Moscow: The capital of the Russian Republic is surrounded by hills that surround the city and which are mixed with exquisite taste monuments, parks and residential areas. Furrowed by
the Moskva River, the city is dotted with numerous canals and navigable rivers that link with other parts of the country connecting the Baltic Sea, the Black, the White, the Azov and the Caspian. But it is not only well connected through the water, Moscow has an impressive array of communications networks, air, has an airport that accepts international flights land and an excellent network of rail and road. This has allowed the capital of the Republic has developed a very diversified economy both in industry and in the food sector and especially in the publishing field. Moscow also has a great network of metro lines and numerous bus, tram and trolleybus. The tour can be started by one of the most representative of the entire Commonwealth of Independent States, the Red Square.
St. Petersburg: Built by Peter the Great in order to be the window to Occidente', St. Petersburg is the most European city in Russia and is considered the Venice of the North for its palace-lined waterways. The beautiful work of Tsar managed to break the architectural homogeneity of Stalinism, and its Tsarist monuments remained virtually untouched. On the shores of the Gulf of Finland, sculpted by islands and the sinuous Neva River, the city stands with great elegance and maintaining its geometry. Among its attractions are the Hermitage Museum in the Winter Palace, the Peter and Paul Fortress and the Nevsky Prospect.
Novgorod: Only 190 km southwest of St. Petersburg is located Novgorod, a city founded in the ninth century and the first Russian political and cultural center for 600 years. After being annexed by Kiev, Ivan the Terrible and razed, and in the twentieth century, was methodically destroyed by the Nazis; still, Novgorod offers plenty to see. His Kremlin houses the Byzantine cathedral of St. Sophia, the Millennium Monument Russia, Facets chamber, lined with icons and the Museum of History and Art, created to foster research. Crossing the Kremlin, Yaroslav's Court consists of medieval markets, churches, arcades and remains of palaces. The Church of Our Savior in Ilino is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the country, with wonderful decorations and gables and an interior full of Byzantine frescoes.
Siberian Railway: The railway transiveriano path is the best way to discover this vast country. In his six-day covers 9,446 km, from Moscow to Vladivostok on the Pacific Ocean, through endless pine and birch forests, settlement of wooden houses and vast steppes. Life aboard the train can be boring or fascinating as fellow adventure novels accompanying tourists and the kindness of guard convoy for Life. The route heads to Lake Baikal, waterway the size of Belgium and home to the only freshwater seal in the world called Nerpa, and multicultural city of Irkutsk, one of the most beautiful spots in all the way. Ulan Ude Ivolguinsk Datsan houses the birthplace of Buddhism in the country. For travelers who are used to the intermittent rhythm of the train and enjoy the wooded landscape and remote villages, this will be a memorable experience.
Volga River: With its 3,700 km, the main artery from the heart of Russia is the longest river in Europe. The Volga slowly meanders from Yaroslavl, north of Moscow, up to Volgograd (formerly known as Stalingrad), before emptying into the Caspian Sea. The Volga-Don navigable canal linking the two rivers heading to the Sea of Azov. Cruise ships and steamships invade the waters of the Volga; Perhaps the most interesting area is the one that is between Volgograd and Rostov and follows the course of the Don. Among the cities of river travel, are Kazan, one of the oldest Tatar cities in Russia with a Kremlin limestone and numerous mosques, and Ulyanovsk, a city where Lenin was born. Volgograd is famous for the long and decisive battle that took place in the Second World War between the German and Russian armies. Since then, the city has been completely rebuilt, and it proliferate museums and monuments.
Sochi With the Caucasus mountains as a backdrop, the point of Sochi resort on the Black Sea is Russia's Odessa. With its subtropical climate, warm seas and adjoining trendy resort Dagomys, it appeals equally to heads of state, local and foreign tourists. The gardens are one of the attractions of the city, as well as therapeutic centers and dachas (country houses) belonging to the powerful and famous. Inland, you can discover waterfalls, great views from the tops, and panoramic alpine resorts.
