Where should you go first, once you are in the capital? We made an overview of the most interesting places in Moscow, and also told how to get to them most conveniently.
The capital of the Russian Federation evokes contradictory feelings among tourists: some are tired of the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, others sincerely admire its scale and beauty. However, we believe that Moscow is an amazing city, where everyone will find a lot of interesting and unusual things for themselves, and we decided to compile a selection of the most interesting, in our opinion, places in Moscow that are worth seeing for a tourist when visiting the capital for the first time. We do not pretend to cover all the sights of the Mother See, and have identified only those that seem interesting to us.
Look for author's interesting excursions on the Sputnik and Tripster websites. Individual and group, no crowds of tourists.
Top 10 interesting places in Moscow:
Kremlin and Red Square
Usually, tourists quickly find the answer to the question of where to go in Moscow in the first place - it is customary to begin acquaintance with the capital from Red Square and the Kremlin. These are the main symbols of Moscow and Russia; the largest number of attractions are concentrated here. On Red Square there is Execution Ground, Lenin's Mausoleum and a monument to Minin and Pozharsky.
To the west of the square is the Kremlin, to the east - GUM, to the south and north - St. Basil's Cathedral, the Historical Museum and the Kazan Cathedral. The Moscow Kremlin is an old fortress in the center of the capital and the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation. The southern wall of the defensive structure faces the Moskva River, the northern one - to the Alexander Garden.
On the territory of the Kremlin there are squares, palaces, temples, the Armory and the Faceted Chambers, the Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell. A ticket to Cathedral Square costs 350 rubles. The Armory is admitted at 10, 12, 14:30 and 16:30. Ticket offices are open in the Alexander Garden from 09:30 to 16:30. A ticket costs 700 rubles, for children under 16 - free of charge.
How to get there? The most convenient way is to take the metro, bypassing traffic jams and other delights of ground travel. You can get to Red Square if you get off at the Okhotny Ryad station or the Lenin Library (along the red line).
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Among the interesting places in Moscow that are worth visiting, temples and shrines occupy an important place. One of the most famous is the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which was built over 44 years and was erected in memory of the Russian soldiers who died in the Patriotic War of 1812. In Stalin's times, it was completely destroyed, and only in the 90s of the last century was it restored.
Near the temple is one of the most beautiful bridges of the capital - Patriarch, from where wonderful views of the city and the Moscow River open. The Kremlin towers and the monument to Peter the Great are clearly visible, and on the other bank of the river stands the building of the famous confectionery factory "Red October".
How to get there? You can get there by metro to the Kropotkinskaya station, then go to Volkhonka Street. Or take a walk through the Alexander Garden from Red Square along Mokhovaya Street.
Arbat
Once Arbat was a street of aristocrats: such famous names as Sheremetevs, Kropotkins, Tolstoy, Golitsyns lived here. Later, Arbat became a haven for the Moscow intelligentsia; Konstantin Balmont, Marina Tsvetaeva, Sergei Aksakov, Bulat Okudzhava and other celebrities lived here.
Today it is a popular pedestrian street where you can buy souvenirs, sit in a cafe or order your own portrait. Among the interesting places in Moscow for young people, the wall of house number 37 is considered to be truly cult - the wall of Tsoi, the soloist of the legendary rock group "Kino".
How to get there? You can walk to the Arbat from the Arbatskaya or Smolenskaya metro stations, or walk from Red Square.
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VVC (VDNKh)
Another interesting place for tourists in Moscow is the All-Russian Exhibition Center. The original significance of the exhibition center has been slightly lost; part of the pavilions of the former VDNKh are given over to trade. Residents of the capital and tourists come here to admire the sights and just relax.
The main attraction of the All-Russian Exhibition Center is the famous Friendship of Peoples fountain, surrounded by sculptures of women in national costumes of the former Soviet republics. Another fountain - "Stone Flower" - was the first light and music fountain in the USSR. The sculptural composition is based on Bazhov's fairy tales, the flower petals are trimmed with malachite.
Not far from the central entrance of the All-Russian Exhibition Center, stands the most recognizable monument of the post-Soviet space - the sculptural composition "Worker and Collective Farm Woman". At the exit from the metro station, a rocket is installed, aiming upward; the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is located nearby. Pavilion 1 houses the famous museum of the popular show "Field of Miracles".
