some youths and other builders or future owners of solid homes who needed only two or three bricks to finish a facade, a window, a stairway, or water well.

Over time, the old man’s enclosure shrank tighter and smaller. His goods, if they hadn’t been stolen from him, were strewn in the street. Drivers of big trucks with brakes that needed repair used his things to brace their vehicles in place. And to top it off, a greenish foam coated the bricks during the rainy season.

One day, he finally flew into a rage and went from house to house to complain and utter threats about this behavior, which, in his opinion, was a deliberate plot to keep him from finishing the construction of the most beautiful villa in the neighborhood.

We saw that it was Moki, during one of his trips back home, who decided to resume construction. The Parisian surprised his father. He surprised us. None of us had ever seen such an industrious undertaking in the neighborhood before. He hired a dozen masons who were encouraged to work with advance pay in sums that made our mouths water. They worked under their own boss from morning until very late at night by the light of lanterns held by apprentices who swayed with sleepiness. Moki closely supervised the work. He gave in to the workers’ whims. We thought he even spoiled them. He picked them up at their homes by car in the morning and drove each of them right to his doorstep at night. He tipped them everyday. At the worksite he congratulated them over a small brick set just so, or even for pushing a wheelbarrow of sand from a little further away. He established a father and son relationship with the oldest, who was the lead worker. This one called him “mon fils” —my son—and Moki responded “mon père” —my father. He knew how to find that man’s soft spot and play up to his sense of pride.

“My throat is dry, mon fils . . .  ”

“I’ll bring you some vin rouge de France, mon père.”

It didn’t take long to see the results.

After two and a half months, we woke up in front of an immense white villa. The doors and shutters were painted green. All of us were bedazzled. We had no idea that those facades, those columns, the beams and paving stones, would fit together and turn into something so stunning. The whole thing developed like a puzzle fits together. Bricks were lifted and broken in two or three pieces for the foundation; the apprentices rolled barrels of water from the river to the site; bags of cement were torn open with pointed shovels; fine-grained sand and small stones were brought every other day by a dump truck belonging to the Pointe-Noire township; a hammer blow over here; the strike of a pick over there; the planning of a wood plank; a pinch of pliers to that ironwork; a coat of paint on the doors and windows; sawing rafters from limbs of trees famed for their strength to guarantee a solid roof. These workers were simultaneously carpenters, architects, cabinet makers, iron workers, plumbers, and well-diggers. They worked on an assembly line.

Bit by bit the house was born.

There it was, in front of us. We could study it and get a measure of the toil of those workers who outdid themselves over that period of time. An immense villa. There it stood, majestic, on all four sides. Its aluminum tiles glistened in the sun’s rays. It stood out from far away and was taller than the nearby houses that were nothing more than a shamble of shacks, an eyesore, like a favela. There were two worlds. One belonged to the Moki family and the other for the rest of the neighborhood.

This sense of the dichotomy of these two worlds grew sharper when Moki installed electricity and a water pump on their lot. Houses with lighting and access to drinking water were rare. Installing this water pump proved useful for the neighborhood. We paid a modest sum of money on the days we filled two or three casks of water. Young people hung out in the evening on the main street in front of the villa to take advantage of the light and talk the night away, until Moki’s father came out and put an end to that.

There were more surprises in store for us . . .

A year after the villa was built, we saw two Toyotas arrive. Moki had chartered and sent them from France so his family could profit by using them as taxis. That protected the family from utter destitution.

Moki’s father was a humble and energetic man. He was short, and that bothered him. We could tell by the jokes he made about tall people, his favorite whipping boys, and by the overblown pride he showed when he reminded all those tall forgetful people that he, a tiny little man, barely five feet tall, had brought a tall son into the world, a very, very tall son, he insisted, some six feet, according to Moki. We would fire back that it takes two to make a baby and the obvious explanation was that his wife was taller than him.

His modest height was however largely offset by a headstrong and stubborn personality and a serious, sepulchral voice. This voice made everyone think he was wise, even apart from his gray beard and bald shiny head, which had so few remaining strands of hair they could be counted on the fingers of one hand. He usually dressed in traditional multicolored clothes and rode around on a vélo-pédalé —a bicycle. The old man saw his life change in one fell swoop.

He was never himself again. It was as if he had followed a calling. His social promotion caught everyone off guard. It was like an unobstructed arrow in flight: he was put in the town council and shortly thereafter unanimously elected its president. His elevation did of course cause a bit of a grumbling among elders in the neighborhood. But they raised their opposition in the shadows, in the talk shops, not out in the open in the neighborhood where the old man waved his ceremonial cane to demand silence. We didn’t dare confront him. He was blatant in his insistence that it wasn’t his gray beard or voice of a baritone gospel singer that got him nominated in such haste to the presidency of the town council. Quite a few old timers had vied ceaselessly for this honorary position and their beards were as white, if not whiter, than his. Some of them had stopped shaving the moment their first white hair appeared and they ostentatiously trailed their beards in the public square like prophets that arrived too late to a world where the gods themselves were reduced to going door-to-door, identity card in hand, instead of their disciples and saints doing it for them. Something else was needed to convince the influential people in the neighborhood. Presidential candidacies are serious business in the village. The way candidates settled accounts had left bad memories in peoples’ minds. According to ancestral beliefs, old people frequently appear at night through the medium of dreams. One elder steps into another’s dream by breaking and entering. It’s a merciless battle in this netherworld where there are no women or children. The loser’s sleep could cost him a one-way ticket to the tomb. So, when one could find grounds for agreement, one chose the path of conciliation. The most prudent elders preferred not to take the risk and waited until they were chosen for the throne without any competition. Wasn’t this the case with Moki’s father?

