8 Best Places to Visit in Russia

1. 5. Veliky Novgorod

1.1. Veliky Novgorod claims to be the birthplace of Russia

1.1.1. since its early residents invited the Scandinavian Prince Rurik to rule Russia

1.1.1.1. creating a ruling dynasty that lasted 750 years

1.2. Top sights include

1.2.1. Saint Sophia Cathedral

1.2.2. and Bell Tower

1.2.3. the Hanseatic Fountain

1.2.3.1. said to return 1,000 rubles for every one thrown into it

1.2.4. and a host of museums

1.2.4.1. including ones on iron, porcelain and history

1.3. Located on Lake Ilmen

1.3.1. Veliky Novgorod is a good place

1.3.1.1. to eat borscht and buy bio-honey

2. 6. Golden Ring

2.1. The Golden Ring strings together several cities

2.1.1. outside of Moscow that fill the senses with awe

2.2. Picturesque countrysides filled with

2.2.1. cherry orchards, quaint cottages, onion-shaped domes and iconic churches

2.2.1.1. that contain the country’s oldest art make this region a special place to visit

2.3. One of the oldest regions in Russia

2.3.1. today it is very popular with Russian tourists

2.3.1.1. who want to experience a bygone era

2.4. The traditional way to view the cities and towns

2.4.1. makes a counter clockwise loop beginning and ending in Moscow

2.4.1.1. Vladimir

2.4.1.2. Suzdal

2.4.1.3. Kostroma

2.4.1.4. Yaroslavl

2.4.1.5. Rostov Velikiy

2.4.1.6. Pereslavl-Zalesskiy

2.4.1.7. and Sergiev Posad

2.5. Some of the sites to see in Golden Ring include

2.5.1. White stone churches

2.5.2. monasteries

2.5.3. and fortresses

3. 7. Kazan

3.1. Kazan is sometimes referred to as the Istanbul of the Volga

3.1.1. because it is a city where European and Asian cultures meet

3.2. The capital of Tatarstan is a lovely city

3.2.1. where church tower and minarets fill the skyline

3.3. Sights to see include

3.3.1. the remains of the Kazan Kremlin

3.3.1.1. that was destroyed by Ivan the Terrible

3.3.2. the Kul-Sharif Mosque

3.3.2.1. named after a man killed defending Kazan from Ivan

3.3.3. Bauman Street

3.3.3.1. a pedestrian shopping street.

4. 8. Yekaterinburg

4.1. Yekaterinburg is an industrial city in the Ural Mountains

4.1.1. that has many things going for it

4.2. It is largely remembered as the place

4.2.1. where Tsar Nicholas, the last tsar of Russia

4.2.1.1. and his family were executed in 1918 during the Russian Revolution

4.3. Today’s Yekaterinburg has a vibrant cultural scene

4.3.1. Which is home to

4.3.1.1. many libraries

4.3.1.2. theaters and playwrights

4.3.1.3. dance companies

4.3.1.4. and Russian rock bands

4.4. Russia’s fourth largest city also has more than 30 museums

4.4.1. including the oldest wood sculpture in the world at the Shigir Collection

4.4.2. another museum houses more than 300 Nevyansk icons

5. Benefits of Mind Mapping pdf guide --->

6. 1. Vladivostok

6.1. Mountains and bays surround Vladivostok

6.1.1. making it a stunning beautiful city in Russia’s east

6.2. The last stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway

6.2.1. Vladivostok is the country’s largest port on the Pacific Ocean

6.3. The city offers many cultural attractions

6.3.1. from theaters to museums to concerts

6.3.1.1. actor Yul Brynner was born here in 1920

6.4. Travelers may want to stroll through some of the city’s lovely parks

6.4.1. including Minny Gorodok

6.4.1.1. which was once a military base

6.5. The city’s main square is Admiralsky Skver

6.5.1. with a museum devoted to a submarine nearby

7. 2. Saint Petersburg

7.1. Russia’s second largest city may be known as Leningrad

7.1.1. but most people refer to it by

7.1.1.1. its birth name, St. Petersburg

7.2. Because of its location on the Neva River

7.2.1. which feeds into the Gulf of Finland and then into the Baltic Sea

7.2.1.1. the city is a popular northern cruise destination

7.3. Known as the cultural capital of Russia

7.3.1. the city boasts one of the finest art collections in the world at the Hermitage

7.3.2. with churches adding to the city’s magnificent art

7.4. Nevsky Prospekt is the city’s famous shopping and dining street

8. 3. Nizhny Novgorod

8.1. Russia’s fifth largest city sits at the confluence

8.1.1. of the Volga and Oka rivers

8.2. The town began as a fortress in the 13th century

8.2.1. at one time it was known as Gorky

8.2.1.1. after Maxim Gorky who was born here

8.3. The old town is walled in

8.3.1. though the Archangel Cathedral was about the only thing

8.3.1.1. standing after the city was devastated by Bolsheviks

8.4. Nizhny Novgorod is a good place to visit which include

8.4.1. more than 600 monuments and statues

8.4.2. at least 200 art museums

8.4.3. and concert halls

9. 4. Moscow

9.1. Moscow is the capital city of Russia

9.2. This city of more than 12 million

9.2.1. is also well known for its artistic endeavors, including

9.2.1.1. ballet

9.2.1.2. symphonies

9.2.1.3. and art

9.3. Onion-shaped domes of historic churches fill the skyline

9.4. The stately Kremlin and impressive Red Square

9.4.1. one of the largest squares in the world

9.4.1.1. are sights not to be missed

9.4.1.2. as are statues of Lenin and Stalin

9.5. Further evidence that Moscow’s past wasn’t always squeaky clean

9.5.1. can be seen in the Gulag and Cold War museums.