Russia

Spanning across Europe and Asia, Russia is the largest country in the world. From the imposing cities of Moscow or St Petersburg to the snowy landscapes of Siberia, the country has a lot to offer and it would take a whole life to explore it all.

I traveled to St Petersburg for work back in the summer of 2016 and I met with colleagues and my family there. We had a great time!

Have you been to Russia? How was it? Please share your experience in the comments below.

WELCOME TO Russia!

Basic facts

Population: 146 million
Currency: Russian ruble (RUB). Check the current exchange rate here.
Language: Russian, although there are 35 languages that are considered official in various regions of the country.
Territories: the country is a federal republic divided into 21 republics, 6 “krays” or federal territories, 2 federal cities (Moscow and St. Petersburg), 49 regions or ‘oblasts’, 1 autonomous region and 10 autonomous areas. Russia is really BIG!
Main cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod.
Fun fact: Moscow is the city with the highest number of billionaires per capita.

Things to do

Visit the capital city of Moscow, including its famous Red Square

Explore the beautiful heritage and palaces in St Petersburg

Taste some vodka!

Good to know when travelling to Russia

Russians use the Cyrillic alphabet. If you don’t speak Russian, it can be really challenging to walk around without understanding street signs and such things. Another aspect that I found difficult is that finding locals who are fluent in English isn’t that common!