He wasn’t the dean of these old, old men. He needed something else to discourage the voracious appetites of those who had waited in line for his post for at least a quarter century. What else? A son who lived in France, for instance, a Parisian. The candidacy of a father of such a son was powerful in itself. Other arguments weighed in his favor: Moki’s father was aware of everything going on in France. That was his trump card. Moreover he had had the chance to attend the colonial school when the teachers—real teachers, he said—were recruited in the middle of the second grade, against their wishes. They tossed you out to go teach in an isolated backwater in the brush. It was a national duty. For Moki’s father, to have made it to the second grade in his first year was a point of pride, a feat that no one of his era had equaled. He wrote and read French fluently. He could have been a teacher if his parents had supported him for one more year. In his day there was only one primary school in the entire south of the country. It was fifty-two kilometers from Louboulou, the village where he was born. You went there by foot. You stayed for one week in a boarding school that accepted only the best students, or those whose parents knew a village leader or a white man. Mothers and fathers brought food to their children. Alas, after a few years, squeezed dry by their considerable sacrifices of money and food, they gave in and asked their children to go back to the fields on the double to work with them. That’s how that type of education stopped for Moki’s father. He took up a hoe and machete and put himself in the service of his parents.

After that, he did what other youth of his generation did, and followed the current of rural exodus. He made his way to this neighborhood where the closest city, Pointe-Noire, was fifty kilometers away. He had been living here for some forty years with his four children and his wife. He worked, variously, as “boy,” then postman and receptionist at Victory Palace, a French hotel in the city center. His level of education put him above all the other council members who were, for the most part, illiterate. During council meetings he spoke about France—a country he had never visited. He was capable of reciting to the town council the names of all the kings and presidents in order from the Second Empire of Napoleon III up to the present, without faltering. He especially liked General de Gaulle ( Digol was how he pronounced it) and he held forth, as if he had been there himself, about how the General came to Brazzaville in the 1940s and organized a conference in that city with the Algerian Committee. The outcome of this conference included a plan for a new organization of the French colonies in black Africa. Moki’s father told the story of this fragment of history at every meeting of the town council: General Digol was tall. Very tall. A little taller than Moki, he said. That’s the reason that I gave my son Moki “Charles” as his first name.

Somebody heckled that the General was quite a bit taller than Moki. He shot back that he knew the General better than everyone, and that people could challenge him on all the French presidents except the General.

“That one there, he’s mine.”

Moki’s father was aware of his growing influence. The reverence people paid him began to make him lose his head. He wasted no time in adopting the latest fashions. He cast aside all his traditional clothing and preferred to wear clothes that came straight de Paris . From that time on, he wore gray trousers made of virgin wool, well-pressed with sharp pleats. No belt, but tricolor suspenders (blue, white, and red), a white dress shirt, a black fedora, and the kind of good black shoes you wear to church. Suddenly he looked like the American blues singer John Lee Hooker. He strolled around the neighborhood, chest out, head held high, both hands in his pockets. Above all, you really needed to see him on his bicycle. He rode slowly, stopping to greet everyone he met at an intersection. Without any prompting, he gave everyone the latest news on Moki. He took out a letter, a postcard. He said that his son had just written him “Une très longue lettre en français de la France, le français de Guy de Maupassant lui-même —a very long letter from France, in French, the French of Guy de Maupassant himself!” “What’s new?” he’d ask, as if someone had posed the question. “My son is doing fine. The only thing is that it’s the middle of winter there right now, you know, winter is the season when the trees are in mourning, the birds are few and far between, the streets trail sadness, and even the whites themselves are stuffed into warm, heavy clothing. Ah, the snow is…how I can explain it to you? It’s like the foam on top of a beer, but a little firmer than that. When it snows, the roads over there are useless. It’s not easy to stop a car. The cold can kill you. You have to consume a lot of hot drinks and not stick your nose outside . . . ”

He recited these words like a child who had really memorized his lesson. He knew how to keep the crowd that was listening to him from leaving. Most importantly, he did not forget to tell everyone the exact date that his son would return home . . . 

