Russian Travel Guide

Smolny cathedral

Smolny Cathedral in St. Petersburg is a masterpiece of world architecture due to its picturesque beauty, expressive composition and exterior decoration. Thanks to its fluid, literally melting shape the construction creates the impression that the church is hovering over the ground. Every day hundreds of people visit Smolny to witness architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli’s great work. Tourists are often even lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a ceremonial religious procession of Orthodox believers. RTG’s new programme explores the history of the cathedral’s construction, what happened to Rastrelli and why the famed architect decided not to build a bell tower, which would have been the tallest building in the city.

RTG TV TOP10 Туристические города России. Достопримечательности

Madam gaga

Northern Russia is home to a bird known all over the world for its insulating feathers - the eider. It is eider down that people living in extreme northern temperatures used to use in order to keep warm and survive. Unfortunately, mankind did not appreciate just how important this natural gift was, and hunted them almost until the point of extinction. It was only at the beginning of the last century that the Kandalaksha Nature Reserve - a reserve dedicated to saving the common eider - opened on the White Sea. Despite its relatively simple name, the eider really is quite an amazing bird. Have you ever seen how male eiders try to steal each others' mates? Do you know how these ducks protect themselves from dangerous predators, and would you ever have guessed that these birds even have their own type of ducky kindergarten?! Join us on a journey to islands in the White Sea where we will imm...