Eastern Europe Country Dossier

"Having spent so long in Asia and the Middle East, I had no idea what to expect of Eastern Europe. Would it be exotic enough? Would it stimulate the senses? Would I enjoy it?"

"Any doubts that I had were swept away the instant that I arrived in Moscow to start my research trip. Walking around the Red Square in Moscow and exploring the beautiful architecture on the streets of St Petersburg, I was bowled over by what I saw and was eager to continue my journey south. Along every step of the route I became more and more entranced with what I saw – the exquisite old city of Vilnius, the modern lively pulse of Warsaw, the heartbreaking museum at Auschwitz, the buskers on Charles Bridge in Prague, hiking in the mountains of Slovakia (where I just had to extend my trip for a day or two, so magnificent was the scenery!), cruising down the Danube and eventually arriving in the exotic, noisy hustle and bustle of Istanbul. Every day brought something new to explore or experience; an amazing museum or art gallery, an excellent local beer, a chance meeting with a fascinating old lady on a park bench in Prague, a street café where I watched the world go by, some delicious local food…….. and so the list goes on. My advice is to GO NOW and see this wonderful region for yourself!"

Yavuz Salataci, Destination Manager – The Imaginative Traveller

• Factfile
• Preparing to go
• Money
• Cultural & Environmental Guidelines
• Arrival
• On Tour
• General Information

Country Dossier Note

This country dossier is for tours in Russia, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Istanbul. If you are travelling on a tour that starts or finishes in Istanbul or Beijing you may also wish to refer to the Turkey Country Dossier and the China Country Dossier for more detailed information.

Factfile

Capitals:
Russia: Moscow
Finland: Helsinki
Estonia: Tallinn
Latvia: Riga
Lithuania: Vilnius
Poland: Warsaw
Czech Republic: Prague
Austria: Vienna
Slovakia: Bratislava
Hungary: Budapest
Romania: Bucharest
Bulgaria: Sofia
Turkey: Ankara

Official Language: Each country has its own national language. English is widely spoken in almost all of Eastern Europe's main cities. If your tour also spends time in smaller towns and villages you may wish to bring along a phrasebook to help you pick up a few words of the local language.
Voltage: 220 Volts. Sockets are of European two pronged round pin variety.

Preparing to go

Visas

There are a wide variety of visas required for tours through Eastern Europe. Exact requirements will depend on your specific tour and your nationality. Please see your Trip Dossier for detailed information or discuss this with your travel agent.

Important Note: Visa regulations in this region change remarkably frequently (often with no notice period) and clients on previous tours have been caught out because of this. It is therefore vitally important that you check visa requirements with your travel agent and/or local embassies before you travel. In many cases we will be crossing borders on overnight trains and if you do not have the correct visa for your nationality you will not be allowed to enter the country and will be required to leave the train, since visas cannot be purchased at land borders.

Money

Local Currency

Approximate exchange rates (as at May 2008) are shown below:

Russia: Rouble (R)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 47 R
• 1 US Dollar = 24 R
• 1 Euro = 37 R

Finland: Euro (Eu)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 1.28 Eu
• 1 US Dollar = 0.64 Eu

Latvia: Lati (Ls)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 1 Lt
• 1 US Dollar = 0.45 Lt
• 1 Euro = 0.7 Lt

Estonia: Kroon (EEK)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 20 EEK
• 1 US Dollar = 10 EEK
• 1 Euro = 15.5 EEK

Lithuania: Litas (Lt)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 4.42 Lt
• 1 US Dollar = 2.2 Lt
• 1 Euro = 3.45 Lt

Poland: Zloty (Zl)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 4.43 Zl
• 1 US Dollar = 2.23 Zl
• 1 Euro = 3.46 Zl

Czech Republic: Koruna (Kc)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 32.4 Kc
• 1 US Dollar = 16.34 Kc
• 1 Euro = 25.3 Kc

Austria: Euro (€)

• 1 Pound Sterling = €1.23
• 1 US Dollar = €0.65
• 1 Euro = €1

Slovakia: Slovak Koruna (Sk)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 41.25 Sk
• 1 US Dollar = 20.81 Sk
• 1 Euro = 32.2 Sk

