Russia is not just a country. It is a whole continent within the borders of one state. You can see everything here. From arctic deserts to subtropical coasts. From megacities with millions of inhabitants to villages where time seems to have stopped 200 years ago.
Let's go over the main places that every tourist should definitely visit.
Moscow - the first acquaintance with Russia
The capital is a must for tourists on any trip to Russia. Here the past and the future neighbor on the same street.
Must-see sights in Russia:
- Red Square and the Kremlin are the heart of the country, a UNESCO site.
- St. Basil's Cathedral is a symbol of Russia all over the world.
- The Moscow Metro is not transportation, but an underground museum.
- Modern Moscow: Zaryadye Park with a «soaring bridge», Moscow City - a new generation of Russia.
Don't forget to try pancakes with caviar at Teremka and take a photo at the monument to the Worker and Kolkhoz Woman - it's a must-have for social networks.
St. Petersburg is a cultural capital
«Venice of the North» amazes even the most sophisticated travelers.
Main Impressions:
- The Hermitage is one of the largest museums in the world.
- The Russian Museum is a deep dive into national painting.
- White Nights: drawing of bridges, «Scarlet Sails», night excursions along the Neva.
- Peterhof and Tsarskoe Selo are palaces with fountains, parquet floors and mirrored halls.
- The ballet at the Mariinsky Theater is a must-see at least once in your life.
Golden Ring - Russia from postcards
The route of 8 ancient cities is a journey into the origins of Russian culture and history.
Brightest stops:
- Sergiev Posad - the spiritual center of Orthodoxy, Lavra with its unique bell tower and delicious herbal lollipops.
- Suzdal is a city-museum under the open sky: 30 active churches, wooden buildings of the Kremlin, museum of cucumber.
- Vladimir - the Golden Gate and the Uspensky Cathedral, where Russian princes were married.
But don't forget that while in big cities you may have enough English for the socializing on everyday topics, then in the countryside you can't do without phrases in Russian.
Russia's nature - beyond imagination
If you're tired of cities, Russia's nature offers epic landscapes:
- Baikal is the oldest and largest lake on the planet. Ice in March, edelweiss blooming in July, fishing for omul all year round.
- Kamchatka is a land of volcanoes, geysers and brown bears. A tour to the «Kliuchevskaya Group Waterfalls» is like landing on another planet.
- Altai - mountains, blue lakes, shamanic rituals and healing herbs.
- Karelia - thousands of islands, Kivach waterfalls, petroglyphs on rocks and Kumi pie with grouse.
For photographers, trekkers and those looking for a «quiet place on earth», these are incredible places.
Russia in the eyes of foreigners is first of all a scale and contrasts.
Russia is a country that is changing the way you look at the world. Come and you will understand why foreigners are increasingly writing: «I thought I knew Russia. It turned out that I knew nothing».
