What We Saw on Our City Tour of Moscow

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We weren’t sure what to expect of the sprawling Russian capital when we first go there. It was a beautiful city— that much was obvious. However, the word that immediately came to mind was “intense”. The megacity has a rather frenzied energy to it, which certainly gave it a lot of character. And let’s not forget how much rich history it has to offer!

Here are some of the sites that we were able to visit when we were there. We hope this will help you with your own itinerary when you visit Moscow!


• Kremlin



The Kremlin is probably the most important historical structures in the entire country, which is doubly impressive when you consider the sheer size of Russia. There were so many marvelous things to see inside that we only wish we had more time to explore all of the museums and cathedrals in the complex. We highly recommend going early to avoid crowds. Don’t forget to grab a map while you’re at it!




• Cathedral of the Saviour Christ



This Orthodoxcathedral is the tallest one in the world! Located along the banks of the Moskva River, it is a rather imposing structure when viewed from the outside. On the other hand, the interior is nothing short of breathtaking. It’s hard to believe that the church is a fairly recent construction, all things considered. Photography is prohibited inside, so you’ll just have to take our word for it. It was only a few minutes away from the Kremlin so make sure to hit both stops in one day.




• State Historical Museum



The neo-Russian architecture of the building is simply gorgeous. You will find archaeological, historical, paleontological, scientific, and technological artifacts from the ancient times to the modern period! We can’t imagine a better way to earn an understanding of the Russian civilization. This is yet another site located near the Red Square so add it to your itinerary immediately. As a heads up, however, there is very few English signage so an audio-guide is an investment that would make the visit even more rewarding.




• Izmaylovo Market



We had a lovely time picking out souvenirs here. You will find unique artefacts, jewellery, folk crafts, and toys here so we hope you have a lot of cash with you! It is also a good place to exercise your bargaining skills, but the items for sale are already considerably cheaper than the rest of the city. There are plenty of good food choices here as well so we don’t recommend filling up before going. The open-air market is surrounded by more beautiful buildings and the view is already worth it even if you don’t buy anything.





It might have a reputation for being an unfriendly city, but don’t let that discourage you from visiting. We found that to be very untrue and we were glad to have started our trip in Moscow. Most people prefer St. Petersburg, but Moscow is a very rewarding place to travel to as well. If you only have a limited time and you feel overwhelmed by the task of planning your trip, then enlist the help of a company specialising in Russia tours, such as Into Russia .

Like other places, you only need to be smart about the way you travel, make plans, do your research and have an amazing time!

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