I want to show you some of my favorite places in the beautiful country of Russia, so here’s my Russian top 10. Russia is home to some of the world’s most stunning landscapes. The country is full of incredible Scenery, Intriguing history, and some of the world’s most peculiar places from the coast of the black sea to the mountains of Siberia. Russia just has so much to offer.
1. Kamchatka
For our first location, we’re going to head to the Kamchatka peninsula. Now, this may be one of the wildest and most beautiful places in all of Russia. It is a sea battered land dotted with over 160 volcanoes. It’s Russia’s version of Iceland with a little bit of Alaska. The volcanic peninsula is home to bear killer wells and some of the most stunning places I’ve ever seen, the largest active volcano on the peninsula and all of Eurasia are there. I won’t even try to pronounce it extended, oppressive, four thousand seven hundred and fifty meters tall. The capital of the peninsula is Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, it’s an impressive city that is dwarfed over by massive volcanoes. There are no roads from mainland Russia that lead to Kamchatka, so the best way to get there is by plane. I think this may be one of the most beautiful yet undiscovered places in the world.
2. Siberia
After Kamchatka, we’re going to head over to Siberia. Siberia is just this massive region. It makes up more than three-fourths of Russia’s land area, but only about 25 of Russia’s population lives there, due to its remoteness and harsh weather. One of the craziest places in Siberia in all of Russia is lake Baikal located in the southern part of Siberia. Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake in the world. It contains more than 20 percent of all the roads and fresh water. I mean take that in for a second, it’s also the world’s deepest lake, with a depth of 1642m, it’s home to one of the only freshwater sills during the winter months.
The ice can freeze to be two meters thick. One of the easiest ways to get across is with a hoverboard or you can have a winter workout and ice skate on the road’s largest ice rink. Olkhon island is the third largest island on the lake and is home to Lake Baikal's, the most famous landmark, the shaman rock. Several vibrantly colored ritual poles hold a secret significance to the native people
3. Altai mountains
After lake Baikal, we’re going to visit the Altai mountains. This mountain range is nicknamed the Switzerland of Siberia, and I understand why I’m just blown away by the scenery here. Altai mountains are a mountain range that is located not only in Russia but also extends to Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. Altai translates to the golden mountain and I have to say that the Altai scenery lives up to its name with its unique colors and golden vegetation. The tallest point in the Altai is the Belukha mountain. It stands at an impressive 4509 meters tall. One of the best places to see the peaks is from the great shore lake down below another incredible spot on the outside is the Aktru Valley. It’s a stunning glacier valley that is dwarfed over by this unique steep mountain. I mean it’d just be so cool to camp there I mean who would have thought Russia looks so much like Switzerland.
4. Ergaki Nature Park
Another stunning place in Siberia is the Ergaki Nature Park. Now it’s located in the western mountain range more than a 14-hour stride from the Altai mountains Ergaki might as well be called the dolomites or Russia because that’s what they remind me of it’s a beautiful park, full of impressive peaks and alpine scenery. One of the coolest features of Ergaki is the brother's rock formation. It creates an almost perfect parabola, I mean just such a cool shape. Ergaki is just another one of Russia’s many hidden gems I hope you all can see
5. Vladivostok
After that, we’re going to head over to the pacific ocean to the port city of Vladivostok. When you look at where the city is on the map, it’s in a very peculiar spot, it’s located right at the southeastern tip of Russia. It’s right next to China, and it’s just a four-hour drive to the border of North Korea. I’m just impressed with this city. It’s so green and has beautiful surroundings on the coast. Vladivostok is the largest Russian port on the pacific ocean. It marks the end of the trans-Siberian railway. It’s a seven-day journey, all the way back to Moscow. Now the forest and mountains around Vladivostok are home to the incredibly rare, amir, leopard, and Siberian tigers. Anyways Vladivostok is such an interesting Russian city. I hope you can see it someday.
6. Moscow
Now afterward we’re going to take that seven-day train ride across Russia to Moscow located in the central part of the country. Moscow is the world's northernmost and coldest mega city. It’s also Europe’s second most populous city, with over 12.4 million residents. One of the most impressive places in Moscow is the Saint Basils Cathedral is completed in 1561 under the orders of Ivan the terrible I mean it has such a unique look with its colorful onion-shaped domes. Now, right next to the cathedral, is the Moscow Kremlin, It’s a fortified complex that was completed in 1495. It serves as the official residence of Vladimir Putin. So it’s the Russian equivalent of the white house.
One of the most stunning buildings is the Moscow state university reminds me of a scene straight out of a batman movie and there are just so many intriguing places to visit in Moscow what a wild place. Moscow is also a great starting point to visit the Golden Ring of Russia. Now the golden ring is a loop of some of the country’s most picturesque and historical towns.
You’ll find no shortage of the classical onion dome churches to do the loop. You can start in Moscow and make the 12-hour journey as you visit the eight charming towns that make up the golden ring.
7. Suzdal
Now, one of my favorite towns on the route is Suzdal. It’s one of the oldest towns in Russia and was founded back in the 11th century. I like the cathedral of the nativity with its blue domes dotted with stars. Another impressive town on the golden ring is Kostroma. It’s the farthest one from Moscow and it’s home to an impressive Ipatievsky Monastery that was founded back in the 13th century there are just so many fascinating places to visit. So if you’re in Moscow recommend checking out the golden ring.
8. The Caucasus Mountains
Now after we’re going to head over to the Caucasus Mountains, the mountain range stretches from the Black Sea to the Caspian sea. Now the Caucasus Mountains are home to the tallest mountain in Europe. Mount Elbrus now located in the southwestern part of Russia stands this massive 5642-meter high straddle volcano. It’s a dormant volcano and the last eruption was in 50 a.d. The mountains in the area remind me a lot of the swiss alps. I just can’t believe how big they are. You want to hike to the top. The easiest way is by taking up the cable cars up to around 4 000 meters in elevation and then taking the normal route where I’d love to summon the mountain one day.
9. Sochi
After mount Elbrus, we’re going to head to the Russian riviera to visit Sochi. Now, looking on the eastern coast of the black sea, Sochi is home to one of the best climates in all of Russia. Thanks to the sea, it maintains a sub-tropical climate. Sochi is famous for having a great coastline and it hosted the Winter Olympics back in 2014. The beachside area of alder is where the Olympic Park is located and it’s full of wonderful attractions. Now, what’s great about Sochi, is its access to the mountains. Just a 40-minute drive from the coast can take you to some of Russia’s greatest ski resorts where the winter Olympics took place.
10. St Petersburg
Now, for our last location, we’re going to head to the beautiful city of Saint Petersburg, St Petersburg is located at the end of the baltic sea. It was founded back in 1703 after Russia captured it from the Swedish colonists. Today is one of Russia’s most thriving cities and receives millions of tourists each year. I love all the canals. It reminds me, of the mix between Amsterdam and Venice. Now, one of the most famous spots is the Peter and Paul fortress. It was the original citadel of Saint Petersburg and was finished in 1740.
St Petersburg is also home to the Lakhta Center, which is the tallest building in all of Europe, with a height of 462 meters. You can also check out the sites such as the palace square or many of the city’s beautiful gardens anyways St Petersburg is such an incredible city. You got to visit. Well, that is it for my Russian top ten.