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Things to do in Moscow

Things to do in  Moscow

Welcome to Moscow

The capital of Russia, superstate and global superpower, does not disappoint. In Moscow, imitable architecture—think onion domes, candy-cane stripes, and imperial grandeur—competes for attention with Communist monuments and political powerhouses. Due to the complexity of its history, Moscow’s captivating historic center is best discovered on a guided sightseeing tour. Cover the vast Red Square (Krasnaya Ploschad), the trippy St. Basil’s Cathedral, the handsome mansions of Nikolskaya Street, and the Bolshoi Theatre. In-the-know travelers opt for early morning tours of the Moscow Kremlin—home to Faberge eggs, royal crowns, and opulent jewels—in order to avoid crowds; while first-time visitors typically select a Moscow metro tour, which reveals the opulent decor and statues peppered across the network’s 180 stations. The art and artifacts inside the Tretyakov Gallery, the Gulag History Museum, and the Kolomenskoye Museum and Reserve will wow culture connoisseurs; thrill seekers can shoot Soviet army weapons during a visit to the Central Shooting Club; and foodies can sample staples of Russian cuisine, including borsch (beetroot soup) and schnitzel (breaded meat) on a culinary tour. Popular day trips from Moscow include Suzdal and Vladimir, rural, medieval towns and UNESCO World Heritage sites; and Sergiev Posad, all part of Russia’s Golden Ring travel route. Plus, with St. Petersburg only a four-hour train or one-hour plane journey away, Moscow serves as a convenient gateway to the rest of the former USSR.

Top 15 attractions in Moscow

#1
Cathedral of the Archangel (Arkhangelsky Sobor)

Cathedral of the Archangel (Arkhangelsky Sobor)

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One of several churches standing on Cathedral Square inside Moscow’s Kremlin, the Cathedral of the Archangel was the main burial place for Russian tsars for centuries until the capital was temporarily moved to St. Petersburg. Built in the early 16th century, it represented the culmination of a grand building project initiated by Ivan the Great. Built in a style unique from the other Kremlin cathedrals, the Cathedral of the Archangel features Italian Renaissance design elements, as well as five domes representing Jesus and the four evangelists.While many of the cathedral’s treasures are now displayed in the Kremlin Armory Museum, the 17th century iconostasis remains, as do many 16th and 17th century wall frescoes, painted by more than 100 different artists. The oldest icon in the cathedral, which depicts Archangel Michael in full armor, dates back to the 14th century. Visitors can see more than 40 tombs inside the cathedral, with those of the Grand Dukes and their families lining the southern wall and the vaults of the Romanovs standing in the center of the building.More

Moscow Kremlin

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An imposing red-brick fortress stretching along the banks of the Moskva River, the Moscow Kremlin is the grand centerpiece of Moscow and one of Russia’s most recognizable landmarks. Originally the seat of the Russian grand dukes and later home to Soviet leaders such as Lenin and Stalin, the Kremlin is now the Russian president’s official residence.More
#3
Ostankino TV Tower

Ostankino TV Tower

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Towering 1,772 feet (540 meters) over Moscow’s All-Russian Exhibition Center (VDNK), the Ostankino TV Tower is one of the tallest structures in Europe. Visitors come to take in the view from the city’s highest observation decks, including an open-air platform that’s open only during the summer, or dine at the revolving restaurant.More
#4
Gorky Park (Park Gorkogo)

Gorky Park (Park Gorkogo)

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Once a Soviet-era amusement park, Gorky Park (Park Gorkogo) has reinvented itself in recent years as one of Moscow’s most popular public green spaces. More than 300 acres (120 hectares) of parkland stretch along the Moskva River, featuring walking trails, botanical gardens, and recreational areas.More
#5
Hermitage Garden

Hermitage Garden

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Open to the public since 1894, Hermitage Garden in central Moscow offers a great escape from the hustle and bustle of Russia’s capital. Throughout its history, the park has been known for its cultural attractions and even hosted the premieres of several Anton Chekhov plays at the end of the 19th century. During Soviet times, people also flocked to the park to play chess and watch films in an open-air cinema during the summer months. Today, visitors can stroll among linden, oak and maple trees, relax on a bench or hammock, grab a bite to eat at one of several cafes or enjoy a performance at one of three theaters: Novaya Opera, Hermitage and Sphera. Cherry blossoms in the spring and an ice rink in the winter are also popular draws, as is the annual Hermitage Garden Jazz Festival. Held every August and open to the public for free, the festival is the oldest of its kind in Moscow.More
#6
Tverskaya Street (Ulitsa Tverskaya)

Tverskaya Street (Ulitsa Tverskaya)

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Tverskaya Street has been one of Moscow’s main thoroughfares since medieval times. Once the stomping ground for Russian czars promenading to the Kremlin, it’s now a shopping hub, and hosts monuments of well-known Russian figures, such as Romantic poet Aleksandr Pushkin and 12th-century prince and Moscow founder Yuri Dolgorukiy.More

