Vladivostok: where Russia looks to the Pacific

The eastern terminus of the Trans-Siberian railway over nine thousand kilometres from Moscow, Vladivostok overlooks the Pacific from a port that resembles San Francisco with its hills and bridges.

The centre, overlooking the Pacific and crossed by the Golden Bridge, is easily explored on foot despite the ups and downs.

The Golden Horn Bridge, one of the world's longest cable-stayed bridges, connects both shores of the bay with a single span of over seven hundred meters.

A short walk away, Vladivostok Railway Station marks the eastern terminus of the Trans-Siberian Railway, a nine-day train journey from Moscow.

Continuing on, visitors explore the S-56 submarine, a World War II military vessel transformed into a floating museum on the waterfront.

In the evening, the panoramic hill accessible by funicular offers views over the entire Golden Horn Bay, with bridges illuminated against the Pacific sky.

The train journey from Moscow to Vladivostok along the entire Trans-Siberian Railway takes approximately six to seven consecutive days, crossing eight time zones and nearly ten thousand kilometers of Russian territory.

Vladivostok was a city closed to foreigners throughout most of the Soviet era, home to the Pacific Fleet: it reopened to international tourism only in 1992.