Religion in Ukraine has a somewhat different “mix” of faiths as compared to religion in Russia. Although the region was once home to rather large Muslim and Jewish communities, Islam and Judaism have diminished significantly from their historic heights. Ukraine, unlike Russia, is predominately Christian, with greater than 90% of religiously active...
read more
Religion has played a very important role in the evolution of Russian culture. Traditional religions, those deemed part of Russia’s “historical heritage”, include Orthodox Christianity (63% of the population), Islam (6% of the population), Buddhism (<1%), and Judaism (<1%). (VCIOM 2006) The largest of the religions, Orthodox Christianity, is...
read more
Ukraine is quite an interesting country in regards to language. Currently, Ukrainian is the only official language recognized across the entire nation. In practice, however, Ukraine is very much a bilingual country with a roughly 50-50 split between Russian and Ukrainian. According to an official 2001 Ukrainian population census, 67.5% of Ukraine’s citizens...
read more
Russian health and safety has garnered a somewhat undeserved reputation in the west. In actual fact, travel to Russia is no more or less dangerous than travel in the US, Canada or the European Union. Russia Crime: Violent crime is an issue, but no more so than in most western nations. Use common sense. Russia Terrorism: Russia travel to Chechnya, Dagestan, and...
read more
Superstition is a very big part of Russian and Ukrainian culture. While many superstitions are largely ignored, many more are so common that they have become an inseparable part of everyday Russian etiquette. So while Russian friends may joke about them, it may be courteous to be aware of common superstitions and show respect for them just the same. After all, do...
read more
We understand there are people who don’t have the time to plan their own vacation. There are others who want the peace of mind only professional tour operators can provide. Thus, we’ve provided a directory of Russian Tours and tours to former nations of the USSR. For those who want to save money and make arrangements independently, the following Russian...
read more
One of the best ways to see the splendor of the Russian and Ukrainian countryside is to cruise Russia or Ukraine by river or by sea. (Click on any map below to open a larger interactive map). 1. Russian Waterways Cruise: Moscow – St. Petersburg Cruise Russia for 10 days/10 nights from St. Petersburg to Moscow or in the opposite direction – Moscow...
read more
Russian fine arts is synonymous with magnificent galleries and world renowned artists. From the icon paintings of 11th century Kievan Rus’ to the contemporary art of the 21st century, visitors are amazed to discover Russia’s rich and dynamic art history and culture. Russian Art Forms / Genres Purchase Russian Art Must See Arts Galleries Regional Fine...
read more
Russian ballet, an art form inherited from Western Europe, has earned an international reputation of excellence. Very few nations have achieved so much in the development and innovation of the art. Prominent Russian composers, choreographers and dancers have long garnered high regard both at home and on the world stage. History / Background Must See Ballet...
read more
Dating back to the mid 18th century, Russian opera was one of the first West European performing arts to be embraced by a Russian audience. Thanks to a long list of great Russian composers and talented writers, opera in Russia and Ukraine has since gained a high level of respect both at home and abroad. The following outline gives a summary of Russian opera from its...
read more
