Sprawling along the shores of the Black Sea along the Southern border of Russia is the resort city of Sochi. The city lies beautifully on the shores of the Black sea with the Caucasus Mountains in its background. It is also claimed to be the longest city in Europe and finds special mention as a UNESCO World Heritage site and a subtropical resort. The city is flocked by millions of tourists each years and is well connected with most of the European cities.

The city is known for its scenic beaches with sandy, pebbled beaches with the beauty of the Caucasus Mountains. It is also known for its numerous cathedrals and other places of interest. The Vorontsov Caves at Kudepsta is noted for its large cave hall and is visited by several tourists. Another important place of interest at Sochi is the Akhshtyr Gorge which has a 160 meter long cave that has remains of humans who lived as early as 30000 years-definitely a must visit!

(Image courtesy of Vokabre)

Situated in the Republic of Karelia, Kizhi is an island located in the Lake Onega of Russia. The island is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the most visited tourist destination in Russia. The island is known for its beautiful wooden churches and chapels that portray in Russian architecture in every aspect. Kizhi is easily accessible from Petrozavodsk by helicopter or hydrofoil. The island hardly has any accommodation facilities; however, you could find a lodge or two in the neighbouring villages.

The Kizhi Pogost that is found in the island consists of a wooden church and a bell tower and several other wooden structures and is enclosed within a wooden fence. Many say the island is entirely a museum and the 22-domed Transfiguration church that was constructed in the year 1714 stands as the crown jewel of this island. The church which is a 37 meter high structure is made up of wood and it is one of the tallest structures made out of wood in the world.

(Image courtesy of WomEOS)

Yerevan or Erivan, the largest city in Armenia and its capital is one of the oldest-inhabited cities in the world. Situated on the banks of the Hrazdan River, Yerevan has been the capital of Armenia since 1918.  The history of the city dates back to the 8th century BC with the construction of the fortress in Erebuni. Ancient Armenian scholars suggest that the city’s name might have originated when Noah saw the city and landed on Mount Ararat. He is said to have exclaimed “Yerevats!” (which literally mean “it appeared!”) in Armenian.

Yerevan has a number of places of interest and The Armenian Genocide Memorial is one among them. Located on top of a hill,it stands as a memorial to the people who died during the Armenian genocide. It also is the home for a number of paintings by renowned Armenian-French artist Jean Jansem. The Cascade, that is located on the hillside offers some stunning views of the city and Mt.Ararat and also has a number of beautiful fountains. The Matenadaran houses ancient manuscripts and has the largest collection of manuscripts in the world. The ruins of the Erebuni fortress that are almost 3000 years old are also worth visiting.

(Image courtesy of  Rita Willaert )

Barentsburg , is a Russian settlement, located on the island of Spitsbergen in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. Ulitsa Ivana Starostinam, the central street also the market place of the town is the best spot for shopping souvenirs. As the region is mostly covered by snow, the tourists enjoy snowmobile safaris and Arctic barbecues, the most. The town has the most ancient of coal mines and they look splendid when smoking black.

Statues are seen all round the town and the museums portray the ancient polar beer history and remind us of the history of Russia . Pomor Museum, is the best among them which has many stuffed polar animals for display. Skiing and snowboarding are the most popular sports and competitions are conducted every year which pulls snow sport enthusiasts from all round the world.

(Image courtesy of Rerun van Pelt)

Lying 170 miles west of the Azerbaijani capital of Baku, the Nagorno-Karabakh republic, is very close to the Armenian border. The mountainous republic has made boosting efforts to develop tourism and make the place more tourist-friendly. The place is the home for considerably large number of monasteries, churches, mosques and museums which flash the culture of the ancient land.

Dadivank , Gandzasar and Amaras are the most famous monasteries they were, in earlier times, school which taught scripts to the people. The architecture of these sacred buildings are still a mystery to the engineers. Handaberd Fortress and Gyulistan Castle also also masterpieces that showcase the brilliant works of the emperors of the region. Excavations at the Tigranakert site in Artsakh are on-going and more clues on the history of the rulers and kingdoms are being revealed. The place is known for its rugs and rug making is one of the predominant occupation. So, make sure you take home a rug as a souvenir!

(Image courtesy of ninastoessinger)

Vladivostok, the largest port city in the Pacific is the administrative seat of the Primorsky Krai region. It lies near the China and Korean borders and is the port of the Russian Pacific fleet. The city is best known as the Eastern stop of the Trans-Siberian railway that runs from Moscow to Vladivostok. The name of the Vladivostok perhaps originates from the name Vladikavkaz, the name of a fortress in the Caucasus mountains and that loosely means “rule the East”.

Vladivostok is known for its bitter winters with temperatures dipping to almost -14C.September is considered to be the best month of the year, as that’s the only time that the region experiences warm sunshine. Check out the Russian Pacific fleet at the Golden Horn Bay and the C-56 submarine ( that’s is not in water) that is present in the Naval Memorial. Vladivostok is best  known for its museums and statues of Lenin. If you are looking forward to swim in the sea, the beach at Sportivnaya Harbor is a good place.

(Image courtesy of JasonRogersFooDogGiraff eBee)