Not all European countries are part of the Schengen area, which requires a Schengen visa. At the moment, there are 8 countries in Europe with which an agreement has been adopted on visa-free entry for Russians.
Visa-free countries
The most popular European country to which you can enter, having received a stamp in your passport upon arrival, is Turkey. It is not at all necessary to consider Turkey as a country for an exclusively beach holiday: the country has a huge number of interesting cities with a rich history, combining ancient Greek, Byzantine and Ottoman periods. Recommended places to visit include Istanbul, Cappadocia, Phaselis, as well as ski and sea resorts.
Of the countries where beach holidays are developed, Montenegro can be distinguished, to visit which you only need a passport (no additional documents are needed). In the country, you can not only swim and sunbathe on the pebbly beaches of the Adriatic, but also see the transparent Skadar Lake (the cleanest in this part of Europe), take a walk in the mountains, visit a large number of architectural monuments, the earliest of which date back to the 3-4th century AD.. NS.
Russian tourists can also get without a visa to 4 Balkan states: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia and Albania. They have developed ski and ecological tourism. However, besides this, you can just walk around the very colorful old cities of these states. To enter here, you only need a valid passport and medical insurance, which is valid throughout the trip.
It is possible to enter Ukraine and Belarus, the two closest neighboring countries of the Russian Federation, not only with a passport, but also with a general civil document. In Ukraine, not only beach holidays are developed, but also ski tourism (Carpathians) and educational recreation. Belarus is distinguished by a large number of excellent health resorts in nature.
Countries with a simplified visa regime
The country with a simplified visa regime in relation to citizens of the Russian Federation is Cyprus. Pro-visa for 90 days is issued on the website of the Cyprus Embassy in Moscow online, confirmation papers are sent within 1-2 days to the email address. They must be printed and presented upon arrival at Larnaca or Paphos airport.
The Mediterranean nature of Cyprus promotes the development of beach and health tourism. The island has a large number of ancient monasteries and buildings from the ancient to the medieval period.
Visa-free border crossing for residents of border areas
Residents of border areas (30 km from the border) can obtain a border resident's certificate, with whom they can cross the borders of Latvia, Norway and Poland without a visa.
