The largest country in the world by some distance, Russia is so large that it has eight distinct time zones. A vast expanse of territory spanning from Eastern Europe through the Easternmost point of Asia, Russia has been a country in transition for over a century. Following the Revolutions of 1917,  years of oppressive monarchy came to an end and were replaced by a Communist system of rule. Its ideological conflict with the United States, the Cold War dominated international relations for the latter half of the 20th Centuries. Since the introduction of democracy in the early 1990’s, the Russian Federation has opened up to the world.

Moscow

Russia’s capital city since 1918, Moscow is one of the world’s largest cities. The political, economic and cultural hub of Russia, the city boasts a number of significant institutions such as the stunning Bolshoi Theatre and the Tsaritsyno Museum. Few cities around the world can compare to its sheer breadth.

St Petersburg

Founded by its namesake Peter the Great, Saint Petersburg was established with the intention of providing a window into Western Europe. It was founded with the purpose of creating an urban centre to rival the best in Europe. Widely considered to be Russia’s most beautiful city, Saint Petersburg functioned as Russia’s capital until the overthrow of the monarchy. It is often cited as Russia’s cultural capital, as home to a number of prestigious museums, the most notable of which being the monolithic State Hermitage Museum, the world’s second-largest after the Louvre in Paris.