Russia

1. The Hermitage

In 1764, Catherine the Great founded the Hermitage Museum, one of the oldest museums in the world. Since that time the museum has garnered over three million works of art and artifacts, which make it one of the best examples of world art and culture on earth. Five of the six buildings that comprise the Hermitage complex are open to the public, and if you visit on the first Thursday of the month, you can enter free of charge!

Website: www.hermitagemuseum.org

2: Peterhof Palace

This attraction is often referred to as the “Russian Versaille” for its grand and majestic qualities. Reserve an afternoon for walking through the series of palaces and gardens of Peterhof Palace. Some of the popular areas here include the Grand Cascade and the Samson Fountain. Other must-sees include the lower gardens and the Grand Palace. This is a big undertaking but the beauty of the palaces and gardens is well worth the walk!

Website: www.saint-petersburg.com

3: St. Isaac’s Cathedral

When admiring the St. Petersburg skyline, the dome and outline of St. Isaac’s are impossible to miss. This is the biggest Russian orthodox cathedral in the city, and arguably one of the most stunning. When studying the intricate and impressive designs of the exterior, one is not surprised to learn that the construction of this building took 40 years. The interior is just as magnificent as the exterior, so be sure to set aside enough time to see both!

Website: www.saint-petersburg.com

4: Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

The Russian style church’s name is derived from the decision to build the church on the very spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated. Starting in 1883 construction began and what stands today is a colorful and unique architectural dedication to the Tsar whose reforms and policies were as life changing in Russia as a visit to this church has the potential to be for all who visit.

Website: www.saint-petersburg.com

5: Peter and Paul Fortress

The fortress can be at first overlooked by tourists who don’t know about its varied and interesting history. Peter and Paul Fortress has served as a prison holding some of Russia’s biggest political prisoners, the burial ground for the Russian imperial family, a military base, the site of government departments, and the place where innovative scientific experiments have taken place. Nowadays this venue is used for many permanent and temporary exhibitions conducted by the St. Petersburg Museum of History.

Website: www.spbmuseum.ru

6: Palace Square

In the city center sits Palace Square, a large, rectangular area surrounded by many large buildings that vary greatly in their architectural style. On one end you’ll see the Baroque style Winter Palace, and on another the classical style former Imperial Army General Staff building. Rising over everything in the square is the Alexander Column, a nice centerpiece for this stunning architectural area.

Website: www.insider-tour.com

7: Nevsky Prospect

Most of the premiere shopping and nightlife are located either on or directly off of this main avenue of St. Petersburg. In addition to lively social opportunities, Nevsky Prospect also offers some excellent sight-seeing. The Kazan Cathedral, a Catherine the Great monument, an 18th Stroganov Palace and the Russian National Library can all be found here!

Website: www.nevsky-prospekt.com

8: Russian Museum

This stunning collection of Russian fine art is rivaled only by Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. The museum’s history began when the incredibly nationalist Tsar Alexander III wanted to create a collection of Russian art by Russian artists. The main building is a piece of artwork in itself, the Mikhailovsky Palace.

Website: www.rusmuseum.ru

9: Peter and Paul Cathedral

The Peter and Paul Cathedral is located inside the Peter and Paul Fortress. It has the world’s tallest orthodox bell tower and is the first and oldest landmark in St. Petersburg. From Peter the Great to Nicholas II, all the Russian emperors’ and empresses’ remains can be found here. The golden spire and angel at its top are one of the most important symbols for the city.

Website: www.spbmuseum.ru

10: Mariinsky Theatre

Mariinsky Theatre is the home of the Mariinsky Ballet, Opera and Orchestra. It is arguably the most historic theatre in St. Petersburg for ballet and opera. Today it still hosts a number of performances throughout the year and is a great example of Russian art and culture.

Website: www.mariinsky.ru

1: Moscow Kremlin

When visiting Moscow, Russia, give a special attention to its heart – Moscow Kremlin. Situated on the central square of the Moscow City, Kremlin is a huge and fascinating complex, which includes 4 cathedrals, 5 palaces and Kremlin towers with the enclosing Kremlin Wall. That’s a historical place to visit, where you can learn a lot of stuff and feel the breath of Soviet Union era. Currently, Moscow Kremlin serves as the official residence for Russian Federation President.

