The Golden Ring

The Golden Ring of Russia is the leading travelling route in Russia with the network of the most ancient towns of our country, such as Yaroslavl, Rostov the Great, Sergiyev Posad, Pereslavl-Zalesskiy, Vladimir, Kostroma, Alexandrov, Uglich, etc. These towns gather together the major monuments of history and architecture of ancient Russia and following eventful centuries. You can explore the Golden Ring at any season.

Karelia

Karelia is unique area of crystal clear lakes, swift rivers, endless woods, and harsh hills. It is ideal for active travel and adventures. Karelia is famous for gorgeous nature and as well it is a well-know reserve of folk arts. It Many unique monuments to culture and history of peoples from the Russian North are located here. We recommend to start your travelling in Karelia from the Solovki archipelago, located in the White Sea region, which attracts not only with severe great nature, but also with numerous monuments to spiritual deeds especially in the group of Solovki monastery buildings. Another legendary place is Valaam archipelago consisting of more than fifty islands in the north of the Ladoga Lake. An ancient monastery – the Valaam – got lost here among stones and woods. You will also find a unique museum of folk wood architecture and traditional arts of Karelia peoples – Kizhi – on islands of the Onega Lake. The most famous natural monument is the Kivach waterfall located in the centre of the same name reserve and considered to be the second large plain waterfall in Europe. If you have health problems we also recommend to visit the Marcial Waters Resort founded by Peter the Great yet.

Seliger Lake

Tourists especially prefer travelling and having a rest on the Seliger Lake. It is a kettle-lake of 260 square km on the border of Tver and Novgorod regions of Russia. 160 islands with the total area of 38 square km spread on it. This lake is located on the height 205 metres above sea level. Its coastline is more than 500 km long and specifically dissected – treed capes change picturesque bays and islands of fancily forms. Translated from Finish, Seliger means 'clear lake' and it is a real truth. Water in this lake is very clear and crystal and a lot of sanatoriums and resorts offering comfortable service are located near the Seliger.

Baikal Lake

The Baikal Lake is the leading centre for ecological tourism as well as active travel and adventures because it offers everything for active tourists – high mountains for hiking, rapid rivers for rafting, exciting routes for horse travelling in the South Baikal area. The best season for visiting the Baikal is summer. In this time the nature flourishes and it can astound even the most experienced tourist with its beauty and novelty. The most well-known places attract a lot tourists – the hundred spring valley Shumak, the Serdtse Lake in the shape of a heart, Devil's Gate Pass, Cherskiy peak, Circum-Baikal Railway. Many grand waterfalls, treeless peaks, virgin taiga and nasty torrents surround the Baikal Lake and after travelling here you will never forget a Fisherman's soup made of Baikal omul on open fire, smoky tea, and fresh air of Baikal forests.

Moscow

The heart and the capital of Russia, Moscow is a city of world significance and the largest megapolis in the country. The first record of Moscow found in an old Russian manuscript dates from 1147, when it was an obscure town in a small province. From that date onwards, Moscow started to grow and over following centuries due to fruitful efforts of its rulers expanded from one of the outposts on the border of the Vladimir-Suzdal Princedom to the main city of Russia.

In 15th century the Kremlin, the official seat of Moscow rulers, acquired its present day appearance. The red brick towers and walls were designed and built by Italian architects, specially invited by the Grand Prince Ivan III Vasilyevich. This great ruler unified the Russian principalities and finally established the status of Moscow as the national capital. The legend “Moscow is the third Rome” emerged at the same time.

The modern layout of Moscow is similar to the structure of an onion: ring streets are located as concentric circles around the oldest city centre. The pattern of rings and radials is evidently marking the historical stages of Moscow’s growth. The centre of all rings is Kremlin and the world famous Red Square. Successive epochs of development are traced in the Boulevard Ring and the Garden Ring (both following the line of former fortifications), the Moscow Little Ring Railway, and the Moscow Ring Road. From 1960 to the mid-1980s the Ring Road was the administrative limit of the city, but several areas of the largely greenbelt zone beyond the road have been annexed since then. Among the most famous Moscow streets are Arbat street and Kutuzov prospekt.

Today’s architectural silhouette of Moscow is also recognizable owing to the socalled Seven Sister buildings constructed in the 1940s and 1950s by Stalin’s direct order. The most famous are Moscow State University on Sparrow Hills and the Ministry of foreign Affairs in Smolenskaya Square. These pompous spired sky-scrapers has become inevitable landmarks, and its already as impossible to imagine Moscow without them as to imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower!

In recent years the appearance of the city has greatly changed. Moscow is getting more and more beautiful. The reconstruction of the enormous Christ the Saviour Cathedral with golden lustrous domes, the skilful remodelling of Manege Square, the recreation of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan, and the Resurrection Gates are eloquent examples of it. Present Moscow is the eastern metropolis of art and culture. The capital is rich in museums and art galleries, has its unique historic sites, and numerous restaurants to different tastes. Apart from the busy centre, in former suburbs there are tree-shadowed parks and several country estates, formerly owned by Russian Tsars and nobility. “Old Russian” Moscow, with the population of over 10 million people, is overflowing with vitality and dynamism. In fact, the experience of getting to know this beautiful city can be very much rewarding if you only take the time and trouble to explore it with care and devotion.

Saint Petersburg

The city on the Neva, glorified by a lot of poets and immortalized by famous artists, attracts tourists not only by its numerous museums, but by the glamour of the White Nights. Today it is the second largest city of Russia, a centre of culture and arts, the "tourist capital" of the country. Being the native city of the current president, Saint Petersburg is acquiring a new political image. Every year a number of international events, markets, festivals, political and business meetings are held in the city.

In comparison with other large cities of Russia and even of the whole world, Saint Petersburg is a young city, it was founded by order of Peter the Great onMay 27, 1703. The first city construction was a fortress named Saint Petersburg. The fortress became the centre of the city, and later, the last resting-place of Peter the Great. Today it is called the Peter and Paul Fortress, and its original name was given to the city that developed around the fortress on the numerous islands in the delta of the Neva River.

A great number of foreign architects, engineers, and artists came to Saint Petersburg to make Peter the Great's wishes about creation of a European city in Russia come true. The leading European and Russian architects, working side by side, created a great number of splendid architectural monuments: the Stock Exchange, the Admiralty, the Academy of Sciences, the Winter Palace, the Smolny Convent, St. Isaac's Cathedral and many others. From 1712 to 1918 Saint Petersburg was the capital of Russia, the residence of all Russian tsars.

Saint Petersburg has been renamed three times: at the beginning of the First World War the city got the name of Petrograd, after the death of Lenin in 1924, the city was renamed Leningrad. In 1991, after the referendum, the historical name was returned to the city. In Russia, Saint Petersburg is a "European oasis", which has its own image. Saint Petersburg has been preserving this image for over 300 years of its existence in spite of the Revolution, the Civil War, and 900 days of the Siege during the Second World War. Come to this city and see what was glorified by poets and immortalized by famous artists.