With the World Cup finals on the way, few fans are looking past those fateful final matches in the great Russian capitals, and for many, their travel plans past that point may not go beyond catching that flight back home on the 15th of July.

However, if you’re a true globetrotter who wants to make the most of their Russia trip by experiencing all of what this vast and beautiful country has to offer, then now’s the best time ever to do some exploring and set out on a true Russian odyssey. Whether a road trip or by train, once the final match in Moscow wraps up and all the dust has settled and vodka drank, make sure to continue the celebration (or flee your sorrows) by packing your bags and embarking on the trip of a lifetime.

Few people beyond the most seasoned travellers tend to see much of the country beyond the big cities of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad, so if you want to enter the ranks of the most niche and experienced nomads, then now is the time to do it.

To experience the full spectrum of this diverse, wild and at times bewildering country, which spans nine time zones and contains at least as many languages and dialects, you need to go west to east, starting in the more European areas near Moscow and ending in the more Asian locales in the far east of the country. Here’s your guide to doing the ultimate Russian road trip.

Say Goodbye to Moscow

Source: Pixabay

explore Russia

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The Holy Trinity Ipatiev Monastery is located in the western part of Kostroma on the bank of the river of the same name near its confluence in the Volga. It is considered one of the symbols of the city.

The monastery was first mentioned in written sources in 1432. Although, it was founded about 100 years earlier. The compositional center of the monastery is the monumental five-domed Trinity Cathedral (1650-1652). Ipatiev Monastery on Google Maps. Photos by: Eduard Skvortsov.

very picturesque monastery

Tags: Kostroma city

Moscow, the sprawling historical, economic and cultural capital of Russia, home to 12 million people and countless museums, galleries, restaurants and parks, is certainly seeing a lot of action this summer.

With the FIFA World Cup in full swing, over 1 million fans from across the globe have poured into this iconic city, which is hosting a grand total of 12 World Cup matches this summer. Although there’s never been a better time to be in Moscow, the intense crowds and, of course, the infamous summer heat waves, can sometimes be a little too much.

The Russian capital is well connected to a huge variety of national parks, cities, villages and historic sites, meaning you’ve got no shortage of amazing options to escape the city and soak up the best of Russian culture. Here’s a round-up of the best day trips to take from Moscow.

The Archangelskoye Estate

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Tags: Moscow city

In the Caucasus there are a lot of interesting and beautiful places and one of them is Digoria located in the western part of the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania, on the northern slope of the Main Caucasian ridge.

Digoria, named after the local ethnic group of Ossetians-Digorians, is located on the territory of the Digorsky and Irafsky districts of North Ossetia. The mountainous part of Digoria is the most popular among travelers. Photos by: Andrei Kireev.

beautiful mountain scenery

Tags: North Ossetia Republic

Taganay is a national park located in the Southern Urals, in the western part of the Chelyabinsk region, 130 km from Chelyabinsk. The territorial center of the park is the city of Zlatoust.

The total area of the park is 568 sq. km. The following photos were taken in the area of the Meteorological Station “Taganay-Gora” – the most remote shelter of the national park located on a picturesque mountain plateau. Air temperature – minus 30 degrees Celsius. Taganay National Park on Google Maps. Photos by: Andrei Kireev.

beautiful dawn in the harsh winter conditions

Tags: Chelyabinsk oblast · Zlatoust city

Uglich is a town with a population of about 32,000 people located in the Yaroslavl region, 109 km west of Yaroslavl and 250 km north of Moscow. This town, located on the Volga River (Uglich reservoir), was the center of the Uglich Principality in the 13th-16th centuries.

Today, this picturesque town is one of the stops on the popular tourist route “The Golden Ring”. Here you can find a lot of monuments of traditional Russian architecture. Uglich on Google Maps. Photos by: Mikhail Aritkin.

picturesque old town

Tags: Yaroslavl oblast

“The Kremlin in Izmailovo” is a cultural and entertainment complex located in the Eastern Administrative District of Moscow. The nearest metro stations are Partizanskaya and Izmailovo.

The initiator of the reconstruction of the royal estate in Izmailovo as a center of Russian culture became A.F. Ushakov, who, in 1998, introduced the project to the Moscow authorities for the construction of this complex. Izmailovo Kremlin on Google Maps. Photos by: Vasilii Nikitinskii.

amazing entertainment complex

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The Sinyaya River is a 597 km long river running through the territory of the Republic of Yakutia, the left tributary of the Lena River.

In the lower reaches of the river, not far from the confluence with the Lena and relatively close to Yakutsk, there is an amazing natural monument called Sinskiye Stolby (Pillars). Sinskiye Stolby on Google Maps. Photos by: Petr Ushanov.

amazing monument of nature

Tags: Sakha Republic · Yakutsk city

Vyshny Volochyok is a town with a population of about 47 thousand people located in the Tver region, 136 km north-west of Tver.

One of the attractions of Vyshny Volochyok is the Kazan Convent – an Orthodox female monastery of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God founded in 1881 and located on the eastern outskirts of the town. Kazan Convent in Vyshny Volochyok on Google Maps. Photos by: Mikhail Aritkin.

picturesque convent

Tags: Tver oblast · Vyshny Volochyok city

The sight of the unassailable beauty of Putorana Plateau, located in the north-west of the Krasnoyarsk region, is breathtaking. Here the mountains do not have peaks, and the canyons seem bottomless. The lakes are hundreds of kilometers long, and the rivers are torn from the rocks, forming the highest waterfalls in Russia.

There are no typical landscapes for Russia on Putorana Plateau. The fairy-tale nature of this place pushes us to reflect on ancient creatures, originating from Slavic myths and fairy tales. If Peter Jackson saw this place in preparation for the shooting of The Lord of the Rings, New Zealand would have to try very hard to stay in the place of the favorite.

one of the most beautiful places in Russia

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