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    1. Send-money-to-yourself-and-family-to-RussiaHow to send money to Russia in 2026 (my personal experience)Sending money to Russia in 2026 is genuinely tricky. After the international sanctions, most traditional services (Western Union, PayPal, Wise, Revolut, etc.) stopped operating with Russia in March 2022, and the few alternative bridges that appeared afterwards (Profee, KoronaPay, Volet direct to a Russian card, Bybit P2P) have been falling one by one with each […]
    2. Airplane cabin interior with passengers seated during flight, illustrating new passenger rules in Russia from March 2026New Flight Rules in Russia from March 2026: What Changes for the PassengerStarting March 1, 2026, the rules for flying in Russia are changing. If your flight is delayed more than 30 minutes, you can return the ticket and get your money back. If you miss your outbound flight, the return is no longer automatically cancelled. Families with two or more children get a guaranteed seat next […]
    3. Hotel receptionist handing a key card to a guest during check-inNew Rules for Booking Hotels in Russia from March 2026Starting March 1, 2026, the rules for booking a hotel in Russia are changing. If you cancel your reservation before the day of arrival, the hotel is legally required to refund you 100% of what you paid. If you no-show or cancel on the same day, the maximum penalty is the cost of one night. […]
    4. Smartphone with cryptocurrency market data and physical coins on a black surface, representing the method of bringing money to Russia in cryptoBringing money to Russia with cryptocurrencies: how the method worksIn recent years, alongside the blocking of Visa, Mastercard and SWIFT transfers to Russia, a curious method has appeared among people who move large sums into the country or relocate there: entering Russia with their money in the form of cryptocurrencies, stored on a cold wallet (a physical card or device such as Tangem or […]
    5. Golden Ring Russia - Featured ImageThe Golden Ring of Russia: A Practical Guide to the 9 CitiesThe Golden Ring of Russia is the country’s most classic tourist route after Moscow and Saint Petersburg: a circular itinerary of about 700 kilometres northeast of Moscow that links 9 medieval cities packed with kremlins, monasteries and onion-domed churches, several of them UNESCO World Heritage sites. If you’ve got a few days in Moscow, the […]
    6. Megafone mobile store in GUM of MoscowHow to Buy a Russian SIM Card as a Foreigner in 2026Buying a Russian SIM card used to be a five-minute job : you showed your passport at any phone shop and walked out with an active number. Since January 1, 2025 , the process has turned into an obstacle course: you need to get a SNILS (Russian social security number), open an account on Gosuslugi, […]
    7. Riga–Moscow Bus: Schedule, Price and Real Border Crossing Experiences in LatviaIf you want to travel from Riga to Moscow by bus , today there’s only one regular line option: the overnight Ecolines service, operated by the Latvian company Norma-A SIA. It leaves every day at 19:40 from Riga’s international bus station, crosses through the Terehova–Burachki checkpoint, and arrives the next day at the Severnye Vorota […]
    8. How SendNOW works to send money to RussiaHow SendNOW Works: Step-by-Step Guide to Send Money to RussiaSendNOW is one of the few services that still lets you send money to Russia in a simple way. In this article I walk you through how it works step by step, what happens when you pay by card (which is where things get a bit tricky with Guardarian’s verification), and how to make sense […]
    9. St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow on a grey winter dayThings to Do in Moscow: 15 Must-Sees and Hour-by-Hour Itineraries for 1 to 5 DaysIf you ask me what to see and do in Moscow, my honest short answer is this: with 1 day you’ll leave with the photo and not much more, with 3 you’ll see the essentials, and with 5 you really get to enjoy the city. Below you’ll find the 15 things I’d never skip, then […]
    10. app ruid travel russia authorizationHow to Enter Russia Visa-Free (Visa-Exempt Countries): The ruID App and the Electronic Travel AuthorizationNotice (May 2026): RuID registration only applies to those entering Russia visa-free (not to those traveling with a regular visa or eVisa). For visa-free tourists , registration remains voluntary during the experiment (until 31/12/2027), according to official clarifications from the Russian Ministry of Digital Development. That said, you can still register voluntarily if you prefer […]
