St Petersburg

Peter the Great founded St Petersburg in 1703 at the mouth of the Neva and made it Russia's capital for almost two centuries. Its historic centre of canals, bridges and palaces has been on UNESCO's list since 1990, and the Sapsan high-speed train links it with Moscow in about four hours.

At its heart is the Winter Palace and the Hermitage, founded by Catherine the Great in 1764 and one of the largest museums in the world. About 30 km to the west, Peterhof's palace and gardens face the Gulf of Finland, with the Grand Cascade and its gilded statues, reached in summer by hydrofoil from the Hermitage pier. To the south, the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo holds the famous Amber Room.

The Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, with its coloured domes and mosaics, and St Isaac's Cathedral, with its golden dome and colonnade view, are among its finest sights. Muslim travellers have the Cathedral Mosque, opened in 1913 under its turquoise dome. The best time is June, during the White Nights, when it barely gets dark.