Things to See in Russia

The Unesco-protected Lapland Biosphere Reserve consists of 2784 sq km (1074 sq mi) of almost pristine wilderness and is the most accessible nature reserve in Arctic Russia. Visitors can trek through the wilderness - the best times are from March to September - or traverse it on skis, snowshoes or skidoos.

Known as Hill 102 during the battle of Stalingrad, Mamaev Kurgan was the site of four months of fierce fighting. It's now a moving memorial to all who died in this bloody fight. The complex's centrepiece is an evocative 72m (236ft) statue of Mother Russia wielding a sword that extends another 11m (35ft) above her head.

Set in the magnificent palace from which the tsars ruled Russia for one-and-a-half centuries, the State Hermitage triumphantly lives up to its reputation as one of the country's chief glories. It consists of five linked buildings along the riverside - the Winter Palace, the Little Hermitage, the Old and New Hermitage, and the Hermitage Theatre.

Kizhi is a not-to-be-missed pilgrimage site for anyone touched by the magic of old Russian architecture. The big highlight is the fairy-tale Transfiguration Church, built in 1714. With its chorus of 23 domes plus gables and ingenious decorations to keep water off the walls, it is the gem of Russian wooden architecture.

The Kremlin is the stronghold of Russian political power. Here, Ivan the Terrible and Stalin orchestrated terrors, Napoleon watched Moscow burn, Lenin made the dictatorship of the proletariat, Khrushchev fought the Cold War, Gorbachev unleashed perestroika, and Yeltsin dreamt the New Russia.