The first thing to remember about Russia is that, depending on your nationality, you may have to jump through a lot of hoops to get a visa to visit. This can be the most daunting, but it’s completely doable with a little planning. The first step is to contact a reputable travel agent and get started on the visa application process. This will take some time, but it’s worth it. Once this is complete, you can start on the rest of your planning.

For many travelers, the idea of visiting Russia conjures images of grandiose Russian palaces, exotic Byzantine and Russian-influenced churches, and sprawling medieval castles that once helped fend off the fearsome Mongol Golden Horde. It’s a land that breathes history and has an amazing, welcoming people. It’s also a country with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and sprawling natural beauty from the Siberian wilds to the Caucasus mountains.

There’s also plenty of things to do in Russia. Whether you want to spend a day wandering around the Hermitage or a week hiking in the remote wilderness, there’s something for everyone. Russia is a place that can be enjoyed year round, though there are definitely some months that are more popular with tourists than others.

Among the most popular destinations for visitors are Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Golden Ring cities of Yaroslavl, Kostroma, and Izmail. Throughout the country, there are many museums, theaters, and opera houses to choose from. There are also plenty of great restaurants and bars.

The southern part of Russia is bordered by the Black Sea, and the detachment of Kaliningrad (a portion of what was once East Prussia annexed by the Soviet Union in 1945) borders Lithuania and Poland. The eastern edge of the country is dominated by the Ural Mountains, which form a natural divide between Europe and Asia. The mountains and their surrounding regions have vast resources of natural gas, minerals, and fossil fuels. Their eastern location kept the resources from being taken over by the Nazis during WWII, and helped to fuel the war effort afterward.

To the north, Russia is bordered by the Arctic Ocean and the Baltic Sea. It has a small frontage in the northwest on the Baltic Sea at St. Petersburg, and a small frontage on the coast of the Baltic Sea in the detached Russian oblast (region) of Kaliningrad. Russia has a border with Belarus, Poland, and Lithuania through the Kaliningrad Oblast, as well as Finland and Sweden. Russia borders China, North Korea, and Mongolia to the south, as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia to the west.

Russia is a huge country with 142 million people living in its territory. Most of the population lives in urban areas.