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Kiev is the birthplace of Russian culture and it is evident in its architecture, art, and even its people. A city known for its historic churches (St. Sofia is the oldest in the Russian Empire), Kiev also has gorgeous synagogues and deep Jewish heritage. Add to this several notable art collections, and you now know why Kiev is a city increasingly coming up on everyone’s must-visit list.
Long before the Crimean Peninsula was the playground of Russian Nobility, it was the land of historic Greek trading towns, ancient cave cities, a stronghold of Tatar Mongols and the front line of the battle between Russian Tsars and Ottoman Sultans. Won as a gift to Catherine the Great by her great love, Potemkin, Crimea is a land of striking beauty- soaring mountains, lush vegetation, and tranquil vineyards with majestic summer palaces. We think you will fall in love with the ancient Greek ruins of Khresones in Sevastopol and the Khan’s Palace at Bakhchisaray. World War II buffs will enjoy visiting Livadia Palace, the site of Stalin’s meeting with Churchill and Roosevelt. Of course, Livadia is just as well known as the favorite get-away residence of the last Russian tsar and his wife, Nicholas II and Alexandra. This was the favorite place of the Russian nobility and it is not hard to see why.
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