The two capitals
Almost every trip begins in Moscow, with Red Square, the Kremlin, the palatial metro and a huge food and arts scene. The fast train then runs north west to St Petersburg, the imperial city of canals, palaces and the Hermitage.
Old Russia
A short ride north east of Moscow, the Golden Ring is a loop of medieval towns, Suzdal, Vladimir, Sergiev Posad, Yaroslavl and Rostov Veliky among them, full of white stone churches, monasteries and wooden houses.
The Volga
Kazan, capital of Tatarstan, is where Russian and Tatar culture meet, with a UNESCO listed Kremlin, a lively pedestrian centre and some of the best food in the country.
Siberia
Lake Baikal is the oldest and deepest lake on Earth, reached by flying to Irkutsk or by the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is a summer hiking and winter ice destination like nowhere else.
Before you choose
The UK, US and many other governments advise against all travel to Russia, and some regions near the Ukrainian border face drone and missile attacks. Read your government's advice, check what your insurance covers and bring enough cash, since foreign cards do not work. Then use the free trip planner to shape a route.