Top 14 Things to Do in Russia: Exploring Endless Horizons

Russia spans eleven time zones, its domes dusted with frost, rising over fields stitched white by winter. Beyond Moscow’s shimmer and Saint Petersburg’s murmurs, quieter rhythms pulse through the best things to do in Russia. At Lake Baikal, ice forms clear veins beneath your boots, revealing a slow world locked below.

In Kazan, narrow streets coil between towers - one calling prayer, one ringing bells, standing shoulder to shoulder despite centuries of difference. Winding paths cut deep into the taiga, stretching until smoke appears, thin threads rising from cabins hidden among tall pines. Cold doesn’t knock, it seeps, crawling through glove seams as the train rolls steadily on Siberian iron. Dusk spills slowly over snow-laced earth, a quiet takeover seen through soot-streaked glass. Cities show up one after another, each with a different pulse, one races ahead, another lingers like held breath. In market corners, steam climbs from red broth served in chipped bowls, while old women trade damp fungi gathered before sunrise.

1. Stand on Red Square (Moscow)

St. Basil's vibrant onion towers rise beside the solemn stone of Lenin's tomb. Come early, when morning light stretches thin, and runners weave through quiet air. History seeps into your skin here, slow and steady, no need to rush. This place has held emperors, soldiers, uprisings, centuries packed into one open space among top attractions in Russia. Since the 1400s, it has been where power shows itself, gathers people, and makes noise. Near the square, GUM rises with old-world charm, its arched glass ceiling sheltering high-end shops since 1893. Standing here anchors many classic things to do in Russia, placing visitors at the symbolic heart of the nation’s past and present.

2. Explore St. Basil's Cathedral

Those onion domes burst into motion like painted storms. Move within to find narrow sanctuaries, walls alive with frantic brushwork, pace yourself, let the layers unfold across Moscow's skyline. Raised from 1555 to 1561 under Ivan the Terrible after Kazan fell, every one of the nine shrines marks a warrior spirit or sacred clash. Its lopsided form breaks every rule on symmetry, while shades shift from sea-green through blood red, pulled straight from earthbound minerals. Exploring the site now unveils frescoes once buried beneath grime. A tight corkscrew stair leads upward, drawing people toward the high-tented peak where sightlines stretch wide, and spend roughly an hour or two absorbing the lopsided design and layered meanings that define its place among Russia's famous landmarks.

3. Visit the Kremlin Museums

Try booking an early guided walk; it slips you past crowds, deep into layered tales, a solid pick for those drawn to Russia's worn pages of time. Inside the Armoury Chamber gleam Fabergé trinkets, echoes of bell towers built by Ivan, and the weathered gold of Monomakh's old headpiece from the 1100s. Over at the Assumption Cathedral, standing since 1479, more than seven hundred coronations lit up its stone aisles. More than twenty towers rise across sixty-eight acres of land. Choose the Diamond Fund display, which costs extra, to view the 190-carat Orlov gem up close. Entry begins at 700 RUB. An English audio guide adds depth, layering stories of power and splendor onto what you see. Whispers of court schemes and luxury echo through each recorded pause.

4. Ride the Moscow Metro

Palace-like stations gleam with marble, chandeliers, and mosaics. Hit Komsomolskaya or Mayakovskaya for Insta-worthy shots; it is everyday magic in Russia's capital and prime among Moscow things to do. Opened in 1935, the system spans 400+ km with 250 stations, many as art museums underground. Ploshchad Revolyutsii features bronze dogs you rub for luck. Trains run every 90 seconds during peak hours. A single ride costs 55 RUB; download the Moscow Metro app for real-time maps. This is not just transport, it is a subterranean showcase of socialist realism, blending utility with grandeur unique among global metros.

