Mumbai, November 2016- An offbeat, yet amazingly popular destination, Russia is the perfect place for a summer vacation, but a traveller’s delight in the winter season.
A completely magical place in the winter, Russia offers travellers numerous unforgettable experiences that you will be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. Starting from the second week of December, the Nevsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg’s main thoroughfare is swathed in colourful lights, leading to St. Petersburg’s busy Christmas Market, which though smaller as compared to the European Christmas markets, is just as festive and colourful.
On the rural front, Baikal, Kamchatka and Karelia turn into havens for winter enthusiasts with expansive lakes, majestic volcanoes, gushing geysers, thermal springs and marvelous wildlife. This diverse natural environment gives way for many exciting adventures such as snowmobiling, dog sledding, skiing, ice fishing and ice diving.
While we are talking about unique experiences, traditional Russian cuisine cannot be far behind. A hearty bowl of Russian borsch paired with imperial Russian vodka, for instance. You can also choose to dig into some fantastic Russian pancakes, with caviar, during Russian pancake week (yes, they do have something like that). The Russian cuisine undergoes a refreshing change every few kilometers and always packs in a pleasant surprise.
After a particularly action-packed and exciting journey, a warm Russian banya (sauna) is the perfect solution for your aching muscles, and an experience that will help you reach a whole new level of relaxation.
Last, but definitely not the least, as winter is the off-season for Russian tourism, it means you get the same fantastic amenities at cheaper rates and minus the hordes of tourists competing for the same. A unique experience for sure.
“Russia is the perfect destination to bring in the New Year”, says Viren Batra, Nirvana Excursions’ co-founder. “It’s said that the real Russia can be seen and experienced only in the winter, and we wholeheartedly endorse this, with its quaint cities, charming scenery and amazing attractions. Truly a beautiful destination.”