Destination:
Russia

Moscow is the capital of the world's biggest country, situated in the centre of the European part of Russia. At the very heart of the city, and indeed the country, is the Kremlin, the Russian place of command for almost eight centuries, and the religious centre. Red Square and the exquisite, colourful domes of Saint Basil's Cathedral, and the jewelled, Fabergé Easter eggs of the Tsars are images that have long been associated with the Soviet Union in the minds of Westerners.

The city of Moscow is a fusion of both splendour and ugliness that is evident in the massive concrete slabs and high-rise apartments of the Stalinist era, and in the ornate churches, beautiful neo-classical houses, and the impressive architecture of the old city. Wide grey thoroughfares give way to narrow winding inner city streets, and golden church domes gleam between the looming skyscrapers. It attracts not only those eager to embrace new business and free enterprise, but also the poor from across the country, and the extremes of affluence and impoverishment are evident everywhere.

Since the fall of communism Moscow has been injected with a sense of urgency to change the face of the 'Mother City', embracing capitalism and shaking off the years of communist-imposed atheism, with flashy shop fronts housing western franchises, new restaurants and glossy hotels, and the restoration of lavish Orthodox churches. The once dreary streets are now a vibrant commotion of life with markets and eager vendors offering an assortment of goods that were unavailable during the Soviet years.

It is also a city of entertainment, with theatres and the renowned Moscow Circus, museums and art galleries. It boasts the world's largest and most efficient metro system with gleaming stations deep underground, astonishingly decorated in elegant marble, glittering chandeliers and gilded works of art and magnificent mosaics. It is the soul of the new Russia and an intriguing mix of history and politics, business and culture.

Situated on the Gulf of Finland and spread over numerous islands in the Neva Delta, St Petersburg is a city of arched bridges, winding canals, wide boulevards, elegant palaces, impressive squares and ornate churches, and as such is often referred to as the 'Venice of the North'. It has an elegance also reminiscent of cities like Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam, but is at the same time too Russian to be European, and beguiles with a charm of its own.

It is the country's most beloved and beautiful city, founded by Peter the Great in 1703. It became the original capital of Tsarist Russia, and the greatest artists, sculptors and architects worked together to create the city's unique look. Rich aristocratic palaces and government buildings line the streets, along with majestic cathedrals and elaborate churches, from the golden spires of St Peter and Paul Cathedral, the magnificent gleaming dome and grand colonnaded façade of St Isaac's, to the colourful multi-domed Church of the Resurrection.

Although the Russian capital moved to Moscow after the Revolution, the city remains the principal artistic and cultural centre of the country. St Petersburg is the birthplace of Russian ballet and performances by the Kirov Ballet, rivalling the Bolshoi ballet in Moscow, are shown in the historic Mariinsky Theatre. The magnificent green and white Winter Palace forms part of the Hermitage Museum, one of the world's greatest art galleries, and the city's foremost attraction.

With its romantic waterways and decorative tsarist architecture, St Petersburg is also the perfect setting for the famous 'White Nights', and the summer months of June and July are crowded with visitors who come to experience the dreamy twilight that takes the place of night, an occurrence due to its northerly latitude when the sun never dips far enough below the horizon to create total darkness, along with music festivals and cultural events.

Home to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, Sochi is nestled in the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains and stretches 90 miles (145km) along the coast of the Black Sea, the longest city in Europe. Referred to as the 'Russian Riviera', Sochi boasts an inviting subtropical climate, pebbled beaches, lush forests, botanical parks, waterfalls, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve, and a world-class skiing resort close by - not your typical Russian city. Famed for its sulphur springs and boasting over 200 health spas, including the world-renowned Matsesta, Sochi is more than just a healthy holiday destination. Every summer the elite of Russia descend upon Sochi for the annual film festival, 'Kinotavr' along with two million other visitors who come to enjoy this vibrant season. During the winter, Sochi sees a slew of tourists making their way to the nearby ski resort of Krasnaya Polyana, which is set to host a number of events of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Home of tennis ace Maria Sharapova and Stalin's favourite dacha, the city of Sochi offers visitors great skiing, hiking and sailing opportunities. Any trip here will be a memorable and relaxing one.

So far east that it might be called west, the Russian Far East consists of thousands of miles of wilderness stretching from Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia to the Pacific Ocean that's larger in size than the whole of Europe.

Commonly mistaken for Siberia, the Russian Far East is far more than an icy wasteland, it is a paradise for adventurous nature-lovers with a unique ecosystem that includes reindeer, whales, Polar bears, walrus, and hundreds of migratory bird species. The Far East is home to some excellent nature reserves and national parks, and even the remote volcanoes of the Kamchatka Peninsula, out of range to all but the most adventurous (and well-funded) travellers.

Most of the towns in the Russian Far East are located along the Pacific coast, and port cities like Vladivostok and Khabarovsk (the ultimate destinations of the Trans-Siberian Railway), are a mix of tsarist-era buildings and cosmopolitan sensibilities that contrast with more isolated towns like Yakutsk and Magadan.

Located on the Baltic Sea between Poland and Lithuania, Kaliningrad Oblast is the northern part of what was once East Prussia. Traded and fought over for centuries, the territory is now home to mostly Russian-speaking people, but many traces of German culture are still evident in the cities and ruins of Prussian castles scattered across the landscape, making it an interesting travel destination in Russia.

The largest town in Kaliningrad Oblast is the capital Kaliningrad, formerly the famous German city of Königsberg. World War II and Soviet city planning saw the city heavily damaged, but many neighbourhoods are vibrant and friendly, with ongoing construction projects going a long way toward rebuilding. Kaliningrad is also home to many museums, theatres, monuments and pleasant parks that will interest visitors.

Kaliningrad Oblast produces roughly 90 percent of the world's amber, and the gemstone makes a popular souvenir from Kaliningrad Oblast. Tourists can visit the Kaliningrad Amber Museum and Factory.

Kaliningrad Oblast is home to the Curonian Spit, a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared by Russia and Lithuania. An elongated sand dune peninsula dotted with lighthouses and historic fishing settlements. Several towns on the Curonian Spit were popular health resorts in the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Nida, on the border of the Russian and Lithuanian sections of the peninsula.