Hungary: Forint (Ft)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 323.27 Ft
• 1 US Dollar = 163.2 Ft
• 1 Euro = 252.56 Ft

Romania: Leu (Leu)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 46,413 Leu
• 1 US Dollar = 23,449 Leu
• 1 Euro = 36,281 Leu

Bulgaria: Lev

• 1 Pound Sterling = 2.5 Lev
• 1 US Dollar = 1.26 Lev
• 1 Euro = 1.95 Lev

Turkey: Turkish Lira (YTl)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 2.53 YTl
• 1 US Dollar = 1.27 YTl
• 1 Euro = 1.97 YTl

XE.com is a useful site for currency conversion.

Changing Money, Credit Cards & ATMs

The easiest way to obtain money in Eastern Europe is to draw it out of an ATM (cash machine) on a credit or debit card (e.g. visa or cirrus). ATMs are widely available throughout Eastern Europe. Another option is to bring cash, in either US Dollars or Euros (Pounds Sterling and other currencies cannot always be easily changed) but we advise against bringing ALL your money in this form, in case of theft. In all of the cities that we visit there are many places to change money and your tour leader will be able to show you where to get the best rates of exchange.

Please note: Travellers cheques are not recommended for travel anywhere in Eastern Europe as these can be difficult to change and attract poor exchange rates or exorbitant commission. In some countries it may not be possible to change travellers cheques at all.

The Imaginative Traveller Recommends:

• The best way to organise your spending money is to bring some cash in US Dollars or Euros and use an ATM card to access the rest of your travel funds.
• If possible make sure that you bring crisp new banknotes as some exchange offices will not accept old or dirty notes. (US$ notes issued before 1990 are not generally accepted).
• If your tour includes visits to two or more countries bring lots of small denomination notes. You will then be able to change a small amount in each country and won’t lose out on the exchange rate when moving on to another country.

Working out your Budget

The Pre-Departure Information contains general information about the things you will need to consider when budgeting for your holiday. Below are some specific notes relevant to our tours in Eastern Europe.

Entrance Fees

Adventurer trips do not include any entrance fees. Your Trip Dossier will give you details on how much you should allow for entrance fees. However please note that all prices are subject to increase and the amounts given are estimates based on an average amount of sightseeing. Eastern Europe has a wealth of historical sites, monuments and museums and if you intend visiting MANY different sites in each town or city you should allow extra spending money for this.

Prices vary considerably from country to country with Russia and Finland generally the most expensive (average entrance fee US$8-10) and Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia the cheapest (average entrance fee US$3).

The Imaginative Traveller Recommends: Remember to bring your student card if you have one or are entitled to one as you may be able to get discounts on certain entrance fees – in particular UNESCO sites, though the actual policy on this varies from site to site.

Meals

Breakfast is included most days on almost all tours in Eastern Europe (with the exception of tour codes UABR and UAPE where no meals are included). Please refer to your Trip Dossier for how much you should allow for additional meals.

The price of food varies widely from one country to another. We suggest that you allow between US$8 and US$15 per day (US$15-$20 in Russia) if you are going to eat in fairly simple local restaurants. However, if you are going to want to enjoy a meal in a fancy restaurant at the end of the day, you should allow US$15-20 per day.

Drinks
All drinks (i.e. bottled water, soft drinks) are at your own expense. Again the cost varies widely from one country to another but you should generally expect a 1ltr bottle of water to cost between US$0.5-US$1.5 and a bottle of beer to cost between US$1.5 and US$3.

Your tour leader will be able to advise you on where it is safe to drink the tap water.

Local Transport

You will find yourself using a wide variety of public transport in Eastern Europe. Most cities and towns have extensive bus and metro (underground) networks which are cheap and easy to use. On most networks you will need to purchase a ticket before boarding and validate it either on the bus or at the ticket gate. In each city and town your tour leader will be able to advise you on the most efficient public transport routes and the local ticket system (i.e. whether you should buy in advance or buy on the bus).

The Imaginative Traveller Recommends: If you are travelling to Russia and wish to use the metro in Moscow and St Petersburg it is worth purchasing a map that includes the station names in Cyrillic. If your map is in English only, the names bear no resemblance to the Cyrillic script used at the stations and will be no help when trying to work out where you are!