The large territory of the All-Russian Exhibition Center is an interesting place in Moscow for walking, adults ride rollerblades and bicycles, children have fun on locomotives and ATVs. But the center's best attraction is the 73-meter Ferris wheel.
How to get there? You can get to the place by metro, VDNKh station.
We also recommend that you explore our special selection of the best accommodations in Moscow (12 hostels, hotels and apartments with impeccable guest reviews and an adequate price). Also, look for hotels on the popular Skyscanner Hotels service - the choice is huge!
Sparrow Hills
A very popular observation deck of the capital, located on the high bank of the Moskva River and overlooking Moscow State University. This is the place where a tourist should definitely go to admire Moscow from above. In Soviet times, this area was called the Lenin Hills. The site offers views of the Ostankino tower, Stalin's skyscrapers, the White House and Moscow City. In the distance you can see the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
How to get there? You can get there by metro to the Vorobyovy Gory station, from there go up the slope to the site. Or get off at the Universitet metro station, then walk through the park of Moscow State University.
Find out the best hotels in Moscow with panoramic views.
If you prefer to stay away from the bustling metropolis, then we advise you to read our material. In it you will find an overview of the most optimal in terms of price and quality options for houses, cottages and recreation centers in the Moscow region.
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Ostozhenka
Until the middle of the 18th century, Ostozhenka was an ordinary Moscow suburb. Once here, in the floodplain of the Moskva River, trade routes passed through meadows with haystacks. Later, the royal stable yard was built, then the first residential buildings began to appear nearby. Wealthy people were built closer to Prechistenka, poorer houses and warehouses were located between Ostozhenka and the Moskva River.
Nowadays Ostozhenka is an old Moscow street with preserved mansions, where it is interesting to walk. The most colorful houses are yellow buildings with triangular empire-style porticoes. The Vsevolozhskys 'mansion, Turgenev's house, the apartment buildings of Gryaznov and Kekusheva, the Abrikosovs' mansion and others are noteworthy. Some are inclined to consider Kekusheva's mansion the home of Margarita, the main character of Bulgakov's famous novel The Master and Margarita.
How to get there? You can get to the place by metro to the station "Kropotkinskaya" or "Park Kultury".
Luzhkov bridge
This pedestrian bridge (the official name is Tretyakovsky) was built in the 90s. An elegant structure that connects Bolotnaya Square and Kadashevskaya Embankment. In 2007, a Tree of Love was installed here for all lovers to attach their locks. After the first tree drowning in locks, dozens of new ones appeared.
Now a tradition has already developed - the newlyweds come to the bridge, hang a lock and throw the key into the river. A semicircular Reconciliation Bench was placed next to the bridge, its design is such that it is impossible for two to sit on it without hugging each other. The bridge quickly became popular, and is popularly called the Bridge of Kisses.
How to get there? The bridge is located on the Kadashevskaya embankment, you can get there by metro to the Tretyakovskaya station.
Tsaritsyno
This is one of the most beautiful estates in the capital with ponds, a greenhouse complex and a light and music fountain. At one time, there were the estates of the boyars Godunovs, Streshnevs, Golitsyns, and the Moldavian prince Cantemir. The estate acquired its modern look after the Empress Catherine the Great commissioned the construction to the architect Bazhenov.
They say that the queen was unhappy with the result, and no one ever lived in the estate. By order of Nicholas I, a hospital for peasants was opened in the Bread House, and in the Soviet years, up to the 70s, there were communal apartments in it. After a complete restoration in 2006, the palace and park complex received the status of a museum-reserve.
Admission to the park is free, and tickets to the palace, greenhouses and the Bread House are available. A full ticket costs 250-350 rubles, for preferential categories - 100 rubles. In summer, the park is open daily from 6 am to midnight, the palace is closed on Monday.
How to get there? You can get there by metro to Tsaritsyno station.
Perhaps one of the most interesting recreation places for children in Moscow. However, adults will also like it there. Dolphinarium, ezotarium, pink flamingos, wild cats of all kinds, ponds with giant fish, giraffe - a favorite of the public, and other representatives of wild fauna. There are about 1100 species in total. For the little ones, there is a small area with attractions and a pony club.
How to get there? The zoo is located on Bolshaya Gruzinskaya. You can get there by metro to the Barrikadnaya or Krasnopresnenskaya stations. Admission is free for children and representatives of preferential categories, for adults - 400-500 rubles.
