The Cathedral of Basil the Blessed, is a Russian Orthodox cathedral erected on the Red Square in Moscow in 1555–1561. The Monument to Minin and Pozharsky is made of bronze. Not particularly large, it consists of nine chapels, built on a single foundation. According to legend, however, it was built by an Italian architect who was blinded so that he could never create anything that was similar or equal. The St. Basil’s Cathedral, along with the Red Square were inscribed by Unesco as World Heritage Sites in 1990!

The Cathedral was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century to commemorate a military victory.Victory came on the feast day of the Intercession of the Virgin, so the Tsar chose to name his new church the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin on the Moat, after the moat that ran beside the Kremlin.

St. Basil’s original construction involved a total of nine pillars or churches, replacing the former wooden churches, situated on a single foundation. A tenth pillar was added (1588) after the death of St. Basil and stands over his burial site.

The inside of St. Basil’s is a maze of narrow, dimly lit corridors connecting the different chapels. Each of the painted domes differs in design and colour.

The great watery abyss of Lake Baikal is a huge rift valley in the heart of Siberia formed some 25 million years ago. It is both the oldest and the deepest lake in the world, containing around 20 per cent of the planet’s fresh surface water. Olkhon, one of the largest lake islands in the world, is the geographical, historical and spiritual heart of Baikal, divided by a treacherous narrow strait, near the lake’s deepest point of 1, 637m. Photo by: Gunnar Geir Pétursson

There are plentiful traces of human habitation on Olkhon from as long as 13, 000 years ago; 143 archeological sites have been discovered – rock paintings, burial mounds, settlements, defensive walls and sacred places. The island is steeped in native myth and legend. Photo by: Oh mon héros [Aka Suleiman Poher]

This beautiful island is 730 sq km in area and 72 km long, a wild prehistoric landscape of taiga, steppe, salt lakes and sand dunes, formed by the earth’s shifting tectonic plates. There is one proper village, Kuzhir, and a single main road run the length of the island. The rocky cliffs along the western shore enclose deep bays with sandy beaches, where you can camp in a yurt and go kayaking and fishing. You really are in the wilderness here, there are no power and telephone lines, no cell-phone receptions, and the only electricity is from domestic generators. Photo by: Oh mon héros [Aka Suleiman Poher]

When to go: The peak of the tourist season is from mid-June to mid-August when the weather is warm and dry. Population: 1, 500. How to get there: A bus suns five days a week between Irkutsk and Kuzhir, Olkhon, an 8-hour trip including the ferry crossing. You should know: Lake Baikal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Photo by: Timoty_moscow

The island of Stolnby is one of some 160 islands on Lake Seliger in western Russia, about 360 km from Moscow. The lake is a complex system of 212 sq km of interconnected lakes, channels and islands, a protected nature reserve surrounded by spectacular wild countryside of hills, fens, pine forest inhabited by moose, brown bears, lynxes and wolves. Photo by: Dmitry Chastikov

The island is remarkable for its enormous monastery, a breathtaking edifice that emerges majestically out of the waters of the lake. Built between the late 16th and early 19th centuries, the Nilova Pustyn Moastery, better known as Nil’s Hermitage, is one of the most impressive ensembles of neoclassical architecture in Europe. Photo by: Julia A

The origins of the monastery are not altogether clear but according to one story in the summer of 1528, a holy man known for his healing powers and gift of prophecy heard a heavenly voice commanding him to settle on the uninhabited island of Stolbny. He died in 1555 having lived here as a hermit for 27 years. The monastery became renowned for its miraculous healings and was once one of the most visited Christian religious centres in the world attracting tens of thousands of pilgrims every year. It is one of the greatest cultural monuments of the Orthodox era. Photo by: Julia A

When to go: May to September or December to January for breathtaking winter views and New Year Festival. Population: A small community of mocks. How to get there: From Moscow or St. Petersburg by train or car to Ostashkov via Tver. From Ostashkov quay take a boat to Stolnby or drive 25 km besides the lake from where you reach Stolbny by walking across a narrow wooden bridge. Photo by: Andrey Musin

The Kazan Kremlin is only surviving Tatar complex that remains a unique architectural and historical monuments, consists of several unique, distinctive and inimitable features. The general space of the Kremlin makes 150 thousand sq. m. External perimeter of walls is about 1800 meters. In XVI-XVII centuries there were 13 towers but today only eight are preserved. On November 30, 2000 the historical-architectural complex of the Kazan Kremlin was enrolled into the UNESCO World Heritage list.
 

The complex presents a conceptual synthesis of Tatar and Russian architectural styles in its key monuments – the Suyumbike Tower, the Cathedral of the Annunciation and the Spasskaya Tower. The oldest building in the Kremlin is the Annunciation Cathedral (1554-62), the only 16th-century Russian church to have six piers and five apses. The Kazan Kremlin is a wonderfully enchanting attraction that is shrouded in myths, secrets, peace, deceit, war and intimidation.

