Russia Travel Guide

The world's largest country, Russia stands out among the rest only for its size, but also for its troubled past, its current political climate, its vast array of geographical extremes, and for its mystery. Shrouded behind decades of communism and the remnants of the Cold War, the Western world has still not managed to get a glimpse of anything more than the tiniest part of this massive country. Siberia, vodka, and the headquarters of communism for many years, Russia is a country that hides a great number of mysteries and miracles behind its veil, just waiting to be discovered in the 21st centu… read morery.

From one of the world's greatest cities in Moscow, to perhaps the world’s largest and most popular museums in one of the planet’s most visited tourist destinations in Saint Petersburg, to the vast reaches of Siberia with such amazing sights as Lake Onega and Kizhi Island, or Lake Baikal and the Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia most certainly has more than meets the eye.

Getting into Russia is difficult at best. Obtaining a visa requires several months’ worth of patience, quite a bit of money, and in most cases an official invitation which can only be issued by someone from within Russia who is either a legal resident or a citizen. But while the visa regulations are a hassle, and are definitely difficult and time-consuming, it is well worth the effort.

Russia has some of the most amazing scenery in the world. There are rolling hills, rugged mountains, vast rivers and lakes, forests, plains, and more. It is one of the greatest eco-tourism spots on the planet, with several nature reserves. Due to its size, and the distance between cities, there is a seemingly-endless spread of landscape to be discovered. The food is divine, and many of the recipes that Americans now hold as “traditional”, such as beef stroganoff, actually originated in Russia.

Accommodations will depend on where you are, but keep in mind that almost everything was built during the Soviet era.