Russia

The city exudes European charm with classical architecture lining the picturesque Neva River Delta. Wander canal-side to soak up its colourful jigsaw of mismatched apartments and arrive at the spectacular Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood. No matter the time of year, there’s plenty café culture and eateries to get your fill before uncovering the thriving independent music scene at a new breed of emerging clubs and bars.

• Take a City Tour – See the fascinating sights of St. Petersburg including the enormous Palace Square and the Hermitage Museum. Here you will see one of the world's largest collections of art displaying priceless works by Rembrandt, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Matisse and Picasso just to name a few. This collection will truly blow your mind!
• Peter and Paul Fortress – This beautiful and fascinating architectural landmark was once used as a political prison under the Tsars, today it houses the City Museum, the Mint and the Peter and Paul Cathedral.
• Visit St. Isaacs Cathedral with its stunning gilded some that still dominates the city skyline centuries after its construction.
• Our Experience journeys provide you with a unique and wonderful experience, dining in the home of a renowned cultural figure, Yury Petrochenkov and his wife. You will also visit the marvellous Russian Museum of Ethnography as well as a Russian Banya (bathhouse).
• Stroll around the oldest collection of garden statues in Russia in the Summer Garden, the location of Peter the Great's first Summer Palace.
• A canal boat tour, it is a great way to see this beautiful city in the summer.
• Explore the Russian Battleship, 'Aurora' which became a symbol for the Russian Revolution and is permanently docked on the Neva River.
• Holy Saviour on the Spilt Blood, built on the spot where Alexander II was fatally wounded. You can see the beautiful gold-draped onion domes of this lovely Russian church from all over the city.
• Climb the Colonnade of St Isaac’s Cathedral for an amazing panoramic view of St. Petersburg. It’s well worth the 300 steps!
• See a world-renowned Russian Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre.
• Visit the magnificent summer residence of the Russian Tsars in the town of Pushkin where you will find the finest example of Russian Baroque, Catherine Palace, which contains the amazing Amber Room. Whilst Catherine's Palace is incredible for it's interiors Alexander's Palace, the last home of Nicholas II and his family, oozes an amazing history
• Admire exquisite and elaborately decorated Fabergé Eggs at the Fabergé Museum in St Petersburg’s Shuvalovsky Palace.
• Take the hydrofoil for the 30km scenic journey west of St. Petersburg to the incredible grandeur of the Summer Palace and Park of Peterhof (Petrodvorets), often referred to as the Russian Versaille, which was the inspiration for Peter the Great to build an imperial palace in the suburbs of his new city.

Uncover the majestic epicentre of Russia’s political, historical and architectural might. A cultural treasure-trove surviving centuries of revolution, where an ancient veneer converges with modern-slick. In a city of 10 million, there’s something to ignite your senses at every turn.

• Sight: Marvel at the opulence of Moscow's architecture and make sure you snap a sunset shot over colourful domes from a secret rooftop spot.
• Sight: Check out the incredible views of the Kremlin from the floating bridge in Zaryade Park.
• Taste: Work up a thirst and sip on some tasty lagers at Moscow's historic Moscow Brewing Company.
• Sound: Listen to an operatic performance or see a ballet at the world famous Bolshoi Theatre
• Experience: Head to Gorky Park - a favourite hang out spot for locals. Rent a bike, watch a movie at the outdoor cinema, see live music performances, you can even take a yoga class.
• Experience: Take yourself on an underground exploration of the chandelier-draped metro stations

One of our fave stops on the Trans Siberian, Kazan became part of Russia in the 16^th Century but remains a centre for Tatar culture. Russia’s second largest ethnicity, Tatars are Turkic people native to the Volga-Ural region. Catch a glimpse of the different cultures scattered across Russia, a diversity that is present on peoples faces and etched on buildings, you’ll taste it in the food and hear it in the clubs that line the cosmopolitan Bauman Street.

• Sight: Kazan's Kremlin is a site not to be missed! Inside its bright white walls see the the spectacular turquoise-domed Kul Sharif Mosque.
• Sight: The Temple of all Faiths draws on sixteen different religions for inspirartion. Its sixteen minarets, spires and cupolas are embelished with bright greens, yellows and blues each representing unification - the essence of the city.
• Smell: Wander down Bauman Street, one of the oldest in the city. Here the smell of sizzling shisha wafts under your nose as you rub shoulders with locals amongst the cafes, bars, restaurants and museums that straddle the avenue.
• Taste: Tuck into traditional flavours of Tatarstan in restaurants and cafes that earned Kazan its foodie status.
• Expereince: take a swim near the waters of the mighty Volga and hit the manmade beach on the bank of the Kazanka River.
• Experience: Step back to Soviet times at the Museum of Soviet Life filled with kitsh knick-knacks, relics and reminders of day to day life under the Iron Curtain.

