Russia

Onion domes and river towns on the Golden Ring, Baikal's endless blue, and two capitals with very different characters

Russia is vast enough that almost nobody sees it in one trip — most itineraries pick a region rather than the whole country: Moscow and St. Petersburg for the two-capitals classic, the Golden Ring's medieval towns for a shorter loop out of Moscow, or Lake Baikal and the Trans-Siberian for something further afield. Distances are real (Moscow to Vladivostok spans eight time zones), so it's worth deciding early which slice of the country a trip is actually about.

Best time to visit

Late May–September for warm weather and long daylight (St. Petersburg's White Nights run roughly late May–mid July); December–February for snow-covered onion domes and winter travel, dressed for real cold

Getting there

Sheremetyevo (SVO) or Domodedovo (DME) in Moscow, or Pulkovo (LED) in St. Petersburg — visa requirements vary sharply by nationality, so check the current rules for your passport well before booking

Highlights

—The Golden Ring's medieval towns and monasteries
—Moscow's Red Square and the Kremlin
—St. Petersburg's Hermitage and canals
—Lake Baikal, the world's deepest lake
—The Trans-Siberian Railway

The Russia guide, section by section

Pick a topic below — each page covers real prices, current rules and practical logistics.

The Golden Ring

Lake Baikal

St. Petersburg

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