We knew. Moki wasn’t coming home except during vacations in the dry season, between July and September. That was party time. The liveliest time in the country. Everything suddenly happened so fast. The days, the weeks, the months ran by at a dizzying pace. The tree of time doesn’t let us have our fill in savoring its fruits. Was it because this was the time of year we most looked forward to? Of course. In the neighborhood, the smallest brouhaha turned into a mob scene. A brawl was the best excuse for everyone to be in the street. We went out, not to put an end to the scuffle but in the hope that the show would last longer.

When I think back on it now with a little distance, this unquenchable thirst for relaxation sprang from unimaginable situations. Funerals were no longer the lugubrious scenes they were known to be. We laughed and we burst into giggles more than we cried. We played chess and checkers and cards. We drank beer, palm wine, and maize alcohol all night long. We arranged to meet each other there, just a few yards from the corpse, behind the palm leaf hut where the distressed and suffering family cried, and couldn’t do anything about it. The loss was nothing but a pretext. We practically begged heaven to take the soul of an old person every week so that we could count on a moment to get together and collectively blow off some steam. The population in the neighborhood grew tenfold. And on top of that there were vacationers from the city and nearby villages.

We all knew the latest. Moki was going to come back from Paris. His father didn’t keep the secret from anyone. People in the neighborhood had nothing but his son’s return on their lips. That would be a blessed day. An event. The sudden hustle and bustle of Moki’s parents and brothers proved it. The Parisian’s family did not skimp on anything in preparation. It was time for a lot of work to be done. Everyone rolled up their sleeves. The courtyard was swept meticulously. Part of the street in front of the home was sprayed with water three times a day. Not a single leaf from the mango trees was left on the ground. The Parisian’s room, which looked out on the main street, was fixed up. The trunks of trees around the property were repainted. The two taxis were washed every night. A small table wrought of tropical vines was placed under the mango tree in the center of the courtyard. That’s where the Parisian would eat his meals. He would eat l’air libre —outdoors. The real reason was so that everyone knew and could watch him eat out in the open. These little details were of great importance to Moki’s father. He said that his son would not eat like the last village peasant. According to him, peasants swallowed big pieces of manioc with a little bit of salted fish, really just a very little bit, the size of a child’s finger. Then they drank two liters of water. What mattered was that their stomachs were full. Moki’s father laid out in detail the meals fit for his son to eat: he’d have an apéritif, an appetizer, a main dish, du vin rouge de France , cheese, a dessert and coffee. Just like in France, chez Digol . . .

The old man swung into action and stayed up all night to get ready for Moki’s arrival. He didn’t use his vélo-pédale anymore. To save time he got around in one of the two taxis. For this situation he got a chauffeur. He wore his nicest clothes, venus tout droit de Paris —straight from Paris. He was involved and took personal responsibility for the shopping that needed to be done. We knew him as an affable, smiling man, eager to please his neighbors. He hung all these qualities in his closet and displayed a remorseless severity.

His chauffeur was no more than a scapegoat. The poor man endured his every fit of anger. The old man barked contradictory orders. He ordered him to park the car here, then there, then a little further away, before finally deciding to park it in the first spot. He ordered him to stay in the car with the motor running. As soon as the car was moving, Moki’s father dictated to the chauffeur how fast he should drive. He repeatedly told him to first shift into gear and then to carefully put on the brakes. The two men appeared to be driving together. “Turn left! Signal! Beep the horn! Don’t give him the right of way, can’t you see that his car is older than ours! Pass that imbecile who’s blowing smoke right in my face! Who is that crackpot trying to pass us! Step on it, don’t let him pass you, come on, I said go, go, go . . . ”

Under the stress of it all, the father of the Parisian aged ten years. Deep wrinkles lined his face. A big vein that started on his forehead split his head in two. His eyes were red, his eyelids made heavier with black circles and lifeless pockets of skin. He sweated and sponged himself off with his hat. He shouted himself hoarse, became irascible, and more bilious as the big day appeared closer on the horizon. He took a calendar, crossed out the days gone by, counted how many were yet to come, underlined le jour “J” in red and scrawled something. He was not the least bit satisfied. Some small detail was missing. He complained. The courtyard wasn’t properly swept? He’d have none of it, and after scolding his wife and sons, he grabbed a long-handled broom himself. He stood, straight as an “I,” facing his property, his eyes riveted on the mango trees. He kept track of the leaves that fell. He lambasted the trees, promising to cut them down if they persisted in dropping their dead leaves with each ill-tempered gust of wind. That’s how his long monologues began. Words had no beginning and no end. A laugh that resonated and made us think he was no longer from this world. At meetings of the town council, the poor dignitaries were at a loss with his recitations about Paris, France, and the bravery of the man of June 18th:

“Digol, a great man of a kind of stature that doesn’t exist anymore. Men like him, they only come once a century. Indeed, there are even centuries when fate stockpiles its reserves of great men.”

The tenor of the old man’s voice conveyed his emotional sincerity. Loyalty sparkled in his eyes, a blind loyalty deeply rooted in the depth of his soul.

