Useful Resources for Tourists Visiting Russia

Real Russia

This is a list of frequently asked questions for tourists. Generally it is about how to obtain your visa, what you do with it and what you can do in Russia. This guide is the technical side of obtaining your visa, and doesn’t include many lifestyle tips!

Just Go Russia

This one is a little short and is only lifestyle tips. They’re great if you’re worried about how to behave in Russia, but it’s not too technical about the actual process of getting there.

A Complete Guide to Applying for a Russian Visa

This is a comprehensive and fairly definitive guide on how to apply for a Russian visa. Whether it’s tourism, business or charity work, this tells you everything you need to know to make sure your visa is sorted, so that your trip may come off with at least one less hitch.

Russian Invitation

This short guide is only about the letter of recommendation process when obtaining your visa. It can be the most confusing and difficult part of the process to understand, so this guide really helps. It covers the possibilities, the reason to have one and how to get yours.

North European Cruises

This nifty travel guide will help those who have just arrived in Russia, especially those in St Petersburg. It’s a lifestyle guide about how to behave and function and includes some links at the bottom which will take you to further guides for Russian tourists. It doesn’t cover the technicalities of visas, but does help you if you are confused about practical life in Russia.

Way to Russia

This site is great. It is an inclusive guide that covers mostly everything. It has lifestyle tips, advice and guides to get your visa, what you should do in Russia, how you should behave. It also has a link to a Facebook group that is a kind of forum where tourists can contact each other.

Go to Russia

This guide is a brief look at the technicalities of getting to Russia. It covers questions about visas but doesn’t help too much when you get there. Though it is helpful and even covers questions for people taking a cruise.

Russian Tour Guide

This independent tour guide site is great for tours. But their blog is the best; it features guides, shows you what to do and is a great way to learn about your trip before you even get there

Russian Dos and Don’ts

A good guide of do’s and don’ts while traveling. Partly it is about how to combat American stereotypes and partly is it a great resource detailing what it is like to be Russian and to live in Russia. An authentic guide for those who wish to take the road less travelled.

Frommers – How to Behave

This is a dense guide about how to behave in Russia. It includes money and travel advice, food and medical attention and of course how to get your visa and what it does.

Ask Me I’m Local

A scheme in which volunteers will find English speakers and help them around Moscow. It can help people feel more accustomed to the city and not nervous or afraid of what it has to offer. It combats a lack of information available for English-speaking tourists.

Ten Things to Never Say or Do in Russia

This is just a quick guide of how to behave in Russia. It offers interesting insights on differences in manners and expectations. Definitely one for a young person staying with a host family!

Women in Russia

This one is unique. It is written by a Russian bride who moved to the West ten years ago.  It is a strict guide about how to behave, and also includes some tips of where to travel.