As more and more people are visiting Russia for pleasure and business, travel to Moscow and St. Petersburg is becoming ever easier -- but not much cheaper. While prices in the standard hotels and restaurants continue to mount, more affordable options are appearing, particularly in the mini-hotel industry. Meanwhile, Russia gets its first chance to chair the G-8 club of rich nations in 2006, which is spurring new building and tourism projects in St. Petersburg for a July summit.
Getting There
Moscow's Domodedovo Airport continues to upgrade faster than the dreary, overworked Sheremetevo-2 Airport. Most international carriers still use Sheremetevo, but Domodedovo has lured a few new airlines over the past year, including Israel's El Al, which runs a Tel-Aviv-Moscow flight, Spain's Iberia Airlines, and Eurofly, Alitalia's charter airline. Unlike Sheremetevo, Domodedovo Airport now has a children's play area, a jazz bar and juice bar, and can send your cell phone text messages with your flight status. Many online ticket agents haven't yet included Domodedovo in their searches, but a good travel agent will.
Travelers to southern Russia should continue to take precautions anywhere near Chechnya. In terms of security, tourists in Moscow and St. Petersburg shouldn't have anything more to worry about than visitors to other major world capitals.
Attractions
The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow has closed its curtains for a long-needed renovation, expected to last through 2007. Visitors can't glimpse the splendor of the theater's interior for now -- but the Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Company is still performing at a neighboring stage, and is of the same top caliber as ever. Tickets can be purchased at the old ticket office, to the left of the main theater, and alas are no cheaper than the main stage. The Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg (www.mariinsky.ru/en) is operating as usual and is no less impressive an experience.
Some festivals to look out for in 2006 in Moscow are the Cherry Orchard Arts Festival in early May, with symphony concerts, plays and dance parties; the Easter Arts Festival in spring, with classical music and church concerts, and dance performances; and the Russian Winter Festival in December-January, featuring top Russian dancers and musicians. St. Petersburg's Stars of the White Nights Festival starts in May and runs through July.
Where to Dine
A law forbidding drinking alcohol on the street has come into effect, but enforcement is nearly nonexistent so far and fines are fairly low (300 rubles, or about $12). Plenty of people still sip cool Baltika beer or cans of gin and tonic at Patriarch's Ponds on a sunny afternoon, but you'd technically be breaking the law if you went to join them. A safer bet is the nearby terrace at Skandinavia restaurant (19 Tverskaya Street, through the arch; tel. 095/937-5630).
New eateries continue to sprout up in both cities, with some acclaimed newcomers including the latest installment by restaurant guru Arkady Novikov, Moscow's China Club(21 Ulitsa Krasina, tel. 095/232-2778; Metro: Mayakovskaya). The cuisine isn't at all Russian (it's half Chinese, half French) but this is a prime example of new Russian dining. The menu is inventive and ever-changing; the décor is sophisticated whimsy and the atmosphere intimate and mellow. It's popular among the more tasteful new Russians, and is open daily noon to 11pm. Prices run about $40 per person with wine..
The popular Uncle Vanya's restaurant has moved to a similar space in the Zamoskvarechye district south of the Kremlin, at 16 Pyatnitskaya Ulitsa, tel. 095/951-0586.
Where To Stay
On the hotel scene, the best news continues to be the expansion of the mini-hotel industry, as entrepreneurs convert old homes or a few floors of an apartment building into affordable hotel rooms. St. Petersburg is the clear leader here; it's at last possible to arrive in the city without a reservation and just call around in the many listings magazines available at the city tourist office. This is not recommended during the two weeks of White Nights, however, and is still not a good idea in Moscow.
On the upper end, Moscow's Savoy Hotel (tel. 095/620-8555; www.savoy.ru) finished a renovation in late 2005, and is now more opulent (and pricey) than ever. All-new Italian furniture, etched wood flooring, hydro-massage baths and wi-fi are the key highlights. Double rooms run $475 a night, but discounts should start appearing by mid-2006.
Marriott hotels reached their 10,000-room landmark with the 2005 opening of Courtyard by Marriott in Moscow. There are now 218 rooms in the convenient Tverskaya neighborhood near the Kremlin (tel. 888/236-2427; 095/981-3300; www.visitmoscow.ru). Rates run $295 for a double, but weekend specials are available for $225. The hotel offers everything you'd expect from a Courtyard by Marriott, plus a 24-hour restaurant, 24-hour health club, wi-fi and high-speed Internet in all rooms.
Another Marriott holding, Renaissance St. Petersburg Baltic Hotel (tel. 888/236-2427 or 812/380-4000; www.marriott.com), is offering several specials in 2006. Located near St. Isaac's Cathedral and Palace Square, the 102-room hotel emphasizes modern conveniences more than history. The White Days special in January-February includes weekend deals for $216.
For those with limited or expensive Internet access in their hotels, the Café Max chain has at last installed several convenient, clean and hip Internet cafes in both cities. In Moscow, two spots are at 25 Pyatnitskaya, building 1, metro Novokuznetskaya; or 3 Novoslobodskaya Ulitsa, metro Novoslobodskaya; in St. Petersburg there's one at 90/92 Nevsky Prospekt (www.cafemax.ru).
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