Tourist Attractions & Monuments Russia

One of the largest and most beautiful bridges in the city connects Petrogradskaya Island and the Champ-de-Mars to the city centre. Spanning the Neva since 1903, the Troïtsky Bridge is worth a visit if only for the incomparable view of the city you will discover there. On one side, the Summer Garden, the St. Petersburg Hotel, Petrovskaya Quay, on the other - the Peter and Paul Fortress, the tip of Vasilyevsky Island, the Dvortsovaya Quay bordered by the succession of wings of the Hermitage.

Close to the Mariinsky, the small triangular island of New Holland at the end of the Moska Canal and bounded by the other Admiralty and Kryukova canals, has undergone a complete metamorphosis. This island used by the army has become a new eco-district of contemporary cultural life in St Petersburg. Created in the 18th century by the national navy, which used it as a warehouse area, the island of Novaya Hollandiya was also used as a storage area and water reservoir during the Soviet period. The complex had been somewhat abandoned since the beginning of the 21st century.
The official launch of the project took place on 27 August 2016 with many concerts and performances on the main stage of the park. Many historic buildings have been renovated, but the most interesting and lively of them is certainly the former prison, now called Boutilka (the bottle). This round-shaped building houses a dozen cafes on the ground floor, shops and showrooms on the ^first floor and a health and beauty area on the ^third floor. In winter, the green park is transformed into a beautiful skating rink. Free concerts, lectures, masterclasses and charity vinyl markets frequently take place on the main stage and in the inner courtyard of the Boutilka. The ^2nd floor houses Imagine, a beautiful vinyl record shop that also houses the studio of the official New Holland radio station: nhi.fm. To be visited without hesitation!

Kungur Cave is a system of karst (a kind of gypsum) caves stretching for 5.7 km of which only 1.5 km is open to the public. Be careful, you can only access the site with the approved guide proposed by the administration. Warm clothing should be worn, as the temperature in the cave does not rise above -2°C, even in summer. The Kungur Cave is the pearl of the Perm Region, known in Russia and all over the world. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The underground labyrinth has a total of 48 caves bearing the names of its explorers. The largest cave is the Geographers' Cave, which is 140 m long, 40 m wide and over 10 m high. In the entrance is the icing zone, formed over the years, where the temperature is always above 0°C. Here, stratiform ice, stalagmites, stalactites and crystals are preserved all year round and represent one of the peculiarities of this fantastic site. The annual temperature in the centre is 5 °C. The largest of the seventy underground lakes is the Bolshoié Lake with a mirror surface of 1,460 ^m2 and a maximum depth of 3 m.

Around the cave is the small village of Ermak, which was built as a result of the influx of tourists, with souvenir shops, a café, a park with wooden sculptures and a geological museum. Please note: Credit cards are not accepted at the cash desk and in the café.

Welcome to the sanctuary of Russian Impressionism, often misunderstood, always contested. Inaugurated on May 28, 2016, this new small museum brings together a collection of some 150 works patiently acquired and showcased by businessman Boris Mintz since 2001. Following his wishes, its ambition is to prove the existence of a Russian impressionist school as well as its singularity in Russia, distinct from the French canons and its giants such as Manet and Renoir. To this end, the permanent exhibition presents a panorama stretching from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. We can find great names such as Polenov, Korovine, Serov or even Guerassimov, better known for his socialist realism. Upstairs, two rooms are dedicated to temporary exhibitions, devoted to little-known artists that the museum wants to bring up to date. The building also has a multimedia space, a projection room, a café and a shop to complete the museum's itinerary. There is a real interest in admiring these works, which are undoubtedly masterfully crafted and presented in a very modern way. When you leave this place, you can be sure that Boris Mintz's wager is a success.

Another argument for taking a break is the setting of the museum. He found his home in the former confectionery factory of the "Bolshevik" brand acquired by the tycoon. This old red brick building, renovated in the modern industrial style, also houses the offices of many Russian start-ups.

