Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is a city with a population of about 200 thousand people located in the southeastern part of Sakhalin Island in the Far East of Russia, the capital of Sakhalin Oblast.

It is the sixth largest city in the Russian Far East, in which Russian and Japanese cultures are closely intertwined. Here you can often see old Japanese buildings and monuments. The distance from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Moscow, if flying by plane, is 6,640 km and 9,280 km (by car). Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

fly over Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Tags: Sakhalin oblast · Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk city

When you close your eyes and think of cruise destinations, do images of the Caribbean or Mediterranean pop into your head? Those regions are beautiful and packed full of sunshine, but forgetting cold winter cruises is a mistake.

Visiting northern latitude destinations over winter can show you some phenomenal sights that you’d never see otherwise. And what’s even better? You get to experience these stunning destinations from the comfort of a cruise ship.

Let’s take a look at why Russia and Alaska are top winter cruise destinations. You won’t be disappointed!

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Teriberka is a village with a population of about 900 people located in Murmansk Oblast, in the north of the Kola Peninsula on the shore of the Barents Sea.

In the European part of Russia, Teriberka is the only place that can be reached by road to see the open Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean. Also here you can see such a picturesque natural phenomenon as the northern lights. Teriberka on Google Maps. Photos by: Sergey Korolev.

amazing scenery

Tags: Murmansk oblast

Zelenchuk churches (Northern, Middle, and Southern) are the three oldest Orthodox churches of the Caucasus located in the valley of the Bolshoy Zelenchuk River near the village of Nizhniy Arkhyz in the central part of the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia.

Northern Zelenchuk Church, the largest of them, was constructed in the late 10th – early 11th centuries. This beautiful building, harmoniously integrated into the surrounding landscape, is built of sandstone. The basis of the construction is a cross with a dome in the center. Northern Zelenchuk Church on Google Maps. Photos by: Fedor Lashkov.

very picturesque old church

Tags: churches · Karachay-Cherkessia Republic

The wooden house in Astashovo has an amazing story that dates back to 1897. There was everything here: prosperity, decline, abandonment, and incredible rebirth. It is located in the abandoned village of Astashovo (also known as Ostashevo) in the Chukhloma District of Kostroma Oblast.

It is the main house of the Astashovo Estate once owned by a peasant Martyan Sazonov. After the abolition of serfdom, Martyan moved to work in St. Petersburg, where he specialized as a cabinetmaker. By 1897, he became rich and decided to return to his home village, then the construction of the house began. Astashovo Wooden Palace on Google Maps. Photos by: Roman Smirnov.

beautiful wooden house

Tags: Kostroma oblast · museum

Gunib, a village of about 2,600 people located 150 km southwest of Makhachkala, is one of the most picturesque places in the Republic of Dagestan. It stands on the plateau of the same name at an altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level.

The village arose in connection with the construction of the Russian military fortification in 1862. The fortification was named after the former village of Gunib, which was located on the top of the plateau and was destroyed in 1859. Gunib on Google Maps. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

fly over Gunib

Tags: Dagestan Republic · Makhachkala city

The cultural capital of Russia has so much to offer that more than 8 million people visited the city in 2017, and the numbers are growing. Some choose St. Petersburg as the first stop of their Russian holiday and only have time to visit the most iconic buildings and monuments of St. Petersburg, others decide to dedicate some time to explore the less-touristy spots in the city.

To encourage and facilitate international tourism, the Russian government has even launched a new electronic visa system that will allow foreign travelers to apply for an eVisa for St. Petersburg entirely online before leaving for Russia. There has really never been a better time to visit St. Petersburg.

short guide to the second capital of Russia

Tags: Saint Petersburg city

Nerekhta is a small provincial town with a population of about 21 thousand people located in Kostroma Oblast, about 47 km southwest of Kostroma and 71 km southeast of Yaroslavl.

First mentioned in 1214, this old town is included in the famous tourist route known as the Golden Ring of Russia. However, due to the fact that the M-8 federal highway passes away from it, tourists rarely come here (especially organized tourist groups). Nerekhta on Google Maps. Photos by: Eduard Skvortsov.

walk around Nerekhta

Tags: Kostroma oblast

Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic, is a city with a population of about 300 thousand people located in the North Caucasus in the south of the European part of Russia.

During the First and Second Chechen Wars, the city, especially its central part, was almost completely destroyed. In 2003, Grozny was recognized by the UN Commission as the most ruined city on Earth since the Second World War. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

fly over Grozny

Tags: Chechnya Republic · Grozny city

“Lena Pillars” is a geological formation and a national park located on the banks of the Lena River in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), about 170 km south-west of Yakutsk. Lena Pillars are a complex of vertically elongated rocks up to 220 meters high stretching for many kilometers along the Lena River bank.

In 2012, this natural monument received the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the language of the locals, the pillars are called “Turuuk Hayalara” (“Mountains of Rising Gods”). The main objective of the park is the development of ecological tourism. Lena Pillars on Google Maps. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

fly over magnificent stone pillars

Tags: Sakha Republic · Yakutsk city