Russia is by far the largest country on earth. Covering over an eighth of the planet's land area, the former Soviet giant sprawls across most of northern Eurasia like a sleeping bear – and visitors to the wild country are often surprised at what they find.

Winston Churchill described Russia as a "riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma" and this is how many outsiders view the northern country; many think of drab wasteland and the grey blocs of the Soviet era, along with long winters and crumbling cities.

But while parts of Russia can live up to some of these negative images, most of the country defies its doubters and offers stunning scenery, extravagant metropolises with beautiful and rich architecture and miles of meadows, forests and streams dappled with friendly, welcoming people.

Tourists generally tend to stick to the major cities of Moscow and St Petersburg, where the Red Square, the Kremlin, the Bolshoi theatre and the Summer Palace of Peter the Great are favourites. However, intrepid travellers venture out into the vast stretches of open tundra and rural landscapes in the country to find something different, often aboard a locomotive winding its way along the Trans-Siberian Railway.

This network of railroads takes travellers from St Petersburg in the far north west of the country, across 11 time zones and 9,289 kilometres to Vladivostok on the eastern coastline of the Pacific Ocean. The train line also connects Russia with Mongolia and China, as well as the Sea of Japan, meaning journeys across the whole of Asia are possible.

For eco-tourists, a visit to the Baikal Lake in Siberia is a real highlight, offering tourism with a difference and the chance to see the deepest lake in the world, holding 20 per cent of the world's fresh water. Blue skies are reflected with strong intensity in the rippling waters, surrounded by stunning scenery, thousands of blossoming flowers and herds of sheep and cattle on the nearby grassland.

And for those enjoying the outdoors, Russia offers climbers and trekkers the challenge of the Caucausus – a chain of high alpine mountains on the border with the Republic of Georgia, allowing visitors the chance to scale the alpine meadows, forested valleys and glaciated passes to achieve outstanding views across the mountain range and towards Mount Elbrus.

Meanwhile, cruises on some of the big rivers such as the Volga, Lena and Yenisei are also a good way of seeing the country from the water, with visits to cities along the route, such as Volgograd on the Volga, adding to the experience. The city was the site of the famous Battle of Stalingrad – the bloodiest in human history.

Russia is a country that needs to be tasted, smelt and seen in order for its appeal to rub off on the traveller, with many myths and preconceptions best melted away with a journey off the beaten track in the Siberian wonderland.

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