Russia is the largest country in the world and offers a broad range of travel experiences, from treks up the slopes of glacier-capped mountains to strolls along the shoreline of Earth’s oldest lake. Historical sites and cultural activities in the country’s great cities abound as well. Whether you’re exploring the grounds of Moscow’s Kremlin or wandering through the steppes of Mongolia, a visit to Russia is an adventure not soon forgotten. (www.touropia.com)
St Petersburg hosts many wonderful sites which include the Hermitage, with its baroque and rococo styles, Voltaire’s library, which was bought out by the educated Catherine, and the Kunstcamera museum is a must for visitors to St Petersburg. Palace Square is at its best at night, whereas the interiors of Saint Isaac’s and Kazan Cathedrals look better in daylight when rays of light play on the mosaics and paintings. However, the best mosaic collection is in the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood. For a true feeling of the city, you should try to see a ballet in Mariinsky Theatre.
 |  |
Another interesting place to visit is Mount Elbrus which is in the Caucasus Mountain Range in Southern Russia. At 5,642 meters (18,510 ft), Elbrus is included as one of the Seven Summits, the highest summits on each of the planet’s seven continents, attracting both experienced and novice mountain climbers. While the mountain was formed from a volcano, it is considered dormant, with no recorded eruptions. A cable car system can take visitors as high as 3,800 meters (12,500 ft), facilitating ascents to the summit.
 |  |
As the capital of Russia, Moscow is a very common place to visit. In contrast to St Petersburg, Moscow is a city of wide avenues and massive Soviet buildings – from the Lenin Russian State Library which has 275 km of shelves, to Stalin skyscrapers representing Stalin’s Empire style. All tourists, however, go to see the Kremlin and Red Square first. Having originally been a market and an execution yard (the place of bread and circuses), Red Square is now the first port of call for foreign and local tourists alike. Even today, it is the centre of Moscow life, allowing you to plunge into the history of the city quickly and easily.
If you are planning a trip to Russia, consider learning the language before you go! Contact VLLC to commence one of our individually tailored courses to suit you.
RSS Feed
