Russia-Destination Spots

On your volunteering or study abroad travel to Russia you may want to see some of the beautiful destinations this country has to offer. Here are some of the most visited and most popular places among tourists in Russia.

Moscow

Moscow is the capital of the world's biggest country, situated in the center of the European part of Russia. At the very heart of the city is the Kremlin, which has been the Russian political and cultural center for many years. Red Square and the exquisite, colorful domes of Saint Basil's Cathedral, and the jewelled, Fabergé Easter eggs of the Tsars are images that have long been associated with the Soviet Union in the minds of Westerners. The city of Moscow is a fusion of both splendor and ugliness that is evident in the massive concrete slabs and high-rise apartments of the Stalinist era, and in the ornate churches, beautiful neo-classical houses, and the impressive architecture of the old city. It is also a city of entertainment, with theaters and the renowned Moscow Circus, museums and art galleries. It boasts the world’s largest and most efficient metro system with gleaming stations deep underground, astonishingly decorated in elegant marble, glittering chandeliers and gilded works of art and magnificent mosaics. It is the soul of the new Russia and an intriguing mix of history and politics, business and culture. There is a large flow of money through Moscow. It has been the most expensive city in the world for couple of years. Moscow also contains the most billionaires than any other city in the world, surpassing such cities as New York, London, and Tokyo.

St Petersburg

Situated on the Gulf of Finland and spread over numerous islands in the Neva Delta, St Petersburg is a city of arched bridges, winding canals, wide boulevards, elegant palaces, impressive squares and ornate churches, and as such is often referred to as the 'Venice of the North'. It has an elegance also reminiscent of cities like Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam, but is at the same time too Russian to be European, and beguiles with a charm of its own. It is the country's most beloved and beautiful city, founded by Peter the Great in 1703. It became the original capital of Tsarist Russia, and the greatest artists, sculptors and architects worked together to create the city's unique look. Rich aristocratic palaces and government buildings line the streets, along with majestic cathedrals and elaborate churches, from the golden spires of St Peter and Paul Cathedral, the magnificent gleaming dome and grand colonnaded façade of St Isaac's, to the colorful multi-domed Church of the Resurrection. Although the Russian capital moved to Moscow after the Revolution, the city remains the principal artistic and cultural center of the country. St Petersburg is the birthplace of Russian ballet and performances by the Kirov Ballet, rivaling the Bolshoi ballet in Moscow, are shown in the historic Mariinsky Theater. The magnificent green and white Winter Palace forms part of the Hermitage Museum, one of the world's greatest art galleries, and the city's foremost attraction. With its romantic waterways and decorative tsarist architecture, St Petersburg is also the perfect setting for the famous 'White Nights', and the summer months of June and July are crowded with visitors who come to experience the dreamy twilight that takes the place of night, an occurrence due to its northerly latitude when the sun never dips far enough below the horizon to create total darkness, along with music festivals and cultural events. Go to St. Petersburg on a study abroad program and feel the spirit of Imperial Russia!