Kurl Islands is a chain of 56 volcanic islands stretches for 1,300 km like stepping-stones all the way from the Kamatchka Peninsula to Hokkaido, Japan. They form the boundary between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean and the summits of undersea stratvolcanoes, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Offshore is the Kuril trench, one of the deepest ocean regions in the world, 10,5 km deep. 

The Kuril Islands are breathtakingly beautiful with dense greenery except at the highest levels and an amazing variety of spectacular scenery ranging from dramatic volcanic ridge and craters to alpine tundra, meadows and wetland. There are broadleaf woods, coniferous forests, crater lakes circled by trees, lush narrow valleys and fast running steams with coast of steep cliffs, volcanic sand beaches and rocky shores. Many millions of seabirds congregate on every available hammock and cliff ledge. Baird’s whales, fin and sperm whales, sea otters, sealions and fur seals.

Forty of the islands are volcanically active with hot springs and frequent eruptions. A combination of distance from the mainland, the depth of the ocean and strong currents have been major barriers to plant and animal dispersal so the each island had its own self-contained ecosystem and natural history. The Kurils are in one of the least scientifically explored regions of the world – and eco adventurer’s paradise, full of unique biological and geological wonders.

When to go: June to October. Population: 16,800. How to get there: You need a lot of determination to get to Kurl Islands. By boat to Kunashir (the southernmost island), from Kushiro, north Japan. Irregular ferry services to the other inhabited islands and a once monthly boat from Korsakov, the southern port of Sakhalin Island, Eastern Russia. To explore the Kurils on max, you must charter a boat or join an eco-expedition.

The Kurils were discovered in 1634 and first charted in 1739. They were seized by Japan in the 19th century and only returned to Russia at the end of the World War II. Photos by: sophieatkinson

A wonderfully compelling world of icebergs, glaciers and the midnight sun, Franz Josef Land is one of the few remaining truly wild places on the planet. It is an archipelago of 191 volcanic islands, intended with dramatic bays and fjords, covering an area of 16,130 sq km in the Barents Sea, almost entirely within the Arctic Circle. There is located the most northerly point of Europe, only 911 km from the North Pole, at Cape Fligely on Rudolph Island. Photo by: photofthewilds

Two Austrian explorers, Julius Payer and Karl Weyprecht landed there in 1873 and named the archipelago Franz Joseph Land. But Austria never claimed the territory; it now belongs to Russia. Over a fifty- year period, the highest temperature recorded is 13 degrees Celsius and the lowest -54 degrees Celsius. Photo by: AdamM_BS6

During the summer months the icy sea takes crazy mosaic forms. Almost 85 per cent of the land surface is glaciated with an ice layer averaging 180 m thick. The only colour to be seen in this blinding ice-white wilderness is the extraordinary reds and greens lichens and mosses. The dramatic scenery is at its most majestic on Champ Island in the centre of the archipelago. The unforgiving climate supports arctic foxes, walruses, polar bears and beluga whales, and 37 bird species, featuring kittiwakes and fulmars. A journey to Franz Josef Land is a unique experience. Photo by: photofthewilds

When to go: July to August. Population: Uninhabited. How to get there: on a cruise boat from Spitzbergen. You should know: A trip to Franz Josef Land is an extreme adventure. It’s a Russian military zone and you can only go there on an escorted expedition. Photo by: PCmarja2006

Kizhi Island is one of over 1650 islands of Lake Onega, in the Karelia Republic in Russia. Located approximately 300 km from St. Petersburg, Onega Lake is the second largest lake in Europe after Lake Ladoga. Kizhi is one of the largest open air museums in Russia, features a beautiful ensemble of 83 wooden structures, most of which date back to the 16th.

The highlight of the Island is the Kizhsky Pogost, include two churches and a octagonal bell-tower standing between them. One of the churches is 32-domed Transfiguration Church, built in 1714. The interior is decorated with four stunning stepped iconostasis consisting of 18th century icons. It is a most popular destination for religious travelers.

These impressively buildings are built created by the carpenters without a single nail. This impressive ancient model of parish space create one of the most unique open air museums of our time. In 1991 the whole area of Kizhi has been added to the World Cultural inheritance of the UNESCO.

The Kizhi outdoor museum allows visitors to experience the ancient cultures and crafts of the Russian north. It is open to the public from May 25 to October 15 from 9.00 AM. to 8.00 PM. For more info click here.

Opened in 2007, this is the most sumptuous hotel in a town. The Ritz-Carlton Moscow is among the Best Luxury Hotels in the World, definite by The “Forbes Traveler”. The hotel is situated only 3 minutes walk to The Kremlin Palace, The Red Square and The Christ the Saviour Cathedral. Besides to the views of Red Square, The Ritz Carlton provides 334 elegance decorated rooms, a full-service health spa with 14 different treatment rooms, an indoor swimming pool lit trough Swarovski crystals, and …. over-the-top amenities.
 

