Best Places to Visit in Moscow
Being the capital city of Russia, Moscow offers amazing exposure for tourists to unravel its hidden gems. Whether those are museums, towers, cathedral, monasteries, palaces or parks, there is a lot to explore in this city. There are some of the best places to visit in Moscow city that will not only offer you a unique traveling experience but will make you stunned by its offerings. If you are planning to visit Moscow city but haven’t finalized yet on destinations then here is a Moscow city travel guide that will offer you great help. Here is a list of some of the fun things to do and top places to visit in Moscow:
- Red Square: Red Square is the top place to visit in Moscow. The position of the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the mausoleum of Lenin, the National Historical Museum and the GUM Shopping Mall, and the Kazan Cathedral are prominent attractions. You would have observed the Red Square numerous times if you watched several Hollywood movies. It is a huge city square, frequently seen as the center of Moscow, as most of the main streets of Moscow come from there. Due to its importance within Russian history, it was recognized as a Global Heritage Site together with the creation of the Kremlin. Moscow’s Red Square is the most popular location because it is the most popular tourist attraction in Moscow.
- Peterhof Palace: Peterhof Palace is one of the best places to visit in Moscow. There are several palaces and gardens in St Petersburg, Peterhof. A 16-meter high cliff is one of the most interesting aspects of the region which attracts many people to visit the region. Chesma Hall is one of the main attractions of the palace. The Hall is adorned with art depicting the Chesma battle when during the Russian-Turkish conflict Russia achieved a naval victory.
- State Tretyakov Gallery: An art gallery that originated in a merchant’s collection and now has over 130,000 artworks throughout Russia’s history. The gallery was created in 1893 when the vast personal collection of over 2000 paintings by Moscow businessman Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov was constantly presented to the Russes. Originally located in a tiny structure south of the Kremlin, the gallery developed significantly in size as art over the 20th century accumulated more and more pieces. The State Tretyakov Gallery offers a glimpse of Russian art history that can never be seen elsewhere. It is one of the tourist attractions of Moscow.
- Kolomenskoye: A lovely and extensive estate, now an open-air museum of wooden buildings.The Kolomenskoye was designed for the princes of Moscow as a retreat. Now a king’s estate required a collection of excellent architectural works, which is essentially what this estate presently exhibits. The Church of the Ascension is the earliest recorded construction here. This magnificent artwork, built of white stone and octagonal shaped toward the sky, was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
- GUM: GUM’s magnificent interior, the major Russian department store, has a range of high-end shops. The iconic shop was built between 1890 and 1893 with a range of brands, from the Luxurious Dior to the cheaper Zara, until the 20s, it currently contains over 200 shops offering various brands. The glass-dashed arcade overlooks the Red Square and provides many elegant foods even if shopping is no longer on the plan. GUM is the best place to see in Moscow.
- The Armoury: The armory is one of the oldest museums in Moscow, located south of the Kremlin complex. It features jewels, regalia, and weapons. The Armory has long been a home for special, valuable, and exquisite collections. It was the workplace of the greatest weaponists, joys, and painters in the country. The Armoury became a complex treasure house after they were relocated to St. Petersburg. Following the Bolshevik revolution, further valuables were added. The Armory is now a very popular and the Kremlin’s official museum. It has rare and costly collections and the Russian diamond fund.
- Sparrow Hills: Sparrow Hills is one of Moscow’s tallest and most amazing sites for tourists. This 720 feet high hill is a favorite place for tourists, giving a famous sight deck and a panoramic great view of Moscow. Sports and other outdoor activities are some of the top things to do in Moscow Russia that you can enjoy here. It is a peaceful nature reserve where you may rest and wander. The name of Sparrow Hills comes from the settlement of Vorabiovo in the 14th century, which was part of the Grand Duchess of Russia.
- Saint Basil’s Cathedral: Even people who were never there would know St. Basil’s Cathedral’s brilliant dome because of its chaotic mixture of patterns, colors, and shapes distinctive to Russian architecture. In 1555-1561 the Church was erected on the orders of Tsar Ivan, Terrible, to mark his triumph over the Khanate of Kazan; it was also nicknamed the “Pokrovsky Cathedral”. Wonderful creation with 8 different, candy-colored Onion Doms is this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- State Historical Museum: The State History Museum is one of the world’s top five museums. The museum was founded on Emperor Alexander II’s instructions. Situated on the other end of St. Basil Cathedral’s Red Square. The design is created in the Russian revivalist style by Vladimir Shervud in 1874, with each chamber with richly ornamented walls and varied styles of the era or area. It was built to memorialize the national history and to track Russia’s growth by collecting over 100 years and presently including more than 4.5 million objects.
