Distance: 8.400 km
Nr of days: 19
Year: 2013

Getting off the gondola, heading to Ukraine:

What I'm about to tell you is perhaps one of the itinerary that most moved me for many reasons that you will discover below ... but if you are planning a relaxing and comfortable trip you are on the wrong page!!!! 

1°  Venice - Budapest: a whole day riding through sunflowers fields and wide valleys till Lake Balaton, a famous Hungarian lake destination for electronic festival! We stay in Budapest a small island on the river in a nature park at the historic hotel Danubius. It is famous for its spa which after 8 hours of riding around was a great reward, not only for comfort but also for the view it offers over the city from the water. In the evening we enjoyed the center, the nightlife of the city and an excellent borsh.

2°-4° Budapest- Lviv - Kiev - Hlukhiv: : cross the border and find yourself in a different world: 50/60s cars, bad roads, signs in Cyrillic. Along the way we meet a chalet restaurant nestled in the woods along the river and we stopped to eat something. Dear Rider if you're hungry around here looking for writing PECTORA ( = restaurant )! After days of experiment ordering in Cyrillic, I can suggest the borsch (a traditional soup made of beetroot and cabbage). We finally reached Lviv an historical centre today UNESCO site in which were taken place some scenes of Schindler 's List movie.This was the most interesting part of th e Ukraine journey as it took place offbeaten roads but be careful bad roads, no signs and no light to ride at night!
Once reunited with the highway E40 things improved and we spent time looking for the tunnel of love. I had read about it in a post on Facebook concerning the 25 places to see once in a lifetime. Here we actually found a suggestive place but full of bugs it was not the proper location to have a picnic.
I liked a retrò flavor and beautiful colors of the capital Kiev. I recommend to take some time to visit the monastery of the caves (Pecerskaya Levra), St. Sophia church and the monastery of St. Michael, take a walk in Central Avenue toward Independence Square and along the streets of the bohemian district. From Kiev to Chernobyl towards Hlukhiv, the last village before the russian border. The road is straight and not so interesting but necessary to go to Russia. 

The border to Russia & the long way to Moscow:

 - 7° Hlukhiv- Oryol- Moscow wake up at 4am, the border crossing is time consuming, the row of Russians have a fast track, the others are waiting. At our turn we were asked to fill the form in a random language. However if you do what they tell you you'll be fine and pass in a couple of hours. Be aware that to enter Russian territory you have to get the VISA permission at least one month before departure date! Finally we arrived in Oryol, the other side of Russia far away to the luxury lifestyle of the capital. We stop in Tula at Turgenev's house. It seems a European botanical garden complete with a pond and waterfall, it is a prelude to the splendor of the capital. In the evening we arrive in Moscow, amazing! A walk across the Red Square just before midnight deserve it! I like the design, and so I recommend if you want to know an alternative besides the traditional monuments of Moscow also a ride to the outskirts to Winzavod. Here you will find young designers, MAC addicted or just curious like me, exhibitions, workshops and murals. For the evening do not miss the Gipsy @Red October, the old chocolate factory area turned into a design island full of restaurants and trendy shops. Here you will find the vodka and the most beautiful women of the country! Red October by night, Pushkin Cafè by day.

The Golden ring by motorcycle:

7° - 10° Moscow - Suzal - Yaroslav - S. Petersburg: In the countryside you will pass by
Suzal with its churches including a pair of ancient wood ones and a local market in the main square; 
Pes a wooden houses village on the river with decorated windows and a chilling park on the hill where outdoor painting class is taking place. Along the river you can also enjoy smoked fish.
Yaroslav full of historical buildings and young people thanks to the university.

and after them....woods and forest all around for miles but it worths it though if you stop just a night out at T. Tikhvin Bungalow, a small wooden chalet surrounded by nature, where we know the Russian waitress Teresa who has worked in Sicily long time ago but is still able to speak italian ....so for the first time in 10 days we were abel to understand what we have ordered.

S. Petersburg treasure & Finland, the kingdom of nature:

S. Petersburg is a beautiful city with lots of interesting spots: Hermitage is a MUST as a starting point to discover the city; enjoy a dinner at one of the terraces with breathtaking views or a beer at Griboedovclub, a former bunker now a club. The address for contemporary art and design addicts is n. 74 Ligovsky Prospekt. 
The Finnish lakes follow one another and the road flows in front of us, a great feeling for a Rider ....  that's freedom! If you need specific advice on this region write us, but we recommend to discover randomply this area, every corner is breathtaking!

 

 

 POINTS OF INTEREST: Liev, Moscow & sourroundings, lake district in Finland