SYMBOLS OF RUSSIA
Red Square: Under the assumption Square historians existed since the second half of the 14th century for the first time mentioned as a place "El Comercio" in 1434. At that time Muscovites gave another name "The Fire", by wooden stalls burned frequently. In Red Square it was made known the most important news. In the mid-16th century built St. Basil's Cathedral, and the mid-17th century the square becomes the most beautiful city. "Krasniy" in old Russian means beautiful or red. The "Beautiful Plaza" or "Red Square" today is the heart of Moscow and All Russia. She extends 695 m long and 130 m wide along the east wall of the Kremlin occupy an area of nearly 70,000 square meters.
Kremlin: The word "Kremlin" means "walled city" and is a little hill surrounded by huge walls of brick. The "entry" to the Kremlin called "Gate of the Holy Trinity." It is the gateway to the ordinary people. The other input to the Kremlin, is where the rulers come from Red Square, and is called "Entry of the Divine Redeemer." Under the Clock Tower in Red Square, the clock that marks the "time" to Russia. The body of the Kremlin are five Christian churches, and a building of the Communist government. Of the five churches, four are "cathedrals," impressive, with external vaults "real gold", and majestic interior: The Cathedral of the Assumption, the Cathedral of San Miguel, Cathedral of the Annunciation Cathedral 12 Apostles, and the Church of the Deposition (this is no cathedral, but it is beautiful). With these names are known during the Communist government. And aside, a modern 4-storey building, the headquarters of the Communist Party and government. Okay, but nothing compared to the splendor of the Cathedrals, !, unnoticed until they tell you it is the Party Central ...
Tourism in Russia.
Russia abounds in works of natural, historical and cultural heritage to attract tourists.
The northern areas - White Sea, Barents Sea, Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Karelia and Kola peninsula - are popular destinations for ecotourism, cruise tourism in Russia knowledge, hunting, fishing and mountain skiing.
Northwest Russia - St. Petersburg, Pskov and Novgorod - seduces lovers of history and culture. It is also a good starting point for cruises, river cruises and an excellent setting for congresses and business meetings.
The region of Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave on the Baltic, specializes in business tourism, cruises and vacation programs with medical treatment.
The capital of Russia and the Moscow region are perfect for business and cultural events, as well as for car trips can be combined with visits to museums and monuments of the ancient times.
The Golden Ring is a circuit of ancient cities of central Russia, rich in history.
The area of the Volga (Nizhny Novgorod, Astrakhan, Volgograd, Samara, Ulyanovsk, Chuvashia and Tatarstan) offers all the conditions for tourism or business knowledge. Cruising the Volga are the main attraction.
The Caucasus is famous for mountain tourism, skiing and mineral springs in the north, and summer resorts on the Black Sea coast.
Siberia has many attractions, in particular, the mountainous region of Altai with its fascinating natural passages and monuments of ancient civilizations; Shoria, often referred to as 'Switzerland Siberian'; virgin territories around Baikal, the deepest lake in the world; or Yakutia, a paradise for ecotourism.
The Pacific coast and other territories of the Russian Far East are unparalleled. Sakhalin and the Kuril islands are ideal for rest, hunting and fishing. And in the Kamchatka volcanoes are famous and the most attractive routes for different types of tourism.
Types of tourism in Russia
Mountaineering. One of the key criteria for this type of activity is a high level of safety, achieved largely thanks to Russian instructors training system is one of the best in the world.
Trekking, mountain trails or hiking at an altitude of 2,000 meters, is the most simple and affordable option for beginners. Note that in Russia, unlike Nepal for example, there will be special cargo porters to help you out.
The geography of these routes is varied and stretches from the Kola Peninsula in the northwest and the southern Caucasus to the Far East of Russia.
The most popular destinations are the Caucasus and the area of Elbrus in Kabardino-Balkaria is famous for its snowy peaks, glaciers, stormy rivers, waterfalls and mineral springs. Elbrus is the highest peak in Europe (5642 meters). Other attractive points are Arkhyz Caucasus, Dombai and Krasnaya Polyana. Here one can visit ancient cathedrals, mountain lakes, caves and tea plantations.
