Discover Russia

Inside of the idyllic lairs of Moscow, the largest number of billionaires in the world reside. Moscow’s socialites and heirs to massive fortunes hit the city’s hottest clubs at nightfall, wining and dining behind secret-password guarded doors. But for sightseers who lust for the traditional and historical sights of this Russian mecca, the Moscow night scene can wait. The architectural icons that line the streets and artistic sculptures that sit along its sidewalks are sights not to be missed. Moscow is rich with cultural history, and is a bustling city ready to be explored by the sophisticated globetrotter.

Take a trip to the eerie throws of Lenin Mausoleum located in Red Square. The tomb of Vladimir Lenin and his embalmed body have been on public display here since 1924, the year that he died. Lenin, the founder of the Soviet Revolution, was known as a Russian revolutionary and was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. Lenin’s influence was the reason behind the pyramid-shaped monument that houses his remains, a reminder of his legacy. He is considered to be the mastermind behind the Bolshevik take-over of power in Russia in the early 1920s.

Outside of the Mausoleum, famed Red Square awaits. It is the oldest and most historical square in Moscow and is home to world-renowned landmarks like the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral and the State Historical Museum. St. Basil’s Cathedral is so picturesque that it is a popular sight on Russian postcards. This swirly, bright colored structure was built in the 16th Century and features eight onion-dome shaped chapels that hover around a central pointed structure. It is made out of stone, brick and stucco and is a symbol of Ivan the Terrible’s annexation of Russia to Kazan and Astrakhan in the mid 1500s.

The Kremlin has an appearance of a city standing on its own. Overlooking the Red Square to the east, and the Moskva River on its southern side, it is home to grandiose palaces, gold-domed cathedrals, and the Kremlin Wall which acts as a fortress to the area, guarding the residence of the President of Russia which also sits behind its walls. Glitzy and renowned for the architectural genius of its buildings, the Kremlin is one Russian landmark that every tourist should experience.

Across the Black Sea, the beachy resort town of Yalta, Ukraine is steeped with relaxation and specializes in decadent wines. With a variety of vineyards and orchards throughout the city, experiencing a wine tour through Yalta is one of the best ways to take in the city’s sights. The first stop on a Yalta wine tour should be the Massandra Palace, home to Yalta’s most famous winery. Founded in the late 1800’s, this winery was designed to cater to the wine preferences of Russian Emperor Nicholas II and his court, who expected only the highest-quality, sweet-tasting wines to touch their lips. The winery’s vaults now boast the biggest wine collection in the world, with some of its bottles aged over 200 years hidden in tunnels deep within the Crimean Mountains.

After sipping on the wines of the area, brush up on the history of the plays of renowned playwright, Anton Chekhov at Chekhov’s House. The Russian writer penned the famed plays “The Cherry Garden,” and “The Three Sisters” in this house, which was turned into a museum in the late 1920s..