What to do in Moscow

Advice on what to do in Moscow, including culture, relaxation, nightlife, sport and food.

Cultural attractions in Moscow
Red Square is an essential part of our mental imagery of the Russian capital and the candy-coloured onion domes of St Basil's Cathedral have long been part of that Moscow iconography.

It was built to celebrate Ivan the Terrible's victory over the Tartars in the middle of the 16th century and contains an interesting museum. The church is open every day apart from Tuesdays between 10:00 and 17:30 local time and the entrance price is R100 (£2).

The historic bastion of Russian state power - the Kremlin - is still home to the seat of government as well as the various magnificent palaces and churches that are a major draw-card for tourists.

These include the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles, the Cathedral of the Annunciation and the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, as well as the spectacular collection of wealth in the Armoury.

An essential item on the to-do list of many visitors to Moscow is viewing the preserved body of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin at the mausoleum facing onto Red Square. There is no charge to line up and shuffle quickly through the building, which is open daily except Mondays and Fridays between 10:00 and 13:00 local time. The visit also includes seeing the gravestones of a number of other Soviet-era luminaries nearby.

Moscow is a treasure house for art lovers. The Tretyakov Gallery contains over 130,000 works of Russian art, dating from the tenth century to the present day and exploring Russian history through art. Highlights include works by Andey Vrubel, Malevich and Kandinsky.

The Tretyakov is housed in two buildings - the 'old' Tretyakov in Zamoskvareche contains art from the medieval period until the end of the nineteenth century, while the gallery on Krymskiy val contains futurist and socialist realist art. The museum is open every day except Mondays.

The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts houses another impressive permanent collection. Most people go to see the Impressionist/post-Impressionist galleries, including an entire hall of Gauguin paintings, as well as works by Van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir and Cezanne.

Fine art form the 16th to 18th centuries includes work by Lucas Cranach the Elder, Bronzino, Rembrandt, Poussin and Canaletto. Galleries at the Pushkin containing fabulous artefacts of ancient Egyptian and Assyrian art are also fascinating.

The glittering domes of the Novodevichy Convent beside the Moskva river are a must-see for visitors to Moscow, with its exquisite churches, mausoleums and peaceful grounds. The adjoining cemetery is a leafy, atmospheric place where notables from Anton Chekhov and Dmitri Shostakovich to Nikita Krushchev and Raisa Gorbacheva are buried.

The nearest metro station is Sportivnaya, with a walk from here to the far end of ulitsa Desyatletiya Oktyabr. The convent is open on Mondays and Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30 local time.

Moscow's metro stations are an attraction in their own right, famous for their soviet art and design. Many of the best stations are on the circle line, which is one of the oldest, including the war heroes of Taganskaya, the stained glass of Novoslobodskaya and the mosaics of Kievskaya.

The tradition of classical music in Moscow, including ballet and opera, is justly famous and the discerning local audiences ensure the standard remains consistently high. This is the perfect place to see the best of the classics as well as innovative modern work.

Unfortunately the Bolshoi Theatre remains closed for major restoration work until 2009 but the dancers can be seen at other venues and there are also opportunities to see the Kremlin Ballet Theatre and sometimes the visiting Mariinskiy Theatre from St Petersburg.

Opera companies include the Helikon Opera Theatre, the Kamerniy Musical Theatre, the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre and the New Opera.

Relaxation in Moscow
Gorky Park is probably the best-known central park in Moscow and a great place to take time out from the city and watch the locals relaxing.

Another popular spot is the Sparrow Hills area of Moscow University. The views of Moscow are impressive on a clear day. This area is next to Luzhniki Stadium.

A cruise down the Moskva river in summertime affords views of the Kremlin, the Church of Christ the Saviour, a few of Stalin's spectacular 'Seven Sisters' skyscrapers and the monument to Peter the Great.

Shopping is a pastime nowadays in Moscow and although the shops can be pricey you can find all the top-end international designer names and high street brands here – particularly on Tverskaya Ulitsa. Moscow's main thoroughfare is lined with grand old buildings and these days bedecked with neon advertising.

GUM is yet another Red Square architectural icon and the soaring arcades of this department store are now packed with international chain stores and luxury goods. It is also famous for its ice cream.

The Izmailovo weekend market, known as the Vernisage, operates all year on both Saturdays and Sundays. This is a great place to buy traditional Russian gifts and souvenirs. The food stalls are also good value.

The historic Arbat district has long been the heart of bohemian, trendy Moscow and the cafes, souvenirs stalls and buskers give it a fun atmosphere.

Nightlife in Moscow
For a fun, unpretentious night out, with good live bands, try Kitaiskii Letchik in Kitai Gorod. The name means "the Chinese pilot" and is formed by the wing of a real airplane. Kitaiskii Letchik is the below-street-level on Lubiankskii proezd, near the Kitai Gorod metro station and close to the river and Red Square.

Recommended restaurants in Moscow

Don't visit Moscow or Russia without trying Georgian food, a distinctive and hearty cuisine that features fresh herbs, vegetables and meaty stews. A chain of Georgian restaurants called Shesh-Besh offers affordable set menus and is also a good option for vegetarians.

During the week many of the restaurants along ulitsa Nikolskaya near Red Square offer set menu/business lunch deals that are surprisingly affordable.

In the summer informal barbecue food stalls spring up all over Moscow and the fresh and sizzling meat and fish snacks are perfect after a day's shopping.

Sport in Moscow

Luzhniki Stadium is home to Spartak and Torpedo football clubs and has been hosting matches since 1956. It seats over 80,000 fans and the nearest metro station is Sportivnaya. Click here for more information about Luzhniki Stadium, including how to get there.