russia

Russia is everywhere in the news lately as its war against Ukraine rages on. Russia currently only welcomes tourists from 67 “friendly nations” and under the current circumstances I would highly advise against any attempts to visit the country. I lived in Moscow back in 2013 as a language exchange student at Moscow State University, and often wonder if I will be able to see my friends and host family there again.

Formerly a powerful tsarist empire and a Communist superpower, Russia continues to be a source of fascination for historians, politicians, artists and travelers alike. As the largest country in the world, Russia extends from Europe to Asia and is home to an incredibly diverse population steeped in thousands of years of tradition and culture. Moscow’s metro stations are almost museums of opulence and you will marvel at the magnificence of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

St. Petersburg was created in the image of Western European cities by Peter the Great, intended to be a gateway to the West. You will hear more English spoken here and a different, more colorful architecture than you might find in Moscow. You could spend days at the State Hermitage Museum—the largest art museum in the world by gallery space— and still not see it all.

Disclaimer Due to the unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces, travelers should avoid all and any visits to Russia.