Top 10 must-see places in Russia

The capital of Russia fascinates in any climate, with the cold that makes the colors of the buildings even brighter, but above all with the summer heat that gives the opportunity to stroll inside the parks or along the Moskva river

Top 10 must-see places in Russia

The capital of Russia fascinates in any climate, with the cold that makes the colors of the buildings even brighter, but above all with the summer heat that gives the opportunity to stroll inside the parks or along the Moskva river

Top 10 must-see places in Russia

The capital of Russia fascinates in any climate, with the cold that makes the colors of the buildings even brighter, but above all with the summer heat that gives the opportunity to stroll inside the parks or along the Moskva river

Top 10 must-see places in Russia

Top 10 must-see places in Russia

The largest country in the world, with a thousand-year history and crossed by beautiful landscapes. And it's not just the usual cities, like Moscow and St. Petersburg . Discover Russia and its beauties.
  • Fly
  • St.Pietroburgo
  • Baikal lake
  • The Trans-Siberian
  • Sochi
  • Ekaterinburg
  • Kaliningrad
  • Vladivostok
  • Frozen sea
  • Volgograd

The capital of Russia fascinates in any climate, with the cold that makes the colors of the buildings even brighter, but above all with the summer heat that gives the opportunity to stroll inside the parks or along the Moskva river. It goes without saying that Moscow is also one of the most important cultural centers , home to writers, musicians and directors. It is famous for its ballet and art collections and has also been the most important Orthodox center . Its history is still very present in the cathedrals, in the streets, in the Red Square , in the Armory, in the Kremlin Museum .

Art is visible everywhere , starting with the Metro stations that look like halls of noble palaces. One of the symbols is the Kremlin , the most famous fortified citadel in Russia, built on the Borovichij hill . Inside there are museums, cathedrals, the refined Aleksandrovsky gardens , historic buildings such as the Poteshny Palace (Stalin's residence) and the Senate Palace, "home" of the Russian President. For culture lovers, a stop at the Pushkin Museum is a must, a journey that starts from Ancient Egypt through more than 700,000 works.

A special collection is dedicated to the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painters.  Moscow is a hotbed of architectural treasures, how not to mention the Cathedral of St. Basil with its hypnotic colors and shapes. The Bolshoi Theater is also fascinating and impresses with its neoclassical facade . A last stop of your stay could be a visit to the Novodevichy cemetery and the adjoining convent which have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here the illustrious personalities who have distinguished themselves in Russia are celebrated in a monumental way .

St.Pietroburgo

Another cultured, refined , romantic city. A riot of beauty, art and creativity. From St. Isaac's Cathedral , to the Winter Palace which houses the very famous Hermitage, one of the most prestigious museum complexes in the world. St. Petersburg is magic and condenses into the main artery “Nevsky Prospekt ”, a street of over 4.5 kilometers surrounded by historic buildings, churches, theaters and shops . A lively and sparkling place, day and night. You can also range from historic cafes to illustrious libraries, such as the Russian National one.

Not to be missed during your stay are the Fortresses of Saints Peter and Paul , as well as the Church of the Savior with its numerous onion domes among which the 81 meter high bell tower stands out . It will be the light that will give magic to your eyes, perhaps during one of the White Nights that characterize St. Petersburg . Find out what its beauties are and what to see .

Baikal lake

A natural pearl that has a 25 million year history . It is the oldest and deepest lake in the world (1642 meters) and also represents the largest by volume. And to think that from May to November it is a totally frozen show . To admire this natural beauty, one must arrive in the wild Siberia . You will find yourself in front of a lake with crystal clear waters and surrounded by mountains , forests and rushing rivers. It will be possible to be pulled by the Siberian huskies or walk on the frozen surface of the lake, maybe play golf, take a ride in an airboat or relax in the colorful wooden houses .

Lake Baikal has been included in the Unesco Heritage and hosts over 2500 species of animals and plants . Siberia is the homeland of the Omul fish and the Baikal seal , small in size and with a dark gray coat. One of the major cities in the area is Irkutsk, popular for its wooden architecture and history. Also worth visiting are the open-air market and the Dramatic Theater , one of the oldest artistic centers in the country.

The Trans-Siberian

The name is enough to evoke a magical itinerary , a route of over 9,000 kilometers from Moscow to Beijing along the Tsar railway . Even if this journey and its setting have now also had to leave room for contamination and modernity , it still represents a unique experience. The railway was commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II and was built in less than 15 years thanks to the work of over 90,000 men , mainly deportees. The inauguration was carried out in 1887 in Vladivostok and at the same time also in Moscow. In 1891 the work was presented to theUniversal Exhibition of Paris . Until then the journey would have lasted 3 months.

The route, which will wind through 7 time zones , can also be done with luxury trains operated by private companies and also connects China to Mongolia . One of the stops not to be missed is certainly Novosibirk , the capital of Siberia. Another fascinating city is Ekateriburg, which we will discuss in detail later. Another place full of charm is certainly Kazan, a crossroads between East and West . Here are three treasures included in the Unesco Heritage : the Kazan Kremlin, the city of Bolgar and the island of Sviyazhsk with its ensemble of monasteries and cathedrals.

Sochi

Around the Black Sea rises Sochi , a fascinating city made up of four districts . It became very popular after the 2014 Winter Olympics. One of the most popular districts is that of Adler where you can admire the Church of the Holy Spirit and that of the Holy Trinity . The first expresses the typical Russian style and underwent a major makeover in 1947. The second building impresses with its domes. Grande Sochi, on the other hand, is a district that has managed to maintain a balance between nature and architecture. Here is the Južnye Kultury Park, born on the initiative of a private individual, which now houses more than 1400 species of plants.

