Moscow

The capital of Russia

"The Church of Rome fell for its heresy; the gates of the second Rome, Constantinople, were torn down by the axes of the infidel Turks; but the Church of Moscow, the Church of the New Rome, shines brighter than the sun in the whole universe... Two Romes are fallen, but the third stands fast; a fourth there cannot be."
- Philotheus of Pskov’s Third Rome Prophecy of 1552

Moscow is unlike any other city on earth. It is the wealthy economic center for one sixth of the world's land mass and has over 120 ethnic groups and nationalities. A diverse and vibrant city with a strange combination of traditional Russian architecture and newer Soviet tastelessness, Moscow is an adventure waiting to happen!

Moscow Rating of Top Tourist Attractions in Moscow Kremlin The Red Square St. Basil's Cathedral Tretyakov Gallery Novodevichy convent Bolshoi Theater May 9th Parade Christ the Savior Cathedral Moscow Subway Tverskaya Street Victory Park Park of the Fallen Idols Best hotels in Moscow: Moscow Firebird Hotels Best time to visit: May through September

One unusual fact that makes Moscow a uniquely convenient city for tourists is the concentration of its main sites. The Kremlin is the hub of this concentration, where most of Moscow’s best attractions are centered in one small area. These sights extend into the realm of fantasy. The colorful domes of the Cathedral of St. Vasily the Blessed, the neo-gothic consumer wonderland that is the GUM, or state department store, and the timepiece of Russia’s New Year’s celebrations, the Spassky clock tower, all tower over the beautiful Red Square. The neighboring Kitay-Gorod, or “Basket-Town” (likely a reference to the construction method of the city walls surround it), remains a significant concentration of traditional Russian structures serving as a commercial center. The Bolshoy Theater, the Lubyanka, and the hotels that tower above the Manege Square all are situated within the Boulevard Ring, an urban open-space doubling as a heavily-trafficked roadway created after the Great Fire of 1812, the one that left Napoleon’s Army starving deep within wintry Russia. The proximity of these sites to each other makes it easy to visit many of the must-see places in only a few days.

As Europe’s largest metropolis, and the fifth largest city in the world, Moscow comes with its share of traffic blunders. It seems that all of the world's most expensive black cars are here, and that most of the city’s car owners do not understand the difference between sidewalks and parking lots. Sometimes, traffic jams make the streets themselves seem rather like parking lots as well. Still, while the traffic situation leaves much to be desired, the Moscow subway is superb. The advanced Metro system carries up to 3 million passengers a day and its trains run every few minutes. With stations that could rival art museums, the Metro is one of Moscow’s great must-see sights. There is nothing like it in the world.

Although the best time to visit Moscow is from May to September, the city in winter still enchants with its towers and lights. Its great celebrations on the day of the October Revolution (held on November 7, a discrepancy resulting from the difference between the traditional Russian Julian calendar and the Gregorian calendar in use around the world today), and New Years Day make it the place to be. Of course, the best way to plan your trip is through one of our package tours to Moscow.Although the best time to visit Moscow is from May to September, the city in winter still enchants with its towers and lights. Its great celebrations on the day of the October Revolution (held on November 7, a discrepancy resulting from the difference between the traditional Russian Julian calendar and the Gregorian calendar in use around the world today), and New Years Day make it the place to be. Of course, the best way to plan your trip is through one of our package tours to Moscow.

10  MUST-DO THINGS IN MOSCOW 1.   See legendary precious gems and imperial crowns in the Kremlin Armory Chamber. 2.   Visit the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the world's largest Orthodox church. 3.   Experience the breathtaking panoramic view of Moscow from the Sparrow Hills (in Russian: “Vorobjevy Gory”). 4.   Buy a souvenir set of “matrioshka dolls” while strolling the Old Arbat (“Stary Arbat”). 5.   Skate during winter at the city’s largest ice rink in Gorky Park. 6.   Buy delicious red caviar in the "TsUM Globus Gourmet" gastronome in the Moscow Central Department Store, the largest fashion department store in Eastern Europe, and marvel at the architecture of this grand old Russian building off the Bolshoi Theater, or walk a few blocks over to Red Square and window shop at the equally spectacular State Department Store, or GUM (called in Imperial times the "Upper Trading Rows"). 7.   Take your children to the legendary Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard, today named for Russia’s best-loved clown, Yury Nikulin. 8.   Seek out the mysterious Professor Woland, a character from Mikhail Bulgakov's most famous novel Master and Margaritga, at the Patriarshy Ponds. 9.   Admire the detailed images of Dobrynya Nikitich, Ilya Muromets and Alyosha Popovich in the famous painting “Three Bogatyrs” by Vasnetsov, on display at the State Tretyakov Gallery. 10. Get yourself photographed on Red Square in front of the Cathedral of Basil the Blessed.