Burganov is one of the greatest contemporary Russian sculptors whose works can be admired all over Moscow. In particular, the golden sculpture of Princess Turandot on the ancient Arbat. Rather surreal in his approach, he has a recognizable style. His museum-workshop is more of a jumble open to visitors than a proper museum tour. One wanders from rooms to courtyards, from gardens to galleries in a jubilant approach to art, faithful to the style of the owner, soon to be in his nineties.

If you are a paleontology enthusiast, take an hour to visit one of the largest natural history museums in the world, founded in 1716 by Peter the Great. The museum contains real dinosaur skeletons, which will make young and old alike dream! In addition to its amazing permanent collection exhibited in 6 rooms, the museum building is also of great interest: a magnificent example of Soviet architecture that was awarded the USSR State Prize at its creation.

The "Pharmacists' Garden" is one of the oldest botanical gardens in Moscow, created in the 18th century for the cultivation of medicinal plants. It now belongs to the Moscow State University, which has preserved it in its original use. The garden is one of the most beautiful in the capital, with a profusion of delicate flowers. There are verandas for eating and drinking, and at weekends you can listen to music or see some handicraft stalls.

This Soviet dacha is perfectly preserved in its original form with its complete collection of furniture, utensils, decorative and leisure objects from the Soviet period. One can enjoy tea prepared in a real samovar (whose water boiled with wood embers instils such a particular and appreciable taste), Ivan chai and Russian cakes. The owner of the place also gives master classes in the preparation of borstch or pelmenis. We highly recommend this excellent getaway for an immersion in local life.

You are in front of one of the buildings in Moscow that tourists most often take pictures of. This is quite understandable, considering its (too?) extravagant architecture. This small mansion resembling a Fabergé egg was built in 2002 by Sergey Tkatsjenko. Initially this project was intended to be built at the turn of the ^2nd millennium in Bethlehem to house a birthing centre, hence its egg shape... which makes it an even more dubious choice. Anyway you can always follow this photographic trend.

The Bouriates take its precious mineral water, rich in trace elements, as well as the mud, which is also medicinal (joints, skin). Visitors swim here all summer long because the lake is shallow and the water is quite warm. Breathtaking natural beauty, between characteristic marshland landscapes and the Baikalian shoreline. You admire the still snow-covered peaks of the Bargouzine mountains. Very popular in summer, the lake will be all yours at the end of August.

This huge neo-Gothic-inspired park built between the 18th and 19th centuries is located on the grounds of the former estate of Baron von Nicolay. Of Strasbourg origin, scholar in the languages and literature of ancient Greece and Rome, the poet Ludwig von Nicolay (1737-1820) was the tutor and then private secretary of Paul I of Russia. With its necropolis-island with buildings of ancient inspiration, its romantic alleys winding along the Gulf of Finland, it offers possibilities for walks conducive to poetic dreams.

This museum retraces in miniature the history of the city in an interactive tour. Many of the scenes are triggered by pressing a button (dance of the favourites, cooking a wild boar on a spit, etc.). Thanks to the archives in its possession, the museum recreates streets, old houses and palaces that have disappeared. The model is equipped with a nocturnal phase system: at nightfall, it is an enchantment to see the lights glowing inside the houses and in the streets.

Founded in 1760, this pharmacy is the oldest in the city. It owes its reputation and aura to the famous Dr. Poehl and his sons. As early as 1871, it was the official pharmacy of the imperial court. Dr. Poehl's heir, his son Alexander, is famous for the introduction of dosed tablets and the invention of an ampoule for dosing and storing sterile injectable solutions. Located on the ground floor of a private medical centre, this venerable house served as a pharmacy until 2019, when it was converted into a pharmacopoeia museum. The period furniture has remained (or has been recreated identically following the terrible fire of 2005). Medical and laboratory utensils, copper, brass and woodwork, and even a stuffed crocodile (once the local symbol of pharmacies) can be seen. The good doctor's telephone is still there as well as a genuine National cash register that still works. We are greeted by guides dressed in white lab coats. Alas! the visit in French or English is not yet available, but you can still explore this small museum on a self-guided tour if you are not Russian-speaking. In the courtyard of the building remains the old chimney of the brick oven of the Doctor's laboratory covered with figures up to its ridge. The urban legend says that Poehl was an alchemist, that he succeeded in creating griffins (creatures half eagle, half lion) that would still fly over the city at night. Another legend says that the Doctor worked on turning mercury into gold while finding the Philosopher's Stone. Some of these legends were inspired by an enigmatic and offbeat artist who lived in the building during the 1990s, Sergei Kostroma. He is notably responsible for the mysterious figures on the tower, which was overhung by a giant egg in a false cardboard nest until the 2000s. The installation was called the "Egg Monument". It was a double homage to Workers' Solidarity Day (May ^1st) and Orthodox Easter. The installation of the egg on the chimney symbolized the union of workers, artists and religious figures. And the numbering of the bricks on the Tower is a reference to the pharmacist who patiently drew up his inventory by putting numbers on his drugs and preparations in his official register.

