Russia Tour Packages

Best time to Visit Russia

How to Reach Russia

Russian visa for Indians

Places to Visit in Russia

• Moscow - Moscow is so much more than just the picture-perfect Red Square, the Pushkin Museum, and the Tretyakov Gallery. The capital city has seen extreme transformations and revolutions since the past decade. Tourists often prefer to spend a day in Moscow just to explore its public spaces- parks and sightseeing attractions, and its famous eateries. Contemporary art galleries, street art, verdant parks, and something amazing happening in the city almost everyday, attract a lot of tourists. While May to September are the best months to grab Russia travel packages, Moscow attracts visitors all year round; white winters, green summers, and red autumn months are a sight to behold.
•  
• Saint Petersburg - Saint Petersburg is Russia’s Imperial capital. A city with a revolutionary spirit, it was developed to let the world know about Russia’s growing dominion in the world. It is also known as Venice of the North; with elegant canals, more than 300 bridges, and architecture similar to that in Italy. Adding to the charm of your visit to St. Petersburg are pristine beaches to the north of the city. The city is a treasure trove for art fanatics, housing contemporary as well as traditional art are a number of museums and art galleries which you can visit. One thing that St. Petersburg is most famous for are the White Nights when the sun barely sets for an hour or so. The dazzling culture of this city keeps visitors involved throughout the year. 
•  
• Nizhny Novgorod - Located on the confluence of rivers Oka and Volga, Nizhny Novgorod lies 400km from the capital city, Moscow. About 120 different religious communities and societies live in complete harmony in this Russian city. The main attraction here is the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Built in the early sixteenth century as a military fortress, it now serves as a unique open air museum. 18th and 19th century houses can still be seen on the Rozhdestvenskaya Street and other central streets. Rock music is loved by one and all in Nizhny, which is why there are a number of places where rock concerts are organized. You can also enjoy live jazz music in some of the local cafes on your Russia tour.
•  
• Cheboksary - Cheboksary is another Russian city with exciting cultural opportunities. With an opera and ballet theatre, and a number of theatres presenting both Russian and Chuvash dramas, this city is like calm-amid-the-chaos for many visitors. You can just stroll around in parks or on the boardwalks along the Volga river and rejuvenate yourself. During summers, you can beat the heat by swimming in the Volga river. Cheboksary proudly houses a number of museums including Russia’s only beer museum. As souvenirs of your Russia trip, you can buy embroidered specialties like wooden mugs among others.
•  
• Lake Baikal - Lake Baikal is the oldest and the deepest lake in the world. With its history dating back to almost 25 million years and waters as deep as 1700m, it attracts visitors from all over the globe. This 3.15-million-ha lake is also known to have 20% of the world’s total unfrozen freshwater. Frozen during the winter months, it hosts visitors during the summer months when soaring mountains compliment the deep blue waters of this Siberian wonder. If you wish to visit here in the winter season, you can enjoy sledging and ice skating on this lake that turns into an ice playground. Siberia does not get better than this.
•  
• Kazan - Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan republic, where the Turkish community associated with Genghis Khan lives. A city 150 years older than Moscow, Tatar is not just Russia’s only bilingual city, but constant efforts are made to ensure it stays part of Russia. One reason being its vast oil reserves. More than half the population here is of the slavic-Russians, and this peaceful co-existence of Tatar and Slavic communities makes this an interesting place to visit on your Russia trip.
•  
• Yekaterinburg - Yekaterinburg is a Russian town which lies on the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The most symbolic place in the city is the Beatles memorial which lies in the center. With over 60 museums and art galleries that house some of the rarest artefacts, this city is known for its thriving art scene. Yekaterinburg has greatly contributed to the Russian art; with iconic figure of Old Man Bukashkin and provocative street art to name a few. This city is highly regarded for business and investment, and is considered the unofficial capital of the region which has the highest concentration of metallurgical enterprises in Russia.
•  
• Sochi - Sochi is one of Russia’s warmest destinations during the winter season. It has become famous over the last few years mainly because it hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics. Nightclubs at the beaches in summers, magnolia and cypress lined gardens, and enchanting sunsets define the landscape of Sochi. Agura valley, on the outskirts of Sochi, is the ideal destination for hiking- amidst breathtaking views, and marvellous waterfalls. The beaches here are rocky and grey, however, private beaches offer whiter sands. The rates during the peak tourism season shoot up.
•  
• Irkutsk - Irkutsk is the most popular stop on the Trans-Siberian railway. Mesmerizing 19th century architecture, beautiful churches, classic eateries, blissful hotels adorn the landscape of this Siberian city. The Lake Baikal lies just 70km away from here and you can plan a winter trek across the frozen lake. Also, you can take a walking tour of the city to explore the local traditions, art forms, the gastronomy, and museums across the city. Irkutsk is slowly gaining popularity and has seen tourism boom only in recent years.
•  
• Vladivostok - Vladivostok is Russia’s most important commercial port and naval base. Literally translating to ‘Master the East’, Vladivostok houses an Indian Consulate, apart from the one in Moscow. This gorgeous city with a charming hilly setting, marvelous architecture and verdant islands, lies along the Pacific coastline. A massive suspension bridge which has recently been built above the Golden Horn Bay, adorns the Soviet-era architecture of the city. This coastal city buzzes with cocktail bars, sophisticated restaurants, and is often referred to as Russia’s fast-paced city of the East.
•  
• Petergof - Named after Peter the Great, Petergof lies 29km west of St. Petersburg and overlooks the Gulf of Finland. It has a war torn history, suffering major casualty in the world war II and also in the Soviet bombing of 1941-42, this city is mostly reconstructed. Popularly known as Russian Versailles, it consists of a number of palaces and ornate gardens. All the palaces and buildings being surrounded by verdant gardens and spectacular fountains.