The major hotel’s significance is the rooftop area. Its features are a chic sushi cafe and cocktail bar, with armchairs shaped like Fabergé eggs. Offering a panoramic view it’s comes to life after dark with the latest sounds. With a variety of vodkas chilling and caviar-stuffed “blinis” (rolls) on the cocktail buffet, this might be one of the hotel chain’s largest and most opulent lounges. A vodka sommelier, who oversees 400 varieties of the drink, explains the finer points of Russia’s national tipple.
 

The hotel’s main restaurant is a marble-floored fine-dining restaurant called “Jeroboam”. The menu is conceived by Chef Heinz Winkler offers fine international dining. You should be trying the popular dishes – “Pigeon en Croûte” and “Crayfish with Saffron”. The restaurant possess extensive wine list, stocks over 800 bottles, the highlight being a 1961 Château Petrus (US$69,000).

St. Petersburg, Russia is a spectacular city but the winter nights are long, which means there’s more time for night life. St. Petersburg is a city with broad boulevards, graceful bridges, glittering palaces, winding canals and beautiful, snow-blanketed parks illuminated throughout the long, dark nights.

Saint Petersburg is often described as the most Western city of Russia. Among cities of the world with over one million people, Saint Petersburg is the northernmost. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A statue atop St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Russian Orthodox church whose gold dome is one of the skyline’s most familiar landmarks.

Nevsky Prospekt, a broad boulevard lined with department stores, boutiques, cafes, restaurants, office buildings and palaces.

Its geopolitical, intellectual, economical, cultural and historical advantages are unique. St. Petersburg is the symbol of the European part of Russia and one of the most venerable capitals of the world. St. Petersburg, a cultural center of the global significance, has accumulated and enormous cultural potential over the period of three centuries. For all this time the city has been a true pearl of world culture. Artists and architects made a permanent mark in the cultural history of Russia with their world-renowned architectural ensembles of St. Petersburg. There are over 250 museums, 18 literature museums, 44 art museums, 5 national museum-preserves, 39 history museums, 24 local history and ethnographic museums.

The Sloventsky Islands are located in the White Sea in northwestern Russia, less than 100 miles from the arctic circle. These islands are famous with their monastery there from 15^th century. The monastery was restored and today the islands’ natural beauty, spiritual significance and weighty history draw tourists of all kinds to their shores.

The monastery’s several churches rise above the fortress that surrounds it and are mirrored in the calm waters of the White Sea. The sea is frozen most of the year, limiting the navigation season to three months over the summer.

The large Solovetsky Island, site of the Solovetsky monastery and village, is one of many in the archipelago. Some are so small they bear no human structures, others, such as Anzer, are the sites of minor monasteries maintained by Orthodox monks.

Magnificently located on the bank of the Neva River, this Baroque-style palace is perhaps St. Petersburg’s most impressive attraction. The green-and-white three-storey palace is a marvel of Baroque architecture and boasts 1,786 doors, 1,945 windows and 1,057 elegantly and lavishly decorated halls and rooms, many of which are open to the public.

The Winter Palace is undoubtedly the most famous building of imperial St. Petersburg, not only as the residence of the Tsars and the backdrop for the 1905 and 1917 Revolutions, but also as the home of the Hermitage, the world’s largest museum of art. The present structure, completed in 1762 and designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, was commissioned by the Empress Elizabeth. Its opulent baroque facade, stretching two hundred meters, is a veritable cornucopia of pilasters, bays, and statuary. The palace served as the winter residence for every ruler of Russia since Peter III, who installed himself there along with his mistress, the Countess Vorontsova.

The Winter Palace, the Small Hermitage, the Old Hermitage and the New Hermitage display the collections of monuments of culture and art of the ancient world, Western Europe, Russia and the countries of the Orient, as well as archaeological and numismatic collections. Is one of the largest, oldest, most important and famous art galleries and museums of human history and culture in the world. Today the Winter Palace, together with four more buildings arranged side by side along the river embankment, houses the extensive collections of the Hermitage. The Hermitage Museum is the largest art gallery in Russia and is among the largest and most respected art museums in the world.

Strong points of the Hermitage collection of Western art include Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Poussin, Claude Lorrain, Watteau, Tiepolo, Canaletto, Canova, Rodin, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Picasso, and Matisse. The museum is especially strong in Italian Renaissance and French Impressionist paintings, as well as possessing outstanding collections of works by Rembrandt, Picasso, and Matisse. Visitors should also take advantage of its excellent Greek and Roman antiquities collection and its exhibits of Siberian and Central Asian art.

The museum was founded in 1764 when Catherine the Great purchased a collection of 255 paintings from the German city of Berlin. Today, the Hermitage has about 2.7 million exhibits and displays a full range of world art from Ancient Egypt to early 20th century Europe. The experts say that if you were to spend a minute looking at each exhibit on display in the Hermitage, you would need 11 years before you’d seen them all. However, we recommend you opt for a guided tour instead!

Let the newest generation of ballerinas pull at your heart strings, be dazzled by the opulent costumes and stunning set design, the impossible leaps of the men, the grace of the corps de ballet.