When it comes to Russia a potential visitor normally thinks of stereotypical cold winters and vast planes covered with snow. However, it’s much more diverse. Russia is the largest country in the world covering the territory of more than 17 000 000 sq. meters (10 000 000 sq. miles), spreading over 5 climate zones and 11 time zones. With that in mind one can literally find any landscape and weather he wants. That provides filmmakers with thousands of filming locations depending on their preferences and script .
The Russian landscape varies from subtropical coastline to frozen lakes, tall mountains to vast planes, deserts to deep forests. Russia has about 100,000 rivers, including some of the longest and most powerful in the world. It also has many lakes, including Europe’s two largest: Ladoga and Onega. Lake Baikal in Siberia contains more water than any other lake on Earth.
Russia’s climate varies dramatically, from the deep Arctic chill of the far north to the torrid desert heat of some inland areas further south. Winters in Russia’s European part are nothing like as terrifying as many myths have it. In Moscow and St. Petersburg the first snow usually falls in late November and stays till early April. Down south, Russia’s vast steppe is hot and dry. Winters are short but cold. But there are cities in Russia where the weather resembles the climate of the French Riviera or some American States. The Black Sea resort of Sochi makes up for the rest of the country with a sizzling 35°C (95° F) between June and August – it is Russia’s top summer holiday spot. The mountains of Caucasus also boast of welcoming climate with warm and sunny spring and autumn, rainy summer and rare snow in winter. On the other side of the Ural Mountains, Siberia – contrary to its popular image – isn’t the land of eternal ice. It does have a summer – actually quite a warm and pleasant one, with temperatures climbing to 20°C (68° F) and higher. But, winters are really cold. In the Far East, inland areas can get very hot with a tropical 40°C (104° F). Coastal regions are much cooler and wetter. Winter is normally milder than in Siberia.
No matter what landscape or season you are looking for Russia has it. To make your search easier we have a constantly updating database of Locations