Category: Destination

The Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral, Tallinn, Estonia

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The Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral is located in the historic center of Tallinn, Estonia. It was built between 1895 and 1900 at the time when the Russian presence was in the country. This is the work of the architect Michael Préobrajensky. Dedicated to St. Alexander Nevsky, the interior can hold 1500 faithful and there is an iconostasis, several icons and many stained glass windows. On the outside there are Frolov mosaic panels and there are eleven bells, the largest of which weighs 15 tons. It was almost demolished at the end of the First World War when Estonia gained its independence but since there were many Russian refugees in the country, they decided to leave the building for their cult. In 1941, it was closed by the German authorities who invaded Estonia and was reopened at the end of the war.

Tips

The entrance to visit the cathedral is free but you can not take pictures or make videos inside.

On Sundays, there is a mass that lasts all day and tourists are admitted. You can enter and go out at any time of the mass.

Forlì, Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

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Forlì is the chief town of the province of Forlì-Cesena in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is rich of an important architectural heritage cause it has, among other buildings, some medieval ones. It also has many remains of old civilizations of great historical interest. The heart of social and economic life is Aurelio Saffi Suqare (main square of the city). It has 128 m long and 87 m wide and we can see in the middlethe the statue of Aurelio Saffi, (Italian politician), character symbol of the city, to which the square is dedicated. The most important buildings of the city give on this site: the Post Palace, the Town Hall from the year 1000, the clock tower which was destroyed during the second world war and rebuilt in 1975, Albertini Palace (15th century) and the Abbey of Saint Mercuriale with his bell tower. The San Domenico Museum contains an art gallery where we find the portrait of Caterina Sforza by Lorenzo di Credi, the resemblance to the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci was emphasized. Under Mussolini, Forlì became an urban centre and there was a restoration work that changed the downtown. The monument to the unknown soldier and the statue of Icarus are witnesses of this fascist architecture.

Tips

If you arrive by plane, the airport is 5 km from the city centre. There is no train service connecting the airport to the center so you can take the bus, a taxi or just rent a car at the airport if you want to explore the region.
Forlì has very dry and hot summers while its winters are hard and wet. This is why spring is the ideal time to explore the city. The temperatures are not too high and the rain is quite rare.
Aurelio Saffi Square is the most important place of the city and you will find many bars, restaurants and shops that will fill all your needs.
If you are thinking about spending your vacations in Forlì, you have very interesting cities to discover nearby such as Bologna, Modena, Ravenna, Cesena, Ferrara, and if you want to enjoy the Adriatic Sea, you can extend your stay from a few days to go to the sea either Rimini or Pesaro, it’s really worth it. You can also visit San Marino.

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The Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia

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The Hermitage Museum is located in St. Petersburg, on the Neva River. It is considered one of the most famous, oldest and most important art museums in the world. There are more than 60,000 exhibits in nearly 1,000 rooms with nearly three million items kept in the reserves. Apart from the pieces of antiquity, there is an excellent collection of paintings with the names of remarkable artists such as Rembrandt, Matisse, Gauguin, Leonardo Da Vinci and Picasso among others. Several buildings, classified as World Heritage by UNESCO, built between XVIII and XIX centuries, form the museum (Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage, Theater Hermitage, New Hermitage and the Winter Palace). Part of the State Palace (on the other side of the Palace Square) and the Menshikov Palace have been added to the Hermitage complex. The museum was born thanks to the empress Catherine the Great and her collections of paintings that she began to place in the Winter Palace. Originally the Hermitage was exclusive to family members and loved ones but in 1922 was opened to the public with free admission for the first five years. Since the opening of Russia, the Hermitage has become for foreign tourists the main attraction of the country. It still has annexes in Amsterdam and Las Vegas.

Tips

You can take photos for private, non-profit purposes.

It is possible to visit the Hermitage without a guide with the existing smartphone app (Russian or English only).

The cats of the Hermitage are well known and in the spring the Party of the guardian cats takes place. For the occasion, there is an exhibition of art representing cats, visits to cat areas, games for children and adults, etc. This event is a way of collecting money to feed cats and their maintenance because this expense is not part of the museum’s budget.

On Wednesdays and Fridays, the museum has more opening hours and on the first Thursday of each month, admission is free.

The fastest way to buy the tickets is online or on the automatic machines on site. Note that children and students (regardless of age or nationality), do not pay but students will have to queue for get their entry with a student card.