Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

 

Iron Curtain, no more ….. Russia ….awaits you...

 

Russia is a land of snow & harsh winters, blooming meadows & mighty rivers, a midsummer sun that never sets, a hospitable country with a big heart, talented businesses & amazingly artistic people. There are countless natural, historical & cultural attractions in Russia. It really is a ‘must see’ destination! Come……experience enchanting Russia with us……

 

Bordering European & Asian countries as well as the Pacific & Arctic oceans, its landscape ranges from tundra & forests to subtropical beaches. It’s famous for novelists Tolstoy & Dostoevsky, plus the Bolshoi & Mariinsky Ballet companies.

 

Mighty Russia - the largest country in the world, is as vast as it is diverse. Covering more than 17 million square kilometres, it takes about a week to cross the country's ten time zones by train, and ten hours by air. It has the largest river in Europe, the Volga & Europe's highest peak, Elbrus. Within this vast expanse lie Caspian Sea - the largest freshwater lake in the world and the deepest - Baikal. Its’ rivers & forests teeming with fish & wildlife, awe inspiring volcanoes, and towering mountains.

 

Russia's population is about 150 million and the national language is Russian. Sixty percent of Russians are atheist, while the majority of believers are Orthodox. It has a formidable pool of recreational resources, including natural landscapes of endless variety & inimitable beauty, monuments of history & cultural heritage, unique engineering structures & unmatched cities, towns & smaller communities.

 

Russia’s vast geographical distances & cultural differences mean you don’t tick off its highlights in the way you might those of a smaller nation. Instead, view Russia as a collection of distinct territories, each one deserving separate attention.

 

With a rich and at times tumultuous history stretching back centuries, the Land of the Tsars is a truly fascinating place to explore. With a multitude of lavish palaces, Soviet-era relics & famous cities to explore it is often hard to choose where to go on any stealthy Russian adventure. The world's largest country offers it all, from historic cities & idyllic countryside to artistic riches, epic train rides & vodka-fuelled nightlife.

 

Whether you are a culture vulture in search of inspiration from great artists & writers or an adventure addict looking for new horizons to conquer, Russia amply delivers. Tread in the footsteps of literary greats, including Tolstoy & Pushkin, on their country estates. Arrange a ski holiday in Krasnaya Polyana, go trekking in the Altai, or even climb an active volcano in Kamchatka - the varied possibilities will make you head spin.

 

If ancient walled fortresses, glittering palaces & swirly-spired churches are what you are after, focus on European Russia.

 

For most westerners, Russia is associated with its European cities - Moscow & St. Petersburg - founded by legendary Russian leader Peter the Great, and the must-see destinations are the twin repositories of eye-boggling national treasures, political energies & contemporary creativity. This is the heartland of Russia, and these great & ancient cities often become the focus for most guests.

 

Despite three name changes, three revolutions & a 900-day siege, today’s St Petersburg, known simply as Piter by locals, is a beautiful & thriving city. Admire the impressive art collection at the famous Hermitage Museum housed in the baroque Winter Palace, stroll along Nevksy Prospekt & discover beautiful churches & cathedrals in St Petersburg.

 

And in Moscow, wander through legendary Red Square & iconic St Basil’s Cathedral, head underground to a Soviet-era bunker & take a ride on the Moscow Metro, visit fascinating museums & watch world-class opera or ballet.

 

However, there is much more about Russia, a country that ends less than 85 km from North America.

 

Within easy reach of these cities are charming historical towns & villages, such as Veliky Novgorod, Pskov & Suzdal, where the vistas dotted with onion domes & lined with gingerbread cottages measure up to the rural Russia of popular imagination. Other popular tourist attractions are the old Russian cities of Vladimir, Sergiev Posad, Pereyaslavl Zalessky, Rostov, Uglitch, Yaroslavl & Kostroma, the biggest gems of Russia’s Golden Ring.

 

Also high on every tourist’s priority list are itineraries by boat from Moscow to St. Petersburg & the Valaam Island, a central point of religious pilgrimage, or to Kizhi, the wonderland of old Russian wooden architecture, the Northern Caucasus and the Black Sea coast, to Mount Elbrus, the Ural mountains & the Altai country, in different natural settings, from the Black Sea coast (like Gelenzhik and Anapa), the Baltic Sea (Sestroretsk, Komarovo, Zelenogorsk, Svetlogorsk, etc.) to the mountains of the Northern Caucasus (Teberda & Dombai), Ural (Kisegatch & Uveldy) and Altai (Chemal).

 

In the forest steppe areas, the invigorating nature is supplemented with refreshing koumiss, which is a favourite drink among the vacationers in Bashkortostan (Aksakovo, Yumatovo and Shafranovo).

 

We won’t lie: tolerating bureaucracy, corruption and occasional discomfort, particularly away from the booming urban centres, remains an integral part of the Russian travel experience. However, a small degree of perseverance will be amply rewarded and one of the great joys of travel in Russia is being swept away by the boundless hospitality of the people.

 

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn put it best when he talked about Russia’s ‘ancient, deeply rooted autonomous culture…full of riddles & surprises to Western thinking’. You, too, will be beguiled by the beauty of its arts and the quixotic nature of its people

 

Discover this and many more top spots in Russia with our selection of escorted group tours, festive escapes, carefully designed private journeys & tailor-made holidays, as well as semi-independent travel on the Trans-Siberian Railway. On all our tours, you will get the chance to explore Russia's two main cities - St. Petersburg and Moscow - as well as life in the charming provinces.

 

Russians don't do anything by half, so expect an incredible atmosphere mixed with more authentic sights than you could ever hope to see in just one visit. Spectacular & surreal. A unique experience is just the beginning. Take the plunge now & yep…….Russia is waiting. A warm welcome awaits you & The Journeys is ready to take you on well, a journey (or journeys) of discovery.

 

Come….be inspired & discover theWorld with us……