Russia

Moscow

Since its founding in 1147, Moscow (Russian: Москва, Moskva ) has been at the crossroads of history as the capital of empires and a frequent target for invaders. As the capital of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and, today, the Russian Federation, it has played a central role in the development of the largest country in the world. For many, the sight of the Kremlin complex in the centre of the city is still loaded with symbolism and history.

Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петерб́ург Sankt-Peterburg ), known as Petrograd in 1914-1924 and Leningrad in 1924-1991, is the second largest city of Russia, with 5.4 million inhabitants (2018), and the former capital of the Russian Empire. Founded in 1703, it is not ancient, but its historical cityscape is remarkably well-preserved. The center of Saint Petersburg occupies numerous islands of the Neva River delta, divided by waterways and connected by huge drawbridges. Since 1991 it and some historical suburbs, including Peterhof, have been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It is home to one of the world's largest museums of art, the Hermitage. Many Russians know the city as Piter (Питер), a familiar diminutive of Saint Petersburg.

Sochi

Sochi (Russian: Со́чи, SO-chee ) is one of the southernmost places of Russia and the second-largest city of Krasnodar Krai, with a population of 415,000. It's along the Black Sea coast, about 1600 km south of Moscow. In 2014 it hosted the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, and in 2018 it hosted football (soccer) matches in the FIFA World Cup.

Kazan

Kazan (Russian: Каза́нь kuh-ZAHN ) is the capital of Russia's republic of Tatarstan and the center of the world Tatar culture.

Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg (Russian: Екатеринбу́рг yee-kuh-tee-reen-BOORG ) is the capital of the Urals region of Russia. : P70 : P8

Kaliningrad

Kaliningrad (Russian: Калинингра́д kuh-leen-een-GRAHD ), also known by its original German name, Königsberg, is the capital city of Kaliningrad Oblast in Russia. It has about 450,000 inhabitants. It is also called 'Karaliaucius' in Lithuanian, as Lithuanians (cousins to the 'Old Prussians') used to live there. So it is truly the 'City of the Four Ks': Kaliningrad, Königsberg, Krolewiec, and Karalaucius. Following the Second World War, it was briefly known as Kyonigsberg (Кёнигсберг), the Russified form of the original German name. : P70 : P8

Nizhny Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod (Russian: Ни́жний Но́вгород NEEZH-nee NOHV-guh-ruht ), colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is Russia's fifth largest city, ranking after Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg. It had a population in 2018 of 1.26 million. It is the economic and cultural center of the vast Volga economic region, and also the administrative center of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and Volga Federal District. : P70 : P8

Krasnodar

Krasnodar is the capital of Krasnodar Krai in southern Russia, with a popolulation in 2018 of just under 900,000. Its main industries are based on agriculture and food. : P70 : P8

Rostov-on-Don

Rostov-on-Don ( Ростов-на-Дону ) is the biggest city and the centre of Southern Russia, and tenth most populous city in Russia. : P70 : P8

Irkutsk

Irkutsk (Russian: Ирку́тск; eer-KOOTSK ) is capital of the Russian province of Irkutsk Oblast in Eastern Siberia. : P70 : P8

Novosibirsk

Novosibirsk (Russian: Новосиби́рск nuh-vuh-see-BEERSK ) is a city in Novosibirsk Oblast, Siberia, Russia. Its main interest for visitors is as a stop-off on the Trans-Siberian Railway, two days from Moscow. : P70 : P8

Vladivostok

Vladivostok (Russian: Владивосто́к, vlah-dee-vah-STOHK ) is the eastern terminus of the Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia's largest port to the Pacific Ocean, and the base for the Pacific Fleet. With 600,000 inhabitants, it is the second largest city in the Russian Far East, after Khabarovsk. : P70 : P8

Samara

Samara (Russian: Сама́ра suh-MAH-ruh ), the sixth largest city in Russia and capital of an eponymous region, lies on the Volga River in European Russia. It is a major economic, industrial and cultural centre and has a population of over 1,164,000. : P70 : P8

Anapa

Anapa is in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, on the east coast of the Black Sea. : P70 : P8

Yaroslavl

Yaroslavl ( Ярославль ) is the capital city of Yaroslavl Oblast in Russia and a point on Golden Ring itinerary. : P70 : P8