If you've already visited the main sites and want to dig deeper, get to know the city from the inside and an unconventional approach, the guys at "Informal Walks" are the right guys for you! Among the tours they offer: romantic rusty pipes (rooftop walks), underground bar crawl, cultural centres... Strolls in intimate places where they will bring you many anecdotes and little-known facts.

This gallery is named after its owner, an art dealer and exhibitor. It has acquired a solid reputation and you can be sure that the artists exhibited here have or will have a world-renowned career. This place is an ideal place to get acquainted with the Russian art scene, especially at the time of the happenings that bring together all the Russian cultural gratin. Once you get over the intimidating feeling of coming as a tourist walking the flowerbeds of a very select art world, you can enjoy the talent displayed on the walls.

In 2017, the world's largest planetarium opened its doors at SPB, dethroning the one in Nagoya City. The project is installed in the old gasometer (gas storage tank) of the old gas plant complex built in 1884. Spectacularly reinvented, the building now houses a 37-metre diameter dome with 40 projectors and a mini-museum with exhibitions on the infinite worlds of space. In winter, the outdoor area of the planetarium is transformed into a gigantic 1,500 m² ice rink.

IdeaGuide brings together a team of private French-speaking guides and offers a wide range of tours for individuals and mini-groups. This allows you to book only the services and levels of care you require: a specific thematic tour as well as a complete stay program of several days, but also your invitations for visas, transfers, purchase of train tickets, theater tickets... The French-speaking experts offer you an itinerary adapted to the countless faces of the Russian capital on the Baltic Sea.

This beautiful boulevard in the Parisian style is an integral part of the Ring of Boulevards ordered by Catherine II, which replaced the White City walls. It begins at Pushkin Square and ends at Nikitsky Gate, next to Arbat. It was a fashionable promenade for the Moscow nobility, who built many mansions here. The street can be dedicated to Maxim Gorky: at No. 22 there is a theatre named after him, at No. 25 the neoclassical facade of the Maxim Gorky Institute of Literature, where the famous writer was born.

One of the most experienced canal excursion companies, operating in St. Petersburg since 1994. The offer is vast between trips on the Neva River, cruises, dinner on the water, observation of bridge-raising, musical evenings, etc. Departures are regular, several times a day during the navigation season. Be sure to find out beforehand about the available cruises, schedules and landing stages served on the site, which can be consulted in English. Possibility to book a cruise online.

The Jewish Museum and Center of Tolerance is a place that tells a lot and is a good place to visit to understand the history of the Jews in Russia and the countries of the former USSR. To observe their life in small villages that were called misteshka in the 19th century and then see the rampant anti-Semitism that gradually caused these Jews to disappear or die is a very powerful experience. The museum is exciting and its exhibition is varied.

