Moscow   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   St. Petersburg 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. Helsinki is 380 kilometers to the northwest, Tallinn 340 kilometers to the west and Moscow 640 kilometers to the southeast. The city is on Moscow time, three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time or four hours during daylight savings (the last Saturday of March to the last Saturday of September).