When it comes to breaking records, Lake Baikal is hard to beat. This massive high-altitude rift lake in Siberia is the oldest and deepest lake in the world–reaching a maximum depth of 1,642 meters and an estimated 25 million years of age. Baikal is also the largest freshwater lake in the world–over 20 percent of the world's freshwater is in this lake.
Although Lake Baikal is considered one of the clearest lakes in the world, this is particularly noticeable in winter, where, in some areas, it's possible to see up to 40 meters down into the water–even though much of the lake's surface freezes over for up to five months of the year.
1. Lake Baikal
Visitors to Moscow usually start exploring in the center, where the Kremlin, Red Square, and the colorful St. Basil's Cathedral are located. The shopping mall GUM, with its glass and steel roof, is also a popular destination–even for tourists who can't afford the luxury brands sold here–and a great place to try authentic Russian food.
Even if museums are not exactly your thing, Moscow has some amazing options worth visiting, including The State Tretyakov Gallery (which houses only Russian art); the Pushkin Museum (for more international collections); and the Kremlin Armory Museum for a look into some unique items, such as the ivory throne of Ivan the Terrible and gold-covered imperial carriages.
The Bolshoi Theater, one of the largest ballet and opera theaters in the world, is also worth a visit if you can get tickets.
3. St. Peterburg
For a stunning overdose of white and gold colors, visit Moika Palace (most famous for being the place where Rasputin was killed) and the Neoclassical, 19th-century St. Isaac's Cathedral, which is actually a Russian Orthodox museum.
The Hermitage Museum, perhaps St. Petersburg's most famous tourist attraction and the second largest art and culture museum in the world, has a collection of over three million items that cover everything from prehistoric art (including articles from the nomadic tribes in Altai) to Catherine the Great's art collection.
4. Altai
The Altay Mountains in Siberia extend from Russia into China, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. Traditionally inhabited by different ethnic groups involved in horse husbandry and forestry, it is also a very popular tourist destination for both locals and travelers. Together with a number of natural reserves and lakes, the Altay Mountains are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There's a lot of untouched beauty in Altay, where frozen rivers and snowcapped mountains attract cross-country skiers and other outdoor lovers in winter, as well as hikers (the area around Aktru Glacier is especially popular for trekking), kayakers, and climbers in summer. More unusual activities, including diving, cave exploring, and herb and mushroom picking, can also be pursued here.
5. Sochi
A summer beach resort town sitting right on the Black Sea, Sochi offers long stretches of pebble and sand beaches, imposing examples of Stalinist architecture, a summer film festival known as Kinotavr, and plenty of spas and outdoor markets to please all budgets and tastes. The longest river in Russia, Mzymta, cuts through Sochi before it empties into the Black Sea, and it's a very popular destination for rafting.
The 3000-square-kilometer Caucasian State Nature Biosphere Reserve, just 50 kilometers from Sochi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a number of unique species of flora and fauna, including the endangered Persian leopard.
The nearby Rosa Khutor ski resort is another favorite destination during winter and a world-class alpine skiing area–the 2014 Winter Olympic Games were hosted here.
6. The Russian
Tundra
The tundra is a unique biome that only exists in or near the Arctic Circle. Here, temperatures are so cold that trees can't grow, and only moss, shrubs, and certain types of grasses can get through the winter. In most places, the tundra is synonymous with permafrost–meaning the ground is permanently frozen. In areas where the top layer of ground does melt during summer, marshes and streams will form over the land, leading to beautiful patches of colorful icy water.
The Russian tundra is home to polar bears, seals, gray wolves, and rich birdlife during nesting season. Over the past few decades, ecotourism has become more and more interested in the tundra areas, especially the Great Arctic State Nature Reserve near Krasnoyarsk Krai, where visitors can take a number of environmental routes to explore, try bird-watching, or visit as part of an educational tour.
7. Olkhon Island
One of the world's largest lake islands, Olkhon is covered in steep mountains, lush forests, and taiga. The island is in Eastern Siberia and has a small permanent population that consists mostly of local Buryats, a Mongolic indigenous group who believes the island to be a powerful spiritual place.
Tourism has become a growing industry on Olkhon Island, with visitors coming over to explore places such as the coastal sand dunes and the abandoned Peschanaya Village and former Soviet labor camp nearby.
This area is also famous for its "walking trees," an unusual phenomenon that causes strong winds to uncover tree roots on the beach and gives them the appearance of a standing person.
8. Petropavlovsk-
Kamchatsky
Located in the Russian Far East, the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is surrounded by volcanoes (including the active, snowcapped Koryakskaya Sopka volcano) and cannot be reached by road–in fact, the only way to get into the city is to fly in.
Those who take on the challenge and get here, however, will discover an active city center with tons of monuments, squares, and churches. The city lies right against Avacha Bay, a great place for a waterside stroll and to catch a whale watching tour.
Tours to the volcanoes should be at the top of your list if you visit here, but skiing on Krasnaya Sopka mountain and a visit to the world's only Museum of Salmon are also must-dos.
9. The Taiga
Forest
The Russian taiga is a unique ecoregion that sits between the frozen tundra in the North and the more temperate mixed forests in the South. It's essentially a type of boreal forest where only coniferous trees like pines, spruces, and larches grow.
Parts of Alaska and Canada are covered in Taiga, too, but the Russian taiga brings a level of isolated beauty you won't find anywhere else. Here, temperatures can reach as low as -20 degrees Celsius, though the Siberian taiga can easily see nights of -50°C during the coldest months. In the north of the country, the taiga experiences the midnight sun in summer and polar night in winter.
The heart of the taiga is north of Irkutsk city, where dogsledding, snowshoeing, and the northern lights are waiting for you. Extreme tour operations take visitors to the area to spend days outdoors before warming up in a steam bath inside a wooden cabin, a local tradition.
10. Vladivostok
Located near the borders with China and North Korea and just across the ocean from Japan, Vladivostok is Russia's largest port city. A major stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway route, the city was actually off-limits to foreigners during Soviet Union times and now receives lots of foreign visitors eager to discover it.
The city is home to many parks and public spaces, including Sportivnaya Harbor with its beautiful beach and promenade, and the Eagle's Nest viewpoint at the top of a hill.
Vladivostok's Russky Bridge is a stunning architectural marvel and the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world at 1,885 meters. The bridge connects Vladivostok to Russky Island, where visitors will find Philippovsky Bay and its beautiful sandy beaches, as well as Voroshilov Battery, a military museum.
