Russia’s gems revealed

• The Kremlin, an astoundingly fortified 14th century palace located in the heart of Moscow, which is the official residence of the President of Russia.

• The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed also known as Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Russia’s most prominent landmark located in the famous Red Square of Moscow;

• The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, one of the largest and oldest museums in the world housing over 3 million works of art and artefacts;

• Mount Elbrus, the greatest peak of the Caucasus Mountains, located in the Kabardino-Balkaria region;

• The Valley of Geysers, the second largest concentration of natural springs and geysers in the world, located in Kamchatka Peninsula;

• The city of Stalingrad (now known as Volgograd), which bears numerous historical remnants and monuments of World War II;

• The historical town of Suzdal, an entire city like a museum that will transport you back to an era gone by;

• Kizhi Island located on Lake Onega in Karelia, which is well-known for its amazing culture and craftsmanship of the local Karelians;

• The Saint Sophia Cathedral in the city of Novgorod, which is the oldest standing cathedral in Russia today; and

• Lake Baikal in the Russian region of Siberia, the greatest freshwater lake in the world.

HOW TO GET THERE

To experience all that Russia has to offer, travellers from the United Arab Emirates can now apply for their visas at the professional and modern Russia Visa Application Centre, managed by VFS Global, in Dubai. The centre provides travellers an elevated level of customer experience, making travel preparations to Russia as easy and delightful as possible.

Travellers heading to Moscow from the GCC can choose between several airline carriers based on your location, Fly Dubai, Gulf Air, Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways all have a minimum of one daily flight. Economy class rates with returns start from $650, while Business Class and First Class rates with returns start from $3811 and $7601 respectively. Within Russia, several domestic flight options and high speed trains are available to travellers, including one of the most famous train journeys in the world, the Trans-Siberian Railways.

WHERE TO STAY

Located near the Red Square, the Ritz Carlton Moscow has an unbeatable location with luxury guest rooms and suites that are amongst the largest in the city. A favourite amongst discerning travellers, the property that was built in 2006 is known to provide travellers with the best address in town.

Renowned for its historic significance, celebrity guests and regular appearances in Russian literature and cinema, Hotel Metropol Moscow was built before the Russian Revolution in 1917 in Art Nouveau style with some of Russia's greatest architects and artists as contributors. This oldest hotel in Moscow has managed to retain all the glamour and style of that extraordinary era.

Situated on the famous Nevsky Prospect, the Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg is central to every region of St. Petersburg. All of the major historical sites including the Hermitage and the Winter Palace, the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, St.Isaac's Cathedral, and the Admiralty are nearby and easily accessible from the hotel, as are the major business districts. The five-star Corinthia Hotel St Petersburg is the result of the renovation of the historic 19th century buildings in the heart of St. Petersburg on the city's main boulevard, Nevsky Prospect.