Moscow has been a capital for 800 years and is now Europe’s largest city– it’s bustling, full of historical sites, and also very edgy. If you’re visiting Moscow for the first time, here are some of the best things to do in order to make the most out your trip! Explore magnificent buildings like Kremlin or St Basil’s Cathedral, take a cable car ride from Sparrow Hills, go skating in Gorky Park… The list goes on.
St Basil’s Cathedral
Although you may only have a limited time in Moscow, be sure to set some of it aside to see St. Basil’s Cathedral with your own eyes. The views are especially striking when the sun is shining and each individual dome appears as though it has been painted in every color of the rainbow. If you’re interested in its history, know that it was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible back in the 1500s. According to legend, he liked it so much that he ordered for the architect never lay their eyes on anything else again–so they would never build something more beautiful than this cathedral.
Lenin’s Mausoleum
Love it or hate it, Lenin’s Mausoleum is one of Russia’s most popular attractions. The mausoleum houses a glass sarcophagus containing the embalmed body of Vladimir Lenin, and attracts around 2.5 million visitors per year. Visitors must go through a security search before entering the mausoleum, which can be off-putting for some people.
Moscow Kremlin
Moscow’s Kremlin is the biggest active fortress in Europe and boasts enough attractions to fill a week-long vacation. The 2,235m (7,332ft) walls enclose five different squares, various buildings, 20 towers–including the world’s largest bell and cannon.
State Historical Museum
The State Historical Museum, founded by Ivan Zabelin and Aleksey Uvarov in 1872 as the main medical store, also housed antiquaries owned by the royal family. It now contains an impressive collection that includes relics of prehistoric tribes that once inhabited Russia’s current territory, as well as the country’s biggest coin collection, 6th-century manuscripts and artworks collected by the Romanov dynasty, among other valuables.
GUM
GUM, Moscow’s most famous department store, has a beautiful interior with high-end boutiques. The legendary store is now home to over 100 boutiques selling a range of labels, including luxury Dior and more affordable Zara. Even if shopping isn’t on your Moscow itinerary, the GUM is worth a visit; the glass-roofed arcade overlooks Red Square and offers a variety of elegant restaurants.
Arbat Street
Arbat is one of Moscow’s most popular destinations, an elegant, pedestrianized street located in the city’s historic center. Arbat attracts thousands of visitors every day because of its cafés and restaurants, live music artists and caricaturists, as well as souvenir shops and tattoo parlours, monuments, a theatre, and other attractions.
Tretyakov Gallery
Tretyakov Gallery, which houses some of the world’s greatest Russian art masterpieces dating back to pre-revolutionary times, was erected between 1900 and 1905. The Viktor Vasnetsov-designed building originally served as the private collection for Tretyakov brothers–19th century philanthropists. Some of the popular exhibits in the gallery include Rublev’s Trinity, Girl With Peaches by Valentin Serov, Demon by Mikhail Vrubel and The Rooks Have Come Back by Alexei Savrasov.
Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts
Moscow’s largest foreign art museum is made up of three distinct sections, each containing works by renowned master painters across a variety of historical periods. The main building houses pieces by Botticelli, Tiepolo, Veronese and Rembrandt- some of which have never been seen before. Meanwhile, the Gallery of European and American Art next door features an impressive selection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings.
Gorky Park
The park’s centerpiece is Gorky Park, which offers a variety of activities for all ages: outdoor dancing sessions, yoga and fitness classes throughout the summer, as well as beach volleyball and ping-pong, rollerblading, skateboarding, and cycling. In addition to Segway and boat rentals in the winter, half of the park transforms into one of Moscow’s biggest ice skating rinks. The open-air movie theater and one of Moscow’s lesser-known art destinations are also located within Gorky Park. For art enthusiasts, The Garage Museum of Contemporary Art is housed in the park.
Sparrow Hills
If you walk along the river embankment from Gorky Park to Sparrow Hills, you’ll arrive at another famed park in the city, Diamond Island. The park doesn’t offer as many activities as its popular neighbor, but you may check out the tallest of the seven Stalinist buildings (the Moscow State University), take in the view from the observation deck, or ride a cable car.
Bolshoi Theatre
The legendary Bolshoi Theatre, which opened in 1856 and is one of Moscow’s most popular places for a night out, is one of the city’s worst pest spots. It’s home to both the Bolshoi Ballet and the Bolshoi Opera, two of the world’s oldest and most renowned dance tand opera companies. Contemporary pieces by up-and-coming international composers and choreographers are also presented alongside traditional works. The theatre’s imperial décor was restored during a six-year renovation that ended in 2011.
VDNKh All-Russian Exhibition Centre
The enormous VDNKh comprises approximately 400 structures and is larger than the principality of Monaco, according to legend. The center began as the Soviet agricultural exhibition in 1935 and now operates as an open-air museum of Soviet architecture. A variety of museums, shopping pavilions, a large oceanarium, a zip-line, a horse-riding rink, and a Russian space shuttle are among the attractions at this park complex. In addition to being Europe’s biggest skating rink in winter, it also contains one of the world’s largest ice rinks.
Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve
The palace, which was built in 1775 as the summer residence of Empress Catherine the Great and subsequently deteriorated during the Soviet period, has been reconstructed in its entirety. Since the 1980s, Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve’s complete renovation has restored it to look even more beautiful than it originally did. Tsaritsyno Park is ideal for a green relax in Moscow because of its elegantly designed buildings, gardens, meadows and forests and their opulent plantings.
Izmaylovo
The neighborhood of Izmaylovo is best known for the city’s largest flea market, but it also has a labyrinth of businesses where you can locate almost anything: from handmade goods to Soviet antiques. It’s also one of Moscow’ largest parks, providing a nice respite from the city bustle.
Ostankino TV Tower
See the scorching flames of a forest fire spread across the horizon, or watch the night sky light up with colorful lights as you build magnificent snow structures in this thrilling Winter Wonderland set. When is it best to go? You have a lot of options here. If you’re interested in going closer to Christmas, it’s better if you see some foliage around that time but not too much! What about New Year’s Eve or New Years’ Eve? It’ll be cold everywhere else so why not embrace it and enjoy yourself at one of Moscow’s most popular parties?
Kolomenskoye
A 10-minute metro ride from the city centre will take you to Kolomenskoe Museum-Reserve, where you can explore what Moscow looked like in medieval times. This area contains ancient churches (with one dating back to the 16th century), the oldest garden in Moscow, and an estate that was favored by Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich – who also happens to be the father of Peter the Great.
Novodevichy Convent
The Novodevichy Convent, founded in 1524, is a historical site. The four cathedrals, which once served as a fortification and host to an interesting icon collection and a renowned burial ground, are located behind the walls that formerly served as a fortress. It was formerly common for women of noble families to retire to monasteries, and the Novodevichy Convent had some well-known residents such as Princess Sophia and Eudoxia Lopukhina, both of whom were related to Peter the Great (and jailed by him). His half-sister claimed the throne; his first wife stood in his way when he married Catherine I.
Moscow City
Moscow City, also known as Moscow International Business Centre, is Europe’s tallest office building and one of Russia’s most ambitious engineering projects in recent years. The corporate district is where you’ll find the greatest crowd-free shopping and spectacular panoramic views of the city, with its numerous high-rises.
