The Top Nine Things You Must Do To Experience Moscow, Russia

A mixture of senses came to mind whilst in the taxi, on my way from the airport to The Radisson Slavyanskaya hotel.

Architecturally, as I look at the frames that pass me by, through the window, I feel as if I’m in the Elizabethan age. I hear Savage Garden on the radio and my mind is transported to the nineties. I will come to hear Savage Garden quite regularly whilst on my trip to Moscow; it seems to be a thing here. I feel the forced warmth of the taxi heater and the smell of soup is inescapable.

The lit up streets of Moscow, glow under the grey winter skies. It’s as if there’s lights everywhere to elude the cold and add happier vibes. Getting through a Russian winter is tough, being the second coldest country in the world!

It’s Russian tradition to reserve odd numbers for everything; like giving someone flowers, for example; you will find that bouquets are sold in bunches of thirteen or seven.

So connectedly, I have chosen the top nine Moscow attractions.

Travelling to Saint Petersburg, Russia? CLICK HERE TO READ THIS TRAVEL BLOG

---

1. The Russian Tour: 

We stumbled on a free tour on the Internet, simply entitled Moscow Free Tour: http://moscowfreetour.com/#free. It was easy to sign up and was the best thing we could do to kick-start our travels through Moscow.

I strongly recommend beginning your visit with this tour:

• It’s a calculable round up of all the activities you can do in Moscow City
• The information provided by out Moscow tour guide – Alena was invaluable for mapping our travels for the remaining time we had in the city
• We gained much insight to the Moscow way of life, that you defiantly should immerse yourself in
• There is a useful Q&A at the end of the tour, which is extremely helpful for metro routes, etc.

Travel Tip: Even in the “summertime” Russia has cold winds – that we as South Africans call extreme cold. I had on two jackets with a fleece top and I was still freezing! So dress warmly.

2. Saint Basils Cathedral:

Saint Basils Cathedral is Russia’s most monumental, historic building, situated at the Red Square in Moscow.

The tales from way back then are always so fascinating and the story behind the construction on Saint Basils Cathedral lives up to that expectation.

Travel Tip: The lighting in the cathedral is dark; therefore invest in a high quality camera for optimized photographs.

3. Metro Stations:

Moscow’s metros boast the most attractive metro stations in Europe.

It is truly spectacular and picturesque. You definitely need to take the time to appreciate the effort that went into the construction of these metro stations; Russians take pride in their architecture.

Travel Tip: Metro research and route map in advance. The metro stations are extremely busy and confusing, so take time to download apps such as Google translate and related metro app to avoid getting lost.

4. Ballet Theatre:

You will never see ballet  you would in Russia.

I was lucky enough to watch the ever – classic Swan Lake and the performances were exhilarating. This is an absolute must!

Travel Tip: It’s best to book your ballet tickets well in advance as tickets are difficult to come by and closer to the time, prices surge.

5. The Kremlin:

The Kremlin is the official residence of the Russian President and has grandeur of palaces and cathedrals, open to the public for sight visits.

6. Red Square:

Red Square is the epicenter of the main sights of the Moscow attractions, where you will find interesting, historical and modern entertainment.

Travel Tip: Have cash on hand for the market, which has stalls consisting of typical Russian snacks and souvenirs.

7. The Tallest Buildings In Europe:

Moscow City is home to the tallest buildings in Europe. This, for me was the most exhilarating sightseeing highlight of my trip to Moscow.

The tallest building is the Federation East Tower building that stands at a whooping 373,7 meters tall.

Travel Tip: There is an observation deck in the building however just standing on the road where the buildings are, is a majestic experience.

8. GUM Shopping Centre:

The ultimate shopping center of Moscow, which boasts an elixir of high-end fashion labels such as Tiffany & Co and Louis Vuitton.

Whilst at Gum, indulge in some Russian cuisine; pancakes and delicious Soviet Union ice cream (apparently, the recipe, for this ice – cream hasn’t changed since the Soviet Union.)

Travel Tip: Prepare to break the bank as GUM in no a shopping destination for any sort of bargain, however you will find limited edition pieces of high – end fashion, accompanied by hefty price tags.

9. Memorial Museum Of Cosmonautics:

The spectacular building of Memorial Museum Of Cosmonautics  space exploration memorabilia from Russia.

The souvenir shop has some of the cutest spoils; like this adorable badge of a dog astronaut, I, of course had to get, which is now the start of my denim jacket badge collection.

Travel Tip: The café at the museum offers cute cosmonautical cookies – great for Instagram photos, but also delicious.

---

Moscow, Russia was a becoming experience of fascinating sights, people and traditions.

I strongly recommend you visit Moscow, Russia – from the lavish architecture to the fascinating history, there’s nothing demure about this city, a must for every travellers bucket list.

What is your favourite Moscow attraction? Let me know in the comments section below.

Stay updated with travel blogs from Pot Of Gold by signing up to my newsletter here:
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Pin This Post With The Image Below: 

xoxo

Pot Of Gold Blog By Sheena Deepnarain