Orda Cave is the longest underwater gypsum cave in the world: it is about 5.1 km long, of which 4.8 km are underwater. Situated 130 km south-east of the Perm city on the outskirts of the village Orda (south-west) this place is a paradise for divers and speleologists who come from all over the world to study it. She is nicknamed the "white bride" because of the chalky colour of the gypsum rock. Although the rock system formed about 200 million years ago, exploration only began in the early 1990s at the initiative of a group of amateur speleologists. Its entrance is in the Kazakovskaya mountain on the banks of the Kungur river. The cave has a large number of underground galleries bearing the names of the cities of origin of the first explorers: Sverdlovsky, Chelyabinsky, Krasnoyarsky, Moskovsky... Today Orda cave is only accessible to professional or very experienced divers because of many difficulties such as the low water temperature (+4 °C). The Orda cave is one of the best equipped in the world: it has a safe staircase, electric lighting inside and a comfortable diving platform. To access it, it is best to contact the Underwater Speleology Center, in charge of its management, which will accompany you during your exploration. Go to the site to contact them by e-mail.

The Pribaikalsky National Park covers 418,000 hectares along the west coast of Lake Baikal, between the village of Kultuk and the Kheyrene River (it includes the island of Olkhon). The landscape is very varied and picturesque: cliffs, bays, creeks, caves, the largest of which are Aya (570 m long) and Metchta (250 m). Forests cover 70% of the territory and vary according to the altitude. Conifers (pine, larch and cedar) predominate, but deciduous trees such as birch and aspen can be found. You will observe very rare and protected species of plants, fungi and lichens. The mouth of the Angara River, which does not freeze in winter, is a unique wintering ground for water birds, of which there are up to 10,000 individuals. The area is subject to the influence of the enormous water mass of the lake: annual precipitation is very high, as is the humidity level. The average temperature in January is -18 °C, compared to 14 °C in July-August. Popular and much visited, the park is well-structured and preserved.

On the site (in Russian) you will find practical information, including how to apply for a permit. You also get various hiking routes, the list of refuges (equipped and heated) open to the public. To sleep there, you need to have reserved your bed. Finally, you will find the contact details of offices where you can get information and make enquiries (especially in Irkutsk and Listvianka).

The Altai Nature Reserve was established on 16 April 1932 to protect the exceptional nature of the golden Altai Mountains. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List since 1998, it covers an area of more than 881,000 hectares in the northeastern part of the Altai Republic (administrative territories of Turochak and Ulaanbaatar), of which 11,410 hectares lie on the right bank of Lake Teletskoye. The mountains are dotted with springs from which pure and refreshing water gushes forth. There are numerous streams, rivers and waterfalls (the highest - 60 m - is on the Tchoultcha River), high-altitude lakes (including the 10 km long Djulukul) and natural areas where a multitude of rare species thrive. It is also a popular place for botanists: the rich and diverse flora of the reserve includes more than 1,500 species of vascular plants, 111 species of fungi, 272 species of lichens. The most common trees are cedar, fir, larch, spruce, pine and birch. The virgin cedar forests are the pride of the reserve: 400-450 years old, they sometimes reach 180 cm in diameter.
Entrance to the reserve is free; only certain areas are accessible to the public, mostly around Teletskoe Lake. However, you must obtain a permit (at the reception desk). Several audioguide applications are available on the website.

After crossing the Katun bridge, you can walk three kilometres on the left side of the bridge to the crossroads where the signs indicate Beriozka (birch) and Ozero Aya (Lake Aya): 1 kilometre away, there is a beautiful lake surrounded by forest.

The blue pearl of the Altai is located in one of the three overhanging mountain hollows on the left bank of the Katoune, 280 meters above sea level and 75 meters above river level. Famous for its warm waters (25°C from mid-June), Lake Aya is a very popular holiday destination. There are several peat bogs (Russian-style leisure centres), equipped beaches, pedal boat and rowing boat rental points all around. In the centre of the lake, a small island with a romantic pavilion serves as a place to relax in the sun.

The lake also attracts many fishing enthusiasts: here you can catch perch, carassins, pike and even sterlets and monkfish. Lake Aya freezes over from November. When the ice is caught, in December-January, it is therefore possible to skate on the snow-cleared (and secured) areas. In order to protect the environment of the lake, the Aya Natural Park was delimited and classified in October 2003 by decision of the Altai Territorial Administration.

