Capital of Russia

Moscow, on the Moskva River in western Russia, is the nation’s cosmopolitan capital. In its historic core is the Kremlin, a complex that’s home to the president and tsarist treasures in the Armoury. Outside its walls is Red Square, Russia’s symbolic center. It’s home to Lenin’s Mausoleum, the State Historical Museum’s comprehensive collection and St. Basil’s Cathedral, known for its colorful, onion-shaped domes.
The Garden Ring district has bars, nightclubs and museums like the Pushkin State Museum, with many Impressionist works, and the State Tretyakov Gallery, specializing in Russian art. Nearby are the Bolshoi Theatre, known for ballet and opera, and Tretyakovsky Proyezd, a street lined with luxury shops. To the north, the Ostankino TV Tower offers panoramic views. Wintertime brings ice-skating to Gorky Park, plus the Russian Winter Festival, featuring music and dance. South of the city center is the open-air architecture museum Kolomenskoye, showcasing a wide range of building types.

Things to do

The Moscow Kremlin

Monumental architectural complex

 
 
 

Red Square

Landmark square & site of cathedral

 
 
 

Bolshoi Theatre

Iconic home of Russian ballet & opera

 
 
 

Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

Park with sports & open-air movies

 
 
 

The State Tretyakov Gallery

Museum with vast Russian art collection

 
 
 

All-Russian Exhibition Center

Event venue with 4 traditional halls

 
 
 

Sparrow Hills

Hilltop city & river observation point

 
 
 

The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts

European painting & sculpture collection

 
 
 

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Iconic building with checkered history

 
 
 

Museum of Cosmonautics

Museum of space travel & technology

 
 
 

Kolomenskoye

Open-air museum with historic buildings

 
 
 

Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve

Opulent palace with a fine arts museum

 
 
 

Ostankino Television Tower

Rocket-like TV tower with viewing deck

 
 
 

Aleksandrovskiy Sad

Landmark park with memorials & monuments

 
 
 

Poklonnaya Hill

Strategic site with victory monuments

 
 
 

Moscow Zoo

Parkland collection of 8,000 animals

 
 
 

Kuskovo Summer Palace

Opulent 18th-century palace & estate

 
 
 

Sokolniki Park

Park including funfair & winter ice-rink

 
 
 

Izmailovo Kremlin

Cultural complex with museums & events

 
 
 

Muzeon Park of Arts

Sculpture park with Soviet-era works

 
 
 

Apothecary Garden

University Botanic gardens

 
 
 

Izmailovsky Park

Large urban park with woodland & trails

 
 
 

National Park «Elk Island»

National park island known for moose

 
 
 

Moskvarium

Massive aquarium with ocean life & shows

 
 
 

Ermitazh Garden

Public park & gardens with ice-skating

 
 
 

Darwin Museum

State-of-the-art natural history museum

 
 
 

Izmaylovskiy Bazar

Weekend flea market for antiques & gifts

 
 
 

Glavnyy Botanicheskiy Sad Ran Im. N.v. Tsitsina

Major plant collection & greenhouses

 
 
 

Patriarch’s Ponds

Park

 
 
 

The State Kremlin Palace

Soviet-era glass & concrete auditorium