View of Kremlin and Cathedral of St. Basil at the Red Square at sunset winter in Moscow, Russia
Russia is the largest country in the world and has been undergoing rapid change in the last 20 years. Today Russia is considered the
fastest growing economies in the world there are well-known cities throughout the vast country, offering different experiences to the
visitor. Moscow, the capital city of the biggest country in the world, is the biggest city in Europe with an active business life. St Petersburg
is the historical and cultural capital of Russia. Sochi was transformed into the winter sports capital when it became the home to the 2104
Olympic Games. The explosion of hotel development in all cities, with a competitive touch, ensures the quality of services provided in any
international destination – Russia is becoming world renowned for a place to wine and dine!
Moscow
The most dynamic city in Russia! There is an enormous changing profile and skyline as there are Investments in making the city looking
more and more beautiful with green areas, façade lighting, demolishing of Soviet Style buildings, water fountains in the River and
building of a new skyline. Sail down Europe’s longest river, the Volga, visit the Kremlin Territory (the official residence of the President of
the Russian Federation), walk through the Red Square (the famous city square and home to Russia’s important landmarks, from St.
Basil’s Cathedral and the State Historical Museum to the mausoleum of Vladimir Lenin), experience Stalin’s bunker (an air raid shelter)
and visit Star City (is home to the military research and space training facility).
The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg today is one of the largest and finest art museums in the world
St. Petersburg
The 4th biggest, is the cradle of Russian Literature, Art and Education and the cultural centre of Russia. It is a city with the largest number
of palaces and the deepest metro in the world, offering a wide variety of entertainment with the nightlife starting after midnight that keeps
going until early morning. The interest in St. Petersburg has attracted investment car companies, breweries and deluxe products lines.
Spend your time visiting the Faberge Museum (contains 4,000 works of decorative applied and fine arts, including gold and silver items,
paintings, porcelain and bronze and a group of nine Imperial Easter eggs created by Fabergé for the last two Russian Tsars), Hermitage
Museum the second largest art and culture museum in Europe), Tsar’s Winter Palace (the official residence of the Russian Monarchs),
The Summer Palace & Park of Catherine the Great (summer residence of the Tsar’s) – a visual experience of glitz and glamour!
Egg casket copy of Faberge
Sochi
This is a multicultural city representing more than 100 nationalities. The city has a rich heritage as the nation’s major Black Sea port city,
resort destination and a prominent cultural centre. It is also the longest city in Europe of 148 kilometres of the coastline and hosts the
Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix. The city is often referred to as the unofficial summer capital of Russia or The Black Sea Pearl s it has an
amazing mountainous coastline, endless shingle beaches, warm sunny days and a bustling nightlife. Sochi has many attractions to offer
for anyone who loves nature, sports, history, and sunny beach leisure. Krasnaya Polyana has a unique mountain-skiing infrastructure
and it is not only the top resort in Russia but is in the top ten mountain ski resorts of the world with an overall height of 1698m. And the
unique snow cover guarantees stable skiing from December until May.
Yachts and boats anchored in the port of Sochi at sunset. Russia.
Reasons to visit Russia
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Russian Geography
The largest country in the world, Russia constitutes one-seventh of the world’s landmass and spans eight time zones. This expansive area
allows the country to neighbour more countries than anywhere else on earth, as well as touch twenty-two bodies of water and hold twelve
seas within its borders. Its vast and complicated array of landscapes has created a diverse blend of forty national parks alongside its forty
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. Here you can find the oldest mountains in the world, the Urals, and the deepest lake in the world,
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Russian Culture
Russia’s biggest cities have social lives comparable to New York’s vibrant scene. In regard to the arts, Russia has always occupied a
prominent spot on the world scene. The Bolshoi Theatre and Pushkin Art Gallery in Moscow, the Mariinsky Theatre and the Hermitage in
St. Petersburg, are considered to be some of the best art institutions in the world. In St. Petersburg alone there are 2,000 libraries, 221
museums, 80 theatres, 100 concert halls, 45 art galleries, 62 movie theatres, and 80 nightclubs, and over 100 concerts, shows and
festivals each year.
Russian Ballet
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Russian History
Russian history spans more than 1,150 years. Formed by the merging of Viking military leadership with the dreams and ambitions of a
people who commanded the great trading routes of Eastern Europe, it is no great surprise that today it is the world’s largest country. It
has involved in 100 wars and conflicts, rules by 120 leaders (grand princes, tsars and other monarchs), built the world’s longest railroad
and the first country to send a human into space
Spacecraft Soyuz orbiting the earth. Elements of this image furnished by NASA
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Russian Language
The official language in Russia is (shockingly) Russian. This language uses the Cyrillic alphabet instead of Latin and is one of the five most
spoken languages in the world. Many of the Cyrillic characters look backwards or upside down and are seemingly switched around.
The jets of a fountain near the Bolshoi Theater with evening lights
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Russian People
Russia has a population of 145.5 million people, 80% of whom reside in Western Russia and two-thirds of whom live in cities.
Moscow alone claims twelve million citizens, standing as the largest city in Europe. St. Petersburg boasts less than half of
that, with a mere five million residents. 1 out of 4 Russians is retired, with the average age being 30 years old and growing every year.
Happy young women sitting on Red Square in Moscow, Russia. Saint Basil’s Cathedral on the background.
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Russian Climate
Because of its size, Russia presents a drastically different atmosphere depending on your location. Most of the country has a continental
climate with distinct periods of warm and cold weather that increases as you travel east. Temperatures for Moscow and St. Petersburg
range from highs of 32°C in the summer to lows of -25°C in the winter. Sounds like the cold? Not for those living in Omyakon village
where the world’s lowest temperature of -71.2°C was recorded.
Polar bear, a dangerous looking beast on the ice with snow in north Russia, natural habitat.
References:
Jeanne Day-Spriestersbach – Manager: Sales Cape Town