“Remember, my friends, Digol outright refused the 1940 armistice and the Vichy government. He sent an unforgettable appeal to London to drive forward without reprieve in the fight against the Nazis. How can you talk about the Resistance without realizing the stature of this mighty beefwood tree whose head is crowned with laurels of all the victories he won for the grandeur of France? After that, some youthful ingrates wanted to stir up trouble for him, to make mountains out of molehills, in May 1968. They were minuscule groups of students and union members. There too, Digol showed what a giant he was by leaving the seat of power one year later because those forgetful French people dared to challenge him in a test of strength when they rejected a new course he proposed by referendum . . . ”

In the evening, a wreck, his voice gone, the old man ran a trembling hand over his head, pulled out an armchair covered in leopard skin, and sunk into it. He crossed his frail legs, adjusted his suspenders, filled his pipe, and drew long puffs.

He was already snoring.

His wife, an almost imperceptible silhouette compared with the old man’s strong personality, timidly shook him. The moon was just above them, round and grand: the dry season had come.

The son was coming . . .

From Bleu Blanc Rouge , published 1998 by Présence Africaine . Copyright Alain Mabankou. By arrangement with the publisher. Translation copyright 2007 by Alison Dundy. All rights reserved.

Alain Mabanckou

Regarded as Francophone Africa's leading voice, novelist, poet, and essayist Alain Mabanckou has been a finalist for the Man Booker International Prize and the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens.

Alison Dundy

Alison Dundy is a writer and translator from French…

The Madman of Bonanjo

African voices, the watchlist: september 2023.

EN Autocars

Le charme des traditions, valable toute l'année 2024.

Transport autocar

Hôtel 3 étoiles

Pension complète

Excursions incluses

Guide local

Assistance et rapatriement inclus

À partir de, par personne*, choisissez votre formule.

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À NOTER : L’ordre des visites et des journées peut être modifié pour le confort de votre séjour.

*Tarif Base 35 personnes minimum en chambre double. Regroupement possible. Contactez l’agence

Au départ de votre localité

Hôtel 3* au nid de cigognes.

Accueil et attribution des « nids ». Verre de bienvenue. Dîner.

Visite de Kaysersberg et de Riquewihr, authentiques cités médiévales et « perles » du vignoble alsacien. Déjeuner au Nid. Hunawihr,  village viticole avec son église fortifiée. Visite du centre de réintroduction des cigognes et des loutres. Visite d’une cave sur la route des Vins d’Alsace (dégustation). Dîner. Journée : 65 km

Strasbourg : le quartier pittoresque et romantique de la Petite France, visite guidée à pied. Visite de la Cathédrale, chef d’oeuvre de l’art gothique et de son horloge astronomique. Déjeuner à Strasbourg. Puis Obernai, cité médiévale remarquable pour son beffroi, ses remparts et son patrimoine architectural typiquement alsacien. Dîner. Journée : 170 km

Visite commentée de Colmar, le quartier de la petite Venise… Temps libre. Déjeuner au Nid. Visite du Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg unique château médiéval d’Alsace, avec son panorama grandiose. Retour par Ribeauvillé sur la Route des Vins. Dîner. Journée recommandée pour le repos conducteur. Journée : 80 km

Arrêt à Kientzheim puis arrêt dans une fromagerie traditionnelle de munster ou dans une distillerie (dégustation). Belle journée sur la Route des crêtes entre paysages typiques des Vosges et panoramas inoubliables avec un déjeuner typique dans une ferme auberge (repas marcaire) puis visite d’une confiserie de véritables bonbons des Vosges. Dîner. Journée : 195 km

Passage devant le musée de la Ligne Maginot, puis passage du Rhin et visite de l’église baroque de St-Peter. Déjeuner près de Waldau. Tour romantique en bateau sur le Titisee, l’un des plus beaux lacs d’Allemagne. Visite de Fribourg-en-Brisgau, bijou historique dans le centre de la Forêt Noire avec ses maisons colorées et sa cathédrale gothique… Retour par Neuf-Brisach. Dîner. Journée : 200 km

Départ après le petit déjeuner.

Ils ont adorés !

la magie de Noel

Valable du 26 novembre au 23 décembre 2024, 5 jours / 4 nuits au départ de votre localité.

Arrivée à l’hôtel – restaurant « Au nid de cigognes » dans l’après-midi, attribution des « nids ». Possibilité de profiter de l’espace détente . Apéritif de bienvenue, dîner – Logement.

Petit déjeuner à l’hôtel – Départ vers Ribeauvillé pour la visite de la Chocolaterie du Vignoble qui vous ouvre les portes d’un monde de saveur et de douceur. La visite comprend une projection sur l’histoire du chocolat , un reportage sur la chocolaterie Stoffel, une visite de l’atelier et bien sûr la dégustation. Continuation vers Riquewihr , pour la visite de ce magnifique village Alsacien et visite du marché de Noël . Retour au Nid pour déjeuner. L’après-midi, départ pour Colmar , découvrez les charmes du vieux Colmar, ses zones pittoresques, Maison des Têtes, Collégiale Saint-Martin, Maison Pfister, Petite Venise … puis temps libre aux différents Marchés de Noël de Colmar. Retour au Nid pour le Dîner – Logement.

