Russia — Bucket List

Span onion-domed skylines, taiga rails, and imperial art treasures of Russia

Visit Saint Petersburg, Russia's imperial capital. See the Hermitage Museum (one of the world's largest art museums, housed in the Winter Palace with over 3 million items), walk along Nevsky Prospect (the city's main avenue with historic buildings and shops), explore the Peter and Paul Fortress (the original citadel and burial site of Russian tsars), and admire the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (a 19th-century church with intricate mosaics and onion domes).

Visit Moscow, capital of Russia. Explore Red Square (home to St. Basil's Cathedral with its colorful onion domes and the Kremlin, a historic fortress and political center), see the Bolshoi Theatre (renowned for ballet and opera performances), and ride the Moscow Metro (known for its ornate stations with chandeliers and mosaics).

Take the world's longest train journey from Moscow to Vladivostok

Explore the Winter Palace and its 3 million artworks

Visit Novosibirsk, Russia's third-largest city and the unofficial capital of Siberia. Explore the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre (one of the largest opera houses in Russia, known for its grand architecture and performances), walk across the Ob River on the Kommunalny Bridge for panoramic views, and see the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (a historic Orthodox church built in the late 19th century). Don't miss the Novosibirsk Zoo, home to over 11,000 animals including rare species like the snow leopard.

Explore Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea. Visit the restored Königsberg Cathedral (the burial place of philosopher Immanuel Kant), see the world's largest amber collection at the Amber Museum (housed in a former prison tower), and marvel at the towering sand dunes of the Curonian Spit (a UNESCO World Heritage site).

Visit Siberia, the vast region in Russia known for its extreme climate, stunning natural landscapes, and unique cultural heritage.

Visit Chechnya, a region in Russia known for its mountainous landscapes, rich history, and cultural heritage.