5. Marvel at the Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg)

Masterpieces fill gilded halls where history lingers in every corner. Step inside from the hushed entrance at the Small Hermitage, often overlooked, yet central to what draws people through Saint Petersburg's doors. Spread over five linked structures, its collection holds around three million objects, whispering stories across centuries. Among them, Leonardo's delicate Madonna Litta stands apart, just as Rembrandt's solemn Prodigal Son pulls gaze and breath. From ancient Egypt to Picasso's bold strokes, a bit of thought helps - zero in on the Impressionists or the glittering Gold Room. Few cultural things to do in Russia offer this level of artistic scale, historical continuity, and global influence under one roof.

6. Walk the Canals of St. Petersburg

Bridges stretch across quiet channels, their soft-colored walls whispering stories under icy skies. Golden light spills over the Neva when dusk settles, painting everything slow and deep. Walking then feels inevitable, pulled by shadows that linger just right. Once, Peter shaped these waters with purpose, carving pathways through frost and time. Over a hundred kilometers unfolded by design, threaded by tides and iron will. Some bridges lift open eighty-eight of them to let boats slip through like secrets. Among the 342 crossings, each arch holds a breath before releasing it downstream. A ride costs little, maybe eight hundred rubles, but shows what hides beyond sight. The Stroganov Palace appears quietly, one glimpse among many half-hidden faces. White Nights shine brightest in summer; wintertime brings its own hushed beauty, like verses written in frost. Strolling here weaves old empire echoes into ordinary moments, not grand, just quietly constant.

7. Tour Peterhof Palace

Tour Peterhof's fountains under golden sunlight, wander through ornate chambers where echoes whisper tsarist tales. Summer brings life to open-air displays, each burst of water a nod to grandeur once reserved for emperors. Built by Peter the Great in the 1720s, this sprawling estate stretches over 4 kilometers of terraced falls, thirty-nine sprays dancing without pumps - just clever slopes doing the work. At its heart, Samson tears apart a lion, streams leaping twenty meters high like nature defying limits. Step into Lower Park for 1,200 RUB, ticket slips granting river rides via hydrofoil straight from Saint Petersburg. Inside, chinoiserie gleams alongside delicate Meissen porcelain. Among imperial-era things to do in Russia, Peterhof stands apart for its theatrical blend of engineering, landscape, and symbolism.

8. Witness the White Nights

Summer stretches light into the night, warping time. Cruising by boat mingles glowing streets with fading glow, no sharp line between dusk and dawn. Late May through mid-July holds this rhythm. Around the solstice, darkness slips in for barely an hour. The city breathes slower than. Nevsky Prospect thrums with a steady pulse. Rooftop spots open wide to the sky. Light clings low, hazy, soft as if filtered through ash. Sunsets do not blaze, they smolder. Midnight trips on water cost about 1,000 RUB. Riders trade solid ground for floating stillness. It is not a spectacle, just presence, the season humming beneath skin. Petersburg wears this light differently. Less shadow gives more weight to what lingers.

9. See Catherine Palace & the Amber Room

The Amber Room glows within, a masterpiece rebuilt from fragments of war. Tickets bought ahead keep waits short, visitors flood this tsarist retreat daily. Once home to Empress Catherine, this 1700s estate in Pushkin holds history behind gilded doors. Six tonnes of amber once vanished during the conflict, later revived through decades of quiet craft. Mirrors stretch space inside the Blue Ballroom, folding sightlines into endless reflections. Pay 1,200 rubles. Ride the shuttle leaving from Vitebsk Station instead. Luxury here echoes the old Romanov grandeur - rich, layered, quietly bold.

10. Visit Lake Baikal in Summer or Winter

This vast rift of water, deepest on the planet, wears ice like armor when cold, then turns mirror-smooth to thaw. Hike across frozen tunnels near Listvyanka, where light bends through ancient clearness. Or drift past cliffs in a small craft when warmth returns. A home to one-of-a-kind life, including nerpa seals that blink from icy ledges, Lake Baikal, Russia, stands as a premier natural wonder. On Olkhon, paths wind through places people have whispered prayers for centuries. No crowds needed. Just silence, scale, and something old moving below. Fly in from Moscow - roughly six hours on a plane, followed by a bus ride through quiet roads. Experiencing this environment ranks among the most transformative nature-based things to do in Russia across any season.

