Russia

As the world’s largest country, spanning 11 time zones and stretching across more than 6.5 million square miles, it can be tricky to know where to start when it comes to Russia holidays, but we’re here to help home in on the best bits.

With stand-out cities like Moscow and St Petersburg, plus epic landscapes and impressive train rides, holidays in Russia have something for everyone.

For culture vultures and history buffs, Russia is an absolute treasure trove. The capital, Moscow, boasts sites of enormous historical and political significance which are truly fascinating, such as the Kremlin, Lenin’s Mausoleum and the stunning St. Basil’s Cathedral – all of which are conveniently located in Red Square.

But St Petersburg isn’t willing to be left behind. There, visitors can take in the Winter Palace, State Hermitage Museum, Peter and Paul Fortress and – remarkably similar to St Basil’s – the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood. Plus, if you like your art or just really, really expensive eggs, St Petersburg is also home to the Faberge Museum.

A cool place to visit as a day trip from St Petersburg is Kizhi Island, located in Lake Onega. Great for family holidays in Russia, the UNESCO World Heritage site is one of just a few places where Russian wooden architecture is still standing.

Russia is also a fabulous place for winter sports. Located near the Black Sea and the border with Georgia, Rosa Khutor is a great ski resort and was used during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. East of Rosa Khutor, Dombay is another option for those looking to hurtle downhill at break- neck speeds, while significantly further east – close to Mongolia and Khazakstan – you’ll find Sheregesh, another popular alpine resort.

As we mentioned, Russia is also known for its epic train journeys, with the most spectacular being the Trans-Siberian – but it’s not the only one. If you want to hop between cities, the train from Moscow to Kazan offers stunning views throughout, plus the bonus of ending up in a fantastically dynamic city with loads to do. For something a little more remote, catch the train from St Petersburg to Murmansk – the largest city north of the Arctic Circle – which runs up the border with Finland.