Some routes cross the Arctic Circle, for example, Khibiny area in the north of the Urals which never gets dark in summer; others focus on a voyage from Europe to Asia, with visits to various parks and natural attractions of the Urals, Altai and Sayani. Kamchatka in eastern Russia, offers tourists the chance to take a look inside the volcanic craters.
Tourists will have the necessary experience mountaineering.
The most popular promotion in Russia are Mount Elbrus - two-headed cone of a volcano off with 5642 meters high in the west and 5622 meters peak in eastern peak - or at Belukha, which is the highest mountain in Siberia (4,506 meters). The latter is in Altay, a mountainous region that extends to the territory of three countries - Russia, China and Mongolia - and is one of the few places in the world that attracts tourists, apart from its beauty - with stone idols pagan monuments and mystical signs engraved on the rocks.
Other attractions for mountaineers are Kliuchevskaya Sopka in Kamchatka (4850 meters) - the largest of the Eurasian volcanoes - and the highest peak of the eastern range of Sayani, Munku-Sardyk (3491 meters), located near Lake Baikal.
Water tourism. Russia has 2.5 million 2.7 million rivers and lakes, so the water tourism - canoeing, rafting, kayaking, trips in catamarans or other boats - enjoy huge popularity here. The offer includes both simple routes, suitable for tourists traveling with children, as the extreme practices in areas where the only way to get there is up to the helicopter.
The best places for rafting - rafting on river rapids in large rubber rafts that offer security and amenities required for groups of 6 to 12 people - are Altai, Karelia and Caucasus. There are attractive routes in northwest Russia, the Kola Peninsula rivers which have been well explored by tourists. You can also travel to Yakutia in Eastern Siberia, where the flow Indigirka, Kolyma and the Lena, one of the ten largest rivers in the world. The population density in Yakutia is an individual three square kilometers, so the exotic and the end can be combined here with a virtually untouched nature. As to Altay, it is said to be synonymous with paradise for rafting professionals.
The kayak, small Eskimo boat for one person, leads to a balsa-raft speed and is ideal for sailing in stormy waters, including waterfalls and rapids. Kayaking management requires serious preparation, including the habit of putting a canoe in the correct position around the stream as the Eskimos do without leave. In Russia there are also routes for sea kayaks, for example, to the island of Olkhon, in the middle of Baikal, where tourists can begin in shamanic rituals and eating fresh fish the deepest lake on the planet.
Cycling. This type of tourism in Russia offers very attractive circuits, including one that crosses the ancient Russian cities of the Golden Ring - northwest from Moscow, Vladimir, Suzdal, Rostov, Kostroma and Yaroslavl - giving one the opportunity to meet the way both fascinating architectural monuments like the Russian nature.
Other options are travel to the source of the Volga, the beautiful isthmus of Karelia, nature reserves and Tovojarvi Valaam, or a visit to Pskov, one of the oldest cities located in northwest Russia.
In the Urals, one can republish the routes of nomads and gold diggers, or through the natural park Bashkiria, near the border with Shulgan-Tash, the world's only reserve bees.
There are cycling routes on the coast of Baikal or in the mountains and steppes of Altay, but usually mixed tours offered here where car trips, horseback riding and descents on mountain rivers alternate.
Snowmobile crossings. The snows of Russia does not need special advertising. Between December and March, tourists have an excellent opportunity for winter travel, starting with the simplest paths and ending with really extreme hiking.
In Karelia you can visit the Kivach waterfall, which is the second in Europe in height; Martial Agua spa, founded by Peter the Great; the museum of ancient wooden architecture on the island of Kizhi in Lake Onega; and the natural park Paanajärvi.
Arkhangelsk area will be possible to travel in a snowmobile Bolshiye island Solovki in the White Sea, where there is a monastery of the XV century.
You can also travel to the great lakes of the Kola Peninsula, or the mountain passes to Khibiny, or along the coast of the White Sea.
If you are in Siberia, the ideal circuit variants are the taiga and racing on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal.
In the Far East of Russia, it is best to combine a snowmobile trip with skiing and mountain ascents to the volcanoes of Kamchatka.