Website: www.moscow.info

2: Red Square

Red Square is the central square in Moscow, where you can enjoy the local architecture, museums, monuments and Moscow Kremlin. For those, particularly interested in history of Soviet Union, we strongly recommend to visit Lenin’s Mausoleum, which you can find on Red Square. The square itself takes 1,080 feet long and 230 feet wide, what marks it as a huge territory to explore. Time, which you dedicate to sightseeing Red Square, won’t be wasted: Red Square has a lot of stories to tell.

Website: www.mydestination.com

3: St. Basil’s Cathedral

People say, St. Basil’s Cathedral is covered with mystery and undiscovered facts. It is a momentous church, which impresses by its authentic architecture and creative approach to standard structure. It is richly decorated and, what is the most important, has a special feature in its shapes. St. Basil’s Cathedral consists of eight churches, which are concentrated around the central ninth. There are many ideas about the sense of such position’s decision, but no one actually has discovered the truth yet.

Website: www.sacred-destinations.com

4: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

The process of building and decorating the church took many years, money and efforts. The interior of Cathedral of Christ the Saviour amazes due to its marvelous decoration and precious stones used. Inside the cathedral, curious tourists will find religious paintings and memorial boards, which are cultural inheritance from different historical eras. The other interesting thing to explore is observation balcony on the top of the building, which offers 40-meter panoramic view.

Website: www.xxc.ru

5: Moscow Metro

You might think, so what’s so special about metro in Moscow? But your question will almost immediately disappear when you enter the underground railway station in Moscow. It was opened in 1935 and from that time it has expanded rapidly. It consists of 4 stages, each of them has something interesting to see. It’s quite unexpected for most tourists, who enter Moscow Metro at first to see a picture gallery inside. Moscow Metro is a way of transportation, simultaneously it is a museum and an archive.

Website: www.viator.com

6: Bolshoi Theatre

If you are a fan of plays and opera performances, if you like being a part of art, you should definitely visit Bolshoi Theatre. It has an old and neoclassical façade, decorated with rich and amazing details. Inside the theatre you can feel authentic spirit of former Russian Imperia, experience the magical acoustic features during the opera play and enjoy the breathtaking beauty of interior. Bolshoi Theatre is recognized as the 2nd biggest theatre in the Europe. Don’t miss the chance to visit it!

Website: www.bolshoi.ru

7: Gorky Park

Gorky Park must be on to-do list of every tourist who visits Moscow. It is an amusement park, where you can relax, chat with friends and find interesting entertaining activities. It offers a lot of options for doing sports, like skating, aerobics, yoga, hokey. It has a lake, so feel comfortable to make a little a picnic near it and enjoy the peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. Moreover, Gorky Park offers a huge variety of dining places, where you can try traditional Russian food.

Website: www.park-gorkogo.com

8: Tretyakov Gallery

Tretyakov Gallery is the right place to spend time on exploring the world’s masterpieces. Those, who are fans of art, will be amazed by the impressive variety of paintings in the museum. Having a long history, Tretyakov Gallery survived through many fights and reconstructions and still obtains its authentic atmosphere of creativity and delicacy. Gallery isn’t only a museum, but also it is a historical building and cultural inheritance of Moscow city. Millions of toursits visit it each year. You should become one of them!

Website: www.tretyakovgallery.ru

9: Flea Market in Izmailovo

Get the authentic and original souvenirs from Moscow by visiting the most popular local souvenir market Flea in Izmailovo. You will be surprised by the diversity of local goods, crafts and paintings. We recommend visiting market on Saturday’s as there arrive traders from the different regions of Russia. You can experience Russian culture, find out more details about traditions and communicate with locals. On shelves you can find goods, which depict almost all historical eras in Russia.

Website: www.mydestination.com

10: Cathedral of the Assumption

Cathedral of the Assumption attracts many tourists because of its long history and fabulous architecture. In its interior, architects have chosen tremendous forms, monumental arches and breathtaking icons. Church has many religious paintings, which dates staring from 17th century.

Website: www.sacred-destinations.com

Top 10 St. Petersburg, Russia Tourist Attractions

Top 10 Moscow, Russia Tourist Attractions