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The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (Les Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique in French) is an association of six art centers, which are considered the best in Belgium. Located in the heart of Brussels, the Museum of Ancient Art and the Museum of Modern Art are the most renowned and most visited museums. The Constantin Meunier Museum and the Antoine Wiertz Museum are much smaller and are situated in another part of town. Lastly, the Magritte Museum and the Fin-de-Siècle Museum are adjacent to the main building and are a lot more recent. The Royal Palace The Royal Palace is where the King of Belgium exercises his authority as Head of State and is the official palace of the King and Queen of Belgium. It also houses rooms for the country’s special guests, most of which are Heads of State and the offices of certain ministries. The Royal Palace is where the King of Belgium exercises his authority as Head of State and is the official palace of the King and Queen o...

A seaside city in the Russian Southern Federal District, Sochi ’s popularity is increasing day by day. In recent years, a genuine economic, cultural, artistic and architectural revolution has taken place in this Olympic city. Stalin’s Villa (Dacha) Stalin’s big dacha is open to the public. He used to visit this place quite often and usually held meetings with political leaders of the period. An opportunity to rent a room is provided to visitors, so they can experience the true spirit of Russian communism of the past. Downstairs there’s a small museum displaying Stalin’s waxwork and personal belongings. Ritsa Lake This lake is simply huge and absolutely breathtaking. Ritsa is surrounded by green hills and beautiful plants. You will have an opportunity to pass through small waterfalls and walk along the banks to enjoy the scenic views. The lake is located around 950 metres above sea level and provides visitors the best spots for taking photos. The Singing Fountains ...

Volgograd is a significant tourist destination in southern Russia . Every year thousands of Russians and foreign guests come here to take a closer look at the city sights, the majority of which are intrinsically connected to World War II. Volgograd is a large industrial center in the Volga Region. Volgograd stretches 100 kilometers along the Volga’s right bank, and has a population of more than 1 million people. The city is constantly growing and developing, yet one thing remains unchanged – its astonishing places visited by thousands of tourists every year. Visit Mamayev Kurgan This is the most massive memorial complex in Russia, and is dedicated to World War II heroes. During the Battle of Stalingrad heavy fighting lasted here for 200 days. About 35 thousand warriors lie buried at Mamayev Kurgan. This monument’s architects wanted to show how enormous the significance of the Battle of Stalingrad is to Russian people. Here it is impossible not to be imbued wi...

After the world-famous St Petersburg and Moscow,  Novosibirsk is Russia‘s third most important city. Off limits to foreigners during Soviet times, this beautifully historic town is only just being discovered by outsiders and its unspoiled nature makes Novosibirsk the ideal place to gain a true and authentic taste of Russia. The State Art Museum Novosibirsk’s Art Museum is one of the most extensive art galleries in the whole of Siberia. This cultural capital of the Siberian region houses everything from sculpture, to ancient local crafts, to fine paintings, to exquisite Russian Orthodox icons, to the most cutting edge of Russia’s modern art, and with over 10,000 exhibits, there’ll be no end of masterpieces to explore. The immense, grey art deco building is one of the city’s most striking sights and a must-visit for any art buffs travelling the Siberian region. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Completed...

Located about 400km east of Moscow,  Nizhny Novgorod is one of the most important centres of cultural, economic, and political activity in European Russia. Widely considered, after St Petersburg and Moscow, to be Russia’s ‘third city’, Nizhny is fast becoming a hot-spot for Russian and global tourists alike, attracted by the city’s up-and-coming reputation and stunning landscape. Nizhny Novgorod’s cablecar Completed in 2012, taking a ride on Nizhny Novgorod’s cablecar has fast become a favorite activity of tourists. The trip offers unparalleled opportunities to view the city’s gorgeous natural landscape from this bird’s eye position. The 3660m long gondola lift connects Nizhny to the town of Bor and stretches across the Volga River for 900 panoramic meters. The gondola acts as both a convenient means of transportation and a fantastic sight-seeing expedition – come at sunset for a golden-bathed view of the river and surrounding landscape....

