RUSSIA ITINERARY AND BUDGET COST

The Russian government renewed the interest of Filipino travelers into visiting their country after they included the Philippines among the countries that can avail of their free E-Visa scheme to visit Saint Petersburg. Personally, it was one of my favorite countries and I would always remember my visit there with great fondness. In this blog post, I will reveal my Russia itinerary and also the expenses that I incurred during my 8 days visit to Moscow and Saint Petersburgh last November 2018.

TRAVELING TO RUSSIA

Most people would think that Russia is an expensive country to travel around – I disagree. Believe it or not, it was one of the cheapest Western countries I’ve been to. People were shocked and surprised whenever I tell them that Russia can be as cheap as the Philippines in some ways. I always ate complete, hearty meals at stolovayas (Russian cafeterias) and they cost as low as $3. Hostel rooms only cost $5 a day and a metro ride just costs $1.

For Filipino travelers, I would suggest you get a Russian Tourist visa so you can visit Moscow and other cities. Getting one is not complicated and I consider it as one of the easiest visa applications I did. Check my Russian Tourist visa application story for more information.

RUSSIA ITINERARY BREAKDOWN

Here is the breakdown of my trip to Russia. I arrived in Moscow from New Delhi, then traveled to Saint Petersburg by bus (I used Goeuro – now Omio). Lastly, I flew to Paris from Saint Petersburg. I spent 8 days in total in both cities.

MOSCOW

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• Everything in Moscow is connected by the metro. You will notice that it is deeper than in other countries because it also serves as an emergency bunk in case of war or catastrophe.
• Moscow metro is very artsy, and there are tour companies organizing guided tours here – Well, you can do it on your own! Visit the following metro stations and gawk at its beauty – Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Novolobodskaya, Prospect Mira, Belorusskaya, Kiyevskaya, Pavelevskaya, and Taganskaya.
• From Domodedovo airport, I used the Aeroexpress, then transferred to Paveletsky station to reach the city center.
• The best place to buy Russian souvenirs is at Izmailovo Kremlin. Be sure to haggle!
• Stolovayas are the best places to eat if you are on a budget. It’s a Russian cafeteria – food is laid out then you just pick whichever you like. The stolovayas at the GUM mall are the best – they even have Uzbekistan and Georgian food options!
• You cannot take pictures inside the Armory (too bad! I really loved the carriages and royal thrones).

Day 1 – November 11, 2018

• Early morning arrival at Domodedovo airport
• Check-in at Tretyakovka hostel
• Quick tour at the Red Square

Day 2 – November 12, 2018

• Red Square Tour
• Kremlin, Cathedral square and the Armory tour
• Church of Christ on Spilled Blood

Day 3 – November 13, 2018

• Izmailovo Kremlin Tour
• Vodka Museum

Day 4 – November 14, 2018

• Moscow Metro tour
• VDNKH(Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy) tour
• A late-night trip to Saint Petersburg
  
  

SAINT PETERSBURG

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• Saint Petersburg is cheaper by almost 40% than Moscow.
• Someone nearly pickpocketed me here. They followed me when I entered a restaurant and tried tugging my backpack. When I noticed it, they quickly left, and I just saw my bag already opened. Fortunately, they got nothing from me.
• I was supposed to visit the Peterhof Palace but got so exhausted that I decided to cancel. Feel free to add it to your itinerary though.
• Another activity that I did not witness was the lowering of the drawbridges. Feel free to add it to your itinerary too.
• Be prepared when you visit the Kunst Kamera museum. They have an entire hall filled with specimens with medical anomalies and true to life fetuses. I found it really disturbing, and as a sign of respect, I will not post any pictures of the babies here nor in my social media account.

Day 5 – November 15, 2018

• Early morning arrival from Moscow
• Check-in at Cozy Place hostel
• Church tour – Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral

Day 6 – November 16, 2018

• Hermitage Tour
• Nevsky Avenue

Day 7 – November 17, 2018

• Peter and Paul Fortress
• Kunst Kamera Museum

Day 8 – November 18, 2018

• Free day
• Late-night travel to Paris, France

RUSSIA ITINERARY COST BREAKDOWN