Russia, the land of vodka, caviar and so many palaces

Moscow's Red Square is very popular with tourists. Photos: The Star/Melody L. Goh

Russia is an intimidating country to visit. Its vast size, difficult language, harsh winters, strict policies and jellied meats don’t exactly make it a top travel destination for many.

But a big part of what we know about Russia comes from fiction (thanks, James Bond) and the media, and all that one-sided information does not actually help the country’s tourism industry.