Petit déjeuner à l’hôtel – Départ vers Obernai village traversé par la route des vins d’Alsace , lieu de naissance de Sainte Odile, patronne de l’Alsace et visite de son Marché de Noël . Continuation vers Strasbourg . Déjeuner à Strasbourg.

L’après – midi, visite de la Cathédrale « Le Grand Ange Rose de Strasbourg » , remarquable chef-d’œuvre de l’art Gothique, construit de 1277 à 1365.   Visite et temps libre aux Marchés de Noël. Retour au Nid, dîner – Logement.

Petit déjeuner à l’hôtel – Départ vers Gertwiller pour la visite du musée du Pain d’Epices et des Douceurs d’Autrefois. Sur 180 m 2 dans le grenier de l’ancienne grange dîmière de Gertwiller, sont exposées quelque 7000 pièces relatives au pain d’épices, à la biscuiterie, à la chocolaterie, à l’art populaire alsacien et à la vie rurale d’autrefois. Continuation vers Kirrwiller pour un déjeuner spectacle au Royal Palace au restaurant « Le Majestic », au cours duquel vous dégusterez un merveilleux menu concocté par le Chef du Royal Palace , suivi du nouveau spectacle, fort de ses 40 Comédiens, Danseurs, Chanteurs et Artistes internationaux. L’après-midi spectacle et après le spectacle danse et animation au Lounge Club. Retour au nid pour le dîner – Logement.

et Dordogne

Hôtel 3* l’auberge de la petite reine.

Arrivée à l’hôtel en fin d’après-midi, accueil personnalisé par David et Caroline , installation dans les chambres. Pot de bienvenue , dîner et logement à l’hôtel.

Départ pour la bastide de Domme , fondée en 1281 cette bastide royale connaîtra une des histoires les plus riches du Périgord. Vous découvrirez un magnifique panorama sur la vallée de la Dordogne. Promenade commentée en petit train suivie d’un temps libre. Déjeuner. L’après-midi visite du château des Milandes ancienne demeure de Joséphine Baker; spectacle de rapaces diurnes et nocturnes dans le jardin du château dominant la vallée de la Dordogne. Dîner.

Matin : 55 km, après-midi : 42 km.

Visite guidée de Sarlat et son marché (mercredi et samedi) aux milles saveurs. Découvrez ce joyau médiéval, à travers ses ruelles, ses nombreux hôtels particuliers… Déjeuner. Visite guidée des jardins du manoir d’Eyrignac tracés au XVIIIe et dans la même famille depuis 22 générations. C’est un magnifique exemple de jardins à la Française mais aussi une collection d’exquises topiaires quasiment inédite en France. Journée : 95km

Classé parmi les plus beaux villages de France, fondée en 1284 par le roi d’Angleterre Edouard 1er, la bastide de Monpazier a conservé son caractère d’origine. Déjeuner Lascaux II « chapelle Sixtine de la préhistoire ». Fac-similé d’un réalisme époustouflant à la cavité originale, des reliefs restitués dans les moindres détails et des peintures polychromes exécutées comme il y a 17 000 ans avec des colorants naturels. Authenticité et émotions assurées. Diner. Matin : 45 km / Après-midi : 80 km

Visite de l’abbaye de Cadouin. L’ensemble abbatial, classé au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO en tant qu’étape sur les chemins de Saint Jacques de Compostelle, est le plus bel exemple d’architecture religieuse du Périgord. Déjeuner aux environs. Puis direction le Périgord pourpre pour la visite du Domaine de Siorac. Balade commentée dans le vignoble, les chais et le cellier pour découvrir le métier de vigneron et leur passion pour leur terroir et leurs vins. Dégustation de vin du domaine accompagné de produits périgourdins. (Foie gras, rillettes…). Diner. Matin : 28km. Après-midi : 120km

Visite du château des Milandes, ancienne demeure de Joséphine Baker, spectacle de rapaces diurnes et nocturnes dans les jardins du château qui domine la vallée de la Dordogne. Déjeuner. Pour les pionniers de la batellerie, la Dordogne était au XVIIIe siècle, la « Rivière Espérance » Au fil de l’eau, lors d’une promenade commentée en gabarre, découvrez la vallée de la Dordogne, classée au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO : châteaux, falaises majestueuses, forêts de chênes verts, villages typiques. Diner. Matin : 35 km – Après-midi : 45 km

Pays-Basque

Au soleil du sud-ouest, hôtel 3* bonnet.

