Moscow, city, capital of Russia, located in the far western part of the country. Since it was first mentioned in the chronicles of 1147, Moscow has played a vital role in Russian history. It became the capital of Muscovy (the Grand Principality of Moscow) in the late 13th century; hence, the people of Moscow are known as Muscovites. Today Moscow is not only the political centre of Russia but also the country’s most populous city and its industrial, cultural, scientific, and educational capital. For more than 600 years Moscow also has been the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Sergiev Posad dates back to the 14th century. The city takes its name from the founder - the monk Sergius of Radonezh. Together with his brother Sergius was looking for a secluded area to settle in and live an ascetic life devoted to God. They settled on the Makovets Hill surrounded by wild forest where later they eventually built a wooden church in the name of the Holy Trinity. In the following years the settlement grew into a monastery complex and eventually gained political significance in Russia. Today along with another seven cities Sergiev Posad makes up the "Golden Ring" tourist route. These picturesque provincial towns have for preserved the historical appearance and charm up to the present day and are popular both among tourist and Russians alike.

The second largest city in Russia, St. Petersburg is rightfully called the cultural capital of Russia. A metropolitan city of five million people, it every year attracts nearly seven million tourists, of which about one half are foreign guests coming from all over the world. St. Petersburg was founded by the first Emperor of Russia, Tsar Peter the Great in 1703 as the new, western-style capital of Russia. Since its first days, St. Petersburg had always been a multicultural city, welcoming guests and specialists from other countries. Along with Russian masters and architects, many European builders and engineers contributed to the glory and beauty of the city.

Peterhof (Dutch/German for "Peter's Court") or Petergof (in Russian: Петерго́ф), known as Petrodvorets (Russian: Петродворец) from 1944 to 1992, is a municipal town within Petrodvortsovy District of the federal city of Saint Petersburg, on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland. The town is famous for its a series of palaces and gardens known as the Peterhof Palace, laid out on the orders of Peter the Great, and sometimes called the "Russian Versailles", but also for the "Petrodvorets Watch Factory — Raketa", a 300-year-old Russian watch manufacturer. The palace-ensemble along with the city center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area was extensively damaged during World War II during occupation by Nazi Germany. Reconstruction efforts began almost immediately following the war, and they are still underway. Peterhof also hosts one of two campuses of Saint Petersburg State University.