What to Take

The Pre-Departure Information contains a comprehensive list of items that you should consider bringing with you. Check your Trip Dossier for any special requirements for your particular tour.

Clothing

You will find that ‘anything goes’ in most of the countries that you visit. The exception to this is Istanbul where clothing should be slightly more conservative – you should wear shorts / skirts that come down to the knee and you may wish to avoid very skimpy tops.

In the summer it can get very hot so you should try to bring clothes that are lightweight, loose fitting, hard-wearing and easily washed.

At certain religious sites and any active churches and mosques you should cover your shoulders and legs. Your tour leader will advise you of any special clothing requirements during the course of the tour.

Make sure you allow for climate changes and remember that even in very hot countries, night-time and early morning temperatures can be extremely cold. You will generally find it is better to have several thin layers rather than one thick layer as it gives you more flexibility and warmth. A fleece can be invaluable and double as a pillow.

The Imaginative Traveller Recommends: A sarong is an invaluable item to carry as it can be used for so many different purposes – towel, skirt, shawl, sleeping sheet etc.

Luggage
If your tour includes train travel please ensure you have a bag which you find easy to carry up and down stairs in the many train stations. Storage space is also limited on trains so please try to bring as small a bag as possible.

Prepare Yourself
Whilst few of our tours can be described as physically demanding you will find all activities more enjoyable if you are reasonably fit and active.

Cultural & Environmental Guidelines

General

Please make sure that you adhere to normal standards of responsible travel – such as conserving electricity and water, not littering and taking care not to disturb wildlife.

Walking

If you are visiting national parks please make sure you keep to the established paths to protect the local flora and fauna.

Photography

You should always ask permission before taking anyone's photograph and respect their decision if they say no.

Arrival

Arrival Transfers

Arrival transfers are included for some tours in Eastern Europe (check your Trip Dossier to find out whether a transfer is included for your specific tour). If an arrival transfer is included, please look for our representative who will be holding a sign with The Imaginative Traveller or your name on. S/he should be waiting for you in the Arrivals Hall (i.e. after exiting the Immigration and Customs area).

Making Your Own Way

The Meeting Point for your tour should be clearly marked on your travel vouchers. If you are not being met at the airport it is usually a fairly simple procedure to make your own way to the meeting point hotel.

Starting in St. Petersburg
All international flights currently arrive at Pulkovo 2 Airport to the south of St Petersburg. To get to your meeting point hotel, the St Petersburg Hotel, you will need to take a minibus and then the metro system. Outside the hours of 6am - 1am taxis are your only option - bargain hard for around 30-40 $US.

Once you clear customs head to the tourist information desk straight ahead of you and grab an English map - the metro system diagram and our hotel are indicated on this. Once outside the terminal turn left and just ahead of you is the no. 13 minibus stop. The trip costs US$0.60 and takes about 10-15 minutes to get to Moskovskaya (Московская) Metro stop on the southern end of Blue Line 2. Head underground following the locals to the ticket counters marked 'KACCA': a one trip token will cost you US$0.50 to anywhere on the metro system. Travel 5 stops north to the interchange station Tekhnologichesky Institut (Tехнологический Институт). Changing trains is easy as the Red Line 2 running north is parallel to the platform you alight at. Just head through the tunnel following signs for Line-2. 5 more stops brings you to Ploshchad Lenina (Площадь Ленина). Use the map to navigate to the hotel which is to the west and overlooks the Neva River.

Hotel address in English:
Gostinitsa "Sankt-Peterburg"
G. Sankt-Peterburg, Pirogovskaya
Naberezhnaya 5/2

Hotel Address in Russian:
Гостиница Санкт-Петербург,
Пироговская наб 5/2

Starting in Moscow
There are two airports which travellers generally arrive at in Moscow. The directions below are to get to the Izmailovo Hotel Complex where we stay.

Sheremetyevo Airport
(Receives most flights except Swiss Airlines and British Airways)
You can arrange a taxi from the airport in Moscow directly to your hotel. The price for this should be around US$50 but the taxi drivers will try to overcharge you - make sure you haggle.