In the high summer and winter seasons (July-August; January-March) expect hordes of holidaymakers coming to enjoy the fresh air. This is one of the great holiday resorts of the Altai.

This rocky island is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the district of Chemal. And rightly so, since the place is breathtakingly beautiful. Located in the middle of the Katoune River, the island is connected to the shore by a suspended pedestrian bridge. An Orthodox wooden convent was built there, associated with the women's monastery of Notre-Dame-du-Signe de Barnaoul. It owes its name to the eponymous Greek island, known as the place of exile of the evangelist John, who wrote the Apocalypse there.

The largest lake in the Golden Mountains of the Altai, the second largest freshwater reserve in Russia after the Great Baikal, Teletskoy is located at 434 m above sea level, between the Korbou and Al-tyntou ridges where the Saïan and Saïliouguem mountains meet. With its 78 km long and 5 km wide, and an exceptional depth of 325 m (it is in the top 25 of the deepest lakes on the planet), its fresh and clear water allows you to see up to 14 m deep. In the Altaic language, Teletskoe means "golden lake". Its eastern bank is part of the Altai nature reserve inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. More than 70 rivers and numerous streams flow into this lake, the largest being the Chulychman. Only one river emerges from it: the Biya, in the north, becoming, after its confluence with the Katun, one of Russia's most important rivers, the Ob. It is one of the most popular destinations in the Altai. Every year, thousands of tourists come to discover this magnificent natural setting, an ideal playground for lovers of outdoor sports: rafting, diving or hiking in the mountains. Lazier travellers can rest assured that the surrounding and surprisingly varied mountain scenery is self-sufficient. You can laze around on its pebble beaches and take an occasional dip. If it is crowded, especially in the summer, Teletskoe Lake loses none of its magic. A place where it's nice to relax.

The Usurysky Nature Reserve occupies mountainous terrain south of the Sikhoté-Alin Mountains, in the upper part of the Komarovka and Artiomovka river basins. Flora: hard juniper, ginseng, red pine and Japanese yew. The reserve has become a place for growing ginseng, the root of which is useful in pharmacy and cosmetics. Fauna: the Amur tiger, the East Siberian leopard, the tangerine and the black stork.

It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful natural and protected sites in the world. And it deserves it: accessing it can indeed be difficult, especially in wet weather (all-terrain vehicle). The cape "Giant" overlooks the Sea of Okhotsk, to the south-east of the island. You will be amazed by these arches and mineral columns sculpted by the wind and sea waves. The lucky ones will witness the spawning of wild salmon, which attracts many brown bears. A must-see.

Lakes Izmentchivoye and Tunya, two saltwater lakes of 12.9 km2 and 174 km2, are located in the Korsakov district, southeast of Sakhalin Island. They are ideal for bathing, fishing, bird watching at bird colonies resting on their shores, hiking and kayaking. Lake Izmentchivoye is also rich in marine sulphide mud, which has therapeutic virtues (skin and gynaecological diseases).

In the Kronotski Natural Park, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Caldeiras and Geysernaïa caldeiras form the largest Kamchatka geothermal zone. The pebble of the Ouzon volcano, measuring 9 km over 12 km, is the largest of the peninsula. It formed in the middle of the Pleistocene following several major eruptions that destroyed the cone over 3 000 m high. Ouzon is a kind of natural laboratory: many métallogènes minerals (arsenic, mercury, copper, zinc, etc.) were discovered in its groundwater flowing to the surface. As water cools, these minerals are deposited around the sources of ore.

This volcano distinguishes itself from its neighbours by its height: at 3 456 m, it is the highest volcano in the southern peninsula. The Koriakski has a conical shape, the slope angle of the slope reaches 15-20 ° at the foot and 35 ° in the upper part. It attracts many climbers and climbers. His complex and technical ascent unfortunately causes many accidents every year. For mountaineers who are experienced and duly accompanied by professional guides.

A natural reserve and biosphere with a unique fauna, flora and ecosystem in the world. The reserve includes the Geysers Valley and the Ouzon volcano.

