Russia's scale makes region the first decision of any trip. Moscow and St Petersburg concentrate the best-known museums and architecture and are linked by frequent high-speed trains; the Golden Ring towns northeast of Moscow are close enough for short trips; the Black Sea coast around Sochi runs a summer season; and Siberian and Ural cities such as Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg and Yakutsk are separate journeys measured in time zones.
This page collects guides to Moscow, St Petersburg, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Sochi, Vladivostok and many smaller cities. Winters are long across most of the country and shape what is realistic between November and March. Entry requirements, sanctions-related restrictions on payment cards and flight availability have all changed substantially in recent years and should be checked against current official sources before planning.