Boat trip through the canals
Take a small boat trip through the canals – they can be found in various places such as next to the Winter Palace and along Nevsky Prospect. You can either take a boat trip during the day or at night. During the day you can see the features of the buildings a bit better and get a sense of the beauty of the architecture. If you want a romantic time with your significant other, I’d recommend the night cruise. You can still see all the famous buildings and the lights of the city really make the time slip away making for a memorable occasion.

Climb the colonnade of St. Isaac’s Cathedral
St.Isaac’s cathedral contains the third largest cupola in the world. Its a harrowing climb to the top but well worth the beautiful views of St Petersburg that can be had up there. The cathedral itself is beautiful but the views from the top are spectacular as well.

Go shopping
Russian souvenirs are recognized around the world for their uniqueness and make a great gift. Matryoshka dolls or nesting dolls can be found in all different styles – the iconic beautiful Russian woman, political leaders, sports stars – whatever your interest you can probably find a matryoshka to reflect your personality. Also among the popular gift items is Russian caviar which is well known for its quality (and sometimes its price – be careful and shop around a bit). Another item that is widespread is cheap DVDs and Software – though technically not legal and the Russian government has been cracking down on this lately it can still be found.

Visit Peterhof and ride the Hydrofoil
Near the Winter Palace you can find strange looking boats that seem to glide on top of the water – these are the hydrofoils that can take you to one of the most beautiful places in St.Petersburg – Peterhof. The fountains of Peterhof are well known for their extravagance and beauty – this is a place you definitely must see.

Russian banya
Russia is a cold place for the most part and during the winter it is especially important to keep warm. Taking things to the extreme is literally in the Russian blood in this case – the Russia banya is a sauna where they prefer really, really hot temperatures and being beaten with birch tree branches followed up by jumping into extremely cold water. This one is not for the faint of heart but afterwards you feel spectacular.

St Petersburg Metro
There is not a better place to get a feel for what life is like for the majority of people that live here unless you take a ride in the metro. The fares are pretty cheap and the stations often contain beautiful artwork and sculptures. There are 5 lines now and you can get almost anywhere in the city efficiently and quickly.

Russian food
Russian food is filled with tradition and flavor. Russian ‘pirogi’ or pies are very tasty and come with many different fillings – meat, potatoes, fruits, etc. Russian ‘blini’ or pancakes are the best type of Russian fast food you can find with similar fillings to the pies but blini with Russian caviar is exquisite. Russian ice cream is popular year-round, even during the winter you will see Russians eating ice cream on the street – it is just that tasty. Pelmeni is Russian style dumplings filled with meat and best eaten with sour cream.

International media outlets and news sources are painting a grim picture of recent events at the Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow, Russia. It would be easy to take the images at first glance and consider Russia to be a dangerous travel destination, however the latest events should not act as a complete deterrent to people considering travelling to this unique and beautiful country.

In the mid-afternoon of January 24th 2011, a suspected terrorist suicide bomber struck in the middle of a crowded baggage claim area at Domodedovo International Airport. The explosion claimed the lives of at least 35 people and left many more with injuries.

Domodedovo International Airport is one of the key gateways for international tourists entering or leaving the country. In 2010 the airport serviced approximately 22.25 million passengers and 211,907 aircraft movements, and reported customer growth of over 19 percent. In 2009 the airport was granted approval to service New Large Aicraft operations, meaning the runways and terminals could now handle large airplanes like the Airbus A380. Since August 2004, the airport has spent in excess of USD 20 million on security measures and new detection equipment. Domodedovo International Airport was one of the first facilities anywhere in the world to implement and utilize full body scanners on all of its checkpoints. By the end of its current expansion plans, the airport will effectively double its annual passenger capacity. In all respects the Domodedovo International Airport is a modern, secure, and fully functioning facility.

It cannot be denied that the tragic bombing of the airport is a terrible event which will affect countless people. We cannot fathom the turmoil that the friends, families and victims of the bombing are experiencing, and we would not even consider downplaying the tragedy of the event. However, it must be remembered that attacks on such prominent targets with high concentrations of overseas citizens are very uncommon, and tourists in Russia are considered to be safe when sticking to well travelled and well known routes and destinations.

As with travelling to virtually any country, some degree of danger is inherently present, and Russia is no different. However it is also not worse than other countries, and should be considered as safe as all other major destinations. Anyone who is left unassured can rest easy in the knowledge that the security technology utilized at Domodedovo International Airport is at the same security technology standard that was implemented in the USA within the last two years. Further, the attack has already spurred talks regarding the potential for future upgrades to security methods, in an effort to increase travel efficiency while ensuring passenger safety.

As with travel to any destination around the world, tourists flying to Russia should consult their local authorities about travel safety. Governments will always be able to inform travellers of potentially unsafe zones in most countries. Typically, tourists travelling to Russia and staying in areas aimed at tourist are unlikely to encounter dangerous areas. Most importantly, anyone travelling to Russia should follow common sense and research their particular destination. The probability of being at all effected by terrorist activities is so ignorable and small that travellers should not waste their times concerning themselves with such an unlikely event.

Russia trip can be a choice for travel destination. You can see the 19th century majestic St. Petersburg along with the beauty of Siberia. It is the world’s largest country which has 9 timezones and has 160 ethnic groups. This place has a lot to offer in terms of history, culture, and natural beauty.

Moscow, Novosibirsk in Siberia, and St. Petersburg, and are the most popular travel destination in Russia.

Moscow

It is the capital of Russia and rich in culture, majestic architecture, and full of mystery. Here are the popular places here.

Red Square – It is the center of Moscow. It is the home of the Kremlin, Lenin’s Mausoleum, the site of Tsarist and later Soviet government, the ornate GUM department store, the Kazan Cathedrals, and St. Basil’s. This should be the starting point of your visit since streets of Moscow run off the Red Square.

Lenin’s Mausoleum – Made up of granite, this small building has the embalmed body of Vladimir Lenin after his demise in 1925. People came here just to view this.

St. Basil’s Cathedral – This is the colorful Russian Orthodox Church built in the mid of the 16th century by Tsar Ivan IV, in which it is the most recognized symbol in the country. It is known for its striking onion dome.

St. Petersburg

This is situated west of Russia along the Baltic Sea and was created by Peter the Great in the 19th century. He built a city filled with palaces, museums, and other landmarks, which he foresee the city as a competitor of Europe’s capital. The places to visit here are:

The Hermitage – it is housed in 6 buildings, including Russian Tsars, which is the oldest and largest art gallery in the world. The collections include the masterpiece of Italian masters, the fabled Faberge eggs and French Impressionists.

The Summer Palace – This has a 14-room summer house of Tsar Peter, which is a well-preserved imperial style.

The Bridges – Often know as the Venice of the North, St. Petersburg has more than 300 bridges crossing the Neva River, representing a diversity of design styles

Mariinsky Theater – It is the world renowned for its Kirov Opera and Ballet.

Siberia

Located at the north central Russia, rugged, forbidden land, and covered with snow for over a year. Until the completion the Trans-Siberian Railway in 1912; this place is underdeveloped. Here are some of the beautiful spots:

Novosibirsk - This is the largest city in Siberia, in which you can find ballet and Opera Company, zoo, and the most powerful media relay station.

Trans-Siberian Railroad -It connects Moscow to Vladivostok with over 9,000 km distance. The train has great features and you can have your Russia travel destination in 6 days. This is the best way to explore Siberia.