    11. Where to eat in MoscowWhere to eat in Moscow: restaurant types, what to try and pricesIn Moscow you eat well, you eat cheap and, if you splurge a little, you eat in some of the best restaurants in the world. The dining scene runs from Russian fast food (Teremok, Kroshka Kartoshka) and Soviet-style stolovayas with full meals under 700 rubles, all the way to panoramic restaurants like White Rabbit or […]
    12. Serene view of Novodevichy Convent reflected in a tranquil lake under a clear skyNovodevichy Convent and Cemetery in Moscow: a corner with more history than the KremlinNovodevichy Convent is one of the most beautiful corners of Moscow and, for me, the place where Russian history breathes deepest outside the Kremlin. A 16th-century walled complex, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and fully restored in 2024 for its 500th anniversary. Right next to its walls lies the Novodevichy Cemetery, where Chekhov, Gogol, […]
    13. Star City Moscow - Featured ImageStar City Moscow: How to Visit the Cosmonauts’ Training CenterTwenty-five kilometres northeast of Moscow there is a town of about 7,600 inhabitants where Yuri Gagarin trained to become the first human to orbit the Earth, where Valentina Tereshkova prepared her flight, and where, even today, every cosmonaut bound for the International Space Station spends months learning how to survive in space. It is called […]
    14. Moscow City - Featured ImageMoscow City: What to See, Observation Decks & Skyscrapers in Russia’s ManhattanMoscow City is Moscow’s futuristic skyscraper district, a mini Manhattan of glass and steel built on barely one square kilometer just 4 km from Red Square. Here you’ll find six of Europe’s ten tallest skyscrapers, two unique observation decks (one indoor at 327 m and one open-air at 354 m, the highest on the continent), […]
    15. White Nights St. Petersburg - Scarlet Sails FestivalWhite Nights in St. Petersburg 2026: When to Go, What to See and What to DoOne of the best times to visit St. Petersburg is during the White Nights, when the sun barely sets, the city never sleeps, and the biggest festivals of the year all take place. In this updated 2026 guide I explain what the White Nights are, when to travel, what to see, what to do and […]
    16. Hands using a digital map on a tablet in an urban setting at nightHow to book a restaurant in Moscow and St. Petersburg as a foreignerBooking a restaurant online in Moscow or St. Petersburg as a foreigner has a problem almost no one mentions: most Russian platforms (ToMesto, LeClick, Кубик, RUSSPASS) require a Russian phone number with a +7 prefix to verify the account by SMS. But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck. There are several routes that do work for […]
    17. Kremlin Moscow - Featured ImageMoscow Kremlin: what to see, tickets, opening hours and tips to avoid queuesThe Moscow Kremlin isn’t just a building: it’s a 27-hectare fortified city with four cathedrals, five palaces, twenty towers and one of the most impressive museums in the world, the Armoury Chamber. To visit it you need two separate tickets: one for Cathedral Square and the outer grounds, and another for the Armoury. Children under […]
    18. Lenin Mausoleum MoscowLenin Mausoleum in Moscow: How to See the Embalmed Leader on Red Square (for Free)Lenin’s Mausoleum is one of the most singular things you can visit in Moscow: seeing the embalmed body of the Bolshevik leader right in the heart of Red Square, for free and without any ticket. It’s open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 to 13:00. The queue forms next to Nikolskaya Tower, by […]
    19. St. Basils Cathedral in MoscowSt. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow: Inside Visit, Tickets and TipsSt. Basil’s Cathedral is the most photographed building in Moscow and probably the structure most identified with Russia worldwide. If you’re a foreign visitor, the entrance ticket costs 2,000 rubles (about $25), the cathedral opens every day except the first Wednesday of each month and, since May 10, closing time has been extended until 9:00 […]
    20. Palace square in St Petersburg - HermitageThe Hermitage in Saint Petersburg: the complete guide to your visitThe Hermitage in Saint Petersburg is one of the world’s great museums and the must-see if you’re visiting this city. In this article I explain how to buy tickets as a foreign tourist (with the whole card mess), the museum’s three official routes, the current opening hours, the masterpieces you can’t miss, how to get […]