2824 Trip Tale: Where to eat in Pushkin, Russia

The town that grew up around Tsarskoe Selo (the summer palace of the Russian imperial family) was renamed Pushkin in the 20th century.

Street musicians, "Dark eyes," and "White nights."

Tsarskoe Selo had huge crowds, but we arrived early.

Beyond the main palace area there is a battered residence of the tsar's cossacks. After the Revolution, one of the buildings was used as a kindergarten. Then in WWII the buildings were badly damaged by the Nazis. Our van went down a quiet side street where there is a tiny restaurant among these buildings called "The High Tower." It has about five tables and wonderful food. Our guide said it was her first time there and she would report back to the tour company that we were all pleased. We had a fresh salad, soup, poached chicken with sauce and a delicious cranberry dessert.