Come face to face with the enigmatic characters of Russia's remarkable history - from Rasputin and the last Romano's to Catherine the Great and Ivan the Terrible - and enjoy the adventure of travelling the world's most famous train journey, the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Highlights

St Petersburg -Known as the Venice of Northern Europe, St Petersburg is a magical blend of baroque European architecture and opulent palaces set on the banks of the Neva River. Stroll along the riverbanks or float down the river on a cruise. Discover countless museums, churches, parks and art galleries. Don't miss The Hermitage Museum, walk through Palace Square with its memorials, past the Admiralty with its gilded spire and through the archway to Nevsky Prospect, St Petersburg's main street full of shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. Also a must-see is St Isaac's cathedral and the Peter and Paul fortress.

The Hermitage Museum -Walk through the huge, magnificent palace from which the tsars ruled Russia for 150 years. Explore the Winter Palace, the Little Hermitage, the Old and New Hermitage and the Hermitage Theatre, all conveniently linked. Spend an afternoon browsing the enormous art collection - more than three million artistic masterpieces from all over the world. Perhaps have a stroll around the vaults and discover even more.

The Summer Palaces -Beyond the outskirts of St Petersburg is the former summer palace of Tsar Peter the Great, known for its beautiful cascades and fountains. Stroll around the exquisite Chinese and Sliding Hill pavilions; explore the park, one of the finest landscaped parks in Europe.

The Golden Ring -Explore ancient towns as you cruise down the Volga River. Step ashore into a rich history of kremlins (citadels), monasteries, cathedrals, fortress towns and the famous old cities known as 'The Golden Ring'.

Suzdal - Capital of Russia in medieval times, (and one of the cities of the Golden Ring not on the Volga), this fairytale town boasts a beautiful skyline. In times past, the wives of tsars and boyars were exiled to the Blessed Virgin Convent in Suzdal; today, wander around the centre of town and explore any one of 50 well-preserved examples of ancient Russian architecture. Later relax with a glass of medovukha, a light alcoholic drink made from honey, before settling into a traditional Russian house for the night.

Novgorod -Discover Russia's oldest city. Take a guided tour of the many well-preserved architectural monuments that hint at the city's former glory. Enter the Kremlin walls to go back a thousand years in time - the oldest palace, bell and clock tower in Russia are all here, as is the Millennium Monument, which tells the story of Russia's grand history.

Kazan -Discover the capital of Tatarstan, a region of Russia populated by descendants of nomadic Turkic tribes and with an atmosphere more like Central Asia than Europe, with its many mosques. Don't miss a visit to the Kremlin dating from the 16th century, with its towers and churches, the Tartar State Museum and the 18th-century mosque.

Yekaterinburg -Best known as the place of exile and execution of the last Russian royal family, the Romanos, Yekaterinburg is also on the border where Europe ends and Siberia begins. Discover its fascinating past with links to the Tsars and the Bolsheviks.

Pushkin -Named after Russia's most celebrated poet, this 'Tsar's Village' is home to one of the most opulent imperial residences in the country - the magnificent Catherine Palace.

Tobolsk -Once the foremost city in Siberia, you can now explore the winding lanes of the old town and experience true Siberian hospitality with an overnight stay in a local home.

Siberia -Explore the 'sleeping land' (the literal translation of its name), with vast stretches of marshy forest (taiga), millions of lakes, thousands of rivers and natural resources. Discover this stunning wilderness on the famous Trans-Siberian Railway.

Trans-Siberian Railway -Sip vodka as the lush forests of the taiga roll by, aboard the longest continuous railway in the world, on a journey described as one of the world's greatest travel adventures. Cross a landscape of arctic wastes, endless forests of birch and pine, log-cabin settlements, tundra and steppe. The most scenic part of the journey is between Irkutsk and Khabarovsk.

Moscow -Visit the Kremlin to discover its impressive collection of imperial treasures, such as exquisite Faberge eggs and ceremonial regalia. As you tour the magnificent cathedrals and museums within the walls of the Kremlin, ponder the legacy of this stronghold of Russian power: it was here that Napoleon watched Moscow burn and Ivan the Terrible and Stalin orchestrated unspeakable terrors on the Russian people. Don't miss the eccentric St Basil's Cathedral.

Best time to go

July and August are the warmest months (and the main holiday season). Moscow and St Petersburg average around 24°C in summer, but in winter temperatures plummet below 0°C. Throughout Russia, summer temperatures vary from 20°C to 30°C and in winter from 10°C to -50°C.

Best buys

Unique souvenirs include matryoshka dolls (Russian nested dolls, in all sorts of combinations), Palekh (wooden boxes with painted scenes inside), colorful wooden bowls and mugs, babushka scarves, amber and other precious stone jewellery, paintings and fur hats.