Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is a city of contrasts, where the bohemian and the glamorous merge in an idiosyncratic fusion – do not be surprised to find a golden-domed 16th century church next to an ultra-modern glass skyscraper or a Soviet block house. Here, salty fish eggs (caviar) are washed down with bubbly champagne and worn-out commuters travel by the elaborately decorated, elegant metro, one of the city's main attractions.Find your trip
The monument, designed by Mihail Chemiakin, shows 2 children at play, surrounded by 13 menacing-looking figures, each representing a vice or evil the youth is often faced with growing up. Can you interpret the meaning of each sculpture? You can find the monument south of the Moscow Kremlin, in Bolotnaya Square.
The Pushkin Museum of Fine Art is a paradise for those interested in art. Here Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art mingles with older works by Rembrandt and Botticelli.
With its 62 halls and 100,000 paintings, the Tretiakov Gallery contains the world’s largest collection of Russian art. Fortunately, all of these pieces are not all displayed together, but a few at a time.
If you yearn for gold, velvet and precious stones, you must visit the Armoury. The treasures that have been collected over the centuries by the Russian tsars and princes can be found here. Some magnificent examples are the Fabergé egg and Catherine the Great’s coronation dress.
Enclosed by the GUM, Kremlin, and Saint Basil's Cathedral, the Red Square stands proud. This is also the place where Lenin rests in his mausoleum. Since 1924 he has been as carefully guarded as he was embalmed.
With its round, brilliantly coloured cupolas, St. Basil’s Cathedral truly looks like a fairy-tale castle. Ivan the Terrible had it built around 1550 in order to celebrate a victory over the Tartars. Today the cathedral is one of the world’s architectural wonders.
Going on the metro in Moscow is an attraction in itself. The metro here is just beautiful with its architecture and majestic spaces. If you have to choose, two of the most beautiful stations to visit are "Komsomol'skaya" and "Kazan'skaya".
One of several repurposed industrial spaces in Moscow, Flacon is among the best: once a glass factory, it has now been transformed into a collection of hip enterprises that range from cool stores (do not miss the "Respublika" book shop and its fun merch) to cafes, coworking spaces, and art installations. Check their event schedule to see what's on (mind that most events are conducted in Russian).
The monument, designed by Mihail Chemiakin, shows 2 children at play, surrounded by 13 menacing-looking figures, each representing a vice or evil the youth is often faced with growing up. Can you interpret the meaning of each sculpture? You can find the monument south of the Moscow Kremlin, in Bolotnaya Square.
The Pushkin Museum of Fine Art is a paradise for those interested in art. Here Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art mingles with older works by Rembrandt and Botticelli.
Restaurant “Expedition. Northern cuisine” serves delicacies of northern Russian cuisine of the highest quality.Each product “flies” or “comes” or “swims” here from distant ecologically clean lands and is cooked only on Baikal water! This restaurant is the place for those who appreciate high quality in everything! So don’t be surprised if some famous singer is performing a song for his friends at a table next to yours… They are big family and every guest for them is a good friend!
Despite the name, Moscow's Central Market isn't really much of a market, but rather a collection of trendy restaurants and cafes serving dishes of world cuisines. Once you take your pick from its vast array of culinary offerings, stop by the wine shop (main entrance, first right) and pick up a bottle to your liking - you can even borrow a pair of wine glasses with your purchase. On summer evenings, the outdoor terrace teems with people. It's one of the current places to be.
Do not be fooled by "café" in its title: this is one of Moscow’s finest restaurants. Go on a journey through time back to the sumptuous 19th century. Here, well-dressed Muscovites enjoy caviar and the Franco-Russian cuisine. Here you can also enjoy a grandiose breakfast buffet.
One of the hottest food courts in town, this one at Danilovskiy Market ('rynok') boasts several exceptional eateries at once. Try Shepka (Щепка) for high-quality smoked meats and fish (you'll want to bring some from the deli on your way out), Bô for as-authentic-as-it gets Vietnamese, Fiorella Pasta Fresca for fresh hand-made pasta, Georgian Street Food or Crabs Are Coming (with Alaskan king crab meat). Afterwards, take a gander around the market itself, and perhaps pick up a few items from the many stalls and deli shops.
In downtown Moscow, near Pushkinskaya / Tverskaya underground station, you can find the elegant Rybniy Bazar ("fish market"). This restaurant serves seafood, and the lobster and oysters are especially popular here.
The commendable local initiative that is Lavkalavka tries to create a representation of what Russian cuisine could have been if it had continued to "evolve" uninterrupted by the events of the 20th century. The restaurant aims to support independent farmers and producers, and collaborates closely with many.
Mu-Mu is an affordable self-service restaurant chain serving both light snacks and full meals. The interior is very cosy and the restaurant has become increasingly popular for its simple and tasty food. Multiple locations operate around the city.
Noev Kovcheg serves award-winning Armenian food. When here, be sure to taste the famous Armenian cognac. The prestigious restaurant opened its doors to the public on July 17th 1999, the same date that Noah’s Ark settled on the mountain of Ararat.
Restaurant “Expedition. Northern cuisine” serves delicacies of northern Russian cuisine of the highest quality.Each product “flies” or “comes” or “swims” here from distant ecologically clean lands and is cooked only on Baikal water! This restaurant is the place for those who appreciate high quality in everything! So don’t be surprised if some famous singer is performing a song for his friends at a table next to yours… They are big family and every guest for them is a good friend!
Despite the name, Moscow's Central Market isn't really much of a market, but rather a collection of trendy restaurants and cafes serving dishes of world cuisines. Once you take your pick from its vast array of culinary offerings, stop by the wine shop (main entrance, first right) and pick up a bottle to your liking - you can even borrow a pair of wine glasses with your purchase. On summer evenings, the outdoor terrace teems with people. It's one of the current places to be.