One of Russia’s oldest settlements, it functioned as the capital when Moscow was a mere idea. It’s one of the smallest towns in the Golden Ring, but what it lacks in population it makes up for in UNESCO World Heritage sites. This might not tickle everyone’s fancy, but there’s an interesting museum of wooden architecture here that depicts what rural life was like for Russian’s throughout history. A great contrast to the opulence you’ll see in the major cities.

• Sight: Wander the historical core of Suzdal, its Kremlin. Here you will find Suzdal's oldest surviving building the Cathedral of the Nativit of the Virgin as well as an impressive bell tower.
• Taste: Sample the local sweet brew made with fermented honey - Medovukha
• Taste: Feast on traditional Russian Bliny topped with caviar or delicious marinated forest mushrooms in the refectory of the Kremlin.
• Listen: Hear the ringing of bells on the hour every hour at the Cathedral of the Transfiguration, as they have done for centuries.
• Experience: Relax in Suzdal at a traditional banya - a revitalising sauna - and if you're feeling brave, try an invigorating birch branch massage.

The cultural centre of Siberia has an interesting story to tell. Originally a fur trade frontier, the winter outpost became the saving grace of countless rebels, academics and elites exiled here after the Decemberist Revolt against Tsar Nicholas I. Today, it’s Siberia’s most important centre, filled with universities, museums and historic sites.

• To delve into the history and findings of the surrounding areas visit the Museum of Wooden Architecture and the Baikal Limnological Museum.
• Stroll around the city taking in the Angara River, classic architecture, wooden houses, churches and cathedrals and the central market.
• Experience a unique encounter visiting a region where Shamanism, an ancient healing tradition and way of life, is still practiced. This is a brilliant way to experience the Buryat people's hospitality, cuisine and traditions.
• Tailor your journey to head out of Irkutsk and spend some time at Olkhon Island. Apart from being a great place to get away from civilisation, get amongst nature and enjoy the pristine air and water. There are a number of sacred places that make Olkhon very important to the native Buryat people, the most well known of which is Shaman Rock.
• Ride the rails along the Circum Baikal Loop that was built more than 100 years ago! The train travels at a leisurely pace right along the shore of Lake Baikal allowing plenty of photo opportunities and stopping at its most significant architectural sights and stunning viewpoints.
• Explore the many hiking & walking tracks around the shores of the oldest and deepest lake in the world with the knowledge of a local guide.

Quite possibly Russia’s most breath-taking natural landmark, it holds four world records as the largest, deepest, clearest and oldest lake on Earth. It’s no surprise this transformative triumph of nature is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hovercraft over its icy surface in winter or take a refreshing dip in summer – you may just discover it’s also the coldest lake in the world.

You’ll know you’ve reached the city centre when you come face to face with Lenin - or at least a 25-foot bronze statue of his head. A common meeting place for locals, it’s a great spot to people-watch in the cosy centre of Shamanism and Buddhist culture. The original home of the Buryats, a roving race that shares many similarities with the Mongols, no greater than their ecological traditions and harmonious interactions with nature.

• View the world’s largest Lenin head standing at 7.7 metres tall!
• Make your way to Lenin Street, known by locals as Arbat Street, as it resembles Moscow's historic street lined with beautiful 17th - 19th century architecture. This is a great spot to meet the locals and experience day-to-day life in Ulan Ude.
• The Ivolginsky Datsan, built in 1945 is the main active and most important Buddhist religious centre in Russia. It is the chosen residence of the leader of all Russian Lamas and is also home to the preserved body of the Khambo Lama, who died in 1927 and remains sitting upright in the lotus position.
• About fifteen minutes from the centre of the city is the open-air Ethnographic Museum, it's the largest settlement of local architecture and documents the life of native Siberians and the colonisers. Take a look at the reconstruction of an ancient hunnu, an Evenk (native) settlement consisting of several small tipi's made of deer fur.
• See a performance at the Buryat National Academy Theatre of Opera and Ballet where you can also see spectacular views of the city.
• Take a step back in time with an excursion to the Old Believers Village. The Old Believers separated from the Russian Orthodox Church in 1666 in protest of new reforms, they were exiled and fled to avoid imprisonment and execution, some even burnt themselves alive as a form of protest! Today they still practice a form of the religion that stopped across much of Russia centuries ago. You will be warmly welcomed into their culture and homes for a home cooked lunch and traditional song and dance.

A vibrant modern city rich in minerals and history. Visit the enormous Byzantine-style church built on the site of the Romanovs’ execution, stand on the boundary line of Europe and Asia, take in the urban panorama from the Vysotskiy Viewing Platform and stroll around an impressive collection of museums and historic monuments.

The eastern terminus of the Trans Siberian Railway is where Tsar Nicholas II laid the line’s founding stone in 1891. The Bay is striking and the town hilly, bearing some resemblance to San Francisco. Tire yourself out wandering the streets and learning about naval history, then hop on a ferry to Japan.