NOVGOROD

Because Petersburg was built according to the plans of European architects, it lacks that good ol' Russian country feel that even the flamboyant Church of the Bleeding Savior can't provide. For a taste of authentic old Russia take a trip to Novgorod. Just less than three hours away by car (four by bus, longer by train, and much quicker by helicopter), Novgorod was the place to be until 1478 when it joined the centralized Russian state led by Ivan III of Moscow (grandfather of Ivan the Terrible). Much of old Novgorod still survives and can be seen in a day or two of church-hopping, though it is easy to spend more time here. Not only is Novgorod a pleasant town but also a good stepping stone for trips to Staraya Russa, an old Dostoevsky haunt, and Pskov, plus excursions into the surrounding environs make for good boating, fishing, or being eaten by bears.