GUM Department Store

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GUM is an abbreviation meaning “Main Universal Store”, from the Russian “Глáвный универсáльный магазѝн”. It is the name of a private shopping mall located in central Moscow, just opposite Red Square. The building is a trapezoidal shape, with a steel framework and a glass roof. This made it quite unique at the time of construction, in the 1890s. From 1890 to the1920s, the Red Square GUM was known as the Upper Trading Rows and served as a State Department Store. It was built to replace the previous trading rows, which were destroyed during the 1812 Fire of Moscow. However, GUM hasn’t always served as a shopping destination.In 1928, Joseph Stalin converted it into office spaces, and it only reopened as a department store in 1953. It then became one of the only stores in the former Soviet Union not to suffer from consumer goods shortage, often resulting in long shopper queues spilling into Red Square.More

Pushkin Museum (Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts)

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From ancient Egyptian art to Byzantine masterpieces, through French impressionism and the Dutch Golden Age; the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts presents one of Russia’s largest and most comprehensive collections of international art. More than 600,000 works feature in the permanent collection, housed in a recently renovated museum complex.More
#9
Izmailovo Kremlin

Izmailovo Kremlin

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Opened in 2003, the Izmailovo Kremlin on the outskirts of Moscow pays homage to the other kremlins around Russia. Built in a pseudo-Byzantine style, it was inspired by both Russian fairytales and the design of early Russian palaces. More than a half dozen museums can be found within the Kremlin walls, including the Museum of the History of Vodka, the Museum of Bread, the Museum of Miniatures, the Museum of the History of the Russian Navy and the Chocolate Museum. There are also a couple restaurants and a wooden church dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint of arts and crafts. Visitors can also learn more about traditional Russian matryoshka (nesting) dolls and even try painting their own.Adjacent to the Kremlin is the Izmailovo Vernissage, a large flea market where visitors can buy a variety of souvenirs and kitschy items such as fur hats, chess sets, Soviet paraphernalia and, of course, matryoshka dolls. Prices are generally lower than elsewhere in Moscow and bartering is expected; transactions are cash only. The Vernissage is open daily, but many vendors only come out on the weekends.More
#10
Russia My History - Historical Park

Russia My History - Historical Park

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Part of Moscow’s vast All-Russian Exhibition Center (VDNK), the Russia – My History historical park chronicles some of the key moments in Russia’s history through an innovative series of interactive exhibits and multimedia installations. Organized throughout the country by the government and the Russian Orthodox Church, the exhibit offers a nationalistic view of historical events and figures.More
#11
Bolshoi Theatre

Bolshoi Theatre

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An architectural landmark and one of Russia’s most prestigious venues, the Bolshoi Theatre is home to the world-famous Bolshoi ballet and opera companies. With a legacy dating back to the late 18th century, the theater hosts regular performances of classics such asLa Traviata,*Carmen,Swan Lake, andThe Nutcracker*.More
#12
Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines

Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines

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Gaming enthusiasts won’t want to miss a visit to this quirky museum—the counterpart to the St. Petersburg museum of the same name. Come to play on the many working games at the interactive museum that's styled like a Soviet-era games arcade and is home to around 60 restored arcade machines from the 1970s and 80s.More
#13
Novodevichy Convent (Novodevichiy Monastyr)

Novodevichy Convent (Novodevichiy Monastyr)

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With its red and white towers and gleaming gold domes rising up from the banks of the Moskva River, the Novodevichy complex paints a striking picture. Built in the 16th century, the UNESCO World Heritage Site includes the convent where Peter the Great imprisoned his sister Sophia. Its cemetery houses notable Russian figures.More
#14
Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre

Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre

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Created in 1941, the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre may not be as well-known as the famous Bolshoi Theatre, but it has been staging world class opera and ballet performances for nearly a century. The theatre was formed by the combination of the Stanislavski Opera Theatre, originally founded in 1918, and the Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre, which produced both musical comedy shows and opera from the 1920s.Today, the theater is based in a building on Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street in the heart of Moscow and features one opera and two chamber music halls. The building was built on the site of Count Pyotr Saltykov’s estate and the lobby integrates remains of the estate dating from the mid-1800s.While showing many classic operas and traditional Russian ballets, the theater is known for being bold and experimental. It was the first in Russia to perform ballets by Nacho Duato, Jiri Kylian and Jorma Elo and hosted the world premiere of Vladimir Kobekin’s Hamlet.More
#15
Gulag History Museum

Gulag History Museum

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Telling the story of the Gulag—the forced labor camps set up by Stalin in the early 20th century—the Gulag History Museum provides a harrowing look at one of the darkest periods in Soviet history. Founded by a former labor camp prisoner, it’s an emotional tribute to those held captive in the camps.More

Trip ideas

Top Historical Sights in Moscow

Top Historical Sights in Moscow

How to Spend 3 Days in Moscow

How to Spend 3 Days in Moscow

Sergiev Posad Day Trips from Moscow

Sergiev Posad Day Trips from Moscow


All about Moscow

When to visit

Unless you’re used to freezing temperatures or prepared to brave the cold for a fairy-tale vacation over the holidays, winter in Moscow is best avoided. Late spring and early fall are some of the best times for sightseeing trips, as the weather is moderate, but attractions and popular traveler routes are far less crowded.

Moscow information

Number of Attractions

52

Number of Tours

1

Number of Reviews

0

Currency

RUB
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