Alternatively you can take a minibus to the nearest metro station Rechnoy Vokzal (Речной вокзал) on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line (Замоскворецкая линия) green line and take the metro from there to the hotel. Details of the metro can be found below. Minibuses for Rechnoy Vokzal leave from approx. 200m in front of the terminal and cost about US$1.5- US$2.

Domodedovo Airport
(Receives Swiss Airlines and British Airways)
Taxis are available and cost around US$50. Again make sure that you haggle.

If using public transport the best way to get into Moscow is using the ‘Aeroexpress’, a fast train service that takes you directly to Paveletsky railway station - metro Paveletskaya (Павелецкая) on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line (Замоскворецкая линия). This costs around US$5 and from Paveletsky you can take the metro or a taxi to your hotel.

Hotel Address in English
Gamma Delta Izmailovo Hotel
71, Izmailovskoe Shosse, Moscow, 105318, Russia.
Phone: +7 (495) 7377000
Fax: +7 (495) 1667486

Hotel Address in Russian:
Гостиница Гамма-Дельта Измайлово
Адрес: 105318, г. Москва, Измайловское шоссе, д. 71.
Телефон: +7 (495) 7377000
Факс: +7 (495) 1667486

The nearest metro stop to the Izmailovo Hotel Complex is metro station Partizanskaya (Партизанская). The old name Izmailovsky Park – (Измайловская) is sometimes still used. Partizanskaya is on the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya (Арбатско-Покровская) navy blue line.

Starting in Vilnius

It is very easy to get a taxi from Vilnius airport to the hotel (the airport is only 5km from the city). There is a taxi rank at the airport and the price should not be more than approx. US$8-10.

Starting in Tallinn

Tallinn airport is just 3km southeast of the city centre. A taxi from the airport to our hotel should cost approx. US$50

Starting in Warsaw

A taxi from the airport to our hotel should cost approx. US$8-10. Make sure you arrange your taxi at one of the three official taxi counters on the arrivals level and check that your cab has a name and phone number on top and fares listed on the window. Other cabs do operate from the airport and tend to vastly overcharge.

Alternatively bus No. 175 leaves from the airport every 10 to 15 minutes and stops off at Nowy Swiat (Warsaw's main drag) and the Warszawa Centralna train station from where you can get a taxi to our hotel.

Starting in Prague

You can arrange a taxi from Prague airport directly to the hotel. The price will be approximately US$15-20.

Alternatively you can take a city bus (number 119 or 254) to the Dejvicka metro station and then take a taxi from there to the hotel. The bus costs approx. 15 Kc.

Starting in Budapest

An airport minibus service operates direct to hotels in the city centre and tickets cost approx. US$7-8 (one way) or US$13-14 (return). If you buy a return ticket you need to book your journey back to the airport 24 hours in advance. A taxi from the airport will cost approx. US$12-13.

Starting in Istanbul

At Istanbul International Airport, you will find a 24 hour metered taxi service. The cost of a taxi from the airport to our hotels in old town Istanbul should be approx. US$18 (day rate) and US$25 (night rate).

On Tour

Safety

Most people find that Eastern Europe is very friendly and safe and feel quite comfortable wandering around alone during the day (see note below about theft). However, as with any area you are not familiar with (and in particular in large cities), it is recommended that you exercise more caution at night and generally take taxis rather than walk especially if you are a lone female.

Theft

In some cities bag snatching can be a problem and you should always keep a firm eye (and hand) on your belongings – particularly if you are on a crowded bus or train. Backpacks are an easy target so be extra vigilant if you must wear one on your back. 'Obvious' tourists attract the attention of thieves so try to blend in as much as possible – i.e. don't walk around with a big map, guidebook and brand new backpack on display.

Tour Leaders & Guides

Your Tour Leader's role is to ensure all aspects of the trip run smoothly. He/she will share their local knowledge, advise on how to fill your free time and co-ordinate the day to day running of the tour – although occasionally he/she may need your understanding if things do not go according to plan. If you have any problems on the tour, please let your Tour Leader know so that steps can be taken to put it right. Tour Leaders are supported by our regionally based office staff and, in most cases, a locally based manager.

