Russia: A Great Land Unconquered

WayToRussia.Net offers a great deal of useful information for every type of traveler, particularly those who want to visit Moscow and St. Petersburg. You'll find articles and guides written with personality but professionalism, covering sights, hotels, food, and transportation.

RussianTravelGuides.com has guides for Russian and CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) cities, with recommendations for sightseeing, food, restaurants, museums, and more. It also includes advice on transportation, language, health, and phone/Internet access. The Moscow and St. Petersburg guides are very thorough though some of the smaller cities have little content.

Russia-InfoCentre has information on Russian travel, culture, people, news, and more. Its "Regions & Cities" section is helpful for finding content on places that other sites overlook. The "Travel & Transportation" guide is hit-and-miss, with the "Places and Resorts" section being the most useful for travelers.

Going Russia has general information on Russian culture, as well as travel guides focusing on Moscow and St. Petersburg. The guides have information on hotels, sights, theaters, restaurants, nightclubs, and more. Guided tours with itineraries are available for Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev, and Vilnius; these can be downloaded into MS Word. Even if you're not interested in the tours, these itineraries are useful for a bit of history on specific destinations.

The Moscow Times is the leading ex-pat newspaper of Russia. The paper's entire content is available and easily navigated online, including daily news and features, as well as cultural and social event information. You'll also find an informative seasonal city and travel guide for Moscow; download PDFs of past issues on the left of the page.

Element is a young, hip, weekly Moscow-based entertainment magazine. With features and information on dining, dancing, music, and even "gentlemen's clubs," it makes a good companion for the jet-setting traveler in Russia's biggest city. Browse the contents online, or download a PDF of the most recent issue.

Saint-Petersburg.com has a great deal of information, including city history, a virtual sightseeing tour, and guides for restaurants, hotels, and shopping. There's also a large collection of photos, and 360-degree panoramas using QuickTime player.

In Your Pocket here illuminates present-day St. Petersburg. Historical information can be found in the "Features" box on the left. Travel information is best navigated using the bar on the top of the page, which includes information on sightseeing, hotels, restaurants, shopping, and transportation. 

The Vladivostok Times has a travel guide for this city on the Pacific coast that covers local nature, churches, nightclubs, and recreation. "Useful info" gives you directories of hotels, restaurants, transportation, and other practical services. Visit the "Culture" tab at the top of the page for information on local events and festivals.

WayToRussia.net offers insiders' takes on Irkutsk, a Siberian city that has maintained its 19th-century look and traditional wooden buildings, and is a gateway to Lake Baikal. Way to Russia travel guides have been created by a team of native Russians, which may account for the few grammatical errors in the text. Information is detailed and organized, however, outlining practicalities (mail, money, laundry, Internet) and things to do. "Going Out" features restaurants, cafes, clubs, and must-see spots in the city. For a brief historical run-down, consult the "Introduction to Irkutsk."

GoBaikal.com provides interesting information on the oldest, deepest, purest, and largest lake in the world, Lake Baikal. The site tells you how to get there, where to stay, and how to travel safely. It also provides tour packages for the region.

Tatar.ru is the official site of the Republic of Tatarstan and includes this section on the capital, Kazan. You'll find basic background information on the city's 1,000-year birthday and its status as a scientific center. For cultural details, including listings of museums and theaters, click on "Tourism" in the left-hand sidebar. 

RussianMuseums.info is an official directory of Russian museums, organized by popularity. Browse or search the database to find information on museums across Russia, including days and hours of operation, contact and getting-there information, and official Web sites of the museums.

The State Hermitage Museum once served as the royal winter palace and now is reputedly home to the largest collection of art in the world, housing over 3 million pieces. This fine-looking site includes all necessary information for planning a visit to the museum, as well as a virtual tour, and more.

The State Tretyakov Gallery hosts this simple English language site with a brief introduction to the gallery's collection, as well as trip planning information for all of its buildings and extensions.

The Moscow Kremlin has all the information you need to visit its numerous museums and attractions. Take a peek at the collections and exhibitions, though unfortunately the virtual tour feature is in Russian only.