Russia Hotels

Russia is the largest country of the world in size and it covers all of northern Asia, and stretches out to Scandinavian countries in the west. The area is almost twice as large as the second largest country, Canada. However, most of this land cannot be used because of the climate. The north, Siberia is almost arctic, and the steppes of Asia are too dry. The European sides feature typical East European conditions whereas the shores of Black Sea are warm and mild. Surprisingly, there is even a beach resorts on the Black Sea coast.

This vast land of course has very diverse cultures and lifestyles in itself. After all, the country covers 11 different time zones! The railroad network is excellent and provides access to the remotest of locations.

Russia didn't appear in European history until 18th century. Before that time, Russia mostly was "closed"to outside effect. The time of Czar Peter the Great was a turning point for this civilization. The capital was carried to Saint Petersburg and Russia started to become "westernized". A well governed period carried Russia to brightest period around 18th and 19th century. This is also the time of Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy. During the World War I, Russian Empire came to a collapse by a worker led unrest and Russia a civil war broke out. This was also the time of Lenin. After Lenin, socialism started in the time of Stalin. Later, World War II was inevitable and caused the end of around 30 million lives! The capture of Berlin by the Red Army put an end to the second World War. The era of Cold War was the golden period of Socialist Russia. Later, in 1990ies, the USSR collapsed into 15 separate independent countries. The latest century in the history of Russia was pretty grim.

The history and culture of Russia is very different from any other country. That will be the first thing to notice once you get into towns. The architecture of the centuries old towns are unique. The Kremlin is just picturesque, there is no other word for it. Most travelers prefer to spend their Russian vacation in Moscow or Saint Petersburg. Both of these cities served many years as nations capital, not only in government but also in culture too. Both are like open air museums with spectacular architectural qualities and monuments. Museums of Russia are exquisite too. The Hermitage Museum, for example, is no doubt one of the best museums in the world today. Cosmonautics Museum is the Soviet equivalent of museums in Cape Canaveral. Other major cities are worth a visit too. Each possess their own charm and glamor.

Don't for a moment think cities of Russia live in the past. They are as modern as European metropolises should be. Nightlife is very lively and extravagant, featuring the most stylish DJ's of the pop and electro genres.

Another wonderful aspect of Russia is the countryside. Because the land is so vast, those who are willing to explore a bit, will easily come across breath-taking visuals especially around Lake Baikal or Caucasian mountains. If you want to enjoy the serenity without the risks of going where no man had gone before, 35 National Parks and 100 Nature Reserves are there to serve you.

Russian cuisine of course is as diverse as the culture. Apart from Russian traditions that derived from rural culture from the villages, other eastern cuisines such as Persian, Caucasian and Turkish influenced today's cuisine, both in cooking methods and ingredients. You will find exquisite tastes prepared with local produce like wheat, barley, millet, poultry, fish, and honey. Russian soups and meat pies are highly recommended. There are also restaurants serving specialties from former USSR nations. Best quality caviar is here too. As for drinks, Vodka is legendary, just be careful to the authenticity because fake ones are lethally dangerous.