UNESCO World Heritage St. Petersburg
Hermitage Museum
A green-and-white palace on the Neva holding millions of objects, with state rooms as impressive as the art.
Photo: Igor3188 / commons.wikimedia.org / CC BY-SA 4.0
Landmarks & places to visit
Eleven time zones of domes, lakes and volcanoes
An independent guide to the places that make Russia worth the journey - from the Kremlin's red walls to the geysers of Kamchatka.
The world's largest country, one landmark at a time
Russia spans two continents and almost every kind of landscape: gilded cathedrals on the Neva, white-stone monasteries in the Golden Ring, the deepest lake on Earth, and a volcanic coast that few visitors ever see.
This guide groups places by region, so you can plan a city break or a month on the rails. Each page covers history, the best season to go and how to get there.
Featured landmarks
- UNESCO World Heritage
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UNESCO World Heritage Kazan & the Volga
Kazan Kremlin
A white-stone fortress where a large mosque and an Orthodox cathedral stand within the same walls.
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UNESCO World Heritage Karelia & the North
Kizhi Pogost
A cluster of wooden churches on an island in Lake Onega, topped by a tower of silvery domes.
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UNESCO World Heritage Lake Baikal & Siberia
Lake Baikal
The deepest and oldest lake on Earth, enormously clear and framed by forested mountains.
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The Caucasus
Mount Elbrus
A twin-peaked snow volcano and Europe's highest mountain by the usual definition.
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UNESCO World Heritage Moscow
St. Basil's Cathedral
Nine painted chapels crowd together at the southern edge of Red Square, forming the most recognisable skyline in Russia.
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UNESCO World Heritage Golden Ring
Suzdal
A small riverside town of white-stone churches, wooden houses and monasteries, best explored on foot.
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UNESCO World Heritage Kamchatka & the Far East
Valley of Geysers
A steaming volcanic canyon of geysers and hot springs, reached only by helicopter.
Explore by region
Regions of this country, from the capital to the far corners.
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Moscow Squares, domes and the metro · 3 places -
St. Petersburg Palaces, canals, white nights · 3 places -
Golden Ring Ancient towns north-east of Moscow · 3 places -
Kazan & the Volga Where Tatar and Russian cultures meet · 2 places -
Karelia & the North Lakes, forests, wooden churches · 2 places -
The Caucasus High peaks and ancient cities · 2 places -
Lake Baikal & Siberia Ice, taiga and the great railway · 3 places -
Kamchatka & the Far East Volcanoes at the edge of the Pacific · 2 places -
Baltic Coast Dunes and pine forest by the sea · 1 place