11. Experience a Russian Banya (Sauna)

Step into a Russian banya, thick steam, flicks of birch branches, sudden chills in icy water. A towel is essential; people say your skin hums after the third round. This practice traces back to Slavic roots from the 1000s, carried forward through wood-lined rooms and leafy veniki switches. Places such as Sanduny in Moscow, open since 1808, keep it alive with cedar walls and wool caps pulled low. Heat builds at around 90 degrees Celsius, then bursts of moisture follow, broken now and again by rolls in fresh snow. Wear proper clothes, skip swimwear, and drink plenty of water. People connect here through shared ritual, where wellness meets tradition.

12. Explore Kazan Kremlin

From Simonov Tower, gaze across rooftops soaked in Tatar and Slavic echoes. This 10th-century stronghold holds both soaring minarets of Kul Sharif and painted walls inside Annunciation Cathedral. Once razed in 1552, Qol Sharif rose again by 2005 - peace shaped from memory. Just beyond, Bauman Street hums with sellers offering warm chak-chak. Pay 800 RUB to get in; a swift train ride from Moscow takes four hours. This place blends cultures like nowhere else among Russian tourist attractions.

13. Walk Trans-Siberian Railway Stops

The sleeper cabins hum over endless taiga, a raw draw for those chasing vast horizons. Stretching 9,289 kilometers, this rail journey links Moscow to Vladivostok across seven days, sixteen major rivers, and eight shifting clocks. Tickets for platskartny compartments start around 15,000 RUB; step off at towns where timber izbas huddle near open-air bazaars. Pack tea, steam curls from samovars on winding tracks. A slow dive into the heart of Russia, one village at a time. This journey represents one of the slowest yet most immersive things to do in Russia, revealing a scale that maps cannot explain.

14. Visit the Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow)

Focus on sacred art if time is short; an art lover's essential. Founded in 1856, 180,000 collections span from Rublev's Trinity to Kandinsky's abstractions. Vрубель wing captivates. Entry 500 RUB; free Sundays. National gallery par excellence.

Staying Connected With SimCorner

Russia's vast distances create connectivity challenges, especially along Trans-Siberian routes or remote Lake Baikal areas where signals drop frequently. SimCorner eSIMs solve this instantly upon arrival, no physical SIM swaps, no ID registration hassles like local options require, and no roaming charges that drain your budget. eSIM Russia and Russia SIM card plans activate seamlessly via app, covering Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, and even Irkutsk reliably. Regional options handle multi-country legs. Stay online for navigation, real-time translations, bookings, and sharing your best things to do in Russia moments without interruption.

Things to do in Russia: FAQs

What are the best things to do in Russia for first-time visitors?

Hit Moscow's Red Square, St. Basil's, and the Kremlin, then St. Petersburg's Hermitage and canals. Add Lake Baikal for nature, these top attractions in Russia nail the essentials without being overwhelmed. Expand to metro rides and banyas for an authentic flavor.

How many days are needed to see Russia well?

Spent 7-10 days: 3 in Moscow, 3-4 in St. Petersburg, plus Golden Ring or Baikal. Two weeks unlocked Kazan or Siberia's best things to do in Russia, allowing Trans-Siberian segments. Plan around White Nights or winter ice festivals.

Do you need an eSIM or SIM card for things to do in Russia?

Yes, signals shine in cities but fade in the wilds. A Russia SIM card or eSIM handles navigation, rides, and remote spots like the Trans-Siberian. Avoid roaming fees with instant activation.

Do you need a guide for the top Russian tourist attractions?

Solo works in cities, but guides unlock Kremlin tales, banya etiquette, or Baikal hikes, safer and richer for cultural depth. Apps like GetYourGuide simplify booking.

What is the best time to do things in Russia?

June-August for White Nights and mild weather; winter (Dec-Feb) for Baikal ice. Avoid mud-season spring/fall for smoother access to famous landmarks. Festivals like Maslenitsa add vibrancy.