Arrivée en fin d’après-midi. Apéritif d’accueil. Dîner

Cambo   les   Bains ,   visite   de   la   Villa   Arnaga,   maison   palais d’Edmond Rostand écrivain dramaturge de la célèbre pièce de théâtre Cyrano de Bergerac. Découvrez sa vie et son œuvre à   travers   cette   demeure   néo-labourdine   et ses   jardins   magnifiques .   Déjeuner.   Visite   de   Biarritz ,   petit   port   de   pêche   qui devînt ville impériale sous l’égide de Napoléon III et d’Eugénie, aujourd’hui station balnéaire et ville du surf . Temps libre. Dîner. Journée : 68 km.

Bayonne,   Ville   d’Art   et   d’Histoire   : la   cathédrale   gothique,   le cloître du XIV ème siècle, les rues pittoresques et leurs arcades médiévales , les remparts conçus par Vauban, les chocolateries… A la conserverie « Ibai Alde », dégustation de produits du terroir   basque .   Déjeuner   en   cours   de   route.   Ibardin,   ces   anciennes   cabanes de contrebandiers, construites sur les frontières sont devenues   de   véritables   «   supérettes   ».   Point   de   vue   sur   un   paysage unique qui s’étend jusqu’à l’océan. Soirée Fête Basque , dîner typique, tour de chant et musiques basques, tous en rouge et blanc ! Journée : 75 km.

Larressore ,   visite   de   l’atelier   du   Makhila,   bâton   de   marche, doublé d’une arme qui appartient à la culture et à la tradition basques, perpétuée par la famille Ainciart Bergara, artisans de renom depuis au moins 7 générations. Déjeuner. Saint Jean de Luz, pittoresque port de pêche avec ses thoniers colorés et ville de mariage du roi Soleil Louis XIV avec l’infante Marie-Thérèse. Temps libre. Dîner. Journée : 50 km.

Visite passionnante du Musée du Chocolat Puyodébat qui retrace   l’histoire   de   l’artisanat   du   chocolat   au   Pays   Basque   :   vous   y découvrez   le   savoir-faire   ancestral   de   l’artisan   chocolatier. 

Dégustation   de   chocolats   grand   cru .   Déjeuner.   Les   villages   typiques   :   Aïnhoa,   charmante   bastide   classée «   Plus   beaux   villages de France » , avec ses maisons basques du 16 e   et 17 e   siècle et   l’église   au   plafond   à   caissons   Renaissance,   puis   Espelette   réputée pour ses piments rouges et haut lieu de la gastronomie basque   avec   ses   maisons   blanches   aux   façades   décorées   de guirlandes pourpres. Dîner. Journée : 62 km.

St Jean Pied de Port, pour une flânerie dans les rues médiévales et dans l’histoire ! Citadelle qui domine la ville, sur les traces des pèlerins de Compostelle avec une vue splendide sur la montagne et sur l’historique col de Roncevaux. Déjeuner en cours de route Visite d’une ferme aquacole, Goicoechea, nichée dans un magnifique cadre sauvage. Puis, St Etienne de Baïgorry, avec son église, son chateaux et ses maisons des XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles. Découverte, au cœur de la vallée d’Irouleguy, du plus petit vignoble de France et plus grand vin du Pays Basque. Diner. Journée : 110 km

PROVENCE / luberon

Au son des cigales, hôtel 3* les vignes blanches.

Accueil et installation . Verre de bienvenue et présentation du séjour. Dîner.

Visite en petit train d’Avignon , la cité des Papes classée au patrimoine mondial de l’Unesco : l’emblématique pont , connu dans le monde entier grâce à sa célèbre chanson, le Palais des Papes, la cathédrale et le rocher des Doms , les remparts. Temps Libre. Déjeuner aux environs. Visite, de l’autre côté du Rhône, de Villeneuve lès Avignon, beau village aux allures médiévales . Dîner.

Journée : 56 km .

Découverte de la culture de la lavande et de l’immortelle par la visite d’une distillerie : Vivez l’art et les secrets des huiles essentielles bio et fabriquez votre pochon de lavande. Déjeuner Promenade dans le coeur de ville de Beaucaire implantée sur Via Dominitia, plus ancienne route romaine en Gaule : collégiale, hôtels particuliers… Puis Tarascon : château collégiale Ste Marthe, maison de Tartarin (Alphonse Daudet). Visite du musée Souleïado : l’histoire de la fabrication des célèbres indiennes et des étoffes à travers les traditions populaires provençales. Diner. Journée : 90 km

Découverte des Ocres de Roussillon , plus important gisement d’ocre du monde : promenade sur un sentier aménagé. Puis visite de Roussillon , classé Plus beaux villages de France dont

les pierres et les toits offrent une chatoyante palette de couleurs. Déjeuner aux environs. Arrêt pour admirer le site de l’abbaye cistercienne de Notre-Dame de Sénanque . Puis Gordes , classé

Plus beaux villages de France avec ses maisons étagées à flanc de falaise. Visite du Musée de la lavande . Dîner.

Journée : 130 km.

