A fresh choice: Baikal is a cool holiday hotspot

Nothing except the sound of cracking ice breaks the serenity of Baikal at the beginning of spring. In our Close-Up series, RT takes you to the planet’s deepest lake, renowned worldwide for its outstanding natural beauty.

The best of Russia Close-Up: Unravelling the mystery of Baikal’s largest island

Baikal, the world's largest and oldest lake, was recently voted one of Russia’s seven wonders. It lies in Southern Siberia, between the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. Known as the ‘Blue eye of Siberia’, Baikal contains more water than all th

The modern monks of Buryatia

In its “Close Up” series, RT is taking you to the Republic of Buryatia in Siberia, where religions and cultures flow together, making a rich mix. It is in Buryatia that the heart of Russian Buddhism beats.

Siberia: preserving tradition in the modern world

Key oil region powers through global crisis

Russia’s mighty oil heartland in western Siberia is still beating strong, despite oil prices dropping throughout the world, meaning companies operating in the Khanty-Mansiysk region are by no means slowing down.

Stavropol region: a mecca for mineral water lovers

Water is one of the most precious resources and one that saturates the Russian Caucasus region of Stavropol. In fact, the area is so well known for its H20 that one of its main towns is called “Mineral Water”.

Hi-tech at edge of Arctic Circle

Russia’s Nenets Autonomous District inside the Arctic Circle is famous not only for its extreme temperatures and fascinating nature, but also for its booming oil industry and cutting-edge technologies.

Heart of medieval Russian democracy pines for tourists

Velikiy Novgorod, one of Russia's most ancient cities, with over a millennium of history, is known as the cradle of the country’s democracy.

Ethnic mosaics of the Stavropol region

A melting pot of religions, Russia’s Stavropol region is home to 14 ethnicities, which makes its diverse culture truly unique.