MOSCOW

Intimidating in its scale, but also exciting and unforgettable, Moscow is a place that inspires either extreme passion or loathing. History, power and wild capitalism hang in the air alongside an explosion of creative energy throwing up edgy art galleries and a dynamic restaurant, bar and nightlife scene. The sturdy stone walls of the Kremlin, the apex of Russian political power and once the centre of the Orthodox Church, occupy the city's founding site on the northern bank of the Moscow River. Remains of the Soviet state, such as Lenin's Tomb, are nearby in Red Square and elsewhere in the city which radiates from the Kremlin in a series of ring roads.

• Covering Borovitsky Hill on the north bank of the Moscow River, the Kremlin is enclosed by high walls 2.25km long, with Red Square outside the east wall. The best views of the complex are from Sofiyskaya Embankment across the river. Times and tickets are available at kreml.ru.

• Immediately outside the Kremlin’s northeastern wall is the celebrated Red Square, the 400m by 150m area of cobblestones that is at the very heart of Moscow. Commanding the square from the southern end is The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, commonly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral. The view of which will sure to send you clamouring for a camera! The Cathedral is Moscow’s most famous artistic work of architecture and by far the most recognizable Russian building. This Cathedral means to Russians the same as what the Eiffel Tower means to the French - an honourable symbol of their past, present, and future.

• Although Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known by his alias Lenin, requested that he be buried beside his mother in St Petersburg, he still lies in state at the foot of the Kremlin wall, receiving visitors who come to pay their respects. To see the embalmed leader, who has been here since 1924, line up at the western corner of the square.

• Moscow's main escape from the city within the city is not your conventional expanse of nature preserved deep inside an urban jungle. It is not exactly a funfair either, though it used to be one. Its official name says it all – Maxim Gorky's Central Park of Culture & Leisure. Designed by avant-garde architect Konstantin Melnikov as a piece of communist utopia in the 1920s, these days it showcases the enlightened transformation Moscow has undergone in the recent past.

VELIKY NOVGOROD

Veliky Novgorod (usually shortened to Novgorod) is a proud and beautiful city, billed as the 'Birthplace of Russia'. It was here, in 862, that Prince Rurik proclaimed the modern Russian state – the Rurik dynasty went on to rule Russia for more than 750 years. Its glorious Cathedral of St Sophia is the oldest church in Russia. Straddling the Volkhov River, this attractive, tourist-friendly destination is a popular weekend getaway for St Petersburg residents – to avoid the crowds, come during the week.

ST. PETERSBURG

Affectionately known as Piter to locals, St Petersburg is a visual delight. The Neva River and surrounding canals reflect unbroken facades of handsome 18th- and 19th-century buildings that house a spellbinding collection of cultural storehouses, culminating in the incomparable Hermitage. Home to many of Russia's greatest creative talents (Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky), Piter still inspires a contemporary generation of Russians making it a liberal, hedonistic and exciting place to visit as well as a giant warehouse of culture.

The city covers many islands, some real, some created through the construction of canals. The central street is Nevsky Prospekt, which extends some 4km from the Alexander Nevsky Monastery to the Hermitage. Walking Nevsky Prospekt is an essential St Petersburg experience. Highlights along it include:

• Kazan Cathedral, with its curved arms reaching out towards the avenue.

• Singer Building, a Style Moderne (art deco) beauty restored to all its splendour when it was the headquarters of the sewing-machine company.

• Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor, Rastrelli's historic department store.

• Kupetz Eliseevs is the Style Moderne classic reincarnated as a luxury grocery and café.

• Statue of Catherine the Great stands at the centre of Ploshchad Ostrovskogo, commonly referred to as the Catherine Gardens.

• Alexandrinsky Theatre is at the southern end of the gardens where Chekhov's The Seagull premiered in 1896.

Several palace estates around St Petersburg, once country retreats for the tsars are now among the most spectacular sights in Russia:

• Peterhof (Петергоф), 29km west of the city and built for Peter the Great, is best visited for its Grand Cascade and Water Avenue, a symphony of over 140 fountains and canals located in the Lower Park. There are several additional palaces, villas and parks here, each of which charges its own hefty admission price.

• Tsarskoye Selo (Цaрское Селo), 25km south of the city in the town of Pushkin, is home to the baroque Catherine Palace, expertly restored following its near destruction in WWII.

KALININGRAD

Sandwiched by Poland and Lithuania, the Kaliningrad Region is a Russian exclave that’s intimately attached to the Motherland yet also a world apart. In this ‘Little Russia’ – only 15,100 sq km with a population of 941,873 – you’ll also find beautiful countryside, charming old Prussian seaside resorts and splendid beaches. The capital, Kaliningrad (Калининград), was once a Middle European architectural gem equal to Prague or Kraków. Precious little of this built heritage remains but there are attractive residential suburbs and remnants of the city’s old fortifications that evoke the Prussian past.

TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILROAD

There may be no overland experience more legendary than the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Running across two continents, from Moscow in the West, to Vladivostok on the Pacific Coast, this incredible journey is without equal. For the daring, the adventurous, or anybody with an interest in Russia, this is undoubtedly a must-do bucket list item. Fortunately, making the journey never been cheaper. The entire 6,152 miles, 7-day journey can be made for around $300. However, ensure to buy tickets that allow you to get off the train and spend a night or two in different cities along the route. As you get further from Moscow, food and accommodation only get cheaper!