Please note that some styles of trip, such as Imaginative Escapes or Imaginative Honeymoons, do not have a Tour Leader. However, there will be representatives on hand who will be able to assist you in arranging any excursions that you wish you take.

Accommodation

Our main criterion for choosing hotels is cleanliness. On Adventurer tours our accommodation can best be described as comfortable simple hotels or guesthouses. Most hotels have twin share rooms and en-suite facilities, however there are some locations where we may use 'dormitory' style multi share rooms and shared bathrooms. Please bear in mind that all hotels can sometimes suffer from minor problems and technical difficulties.

At each hotel your Tour Leader will try to organise the rooming arrangements to suit everyone's requirements. If you are travelling alone you will be allocated a room with another group member of the same sex. If you are travelling as a couple please note that we cannot guarantee the availability of double beds.

Laundry

A laundry service is available in many of the hotels we are use (especially in cities and sizable towns) however you may find it cheaper to use a laundrette/laundromat. The prices do vary widely but your tour leader will be able to advise you on the best places to get laundry done.

Local Food & Drink

Food
We visit many different countries and one of the great joys is to sample the wide selection of different dishes available. Food offered in much of Eastern Europe is delicious, hearty and often (but not always) meat orientated. You may well find yourself tucking into borscht (beetroot soup), smoked or salted fish, bliny (Russian pancakes), pickled cabbage stew, beef stroganoff, goulash, meat stews and many varieties of dumplings. The main difference to this is in Istanbul where 'Middle Eastern' style food such as kebabs, freshly prepared pitta bread and mouth-watering dips are the norm. Your tour leader will be able to advise you on all the best places to eat and the various specialities of each country.

Drinks
Vodka is very common in Russia but beer is the main alcoholic drink that you will find throughout Eastern Europe. Most countries have their own brewery and are proud of their national beers! Some countries, such as Hungary, also produce good local wines. Tea, coffee and soft drinks are available everywhere.

Special Dietary Requirements

Vegetarians
Although vegetarianism is not common in Eastern Europe, it is always possible to find suitable vegetarian meals (although there is often not much choice particularly if you don't eat fish). Your tour leader will be able to advise you on suitable restaurants and dishes.

Food Allergies
If you have food allergies or preferences, please make them known to your Tour Leader who will do their best to ensure that your requirements are met.

Please note: Unfortunately we can give no guarantee that special requirements can always be met.

Communications

Email
Internet cafés can now be found in every major city and cost approx. US$2-3 per hour. Although Internet cafés are everywhere speed can sometimes be a problem as connection times in some cities are slow.

Phone
There are good phone systems in the countries that we visit although it can be very expensive to make international calls. Your tour leader will be able to advise you on the best places to call internationally.

Post
The postal service is good throughout the region although postage times may vary. Stamps are widely available.

General Information

Weather

Our tours only operate from late spring (April/May) to early autumn (Oct), when the weather is generally at its best. Temperatures will generally still be cool in April/May and again in October (particularly in the north). The warmest (and busiest) months tend to be July/August. The further south you are the higher the average temperatures.

Rainfall is at its lowest from June to August but it can rain at any time of year.

The following chart shows average daytime max temperatures (in degrees celsius):

Meteorological Authority

Suggested Reading

Guidebooks

• Eastern Europe (Lonely Planet Guides)
• Central Europe (Lonely Planet Guides)
• Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania (Lonely Planet Guides)

Lonely Planet and Rough Guides also offer a range of individual country guides.

Background Reading

• The Long Walk (Slavomir Rawicz)
• Europe – A History (Norman Davies)
• My Childhood at the Gate of Unrest (Paul Goma)
• Eastern Europe since Stalin (ed. Jonathan Steele)
• Between the Woods and Water (Patrick Leigh Fermor)

Contact Details

Local Office
For tours starting in Russia:
During office hours (10am – 6pm):
(+7) 095 921 4445

Outside office hours:
(+7) 916 601 0445

For all other tours or if the above numbers are not available:

(+90) 532 4815 173

UK Office
The Imaginative Traveller
1 Betts Avenue
Martlesham Heath
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP5 3RH
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1473 667337
Fax: +44 (0)1473 614566