It is one of Kamchatka'oldest and most active volcanoes, consisting of four fused stratovolcans. His last eruption took place in the 1960 s, but there are still some ground explosions. The climb of the volcano (2 323 m) takes about 7 hours and allows you to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding landscapes where fire and ice are constantly confronting each other. Steep walls of glaciers surround the crater and glittering under the rays of the sun.

The volcano Plosky Tolbaltchik (3 682 m), located 350 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamtchatski, is part of the Klioutchevskaïa volcanic group to the east of the peninsula and is located in the territory of the natural park of the Klioutchevskoï volcano, which is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The volcano is cut by two caldeiras: the first 3 kilometres in diameter was formed about 6 500 years ago in a powerful rash. It was formerly occupied by a small shield volcano and a glacier that formed a characteristic flat summit, hence the qualifier "plosky" (dish) attached to its name.

Inside the old pebble is a young pebble 400 meters high and 1,8 km in diameter created during the penultimate volcanic eruption of 1975-1976. This eruption ever changed the surrounding area of the volcano causing two ruptures (north and south), creating four scories cones and destroying all vegetation over 400 km ². The visit of the volcano, its cones and the "dead forest" allows to realize the magnitude of this phenomenal eruption.

The smallest volcano of the three was once a shield volcano whose foot was 30 km in diameter. Its central part disintegrated to form an oval pebble of 9 km over 14 km, with many craters from where the lava appeared on the surface. Today it represents a chain of stratovolcans amount of one single caldeira. The almost complete absence of vegetation and life on the slopes of the volcano is reminiscent of lunar landscapes. This is due to a fairly high volcanic activity. From time to time, the volcano thus emits columns of steam and gas at a height of 3 kilometres. The ascent of the Gorely volcano takes about 8 hours and allows to observe strange sculptures of hardened lava, slag fields and craters sometimes filled with hot water.

The palace, built in the 1930s in a style that reflects the beginnings of Constructivism, was first a popular leisure centre throughout the Soviet period. In 2008 it became a municipal cultural centre 2.0. The hotel now regularly hosts performances and films of all styles and for all tastes. For children, there are creative development and dance workshops, a chess club, etc. There are also foreign language courses and discussion clubs.

Since 2017, this memorial is the first monument dedicated to the victims of the Gulag and Soviet political repression ever presented in the capital. It consists of a bronze high relief with silhouettes of men and women bearing the inscription "Remember", engraved in 22 different languages. It surmounts the Wall of Sorrow square, paved with stones salvaged from the country's gulags. The place is even more icy at night.

On the right, the ruins of a luxury hotel built and destroyed in the aftermath of a fire in 1989 (allegedly started by a disgruntled fisherman who laid his hut on the foundations). Next, the starting point of the trail leading to the top of the Markov. You come to one of the most beautiful beaches of the lake. Pebbled, wild and battered by the surf. The roar of the waves and the driftwood will remind you of the ocean. Between shore and forest, you are alone in the world!

Realist art depicts the daily life of urban and peasant life around the artist, it was highly appreciated by the Soviet regime. The Private Institute of Russian Realist Art has the largest collection of Russian art of the 20th and 21st centuries with more than 500 works. It exhibits masters such as Serguei Gerasimov, Yuri Pimenov, Geli Korzhev, Victor Popokov. The interest of this visit is to see, through the paintings, the evolution of Russian society before and after the revolution.

The Khakassky Reserve, which covers an area of nearly 270,000 ha, has been established as a natural park and is a leading Siberian and world-class nature sanctuary. Extremely varied with its pure water lakes, majestic mountains and steppe areas. There are many opportunities for hiking, excursions and wildlife observation. They are organized from the park's information centre in Abakan. An eco-museum (100 RUB, from 9am to 4pm)

The Ivanovsky Lakes are located in the mountainous taiga of the Ordzhonikidze district, near the village of Priiskovy. They are distinguished by their depth (up to 140 m, at heights of 1,000 to 1,240 m), the purity of their water and the beauty of the surrounding landscape. A site, certainly protected, very popular with locals summer and winter. Ask at the tourist office in Abakan to find out about entry requirements (presentation of a permit, etc.). A must-see.

