What to see in Moscow

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Moscow, capital of Russia, is one of             1 1 Walk tour around the very center of Moscow & the Kremlin (~4h)

• the Kremlin park territory;

• all 4 main Kremlin cathedrals - where Russian Tsars used to hold wedding, coronation and funeral ceremonies, in one of them there's Russian Tsars' Necropolis;

• the Armory Chamber (inside the Kremlin) - the greatest collection of Tsars' treasures - clothing, jewelry, crowns, thrones, horse harness, tableware, Ambassadors' gifts;

• the Diamond Fund (inside the Kremlin) - the unique State collection of jewelry;

• the Red Square; 

• the Manez Square;

• the Alexander Garden;

• the Theater Square.

   2  Car city tour (3-4 h)

• all Center - the Kremlin Panorama;

• Cathedral of Christ the Savior;

• New Maiden (Novodevitchy) Convent (kind of prison for women from aristocratic families in old Russia);

• Gorky Park;

• Moscow University, 

• Vorobjevy Hills (great panoramic view of all Moscow);

• Poklonnaya Gora ("bloody" fountains & the greatest II WW monument);

• the White House;

• old Arbat street 

3 The Tretjakov Art Gallery. 

Great collection of paintings  - from ancient Russian icons to paintings  of the 20th century. Takes about 2.5 - 3.5 h. Day off - Monday.

4 The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts.

Masterpieces of the West European Artists. Takes 2.5-3.5 h. Day off - Monday.

5 Kolomenskoe Estate.

Old Russian Tsar's residence where a huge wooden palace (the 8th world miracle) used to stay. Now there's an amazing architectural complex, collection of the old wooden architectural constructions, the oldest Moscow oaks (400-600 years old) and a beautiful park on the bank of the Moskva river. No days off.

6 Tsaritsino Estate.

This estate is a witness of old and sad love story of one of the most interesting and capricious figures in Russian history  - tsarina (queen) Catherine the Great (the II). Huge half ruined palace, lovely park, lots of interesting architectural details of the landscape. No days off.

7 Kuskovo Estate.

 One of the brightest samples of traditional Russian aristocratic countryside estate of the end of 18th century - beautifully planned park making a nice ensemble to the palace and lake. Belonged to Count Sheremetjev. Days off are Monday and Tuesday.

5+6+7  Old Moscow Estates.

Car tour + walk (5-6 h) gives an option to explore these three finest Moscow estates during one day.

8 Moscow Archeological Museum. 

A unique underground museum, part of excavations on the Manez square in the very center of the city. Has ceramics and other finds of material culture of Muscovites from 15-19th centuries. Days off - Monday and the last Friday of every month. Allow 1-1.5 hs.

9 Vladimir,Suzdal,Bogolubovo.

These three towns are a must if you have only one day for exploration outside Moscow. Vladimir (founded on 1108) is about 165 km from Moscow, famous with one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Russia - Assumption Cathedral (1470), stone carved St.Dmitry Cathedral and triumphal arch 'Golden Gate'. Suzdal (35 km from Vladimir) is really a gem of this tour and a real pearl among all towns in Central Russia. Being under UNESCO protection, this town managed to preserve a unique architecture and lifestyle of old Russian town: no civil constructions are higher than 4th floor building. Interesting landscape, unique number and beauty of cathedrals, churches, convents and monasteries, old Kremlin... Bogolubovo is a small village not far from Suzdal, famous with 18th century monastery and 1866 Assumption Cathedral. See more information about Suzdal and  Vladimir on the home pages of these towns. To do this round tour in one day is impossible by public transport. If an overnight stay is planned - Suzdal is a highly recommended place. Car tour makes it possible to see all three towns in one day. For the car tour allow 12-13 h, be prepared to start driving at 7 a.m. and spend total 5-6 hours in the car. Please contact russianguide@mail.ru for more information and prices on this tour.

10  New Maidens (Novodevitchy) Convent & Cemetery.

Convent itself was founded in 1524. Starting from Sofia, Peter The Great' sister, who was imprisoned here by her brother in 1689, this convent became a prison for many Russian women from aristocratic families. Near the convent there's a cemetery, which is the most prestigious resting place in Moscow after the Kremlin wall. Here are tombs of Nikita Khruchev, Fyodor Shalapin, Sergey Prokofjev, Nikolay Gogol, Anton Chekhov, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Konstantin Stanislavsky, Isaak Levitan, Dmitry Shostakovitch and others.  Walk tour takes 2-4 h. 

11 Sergiev Posad.

This town situated around the Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius (Troitse-Sergieva Lavra), one of the Russia's most interesting and important religious centers. 60 km from Moscow. Trip would take about 6-8 h by public transport or  3-5 h with a car. Taking a car gives a chance to unite in one day tour also to Abramtsevo estate, which was founded in 1840 by famous Russian novelist Sergey Aksakov. See here Sergiev Posad home page for detailed info about the town and monastery.

12 Village Fedoskino.

Center of Russian folk art lacquer miniature painting on little boxes. Car tour takes 4 hours, tour on  public transport - 6-7 hours. Days off - Sat & Sun.

13 Jasnaya Poljana (Bright Glade) & Tula.

Jasnaja Poljana is an estate (~200 km south from Moscow), where the great Russian writer Count Lev Tolstoy was born, spent much of his life time and is buried. Days off - Mon, Tue & the last Wed of each month. Tula is a small town 170 km south from Moscow, famous first of all with its samovars production. Main attractions are the old Kremlin (1514), weapons and samovars museums. See Tula's home page for information. For a car tour allow the whole day, 12 h,  total driving time about 5 h. Please contact russianguie@mail.ru for details.

14  New Jerusalem Monastery.

Built by Patriarch Nikon in 1656 as a little Holy City, copy of holy Jerusalem. The most interesting monastery around Moscow. Has a unique underground church. Nearby is a Wooden Architecture Open Air Museum. Allow 6-8 h by public transport or 3-5 h by car. 50 km from Moscow. No days off.

15 Arkhangelskoe Estate.

One of the grandest estates of the region, late 18th century. Belonged to famous  Golitsyn's and Usupov's families. Has great palace and beautifully planned park on the hill and a lake nearby.  Allow 5-7 h by public transport or 3-5 hours by  car. 15 km from Moscow. No days off.

16  Borodino Village.

It is a unique Military Historical Museum Preserve, where historical battle between Russians and French Napoleon troops happened in 1812. Museums, monuments, maps, battle models... Day odd - Mon & the last Fri of each month.  Allow 8 h by public transport (2.5 hours train trip one way) or 3-5 h by  car.

17 Peredelkino Village.

It is famous with numerous countryside villas of Russian writers. Allow half day for the whole trip. 30 min ride one way by train.

15 + 16 + 17 Arkhangelskoe, Borodino & Peredelkino 

All these villages are to the West from Moscow, and it is possible to unite these 3 places in a  grand one day car tour (impossible to do the same on public transport), it would take about 12 h with total driving time 4-5 h.

Please contact russianguide@mail.ru for more information or reservations.