Russia

A young Cossack captain, Peter Beketov set up the Lenskiy fortress on the bank of the Lena River in 1632. From its early beginnings as a garrison, the settlement was to grow into Yakutsk, ... [full story]

"Lord of the East " or Vladivostok is the administrative centre of Russia’s far eastern region and the capital of Primorsky Kray, the maritime territory also known as Ussuriland.   Russia’s Far East stretches along ... [full story]

Dining out is a delight as the number of eating establishments in Sochi are too many to enumerate - the list nclude expensive hotel restaurants that serve elaborate dishes and seaside cafés that serve ... [full story]

The Caucasus Mountains serve as the backdrop to Sochi, Russia’s favourite Black Sea resort. Its subtropical climate and warm waters  made it a favourite summer destination for tsars, communist party bigwigs, Soviet generals and ... [full story]

Omsk is a capital city of the western Siberian region of Omsk - this predominantly industrial city is located at the confluence of the Irtysh and Om Rivers. A major river port, Omsk is ... [full story]

"Father of the Russian Cities", "His Majesty the Great Novgorod" or plain and simple Novgorod is a really ancient town, founded on the banks of the Volkhov River way back in 859AD. An important ... [full story]

Nizhny Novgorod, Russia's third largest city lies in the Povolzhye region - literally meaning "Along the Volga River".  The Volga River has always been the lifeline of the Russian nation, especially as it was ... [full story]

From relatively obscure beginnings as a 17th century garrison fort for Cossack troops, Krasnoyarsk developed into a prosperous township - thanks mostly to the discovery of gold in the 19th century.   The gold boom ... [full story]

The city of  Kaliningrad is a legacy of the Germans  and till today retains a distinct German flavour, be it in the Gothic architecture of it’s buildings or in the tree lined avenues of ... [full story]

Siberia instantly evokes images of a stark, barren and hostile land - vast wilderness tracts suitable to be the final destination for society's unwanted members, a place befitting the world's most notorious penal colony. ... [full story]