Moscow & the Golden Ring Москва и Золотое Кольцо
Already gleaming
before their eyes they see unfold
the towers of whitestone Moscow beaming
with fire from every cross of gold.
- Alexander Pushkin
Best of Moscow & the Golden Ring Best bar Art Garbage
Best blog Moscow Doesn't Believe in Tears
Best book On the Golden Porch, Tatyana Tolstaya
Best excursion out of the city Rostov-Veliky
Best excursion in the city Vorobyovy Gory Nature Preserve
Places of a Lifetime
This massive metropolis captures Russia at her most extreme: her communist austerity and her capitalist indulgence; her devout orthodoxy and her uninhibited displays of wealth and power; her enigmatic ancient history and her dazzling contemporary culture. Moscow is the seat of political power in Russia, but it is also the country’s cultural and commercial center. From the storied streets surrounding Red Square to the modern new Moscow-City, the Russian capital is crammed with artistic, historic, and otherwise sacred sites. Sometimes intellectual and inspiring, sometimes debauched and depraved, it is always eye-opening. Read my piece in National Geographic Traveler...
Live from Moscow
In June and July 2008, I was on the ground in Moscow, researching the next edition of the Lonely Planet Moscow City Guide, as well as chapters for Russia and Trans-Siberian Railroad. Read my blog from Moscow.
Cyrillic Success
This year, Forbes Magazine declared Moscow to be the best city for billionaires. According to the magazine's annual "rich list", the Russian capital is home to 74 billionaires, more than any other city in the world. Often called "oligarchs" for their close ties to the Kremlin, this upper upper class sits atop a massive and ever-growing mountain of money. Besides the billionaires, Moscow is home to thousands of second-tier nouveaux-riches, who have amassed millions through dealings in real estate, finance and other entrepreneurial activities. Read my article in Lifestyle & Travel...
Hotels & Hostels
Moscow is not a cheap place to stay. In fact, at the time of research, it is the world's most expensive place to stay. While many international luxury hotels have rushed to fill the void in accommodations, smaller, simpler and more affordable hotels are few and far between. Read my reviews at Lonely Planet Hotels & Hostels...
Mara Vorhees is a writer and photographer who blogs about food, music and adventure around the world.She has written guidebooks about Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Morocco, New England and Russia for Lonely Planet. Click here to read more about Mara.
Golden Ring
Moscow - Yaroslavl Station. Next stop: Vastness. This is the starting point for trains heading east over the Urals Mountains to Siberia and points beyond. My destination is not so distant: a clutch of provincial towns north-east of Moscow that comprise the “Golden Ring”, the cradle of Russian history. Founded in the 11th and 12th centuries, the towns of the Golden Ring once served as the seats of power in a network of northern Slavic principalities. For over 300 years, they jousted for power before finally giving way to upstart Muscovy. Today, the region boasts archetypal art and architecture, the remnants of Russia’s medieval past. Read More...
