Iturup Island

Iturup is the largest of the lush and beautiful Kuril Islands, which stretch from Kamchatka's southernmost point to the Japanese Islands, with the Pacific on one side and the Sea of Okhotsk on the other. It's a land of azure lagoons, long waterfalls, and active volcanoes for the youthful at heart. Iturup Island ranks the second place on our list of the most beautiful islands in Russia.

All islands are produced when volcanoes erupt from the sea, but there is still a particular, residual "lava country" in this area of the Kuril Islands, and it is possible to trace what the archipelago looked like millions of years ago.

There are nine active volcanoes on Iturup, as well as one of Russia's highest waterfalls, Ilya Muromets, which is 141 meters (or 459 feet) long. Hot springs and hot lakes help even the most ardent hikers relax. While the Kuril Islands' beauty is unrivaled, getting there needs perseverance because severe fog can cause delays, and solo journeys are not encouraged.

Location: Sea of Okhotsk

Population: 7,500

Area: 3,139 km²