Features

The Fun-Filled Festival of Sabantuy

The festival of Sabantuy is celebrated in many villages and towns across Russia, but most people travel to Kazan for the annual Kazan Sabantuy. Sabantuy is an ancient and traditional festival that was once restricted to the farmers. Today it is a national holiday and has even been nominated by Moscow to be inducted on the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity list. But when the origins of the festival are looked at, one notices a deeper cultural meaning to the festivities.

Stroll through the Beautiful Letniy Sad

The exquisite Letniy Sad (Summer Garden) in St. Petersburg, Russia, occupies almost 12 hectares of an island adjacent to the Summer Palace of Peter the Great and is surrounded by the Fontanka River, Moika River and Swan Canal. In 1704 Peter the Great commissioned LeBlond, a Frenchman, to design a formal garden in the style of the gardens in Versailles, France.

Ulyanovsk – A Fantastic Tourist Destination

The city of Ulyanovsk is the administrative center of the Ulyanovsk region, and is located on the Volga River, just east from the capital of Russia, Moscow. It is of great historical importance to Russia, even though many of its buildings and reminders of the past were destroyed during the Soviet era. It is a city where various different nationalities have been able to live in peace with each other, learning to show respect and tolerance towards others. Life in Ulyanovsk has been this way for centuries, and has kept its atmosphere of tranquility and patience.

Vasilievsky Island – A Treasure Trove of Attractions

Bordered by two rivers, Bolshaya Neva and Malaya Neva, and the Gulf of Finland, Vasilievsky Island is situated across the river from the renowned Winter Palace. This district, surrounding the Winter Palace, of Saint Petersburg represents a large segment of the historical center of the city. The famous Lieutenant Schmidt and Palace Bridges connect Vasilievsky Island to the mainland with the Exchange and Tuchkov Bridges connecting Vasilievsky Island to Petrogradsky Island across the Malaya Neva.

Blini Day

Blini Day in Russia is a celebration held during Blini Week or “Maslenitsa”. This blend of Christian traditions with pagan beliefs is the last period for feasting before the beginning of the traditional Lent season of fasting. The most prominent element of Blini Week is the blini – a type of pancake which is eaten either with savory food such as fish and onions, but most often during Blini Week they are eaten with sweet toppings such as honey, syrup or jam.

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