Things to do in Russia

• Relish delicious local food - You can give your mouth and yourself a treat by visiting any of the excellent restaurants and cafes on your Russia tour. Borscht, the traditional Russian dish, is beetroot soup cooked with potato, meat, and other vegetables. Olivier Salad, is a salad made from caviar, grouse, smoked duck and veal tongue, and is popularly called Russian salad. Beef Stroganoff is another delicacy in the Russian cuisine. It is made from beef fillet, onion and mushrooms sautéed in sour cream and white wine. Other examples of great Russian food include Solyanka Soup, Blini (Russian pancake), Okroshka Soup, Kotleti (meat patties) and Pelmeni.
•  
• Take part in adventure activities - You can take part in a number of adventure activities as part of Russia travel packages. This vast country has a lot to offer to its visitors. Right from trekking to ice cycling, from Skiing to hitchhiking, and from rowing across beautiful lakes to spotting wildlife, you can do it all during your Russia trip. Trek in the Altai Republic, go cycling along the Lake Baikal, or you could just go hitchhiking across the length of the country from Vladivostok to Moscow. A trip to the North pole from Murmansk will be like cherry-on-top of your customized Russia tour packages.
•  
• Explore the famous museums - There are several outstanding museums in Moscow worth a visit. The most significant one is The Moscow Kremlin, located in Central Moscow. It was the residence of the person in power of Russia and houses the Russian President today. State Tretyakov Gallery is another example. It has over 1,00,000 works of art and is one of the largest museums in Russia. The gallery was started by Pavel Tretyakov. Some examples include Pushkin State Museum, The State Historical Museum, The State Darwin Museum, Moscow Museum of Modern Art and Polytechnic Museum. 
•  
• Visit the famous metro stations in Moscow - Apart from visiting Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin, Moscow is blessed with a blissful metro system. Taking a ride in the ostentatiously expensive and luxurious metro of Moscow is one of the most exciting things to do in Russia. One can go on a guided tour of the underground metro system. The metro stations are built with world-class marbles and granites, and the windows are decorated with stained-glass. There are mosaics, mural paintings and sculptures that are some beautiful additions to its dramatic setting. The most remarkable stations are Kurskaya, Kievskaya and Komsomolskaya. 
•  
• Taste the world famous Russian Vodka - Russia is famous all over the world for its vodka. On your Russia tour, you could visit the Museum of Russian Vodka which is situated in the heart of St. Petersburg near St. Isaac’s Square. The Museum’s exhibitions tell everything that there is to know about vodka and how it has been an integral part and an essential attribute of Russian society for years. You can sample this strong drink on your museum tour or any of the bars and pubs throughout the city.
•  
• Admire the famous attractions of Moscow - The capital of Russia, Moscow is famous for its world class architecture. With a world class metro system, Moscow has the most beautiful metro stations in the world- adorned with chandeliers and unique paintings, they are a sight to behold. The Red Square is most notably known for the St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin. The unique architecture of these structures is the main catch of this part of Moscow. Bolshoi Theatre is also a must visit as it is a historical theatre in Moscow where ballet and opera performance are held. The gigantic theatre enthralls visitors with its fine craftsmanship and beautiful construction.
•  
• Experience tank driving and shooting a tank gun in St. Petersburg - Saint Petersburg is a beautiful place, but that is not what it is famous for. Those who want to add tank driving to their Russia travel packages can avail the adventure/military tour there. Tank driving is surely one of the most unique things to do in Russia. The tour price is 10,200 RUB per person. They provide legendary choices for vehicles in the form of T-62, T-80, BMP-1, etc. They also provide ‘tanks vs cars game’, where you can watch the extremely rare phenomena of a car crash by a 36-ton vehicle live! The total tour duration is 5-6 hours and the medium of instruction for the safety class is English.
•  
• Buy Russian Dolls - Russian dolls, also known as Babushka Dolls or Matryoshka Dolls are the famous stacking dolls of Russia. You can buy a set of these dolls as souvenir of your Russia trip. You can also enroll in a Doll making course in Elena Leonova’s souvenir shop in St. Petersburg. This 2-hour course will let you handcraft your own Babushka Dolls and all materials will be provided to you.
•  
• Stroll around the peaceful Kizhi Island - Kizhi is an island in the Lake Onega in Russia’s remote region of Karelia. Beautiful 19th century architecture has earned it the title of World Heritage site by UNESCO. Onion-shaped domes and octagonal bell towers- part of wooden churches attract a number of tourists who admire their beauty.
•  
• Watch a ballet dance performance -Russia has been the ‘second home’ to the dance form, known as ballet, where classical ballet traditions are still followed. Ballet is the national honour of Russia. The first ballet school was opened in St. Petersburg, and after a few decades, one opened in Moscow. So, these two cities provide the best experience for a ballet performance, and one can choose ballet theatres in either of these. The tickets are available both online and offline.
  Now that you know all about planning a Russia holiday with the help of our Russia travel guide, go ahead and check out the Russia travel packages on the MakeMyTrip website or app and plan that dream trip!
•