Popular shopping streets are Noviy Arbat and the more exclusive Kuznetskiy, but the number one shopping street is Tverskaya ulitsa. Stalin had the street restored in the 1930’s, so here, too, there is evidence of his liking for massive, grey buildings.
Those who wish to start their shopping trip at one of the shopping centres with the finest old traditions in the world should head for GUM. The building was designed in the new Russian style at the end of 19th century. During the Stalinist period, GUM was temporarily converted into offices. Today it accommodates a plethora of international luxury brands, and is more of a landmark than a go-to shopping location.
Eliseyevskiy store is the name of Moscow’s most famous delicatessen shop (known during the Soviet period as Gastronomy no. 1). This is the place to buy your ration of vodka, caviar, and other local delicacies. Russians are avid tea drinkers and at Chudesa Podnebesnoi you can find the finest Chinese teas.
This late 19th century building stands out dramatically against its surroundings. It was built to emulate ornate Chinese tea houses of the era, and remains in its near-original condition to-date. Inside, multiple varieties of tea are sold both by weight and by package. There is a little on-site cafe that sells sweets, teas and coffee.
Popular shopping streets are Noviy Arbat and the more exclusive Kuznetskiy, but the number one shopping street is Tverskaya ulitsa. Stalin had the street restored in the 1930’s, so here, too, there is evidence of his liking for massive, grey buildings.
Those who wish to start their shopping trip at one of the shopping centres with the finest old traditions in the world should head for GUM. The building was designed in the new Russian style at the end of 19th century. During the Stalinist period, GUM was temporarily converted into offices. Today it accommodates a plethora of international luxury brands, and is more of a landmark than a go-to shopping location.
Vnukovo International Airport
The city's third and most compact airport, Vnukovo is located approximately 28 kilometres southwest of the city centre. The air hub is best reached by Aeroexpress trains departing from the Kievskaya Railway Station. Several mini-buses also run here from Yugo-Zapadnaya metro station (south end of the red line).
Sheremetyevo International Airport
The largest international airport in Moscow is Sheremetyevo International Airport, located 30 kilometres from the city centre. The easiest and fastest way to reach any of Moscow's three major airports is by Aeroexpress - a fast train designated for air travelers (train departs from Belorussky Railway Station). The train ride takes 35 minutes. Another way to get here is by taxi. At the airport you can order taxis at the operator desk. You can usually book a taxi in advance through the hotel or travel agency when going to the airport. Alternatively, there are different bus routes. The buses take about 30-70 minutes depending on the route and your final destination. When traveling by car or bus, do keep in mind that rush hour traffic may sometimes be very dense, and significant delays are possible.
Domodedovo International Airport
Another large airport in Moscow is Moscow Domodedovo Airport. The airport is located 22 kilometres away from the city. You can also reach the airport from Domodedovskaya underground station by mini-bus or bus and from Paveletsky railway station by train. The train from Paveletsky railway station takes 40-50 minutes going on the Aeroexpress train, and 1 hour and 10 minutes on the commuter train. The express buses and shuttles from Domodedovskaya underground station take 25-30 minutes and leave every 15 minutes. Buses run from 6am-12am. Taxis can be ordered at the domestic and international arrivals hall. There are car rental services at the airport.
Metro
Moscow has one of the world’s most beautiful underground railways which operates very efficiently. If you carry big luggage on the metro, make sure you buy a special luggage ticket. Tickets can be bought at station entrances - either at vending machines or special staffed kiosks.If you plan to use the metro multiple times during your stay, it makes sense to purchase a top-up card called "Troika".
Public Transport
In Moscow there are also buses, trolley buses and trams apart from the beautiful metro. Tickets can be bought from the kiosks in the street or from the driver and validated once aboard.
Taxi
In Moscow the easiest way to get a taxi is the traditional way: to stand in the street and hold out your arm. Civilian cars like to operate as taxis, it is therefore recommended to only use professional taxi services. Taxi meters are not always used, so agree on a price before travelling. English-speaking taxi services in Moscow: Welcome Taxi +7 499 922 06 74 www.welcometaxi.ru LingoTaxi: +7 495 204 21 34
Post
There are many post offices around town. If you want to send a letter you can drop it of in one of the dark blue post boxes. Main Post Office:
Pharmacy
Medical care may be very expensive if you do not have insurance. Hotels often have their own doctor, so start there if you need help. There are dozens of pharmacies all throughout the city, and many work 24/7. Rigla 102 www.rigla.ru 15/43 Arbat, Moscow Apteka 36,6 www.366.ru 25 str 1A Zemlyanoy val, Moscow
Vnukovo International Airport
The city's third and most compact airport, Vnukovo is located approximately 28 kilometres southwest of the city centre. The air hub is best reached by Aeroexpress trains departing from the Kievskaya Railway Station. Several mini-buses also run here from Yugo-Zapadnaya metro station (south end of the red line).
Sheremetyevo International Airport
The largest international airport in Moscow is Sheremetyevo International Airport, located 30 kilometres from the city centre. The easiest and fastest way to reach any of Moscow's three major airports is by Aeroexpress - a fast train designated for air travelers (train departs from Belorussky Railway Station). The train ride takes 35 minutes. Another way to get here is by taxi. At the airport you can order taxis at the operator desk. You can usually book a taxi in advance through the hotel or travel agency when going to the airport. Alternatively, there are different bus routes. The buses take about 30-70 minutes depending on the route and your final destination. When traveling by car or bus, do keep in mind that rush hour traffic may sometimes be very dense, and significant delays are possible.
