Introducing Russia
Looming over the rest of Europe with its immense, inhuman size and dark, brutal
history, Russia is an essential and fascinating destination, the flipside of
modern Europe and still an unknown quantity to most travellers. Somehow Russia
manages to pull off the truly impressive feat of being both a really exciting
place to travel while never relenting on its tediously bureaucratic approach to
life. Stay in the EU if you want things easy and hassle-free, but venture east
for one of the last truly adventurous and unpredictable destinations on the
continent.
Moscow’s rich history, amazing Kremlin, startling architecture and frenzied pace
of development makes it a must on any trip to Eastern Europe, while with its
colourful, crumbling Italianate mansions, beautifully wending canals and
mind-blowing cultural treasures, St Petersburg is one of the incontestable
highlights of the continent. For something totally different, drop into ignored
little Kaliningrad, an enclave of Russia wedged between Poland and Lithuania, or
to the famed outpost of Siberia.
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