- Moscow Zoo: Established in 1864 by K.F. Rulje S.A. Usov and A.P. Bogdanov, Prof. Biologists, Moscow Zoo is Russia’s most important Zoo. The vast array of northern animals and rare animals covers roughly 21.5 hectares. After nearly 55 years of private ownership, the zoo has declared the property of Soviet Russia in 1919. The zoo contains tiny unbarred bodies and vast herd paddocks. The zoo was open during the Second World War, one of the noteworthy facts about that. It includes more than 3000 specimens of around 550 species at present. If you are searching for fun things to do in Moscow Russia then come to this Zoo.
- Garden Ring: The Garden Ring is a ring road avenue built around Moscow Central, which is also extremely popular as “B Ring.” This attracts several tourists year after year with 17 separately designated streets and 15 places. The garden ring has a perimeter of around 16 km, and in certain parts, it contains roughly 10 paths. Many ancient defenses and antique structures were replaced to create one of the top tourist attractions in Moscow. Today, it stands in the city as a wonder of engineering.
- Izmaylovo: The region of Izmaylovo is mostly recognized for its largest and best-known flea market, where you can acquire almost everything from crafted products to antique Soviet times. It’s also one of the biggest green areas in Moscow where you may hide from the bustle of the city. No wonder, it is listed amongst one of the best places to see in Moscow all around the year.
- Moscow Kremlin: If you are searching for any unique places to visit in Moscow that will offer you access to several travel jewels then come to Moscow Kremlin. Here you can enjoy some of the panoramic views of the city along with River Moskva which is located at the center part of the city. You can consider visiting this location on any day of the week except Thursday. Daytime is highly recommended in order to get clearer and brighter views of Moscow city.
- Losiny Ostrov National Park: It is one of the national treasures of Moscow city and in fact entire Russia where you can spot several unique wildlife species including reptiles, amphibians, mammals and birds. It is a location where you can experience the perfect blend of wildlife and nature. It is compared with one of the biggest national parks across the world when it comes to size and area.
- Pushkin Museum: Most of the Moscow travel guides prefer to recommend Pushkin Museum to their tourists and there are various reasons behind it. Here you can enjoy a nice collection of European masterpieces that date back to the old centuries. This amazing museum is divided into three different segments including Dutch Golden Age, Renaissance, and Byzantine art. It is highly recommended to visit this museum from 11 AM to 8 PM.
- Moskvarium: As the name suggests, it is an aquarium of Moscow city which boasts a lot of unique species of marine animals. It is one of the most popular tourist spots in Moscow Russia which you can consider visiting with your entire family. It is home to more than 75 aquariums that feature several sea creatures of 8000 different species. Here you can spot unique marine species including Russian Sturgeon, killer whales, sharks, and several dolphins. It remains open from 10 AM to 10 PM on all days of the week excluding public holidays.
- Bolshoi Theatre: If you are real art as well as a culture lover then you will love visiting this spectacular destination in Moscow city. Here you can witness several live performances including ballet and opera. It is a location that is famous for its neoclassical façade in the entire Russia and thereby becoming an extraordinary landmark in Moscow city. If you want to revitalize your mood after a full day of traveling then come to Bolshoi Theatre and gain all the energy.
What’s next waiting for you?
If you are looking for the right Moscow travel advice on places to visit then the above list of key highlights will definitely offer you a nice helping hand. If you are done exploring the above-mentioned destinations then you can explore few more hidden gems of Moscow city including – Hermitage Museum, Krestovsky Stadium, Peterhof Palace, Novospassky Monastery, Sparrow Hills, Diamond Fund, Grand Kremlin Palace, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square and many more. Now you know where to go and what to do in Moscow, simply plan your tour with utmost enthusiasm. If you found this Moscow travel guide extremely useful then check out our other travel guides to make your tour to Russia all-inclusive.