Commissioned in 1704, Peter the Great's summer gardens were designed in the style of Versailles with a glorious english style garden and many fountains.

The fortress was established on the orders of Peter the Great and is considered to mark the founding of St. Petersburg. It does not have a pleasant history, due to hundreds of forced labourers who died building it and then when it was used to guard and torture political prisoners including Dostoevsky in 1849.

The golden spire, sits atop the Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul located within the fortress.

The spire on the Saint Peter and Paul cathedral made it the second tallest building in Saint Petersburg. The grandeur of this cathedral is fitting given that it is the burial site for nearly all the rulers of Russia since Peter the Great.

Cathedral of our Lady of Kazan located in Nevsky Prospekt, Saint Petersburg was constructed in 1811. The design was modelled after St. Peters basilica in Rome and has numerous columns both inside and outside.

The exterior columns make up the colonnade which more than 69 metres in length and 69 meters in height.

The facade of the Admiralty building that used to be the headquarters of the Admiralty Board and is not the headquarters of the Russian Navy.

St. Isaac's Cathedral, Saint Petersburg is one of the world's largest cathedrals, opened in 1858 but became a museum of atheism during the Soviet era. Each of the 4 corners has a pair of angels supporting gas torches and you can climb the 242 stairs to the dome (and I did!) for panoramic views of the city

The fresco inside the dome, depicts Maria surrounded by saints. At the center of the fresco,at a height of about 80 meters there is a silver bird representing the Holy Spirit.

The mosaic work is so intricate and done with such perfection that when you view it up close, you’d swear it was painted.

The mosaic work on the interior of St Isaac’s Cathedral started in 1851 and continued through to 1941. It’s said that the glitter of the interior is partially attributed to the 400 kilograms of gold that constitutes some of the mosaics.

The Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace constructed in 1747 is recognizable due to its striking pink colour and amazing facade. Located along the bank of the Fontanka River near the famous Anichkov Bridge and Nevsky Prospekt, this architectural gem is certainly easy to find.

In the corner of the lower park of the Peterhof property is the place on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, known as Monplaisir, which was Peter the Great’s favourite place. This is the path from the Montplaisir out to the water but also the first place you’ll see if you arrive to Peterhof by boat.

A UNESCO world heritage site, laid out on the orders of Peter the Great in 1721, inspired after a visit to Versailles, these are the palaces and gardens of Peterhof (Peter's Court). The palace was built to befit the very highest of monarchs but the main attraction are the fountains of Peterhof. The most famous, the Grand Cascade, runs from the Grand Palace to the Marine Canal and to the sea. It comprises 64 different fountains, and over 200 bronze statues.

The view from the Grand Palace down the Grand Cascade and then eventually out to the sea.

Commissioned by Ivan the Terrible (that in itself is fabulous), legend goes that the design was deemed so beautiful that Ivan blinded the architect so he'd never make anything else as exquisite.

I passed through Red Square at least 3 times a day to take in the view of St. Basils. Regardless of weather, it's spectacular and for me epitomizes Russia!

One of the most photographed sights in Moscow. I think the volume of photos that I took alone catapulted that statistic. All angles, all views, all fabulous

Cathedral Square is the central square of the Moscow Kremlin where all of its streets used to converge in the 15th century. The square's name relates to the great cathedrals that stand here - The Cathedral of the Annunciation, The Cathedral of The Assumption, and The Cathedral of The Archangel. This was once the stage for official parades to mark the coronations of the Tsars, and also of massed religious processions on great church holidays.

The Tsar Bell was cast in 1733-1735 on the order of Empress Anna Ioannovna by hereditary Muscovy casters and bell founders Ivan Motorin and his son Mikhail. Up till now, the Tsar Bell is considered to be the biggest one in the world. It weighs about 202 ton, it is 6.14 meter high and its diameter is 6.6 meters.

Burial in the Novodevichy Cemetery was second in prestige only to burial in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis. With the fall of the Soviet Union, now only the Novodevichy Cemetery is used for symbolically significant burials. My quest was to see the monument for Anton Chekhov's, but I also relished seeing the tombs of Russian authors, musicians, playwrights, poets, famous actors, political leaders, scientists and Boris Yeltsin.

Moscow’s underground has 13 lines and 206 stations decorated with frescoes, marble columns and ornate chandeliers. This commuter waiting in front of a mural caught my eye.

The circle line orbits Moscow and the stations are known for having the most beautiful art and architecture. I used the metro quite a bit but rode the entire circle line, hopping on and off to check out each station. This image at with the stained glass reflecting in the oncoming train is one of my fav’s.

If you have to wait for a train, you want it to happen at the Komsomolskaya Station, where Moscow’s metro feels more like an imperial ballroom. It’s said that the design of the station was to establish the expectation of the Metro as being the "Palace for the People". Love that there is grandeur for all to enjoy in these tunnels under the city.