Kazan , a city deriving its name from the Tatar word for cooking pot, is true to its name. Over a hundred years older than Moscow, a genuine stew of both Tatar and Slavic cultures makes the capital of the Tatarstan Republic a treasure to explore. Here are 10 recommendations for what to do in Kazan that will ensure you get the most out of the city. Hermitage-Kazan Center Lesser-known than its sibling museum in St. Petersburg, the Hermitage Kazan is still a must-visit for art lovers. Many exhibitions comprehensively showcase both Russian and international art across artistic periods and mediums. Housed in a former Junker school, the building’s architecture dates back to the early 19th century and the elegant interiors are eye-catching works of art in themselves. Kazan Kremlin World Heritage-listed, the Kazan Kremlin is the only surviving Tatar fortress in Russia, parts of it dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Built at the request of...

St. Petersburg has a true wealth of attractions and experiences to offer travellers, from spectacular Imperial palaces to quirky and absorbing museums, from boat trips along the city's majestic rivers and canals to walks in the footsteps of St. Petersburg's literary and artistic greats.  In fact, there's more than enough to see and do in St. Petersburg to keep visitors entertained for weeks or even months. One of the biggest challenges for independent travellers is to work out what they will actually have time to fit in to their itinerary, particularly as St. Petersburg is one of Europe's largest cities, with the historical centre alone covering several square kilometres and some of the most famous attractions located far out in the suburbs. To help you get the most out of your time in St. Petersburg, our travel writers have drawn on their own expertise and years of feedback from travellers to compile this Top 20 list of attractions and experien...

Linkoping is popular for being one of the largest cities in Sweden and an old city that has a rich culture as well. Since I work for a Swedish software company, based in Linkoping, I had the opportunity to visit there for a three-week stay. I visited there just before the winter set in, so although it was relatively cold it was very beautiful with leaves taking different colours etc. Travelling and visiting places is something I always enjoyed, so this was a great experience for me. In this lens I will give brief descriptions about the must-visit places in Linkoping. There are quite a few interesting and diverse places to see there and if you are a history fan then this is one of the best cities to visit in Sweden.  Linkoping Cathedral The oldest and one of the most majestic buildings in Linkoping , the main tower of the Cathedral is around 100M and dominates the Linkoping skyline, in fact I used to find my way back to hotel using the tower whenever I lost my way duri...

Oslo is one of the world's largest capitals in terms of area, but only 20 percent of this land mass has been developed - the remainder consists of parks, protected forests, hills, and hundreds of lakes. Regularly ranked as one of the best cities in the world in which to live, Oslo boasts a rich cultural scene and numerous things to do, and is famous for its theatre, museums, and galleries. The National Museum Oslo's National Museum encompasses the National Gallery and the National Museum - Architecture, as well as additional collections of contemporary art and design. Oslo's National Gallery houses the country's largest art collection, featuring the works of Norwegian artists from the 19th century through the present, including J. C. Dahl and several works by Edvard Munch, including his most famous work, The Scream.  Royal Palace Located high up on the northwest end of Karl Johansgate, the Norwegian Royal Palace , built in 1825...

Moesgaard Museum The past is brought to fascinating life at the Moesgaard Museum in Aarhus. Moesgaard Museum has three Michelin stars in the Michelin attraction's guide. Presenting the past in a magnificent architectural setting Prehistory presented innovatively in a breathtaking architectural setting makes for a world-class museum experience when you visit the Moesgaard Museum. The past becomes alive and the people in the exhibits will step forward and provide the visitors with a better understanding of the past and how we arrived at where we are in the present. An international attraction The Moesgaard Museum is a huge attraction not only because of the architectural design of the museum and the exhibitions, but also due to its location in the beautiful natural surroundings in south of Aarhus, overlooking the woods and sea. The evolutionary stairway The evolutionary stairway at Moesgaard Museum is not only a key element of the architecture, which lead...