Russia's most beautiful destinations

Kremlin means fortress, and these can be found in many Russian cities. The most famous one is in the capital Moscow. In former times the Grand Dukes, later the Soviet government, and nowadays President Putin rule here. Together with Red Square, the Kremlin is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tourists can visit the many churches, palaces and the armory which incorporates the Kremlin treasures.

Luxurious residential towers, superlative office space — money rules in the new Moscow City district. Russia is a country steeped in contrasts. Communism and capitalism, wealth and poverty, glittering skyscrapers and Soviet monuments. It is exactly this mixture that makes a visit to Russia so exciting.

For two centuries the vast country was ruled from St. Petersburg. The city on the Neva River still impresses visitors today with its baroque Tsarist splendor: the Hermitage, the Petershof (pictured), the Winter Palace and the like attract visitors. Especially during the White Nights in June, when the sun does not set and the city is bathed in magical light.

One of the most popular travel routes is the Golden Ring north-east of Moscow. It leads through eight old Russian trading towns. They still shine today with countless Orthodox monasteries and churches. A beautiful example is the Trinity Monastery of the city of Sergiyev Posad (pictured).

In the very west of Russia you will find Kaliningrad, a city with German roots that was destroyed in the Second World War. Until 1945 it was called Königsberg, and its most famous son is the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. The town's landmark is the reconstructed 14th century Königsberg Cathedral.

At the easternmost end of Russia lies the Kamchatka Peninsula. In the past it was a restricted area, but today you can discover the bizarre beauty of the landscape on trekking tours. There are more than 300 volcanoes, many of them active. About 10,000 brown bears live here. And they prefer to eat — no, not tourists — salmon, thousands of which frolic in the rivers.

The Volga river is 3,500 km (2,175 mi) long and considered the cradle of Russia. It is worshiped in songs and poems. On its shores there are large metropolises and small towns that can be explored by tourists on cruises. Five of the 11 World Cup venues are also located on the Volga: Kazan, Samara, Saransk, Nizhny Novgorod and Volgograd.

In Volgograd, the former Stalingrad, one of the decisive battles of the Second World War took place. The 80-metre-high (262 ft) statue "Mother Home" commemorates the approximately 700,000 people who died in the fighting. The completely destroyed city was rebuilt in the 1950s and 1960s. Soviet-style is back in fashion these days with retro fans.

At 9,288 kilometers the Trans-Siberian is the longest railway line in the world. The classic journey route from Moscow to Vladivostok takes seven to nine days. The choice is yours whether to travel on a regular train or comfortably on a special train and whether to book overnight stays with host families or hotels. It is definitely the best way to get to know the largest country in the world.

Siberia covers about three quarters of the surface of Russia. It starts where Europe ends and Asia begins, namely in the Ural Mountains. Here the seemingly endless steppes of the tundra and the dark forests of the taiga stretch out. Many ethnic groups — such as Buryats, Ewenks or Tuvinians — still call this home. They have preserved their customs and are best-known for their hospitality.

The lake of superlatives lies in southern Siberia. It is 636 km long, 48 km wide and 1,637 meters deep — the oldest and deepest freshwater lake in the world. Hotels and hostels offer backpacker tours lasting several days. Lake Baikal is perfect for hiking, but for swimming? At a maximum water temperature of 10 degrees (50° F) this is not everyone's cup of tea.

With water temperatures of 24 degrees in midsummer and a subtropical climate, Sochi is the summer capital of Russia. In the back country the mountains of the Caucasus beckon, while the palm trees of the beach promenade are perfect for a stroll. Sochi is the southernmost venue of the World Cup. For players and fans a hot affair, because a dip in the Black Sea does not exactly promise a cooling off.