Visite du château de Montauban, superbe, bâtisse avec une façade monumentale du XIXe siècle accolée à un mas du XVIIIe où séjourna souvent Alphonse Daudet et fût le décor de ses romans. Au retour, arrêt au moulin de Daudet. Déjeuner. St Remy de Provence, visite de la capitale provençale de l’art de vivre où est né Nostradamus, avec l’histoire de la famille de Sade et des lieux peints par Van Gogh. Diner. Journée : 89 km

Visite de Vaison la Romaine, la Pompéi provençale , dont le site gallo-romain est le plus étendu de France. Déjeuner aux environs. Puis Orange , la ville romaine aux 2000 ans d’histoire : arrêt à l’Arc de Triomphe, au Théâtre antique le mieux conservé du monde romain, inscrit au patrimoine mondial de l’Unesco. Puis la cathédrale et le musée de la ville . Visite d’une cave viticole d’appellation Côtes du Rhône et Châteauneuf du Pape (dégustation). Dîner.

Journée : 183 km .

la cote de lumiere

Hôtel 3* le moulin neuf.

Accueil et installation dans les chambres.

Verre de bienvenue. Dîner.

Luçon : visite de la cathédrale Notre Dame , qui eût pour officiant le jeune Richelieu, qui en fut désigné évêque. Puis visite du   jardin Dumaine, classé parmi « les plus beaux jardins de France » dans un domaine de 4 hectares. Déjeuner. La Ferme des Coûts vous accueille avec ses 250 cerfs, biches et faons qui vivent en semi-liberté pour une découverte passionnante de son élevage (dégustation de produits de la ferme) . Dîner.

Journée : 140 km

Départ vers St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie , station balnéaire et premier port sardinier de l’Atlantique . A la conserverie « La Perle des Dieux », un film vous fait découvrir le parcours de la sardine, de la mer à la mise en boîte (dégustation). Déjeuner aux environs. Aux Sables d’Olonne , découverte du Muséum du Coquillage et de sa collection unique en Europe de 45 000 coquillages du monde entier. Temps libre dans la ville : anciennes maisons d’armateurs, logis du 18 e , villas balnéaires, maisons de pêcheurs… Dîner.

Journée : 190 km

Avec ses 7 tours, ses fossés et son chemin de ronde entièrement couvert,   le   château   de   Sigournais   témoigne   de   l’architecture   militaire du Moyen-Age. Il présente aussi une collection unique de 700 blasons territoriaux. Apéritif au Château. Déjeuner à l’hôtel. Visite de l’Historial de la Vendée où technologies de pointe et mises en scène étonnantes retracent l’histoire de la Vendée, des premiers chasseurs du néolithique à un village du siècle dernier. Dîner.

Journée : 130 km

Visite de l’Aquarium de La Rochelle , qui offre une exploration de l’univers sous-marin des mers et des océans du monde. Déjeuner aux environs. Après-midi libre dans La Rochelle, cité fortifiée dotée d’une histoire prestigieuse, elle a bâti sa splendeur autour de l’océan : Promenade sur le Vieux Port tracé au XIII e   siècle et fortifié depuis son origine. Dîner.

Journée   :   160 km

Visite du Haras de la Vendée fondé en 1843, sous Louis-Philippe : dans un cadre patrimonial exceptionnel, découvrez la passion de l’univers équestre, l’élevage, les peuples cavaliers, le conservatoire de races des chevaux du monde… Déjeuner. Balade en barque dans le Marais Poitevin , pour découvrir la magie de la   « Venise verte » , vivant au rythme de ses canaux empruntés par les maraîchins sur des « plates » qu’ils manient à l’aide de leurs « pigouilles ». Dîner.

Journée : 170 km.

la region de Breizh

Hôtel & spa 3* armor park dinan.

Visite guidée de la cité médiévale de Dinan en bord de Rance :

ruelles pavées, remparts, château, maisons à colombages, églises.Déjeuner. Route côtière sur la Côte d’Emeraude vers le site naturel   grandiose du Cap Fréhel culminant à 70 m au-dessus des vagues. Puis retour par Sables d’Or les Pins et St-Cast , stations balnéaires au charme anglo-normand et art déco. Dîner.

Journée : 120 km.

Visite de la Cité des Télécoms à Pleumeur-Bodou : l’histoire de la communication du premier télégraphe aux smartphones high-tech d’aujourd’hui et un spectacle son et lumière sous le Radôme . Déjeuner à Perros Guirec . Promenade sur le sentier des douaniers de la Côte de Granit rose avec son décor magique de roches aux tons de rose, rouge et orange. Retour par Paimpol . Dîner.

Journée :   220 km .

Dinard et ses villas « Belle Epoque ». Le long de la côte d’Emeraude, arrêts panoramiques à St-Lunaire et St-Briac . Déjeuner. Saint-Malo, la cité des marins et des grands navigateurs avec ses riches maisons d’armateurs qui semblent défier l’océan : la promenade sur les remparts offre une vue splendide sur le paysage marin et l’horizon des îles anglo normandes. Visite libre de la cathédrale St-Vincent . Puis Cancale, royaume de l’huître , port de pêche pittoresque avec ses maisons de pêcheurs. Dîner.

