What to do in Moscow

Fun things to try on your Moscow breaks

A two hour Boat cruise on one of the boats on the River is truly a relaxing way to spend a hot summer day in Moscow. There is an open air top deck and an enclosed bottom deck with a snack bar. You can embark and disembark from any number of docks along the way.

After a tiring days sightseeing then it may be a good idea to take in some of the natural beauty of Gorky Park. It is a lovely park in the south-west of the city and is an ideal place to re-energize and relax. It is the original Soviet park - part ornamental and educational, part funfair and amusement park, with two Western roller coasters and almost a dozen other terror-inducing attractions. In the winter the pond freezes and is used as a giant ice skating rink. The park has a number of snack bars and, behind the amusement park, a 2000-seat German beer hall.

An absolute must visit during a Moscow weekend break is the lively Izmailovsky Flea Market. This bustling open air market runs on the weekends from 9am - 6pm and is an endless hub of entertainment. The market is jam packed with interesting stalls selling; souvenirs, Russian handicrafts, books, original paintings and Soviet memorabilia. It’s a fantastic tourist attraction and a great way to spend the afternoon. If you get tired of haggling, fulfilling your quota of holiday knick-knacks and Matryoshka dolls, then take a look at the nearby royal residence of Izmailovo or simply stop for a coffee and watch the street performers.

As a system of public transportation and a work of urban infrastructure, the Moscow Metro is an unparalleled example of architecture and design. In fact Moscow's grand metro stations have been designated as architectural landmarks and are well worth seeking out whilst on a city break holiday. The grand stations look like palaces, designed by outstanding Soviet architects and have even been decorated with stained-glass windows, paintings, mosaics and sculptures. This famous metro has more chandeliers than Buckingham Palace and enough marble to fit out the kitchens of the world. Although constructed by a tyrant for a people living in terror, this subterranean proletarian paradise offers an ironically humane vision of public social space, both beautiful and functional. Today, with construction continuing, the Metro covers over 250 kilometres of track, serves 9 million people each day and has 170 stations, with new stations opening every year. Interestingly, on the ring line, travellers can detect the direction of the trains from the voice of the announcers: male voices for clockwise travel, and female voices for anti-clockwise travel. On the radial lines, travellers heading toward the centre of Moscow will hear male voiced announcements and travellers heading away from the centre will hear female voiced announcements. The elegant designs of the Metro stations are fabulous and are a must-see short break attraction. ‘The people’s palaces’ will be a surprising delight during a holiday in Russia.

The Moscow Circus is another fantastic place for unforgettable entertainment. There are two world-renowned circuses and both are larger than life and simply breathtaking. Travel to one or both, whichever you choose, you won’t regret your visit. Even the most grownup skeptics will find something to enjoy. For 90 minutes of exciting breath taking entertainment, we advise to get tickets for the Great Moscow State Circus and see the finest aerial gymnastics, comedy clowns, trained animals and over fifty specialized acts. The massive auditorium seats up to 3,400 people and has one of the most electric atmospheres you’ll ever experience. Going to the Circus is definitely a great idea to make that weekend city break in Moscow one to never forget. Contact the Russia breaks specialists or browse through our amazing city break packages on-line. You’ll find luxury hotels, bargain short break deals and alot more.

There are also numerous museums that are worth visiting if you have time. The Museum of Architecture has over one million exhibits spanning five centuries and it explains how seismic changes have affected Moscow’s sharply contrasting architecture. The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a fun museum, where you can see the history of Soviet Space technology and even try on the original suit of Yuri Gagarin. Museum of History is a rewarding city break experience. Within the museum, they exhibit everything you need to know about the history of Russia, from objects, documents, paintings, and photos. They have a rich collection of prehistorical objects, for example there are carved stone tools, hunting spears, mammoth corns, human skeletons, huge earth pots from 3000 years before our era. Upstairs they have at the moment a more contemporary exhibition called 'Our Happy Childhood' showing toys, books, paintings and black and white films about childhood in the soviet times under Lenin and Stalin.

In 1958, the Poklonnaja Mountain was constructed in honour of victory in the Great Patriotic War. Travelers often climbed the mountain to enjoy the panoramic views. The memorial area is approximately 135 hectares, known as the Victory Park which also connects to the Kutuzovsky Prospect. Within this park sightseeing visitors can find the Central Museum, located on Winners' Square, which contains about 50,000 exhibits of military history. Also, in the centre of Winners' Square there is a tall obelisk, that symbolizes the length of the Great Patriotic War.

If you prefer to entertain yourself by shopping, then you will not be bored on your city break of Moscow. The showpiece of the Soviet economy was the GUM state department store, which faces the Kremlin across Red Square. It was built in the 19th century to house over 1000 shops. Although GUM makes for a fun shopping experience, goods can be found at much cheaper prices in other parts of the city, so it is a good idea for visitors to shop around. Popular shopping streets in the area include Novy Arbat, which is a major thoroughfare to the west of the Kremlin and Arbat Ulitsa, which runs parallel to it. Okhoktny ryad, the newest of the arcades in the capital, is also worth a visit, if only to see Russian aspirational consumerism gone mad. Tverskaya ulitsa, heading north from Red Square, is Moscow’s most fashionable shopping street and the address of some expensive boutiques. Classic Russian chic can be found on Kutuzovsky prospekt, which is also home to the exclusive Moskva Shopping Centre. For the souvenir hunter, the traditional Matryoshka dolls (wooden dolls within dolls) are a nice gift, and can be bought quite cheaply at the craft markets. One of the best craft fairs is held at Izmailovskii Park on the weekends.

Serebryany Bor, a bend in the Moscow River in the city’s northwest, is the closest thing the city has to its own beach resort. Serebryany Bor is a protected forest zone within Moscow and remains one of the most popular choices for foreigners living in the capital. There are many private beaches in this area, the best being Plyazh Nomer Odin, a pine-lined riverside beach, laid out with gazebos, shelter tents, a volleyball court, a trampoline and tables for chess and checkers. It’s a beautiful oasis that provides a unique excursion during a summer holiday break in Moscow. These private beach clubs have pools, showers, cafes and nightclubs. Add this to your enquiry form, if you fancy some beach fun just outside of Russia’s capital.