The Viking Rus’ and the Slave Trade: Trade Routes from Scandinavia to the Silk Road

The Rus’ and Viking Trade Networks In the early Middle Ages, the Viking Rus’ emerged as a formidable power, controlling vast trade routes stretching from Scandinavia as far as the Caspian Sea – a journey of nearly 3,000 miles. Several commodities were shipped south, but the most profitable trade goods were slaves, captured and transported […]

Vikings and the Carolingian Empire

Vikings and the Carolingian Empire When the Viking Age began in the late 700s, the Carolingian Empire was already established as the mightiest political power in Western Europe. Under Charlemagne, the Franks had expanded the kingdom in all directions, eventually stretching from Saxony to northern Italy. Now sharing a common frontier, you can’t blame the […]

Empires in World History

A History of Empires Throughout the World The history of human civilisation has been for the most part a history of empire. The term empire refers to the rule by a particular group in a…

A History of Ukraine Since World War Two

the Soviets prioritized heavy industry, particularly in preparation for conflict with the capitalist West, which the Kremlin believed was imminent. By 1950, Soviet Ukraine had surpassed pre-war levels of industry and production, becoming the centre of Soviet arms industry and high-tech research. Over the course of the cold war, the republic would serve as a Soviet military, its territory crowded by military bases packed with the most up-to-date weapons systems.

Hanseatic League

The Hanseatic League, or German Hansa, was a medieval trading confederation of merchant guilds and market towns along the shore of the Baltic and North Sea, and across great swathes of the north German hinterland.

Sami People of the Arctic

The Sámi people are the only indigenous people of the European Union and are one of the oldest living cultures of our planet.

Trans-Siberian Railway: Travel advice

Trans Siberian Railway: Travel advice. What is it? The trans-Siberian railway was once hailed ‘the fairest jewel in the land of the Tsars’. Crossing Russia, Mongolia and China, this web of tracks provides unrivalled views of a changing landscape and a journey through cultures from European Russia to the Pacific edge. From life aboard the […]

The Arctic Circle

The Arctic Circle is the most northernly major circle of latitude, at approximately 66°30′ N. It marks the area within which, for one or more days each year, the Sun does not set (June 21) or rise (December 21), and the length of continuous day or night increases northward.

Northern Lights

The science of the Northern Lights Although many are more familiar with the Northern Lights, the natural phenomenon is not exclusive to the Northern Hemisphere. The polar lights are caused by solar activity. When there is a solar storm called coronal mass ejection happening, electrified gas particles travel through space at high speed and reach […]

Volga River, Russia

The Volga River Flowing from Russia‘s northwest to the Caspian Sea in the south, and measuring 3,530 m, the Volga river is the longest river in Europe. The Volga has throughout its history become an integral part of the identity of the Russian people, who affectionately call the river “Volga Matuska” or Mother Volga. Together […]

Lake Baikal, Russia

Baikal is the world’s oldest lake, formed around 25-30 million years ago, it is also the deepest and largest by volume, making up 20% of the world’s unfrozen fresh water.

Trans-Mongolian Railway

Measuring 2080 kilometres, and situated between the borders of Russia’s far east and China’s North, the Trans-Mongolian railway is journey steeped in the history of great powers.

Questions About Russia

Odyssey has built up a reasonable knowledge bank to answer questions about Russia that travellers are likely to ask, as they make their plans to tour independently, or with us as part of a small group tour.

Yekaterinburg, Russia

Yekaterinburg, Russia Yekaterinburg sits on the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains, about 1,667 kilometres east of Moscow. This city in the heart of the Ural region is located just east of the border of Europe and Asia, a window to the resources of Siberia, and a hub for tourism and industry. Dubbed the “third […]

Krasnoyarsk, Russia

Krasnoyarsk, Russia Krasnoyarsk, sitting on both banks of the Yenisey River, which in turn is traversed by the Trans-Siberian Railway, is a popular stop in Siberia. Bordered by the city in the south is the famous Stolby National Park, and a tour of Krasnoyarsk itself offers a city tour filled with museums and chapels. The […]

Irkutsk, Russia

Irkutsk, Russia Irkutsk, the administrative centre of the Irkutsk oblast (region) in Eastern Siberia, is a popular stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway due to its proximity to UNESCO-listed Lake Baikal, the largest, deepest, and oldest freshwater lake in the world. Irkutsk’s long history from its founding as a Siberian winter camp also promises amazing views […]

Moscow, Russia

Highlights of Russia | Moscow Moscow is Russia’s political centre and its most populous metropolis. Viewed from the air, Moscow’s city layout resembles concentric rings circling the Kremlin, the seat of the Russian government and its predecessor, the Soviet Union. View of the Kremlin on the banks of the Moskva River in Moscow, Russia History […]

St Petersburg, Russia

St Petersburg is the second largest among the Russian cities, after Moscow, and is famous for its important role in Russian history and its cultural and architectural landmarks.  The historic centre of St Petersburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed on the list in 1990.

History of the Trans-Siberian Railway

History of the Trans-Siberian Railway The history of the Trans-Siberian Railway, a network of railways connecting Moscow to the Russian Far East, covers important events of the 20th century, tracing the rise and fall of the Russian Empire. Spurred by Imperial Russia‘s industrial aspirations and expansionist dreams, the railway now runs the length of 9,289 kilometres […]

Photographing the Northern Lights: The Definitive Guide

Photographing the Northern Lights. How to Capture the Beauty of the Northern Lights. The Aurora Borealis, commonly called the Northern Lights, as well as the Aurora Australis, the Southern Lights, are two the world’s most majestic natural phenomena. The glowing green, blue, and pink hues that paint the night sky are an incredible sight that […]

Early Russian History and its Key Figures

Early Russian History and its Key Figures It is probably unsurprisingly that the largest country in the world, encompassing Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, with its ever-changing landscapes, multiple timezones and diverse inhabitants, would also have a long and complex history. Early Russian history begins in the late 9th century with the establishment of the […]