This reserve (biosphere status since 1986), is located between the Bargouzine Mountains, whose summit reaches a height of 2,841 m, and Lake Baikal. It covers 374,322 ha along the northern half of the south-eastern coast, between Ust-Barguzin (260 km north of Ulan Oude) and Nizhneangarsk (northeast tip of Baikal). It is a beautiful mountainous country crossed by 14 rivers, whose clear and fast waters form powerful waterfalls. Its many mountain lakes and glaciers make this region truly enchanting. The administrative and scientific centre is located in Davcha, a small village on Lake Baikal, 450 km north of Ulan Oude. It can be reached by road, helicopter, boat or hydrofoil from Irkutsk or Ulan Oude. Here, the summers are short and quite cool. August is the hottest month; February is the coldest. The average annual temperature is -4°C.

Founded in 1916, the reserve's mission was to protect and study the precious and endangered sable of Bargouzine. Thanks to the activities of zoologists and forest rangers, the population has increased considerably. Access to the reserve is strictly regulated; some of it is strictly prohibited to the public. You can enter it through excursions organized by professionals. Contact the tourist agencies in Irkutsk and Ulan Oude, who will offer you a programme with a French-speaking guide if necessary.

On the banks of the river Neglinka, it is a charming little wooden church in the cheerful colours built in 1878 in the memory of Catherine la Grande.

Petrozavodsk lends itself very well to strolling and you can walk for hours on the lake shore and in the many parks. The shores of Lake Onega are a favourite place for locals and are often very lively, both in summer and winter. You can soak your feet on the small beach in front of the Karelia Hotel, walk or bike along the arranged front while sipping a local kvas or berry juice, or listen to improvised sonatas played on the public piano under a kiosk. It is also from there that one takes the boat to Kiji.

A quarter of an hour from the centre, this lake overlooks Murmansk and offers a superb panorama of the city and the port. In the park near the lake you will see a memorial and a gigantic concrete statue of a soldier of the Second World War; it is called "Alyosha" and it watches over Murmansk. The walk between the rocks from the main road to the statue is not to be missed, to soak up a bit of arctic nature even while staying in town!

With its statues of Athena and Hermès, it mimics the Italian Renaissance palaces.

one can see, from a boat and with the help of binoculars, a memorial to the discovery of "Pallaçovo gélézo" (the Pallas iron). In October 1771, the great Russian explorer of Siberia, Peter Pallas, of German origin (1741-1811) arrived in Krasnoyarsk. He ordered his collection, all his travel diaries and completed them with archival material. In 1772, a convoy of a few trolleys loaded with collections ores, animals and birds headed from Krasnoyarsk to St. Petersburg. The convoy consisted of solid sleds with a metal block with a weight of 700 kg. This block, on the rough surface covered with a thin crust, and with the form of giant egg, was a gift from the blacksmith Jacov Medvédev, who found it on the dividing line of the waters of the rivers Oubey and Sicime, tributaries rights of the Yenisey. The blacksmith, who had transported him to his yard, attacked him with his entire heart without succeeding in forging it. For 22 years, the mysterious bloc remained in the yard. P. Pallas heard about and sent a man to buy it. But the blacksmith gave the block free and even built special sleds to move it to the capital. The enigmatic object received the name of the "Pallas iron" and its mystery was decrypted in 1794 by the Czech scientist, Ernst Chladni, who said it was a meteorite, the first found and studied in Russia. The peasant blacksmith J. Medvédev was decorated by the Russian Academy of Sciences, and his discovery is now visible at the Cabinet Cabinet in Saint Petersburg.

Ekaterinburg Central Park. A historical leisure and relaxation area. In this vast green and wooded area, there are rides (Ferris wheel) and attractions for children. You can rent barbecue stands there. It also houses a billiard room and a brewery. The place is very pleasant, although very lively. In winter, it hosts the Christmas facilities. In the summer, a senior citizens' ball is held there among other popular events.

Vladimir tours for Russian and foreign tourists.