Jeep Safaris. Unlike the usual travel by car, a jeep safari covering routes that are not passable but in a vehicle with four-wheel drive. The lack of good roads - deficiency that is typical of the vast Russian geography - becomes a clear advantage for these kinds of trips. Many natural attractions and cultural heritage works of Russia are at a significant distance from modern highways but not comfort but exotic impressions and adrenaline fans seeking jeep safari. For a foreigner in Russia is absolutely extreme journey.
Good parts of the jeep safaris are organized from late spring to mid-autumn but there are winter cruises.
The practice of 'jeeping' intensely developed in the areas of Krasnodar, St. Petersburg, Karelia, Altai, Baikal and Kamchatka but the supply is still limited.
In the middle of the journey, drivers often do unexpected scales, for example, when the caravan through small rivers. The water penetrates into the vehicle so that passengers left with no choice but to lower and push the car forward, then episode remembered as one of the strongest impressions of the trip.
There are interesting excursions in the region of Altay, for example, a tour of the Chuy route formerly used by caravans traveling between Russia and China. In the Baikal area it is included in the package a break on the coast, with fishing, hiking, motorboat and, of course, practices diving in the clear waters of the deepest lake on the planet. If you come in February or March, you can admire the amazing pictures that Nature has created from ice and snow on the surface of the Baikal.
Karelia is the most advanced region in the plane of the offer 'jeeping'. The agencies not only offer tours that combine mixed jeep safari trips to the islands of Kizhi and Valaam or down the rapids of rivers but also the opportunity to participate as a passenger in the annual race 4x4 Trophey Karelia.
Speaking of money, a jeep safari is obviously not the cheapest option, especially if the itinerary is unique. A cruise on todorerreno involves petrol costs and maintenance, except that the final price is influenced by the airfares, but there are many tourists willing to pay for this unique combination of comfort, relaxation and outdoor extreme sensations, so the future of 'jeeping' in Russia looks rather encouraging.
Speleotourism. It is an ideal way to spend some alone time and admire the magnificence and strength of Nature opportunity. In Russia there are many caves, some of which are known universally. They are found in virtually all areas of the country, for example in Arkhangelsk, Siberia, Kamchatka, Far East, Kuril Islands, Urals and Caucasus.
Some caves as Kapov in the Urals, or Denisov in Altay have been enabled for tourist excursions but there is also less crowded and options that require special mountaineering equipment.
In many caves they are being conducted archaeological excavations and one can see on the walls painted by primitive man images.
Freeride skiing and snowboarding. The mountain skiers are no longer content with the beaten tracks: the fascinating descent prefer virgin, covered with snow or ice, natural obstacles and trampolines aspects. Freeride charm is also due to a sense of exclusivity: no crowds of skiers next to no queues for the cable car.
To reach the starting point of the descent, one can use the helicopter. This practice is called heliski or heli and allows extended decline at a distance of 30 or 50 kilometers, with slopes of up to 1,000 meters.
Ecotourism. The nature of Russia, with its vast geography, and unique wilderness landscape diversity offers very spacious for ecotourism opportunities. There are 35 national parks covering an area of 6,925,696 hectares, or 0.4% of the country. Nine parks, located in the vicinity of large cities, receive annually about 1.5 million visits. Elbrus Natural Park, located in the Caucasus and is specialized in mountain tourism and downhill skiing, is visited annually by 300,000 people. There are also places where traditional forms of Aboriginal economy, of great ecological and cultural value, for example, in Siberia, in the north and in the mountainous areas are preserved.
Ecotourism in Russia has a very considerable potential because here, as in any other country in the world, historically practiced sports and improvised, comparable to the western variant adventure travel tourism. By 1989, about 20 million Russians were engaged in such activities, although not strictly belonging to the environmental movement itself took care of nature at its most.
Ecotourism fans can visit exotic plant communities as the tundra in summer, make the most attractive natural works of the country, started in the rural life in some remote region or help scientists in their environmental studies, for example, count the ungulates in a nature reserve.
Virtually any form of ecotourism has a place in Russia, the most popular forms of hiking, climbing, fishing, horseback riding, water travel, botanical, archaeological or paleontological excursions.
