Sitka wears its Russian roots with pride

For almost a hundred years, Sitka was the capital of Alaska, initially under the Russians and later as part of the US after they bought the land for 2 cents an acre in 1867.

The two nations have jointly created one of Alaska's most beautiful towns, picturesquely set on the island-studded Sitka Sound with views out to the perfect volcanic cone of Mount Edgecumbe.

Sitka exploits its heritage mercilessly. Gift shops are stacked to the rafters with matryoshka nesting dolls, but the Russian past is also manifest in the lovely wooden Bishop's House. It was built in 1843 and one of only four buildings left in Alaska from the Russian era. Sadly the nearby onion-domed Russian Orthodox church is a modern replica built after the original burned down in 1966. In 1802, the Russians fought for control of Sitka with the native Kiks.adi Tlinget people. The battlesite has now been turned into the Totem Park, the waterfront lined with beautifully robust totem poles, mostly carved over the last 50 years based on 19th-century originals. When you tire of the town, rent a kayak and paddle around the islands keeping your eyes skinned for whales that inhabit the Sound.