Russia is one of the largest countries in the world, bridging Europe
and Asia and crossing 11 time zones. Area of Russia is 6,592,800 sq miles. The
major cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg attract tourists from around the
world. Russia has a vast wealth of natural resources and is rich in coal, oil,
natural gas, silver and gold.
Russia stretches from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the
east and from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea and the Caucasus,
the Altai, Sayan Mountains, the Amur and Ussuri Rivers in the south. It is
bordered by Norway and Finland in the northwest, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus,
Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania in the west, Georgia and Azerbaijan in the
southwest, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and North Korea along tits southern
border. The federation is composed of 21 Republics.
In general, the best time to visit is May - September, when the daytime
temperatures are 23-35° C and nights are10-23° C. Spring and early autumn
however, are unpredictable: Snow flurries and temperatures of -5° C are
possible in May and September.
There are a few reasons someone might want to go during the winter. In Moscow
and St. Petersburg the striking architecture can be seen much more clearly after
the leaves have fallen. It is also easier to get tickets to see the Bolshoi and
Kirov (Mariinsky) Ballets and Operas and there are no crowds at the tourist
attractions.