Journée : 130 km .

Ce joyau d’architecture médiévale et religieuse inscrit au patrimoine mondial de l’Unesco se dresse au milieu d’une immense baie. Découverte du village au fil de sa Grande Rue et des ruelles   pittoresques (visite libre et avec supplément de l’Abbaye). Temps libre dans la cité. Déjeuner. Visite d’une cidrerie traditionnelle (dégustation de cidre et crêpe). Dîner.  

Journée : 150 km .

A Dol de Bretagne , belle cité médiévale, visite libre de la cathédrale St-Samson. Continuation vers la spectaculaire baie du Mont-Saint-Michel afin d’embarquer à bord du Train Marin, unique en Europe , pour une découverte originale de la baie, entre ciel, terre et mer (jour en fonction des marées). Déjeuner. Après-midi libre. Dîner.

Journée : 100 km .

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Moscow Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025

63 moscow trips. compare tour itineraries from 45 tour companies. 308 reviews. 4.7/5 avg rating., popular moscow tours.

St Petersburg & Moscow in Style - Winter

• Explore the majestic St Petersburg & Moscow on private city tours
• Admire the rich Russian history, art and architecture
• Travel to Moscow on a highspeed train
• Enjoy the local cuisine in stylish restaurants

Golden Ring of Russia

Lower Volga Voyage

• Visit magnificent Red Square and Kremlin and examine the collection at theKremlin’s State Armory.
• Experience Russia’s diverse musical traditions at lively folk music performances
• Explore Volgograd, the site of the decisive battle of World War II’s eastern front

Best of Russia

Volga Dream Russian River Cruise

Highlights of Russia

St Petersburg & Moscow in Style - Summer

White Russian - 7 days

• Discover Moscow's UNESCO-listed Red Square, home to spectacular St Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin's Mausoleum and the historic GUM Department store
• Explore the grounds of Moscow's mighty Kremlin, with its numerous governmentbuildings, gold-domed cathedrals and the giant tsar bell
• Celebrate New Year's Eve in Moscow!
• Take in the highlights of St Petersburg including a guided tour of the exquisite Church on Spilled Blood, Peter & Paul Fortress and Cathedral
• Take a guided tour of the remarkable Hermitage Museum at the Winter Palace

All Moscow , expedition cruises, self guided adventures and vacation packages. Find the best guided and expert planned vacation and holiday packages. Read more about Moscow

Small Group Moscow Tours

Vodka Shot - 6 days

• Explore the beautiful city of St Petersburg, including the exquisite Church on Spilled Blood, Peter & Paul Fortress and Nevsky Prospekt
• Marvel at the dazzling array of art and exhibits in the world-famous Hermitage Museum, at the Winter Palace in St Petersburg
• Discover a lavish residence of the tsars on a day trip to Catherine Palace at Tsarkoe Selo (winter: mid-October to April) or Peterhof Palace and gardens (summer: May to mid-October)
• Take in the highlights of the capital on a walking tour, visiting Moscow's famous Red Square, home to the historic GUM Department Store, Lenin’s Mausoleum and spectacular St Basil’s Cathedral
• Take a guided tour of the Moscow Kremlin, Russia’s political power house. Stroll around the grounds of this fortified complex, visit the Kremlin's cathedrals and see the mighty Tsar Bell

Route of the Romanovs - 10 days

• Learn about the last days of the Romanovs in Yekaterinburg, visiting the sites where Tsar Nicolas II and his family were assassinated and buried
• Straddle two continents at the famous obelisk Europe/Asia border marker in Yekaterinburg
• Experience the Trans-Siberian railway on an overnight train journey from Moscow to Yekaterinburg

New Year's in Moscow - 9 days

• Visit Catherine Palace at Tsarkoe Selo on Christmas Day and marvel at the incredible Amber Room
• Spend a night in Novgorod, an ancient city by the Volkhov River - explore the kremlin, cathedral and other sights and enjoy a traditional Russian banya (sauna)

Back in the USSR - 7 days

Russian Revolution - 9 days

• Visit historic Novgorod, an ancient city which straddles the Volkhov River. Explore the attractive riverside kremlin and experience a traditional Russian banya (sauna)

The Snowball - 6 days

• Visit Catherine Palace at Tsarkoe Selo and marvel at the incredible Amber Room

Mood for Moscow - 4 days

• Head underground to visit a Stalinist-era Soviet Bunker on an optional excursion
• Stroll to the vibrant Izmailovo Market, which lies behind the walls of an ancient Kremlin, and shop for an array of souvenirs

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Moscow reviews & ratings, capitals of the north.

some hotels could have been better

It was jam packed with every place I wanted to go and see. I especially love my photo of us setting out on the night time river cruise in St Petersburg and the Peter...

I really did not buy much and what I did buy was small gifts for others .

Johanna-Marie

Good hotels, some better than others. Interesting itinerary

Too rushed. Optional tour rather too short

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