LAND CRUISING
WHAT IS ‘LAND CRUISING’?
One of the world’s great art museums, it was originally the Tsar’s Winter Palace, with its 176 Roman God figures on the roof overlooking the imposing Palace Square but, since opening to the public in 1852, it is now home to more than 500 rooms of exquisite artefacts, including the largest collection of paintings in the world. It is possible to spend days here but a few hours will reveal a good selection of its wonders.
Next, we made the short trip from St Petersburg to explore one of the world’s famous palaces. Built Catherine the Great, this private summer home in Pushkin remains a symbol of a glorious Russian noble family, highlighted by the splendour of the famous Amber Room. From here, we travelled by the latest high-speed train to Moscow and visited some of the must-see
attractions the modern capital has to offer, includ- ing Red Square, a great symbol of Russia’s former military power, as well as the iconic St Basil’s Cathe- dral, Lenin’s tomb and imposing Kremlin, the walled fortress that was home of the Tsars and is now the seat of the Russian government.
transformed into a number of individually stylish – and expensive – designer stores, where the locals enjoy flaunting their newly-found wealth. It is from Moscow that our real journey began
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when we boarded the Golden Eagle private train and settled into our en-suite cabin to begin the journey south.
e also had the opportunity to visit the famous GUM Department store, which was originally a state store, but is now
Thanks to railway pioneers who drove railroads through some of the most inac- cessible areas on earth, rail cruising allows travellers to access remote areas. Whereas ocean cruising takes you to the edge of a country, rail cruising takes you to the very heart of it. Travelling by train can also offer a truly romantic exploration of some of the world’s most remarkable sites, offering a constantly changing ‘room with a view.’
Spring 2011 I WORLD OF CRUISING
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