4 Best Sights in Russia

Nearly totally destroyed in World War II while holding back the Nazi attack, Murmansk was given "hero city" status within the Soviet Union. In memorium to the brutal warfare and the soldiers, sailors, and airmen that fought, The Alyosha Monument, the country's second-largest statue, was erected in 1974. Standing guard from a hill north of city center, the 116-foot granite soldier faces west toward the scene of the fiercest fighting. In front of the statue burns an eternal flame and a few steps away, an elongated trianglular building mimics a flag at half mast.

This bit of land (the name means "arrow" or "spit") affords a dazzling view of the Winter Palace and the Peter and Paul Fortress and reveals the city's triumphant rise from a watery outpost to an elegant metropolis. Seen against the backdrop of the Neva, the brightly colored houses lining the embankment seem like children's toys—the building blocks of a bygone aristocracy. They stand at the water's edge, seemingly supported not by the land beneath them but by the panorama of the city behind them. Gazing here is a great way to appreciate the scope of Peter the Great's vision for his country. The view also makes clear how careful the city's founders were to build their city not despite the Neva but around and with it. The Strelka is very popular with wedding couples, who traditionally come to visit the sight on their wedding day and often break a bottle of champagne on the ground here.

Behind the Memorial Complex is a path leading up to Nikolskaya Hill, where, in 1854, the English and French navies were barred from landing in the city. The view from the top of the hill is beautiful, and it's easy to understand why this hill was the focal point of the city's defense. Nearby are more memorials, including one for the soldiers who died in the siege of Petropavlovsk during the Crimean War in August 1854 and a monument erected on the 25th anniversary of the Kamchatka victory to pay homage to its victims. Nikolskaya Hills is a favorite place for lovers to meet or families to have a picnic.

Perched at the apex of the 2,100 foot high Mount Akhun, the mountain's observation tower has become a popular tourist attraction in its own right. Built in 1936 of limestone in the Romanesque style, the 100 foot high tower offers the best panoramic views of Sochi. Ascending 200 steps to the top of the tower, you'll find the most common Caucasus fauna on display at a small exhibit and will be rewarded with beautiful views of the Black Sea, the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains, and the city of Sochi spread out along the sea's banks.