Moscow   Founded more than 850 years ago, has a powerful hold on Russia and her people as a symbol of spiritual and political power. Moscow is Russia's largest city, boasting a population of more than 9 million, and is home to renowned cultural institutions, theaters, and film studios.

St. Petersburg   The city is located at the mouth of the Neva River which flows east from Lake Ladoga into the Gulf of Finland. Home to almost five million people, Petersburg lies across more than forty islands created by the Neva delta. Almost all of the "sights" in St. Petersburg are located in the historic city center, through which runs St. Petersburg's central nervous system and most famous thoroughfare, Nevsky Prospekt.