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Services
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Tourism
Visa
If you plan to go to Russia visa is the first thing you should take care of.
I both issue the invitation and register your visa once you arrive. Unlike
the other agents I do deliver and handle you personally the registration paper.
It saves you from two visits (it CAN NOT be done within one visit) to the
office somewhere in St. Petersburg in order to obtain it yourself.
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Transfer (Pick up)
Unfortunately airport / railway station taxi mafia exists. To avoid paying 2-3
times more for the same trip arrange your pick up in advance.
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Accommodation
Apartments
Short-term apartment rent proved to be the best alternative to the hotels. For
companies of 3 persons and more it is also the cheapest still comfortable
option. Do I advise apartment over the hotel? My answer is YES at the following
reasons...
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B&B / Homestay
If you are alone or two budget travellers B&B or homestay is the best
choice you have. Hostels are more risky option: as the official standard
for such places does not exist and state seems not to control their
activity at all some of them offer very poor conditions and remind slum.
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Tours & Excursions
Professional guiding
If you are deeply interested in Russian history, fine arts and Russian culture
the best way to explore them is to hire a professional guide. You will find
below a list of sightseeing programs I offer. Depending on your special
requests and the actual dates of your stay I am ready to correct them or to
build a completely new one for you. During your stay it is up to you if we
stick to the agreed program or change it completely. I see my task in offering
you the variety of options - but it is always you who decide how the time will
be spent.
If you want my personal opinion on the matter - all programs look like each
other but the guides are very different. Write me about your trip. We will
start from planning and scheduling your days, I will answer on all your
questions and concerns. Then the decision will come naturally if you prefer to
spend your time with me or somebody else.
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Amateur guiding
If your general plan is to see as much as possible, but you enjoy your freedom,
if you are not especially interested in professional guide stories, but you
like to have by your side a local English-speaking person, if you need help in
getting oriented and plotting your days - then do not hesitate to hire an
amateur guide.
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Week-end special offer
Certain plans require car transportation - as it is much quicker and more
convenient than any other way. For example if you want to have a look at
Petrodvorets, Tsarskoye selo (Pushkin), Pavlovsk, Oranienbaum or Gatchina
nice English-speaking local by car would be the best solution.
Orientation tour
Is it your very first time in Russia? Do you plan to explore the city on your
own? You can spare the stresses having taken the brief orientation tour. As in
any country you will feel more confident knowing some "tricks". I will train
you to use no-English-signs Russian subway and visit with you theater/train
ticket offices where nobody speaks any foreign language. I will show you the
best places to eat and warn about the worst. We will discuss you plans. I could
help you with tips and answers what different places are like and if they are
worth visiting.
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St. Petersburg in a nutshell
If you want to see the most of city sights in a half of a day - that is a
program for you. Best city spots to get the nice pictures, main historical
places and most beautiful sights.
Dostoevsky walks
Unusual tours & experiences
If we leave apart museums, palaces and ballet, what else could we entertain
ourselves with?
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Banya
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Novgorod trip
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Yacht sea trip + picnic by the bastion
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150 soviet aircrafts & technical discoveries of the soviet era
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Hollywood dream in St. Petersburg
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Natalia's Russia
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Countryside relaxation
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Rafting in St. Petersburg suburbs
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Booking Tickets
Train / Airplane tickets
Unfortunately neither Russian railway nor internal airlines offer tickets
booking. You have to buy the tickets back in advance. For that you should go
to one of the agencies or directly to the railway station, stay in a line up
to 2 hours (45 min. on average) and discuss the details of your trip with the
no-English-only-Russian-speaking lady in the ticket box. Or I can do it for you
and deliver the tickets to your address in St. Petersburg once you arrive here.
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Theater / Folk show / Circus tickets
Even during the low season tickets for the popular ballet can be sold out
a week before the performance. You also may be surprised by the fact, but nice
ladies at the theater ticket boxes never speak English. I can buy your tickets
in advance and deliver them to your address in St. Petersburg once you arrive
here.
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Russian Language
Russian lessons
I think that teaching is an interactive kind of activity. Tactics of teacher
must depend on the personality of student. What is his strong/weak points? What
kind of exercises he likes / does not like? For what reasons does he study
language? Etc... That is why I do not charge student for the first meeting
which I call "zeroing in".
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Russian lessons summer special offer
To put it briefly I offer you a 2 weeks course of Russian language living in my
dacha (summer house) in a Novgorod region village (central part of Russia)
next to a beautiful lake. You will be the only foreigner for hundred of miles around.
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3 hours of Russian language lessons daily;
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Possibility to practice Russian as much as you like in the rest of the
time with family members and neighbours;
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Get acquainted with the real peasant Russia;
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Tasty country food and a special occasion to eat true national food
from "Russian oven".
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Teach-yourself materials
If you studied Russian once and want to refresh your skills or study it
currently profit of the materials I prepare for my students as a practicing
teacher. I specially recommend you to check this page in case you will have
your exam in the near future.
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"People Meet People" Programs
The desire to meet the locals and to speak with them directly about life in
Russia is not a rare thing nowadays but hardly many people manage it. Yes it
is true that many St. Petersburg citizens speak English. But how to find these
people? Or to be more precise - how to initiate an acquaintance? You will not
approach somebody at cafe saying: "Hi, I am Mary from USA. Would you like to
speak with me about how are you doing here in Russia?", will you? If you are
not interested in a guide but still want to socialize with the locals most
reliable and easy way is to arrange via me dinner at the family or meeting with
the students.
Dinner in the russian family
Meeting with the students
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Prices
Price list
Discount policy
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