International Tea Day: From the Russian Samovar to the Curious Tradition of ‘Drinking Tea Like Gagarin’

Moscow — May 21 marks International Tea Day around the world. While the United Kingdom may be famous for its tea traditions, from five o’clock tea to a cup with a splash of milk, Russia has its own rich and fascinating tea culture — just as warm and distinctive.

At the heart of Russian tea culture lies the ‘samovar’ — literally meaning “self-boiler.” This is a large, ornate metal vessel used to heat water. The Russian city of Tula has been crafting samovars since the 18th century, turning them from everyday objects into true cultural icons. The Samovar Museum there even holds a tiny 10-millimetre model capable of boiling just a few drops of water at a time.

Russian tea parties have also inspired some of the country’s greatest artists, including Boris Kustodiev and Vasily Perov, whose paintings often captured warm and colourful tea gatherings.

And then there is the famous story of “drinking tea like Gagarin.” During his 1961 visit to the United Kingdom, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin attended a reception with Queen Elizabeth II and reportedly surprised everyone by taking the lemon slice from his tea and eating it separately. The gesture thoroughly amused his hosts and became a lasting cultural symbol. To this day, many Russians still have this curious habit.