Another green area not to be missed is the Riviera Park , which is located in the central district. Here is an aquarium, a dolphinarium and along your walk you will be accompanied by numerous sculptures . You can also go to the theater and access various sports areas . Sochi can include several prestigious buildings, including the Uspensky villa and the Pushkin Library , set in a wonderful garden. To get a different perspective of Sochi you could discover it aboard a motor ship , starting from the port. Sochi also offers numerous places to try the specialties of the area .

Ekaterinburg

It is the fourth largest city in the country by number of inhabitants and is located in the full territory of the Ural Mountains , the natural border between Europe and Asia. It is a very important center for transport and for the steel industry . One of the most popular places is the Vajner pedestrian street : here you will find bars, shops, cafes , benches and even several bronze sculptures , ideal for taking a photo. There are at least thirty cultural attractions in the center, while there are more than fifty museums . Among those not to be missed is the History Museum where they aremany artifacts dating back to 8000 BC ., in addition to the Museum of Fine Arts and the Unified Museum of Fine Arts Writers.

But there are also two gems: the museum dedicated to Michael Jackson and the inventor of the bicycle Artamonov. The symbol is the Cathedral of the Blood , built in 2002, in the place where Tsar Nicholas II died. In the Volchikhinskoe basin you will find a very relaxing place to go fishing in the summer; in winter you can opt for the ski facilities on Volchikna . A small dam (plotinka) is also very popular . The cuisine is quite "full-bodied". Here, more mayonnaise is consumed in relation to every inhabitant in the world, and you will find a little sauce even in the typical homemade tortellini .

Kaliningrad

Fascinating, mysterious, with almost 1000 years of history behind it . Kaliningrad is a small enclave between Poland, Lithuania and the waters of the Baltic Sea . The historic center is reassuring and hosts buildings that know how to alternate neo- Gothic and Gothic styles , as well as squared complexes from the Soviet era. The city, which was completely destroyed during the Second World War , has been able to rise and transform itself. Today it is a dynamic location, full of cultural and scientific attractions . Among the first things to see is certainly the island of Kant on the Pregel river, which cuts through the entire city.

In the center stands the Königsberg Cathedral , a World Heritage Site . Inside the building, the philosopher Immanuel Kant is buried inside a mausoleum. One of the best attractions of the city is considered the Oceanographic Museum : most of the collection is external and includes a submarine, ships and vessels moored outside . There are still the remains of two city walls, forts, defensive bastions and thirteen access gates. Several towers are also part of the defensive system , including the Donha one, 12 meters high.

Vladivostok

Its name means "City that dominates the East ", Vladivostok, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean, acts as a commercial outpost in the far east of the country. It is the terminus of the Trans-Siberian railway . The nineteenth-century architecture was replaced by huge blocks of flats during the communist era, but several treasures remain kept inside the museums. Among the most interesting are the Regional Historical Museum , the Submarine Museum and the Fortress Museum which illustrates the military origins of the city.

Particularly interesting especially for children is the Oceanarium, its architecture makes it similar to a blue wave. For those who want to discover the city on foot there is the pedestrian area of ​​via Akademika Fokina where you can get lost among buildings that refer to the nineteenth century , an ancient market and delicious cafes. The road leads up to what is considered to be the most beautiful beach in the city . A little curiosity is represented by the house of Yul Brinner , the great Hollywood actor who was born here in 1920.

Frozen sea

In Siberia, due to the very low temperature , due to the waves of frost, you can witness a very particular phenomenon: the sea freezes and pours many ice bricks onto the shore . A truly magical and fascinating landscape . As we have already explained, it is a phenomenon that also affects Lake Baikal . Temperatures can even reach 60 degrees below zero . In Dudinka, a small town in Siberia, the cold had cracked the pipes, causing the water to pour into the street and, due to the temperature, freeze. Citizens had posted photos of this sort of frozen sea that was above the road surface.

Volgograd

Historically it is known as the scene of the bloody battle of Stalingrad during the Second World War . A very hard battle in which the German and Russian troops lost 3 million soldiers and in which the city was completely destroyed. The symbols of the city are the Memorial Complex and the Statue of Mother Russia : the statue, 85 meters high, is visible from all over the city. The entire complex was built in the 1960s by bringing together various natural and architectural elements. There are an exhibition hall, a cemetery and the All Saints church. The Battle of Stalingrad is also narrated by a panoramic museum located in the city center.

The collection includes an open-air display of military vehicles , as well as weapons, maps, medals , photographs and uniforms . After the conflict Volgograd (which until 1961 was called Stalingrad) was totally rebuilt . To appreciate the city, its Stalinist architecture , its parks and its refinement, just wander around freely . A very interesting attraction is the dam of the Volga power plant , which came into operation in 1961. On the opposite side of the city, at the beginning of the navigable canal , the statue of Lenin stands out : the largest monument in the worlddedicated to a historical figure.

A fascinating and interminable world: this is what Russia offers. Yours will be a unique journey , a journey through time driven by curiosity and the desire to know a different history, customs and traditions rooted in time. You just have to get on our ships and enter landscapes full of charm and attractions or perhaps in elegant cities and already projected to the future . Time to book your next cruise.