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Moscow on a Shoestring Budget

Description:

"World's most expensive city" is no idle threat -- Moscow seems to take a joy in making most things outrageously, pointlessly expensive, if only to retain its title. But if you can't afford the city's high life, there's still hope for you. This cheapskate plan shows you how to enjoy Moscow without breaking your wallet.

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Author: Sonya

Day 1 - Moscow

Extreme budget travelers, on your marks! A cheap day of sightseeing first requires a pit stop for fuel. Elki Polki, a folksy canteen chain for those with "democratic tastes," has all the carb-heavy Russian foods you need: pelmeni (dumplings), fried potatoes, black bread, beer. From there, move on to the Mother of all tourist destinations, Red Square. Make sure to have your passport on hand as the policemen love to shake down hapless foreigners for bribes. But even those are cheap -- 100 rubles! Lenin's Mausoleum on Red Square is sometimes a long wait, but a must-do for the budget tourist since it's free. Walk along the Moskva River towards Christ the Saviour Cathedral. Notice a monster on the horizon? Yep, that's the Monument to Peter the Great, a controversial piece of art if there was one. Just a little past Peter, you'll find Gorky Park, the famous sprawling "culture park" with cheap delights for all ages. Here you'll find young Russians walking hand in hand, children enjoying carnival games and families on outdoor picnics. Your best bet for an inexpensive dinner is shashlik (shish kebab) at one of the many stands around the park.

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Elki-Palki

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Location:

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Neglinnaya, 8/10
107031 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 628 5525

Red Square (Krasnaia Ploshchad')

Location:

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Red Square
(Krasnaya Ploshad)
125009 Moscow, Russia

Lenin's Mausoleum (Mavzolei V.I. Lenina)

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Location:

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Red Square (Krasnaia Ploshchad')
103073 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

+7 495 232 5657(Tourist Information)

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Khram Khrista Spasitela)

Location:

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Volkhonka Ulitsa, 15
119019 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 203 3823

Monument to Peter the Great (Monument Petry Velikomu)

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Location:

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Krymskaya Nabarezhnaya
109072 Moscow, Russia

Gorky Park

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Location:

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Krymskii Val, 9
Krymsky Val
117049 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 237 1100

Day 2 - Moscow

Moscow's pride is the Metro. Not only is it cheap (less than a dollar per ride), efficient and speedy, with trains arriving every 30 seconds in rush hour, many of its sations are works of art --Ploshchad Revolyutsii by Red Square, for example. Taking photos in the metro is technically illegal, but you'll be able to sneak in a few shots with the Soviet statues before someone yells at you. Ride the blue line up to Partizanskaya and follow the crowds to Izmailovo Park, a massive souvenir market. Bargain hunters, proceed to the very back for authentic Soviet memorabilia excavated from pensioners' closets. Among these "worthless" trinkets, you can sometimes find gems. Food at Izmailovo is also as cheap as you'll find in Moscow -- I recommend the plate of plov (pilav) and a glass of kvas (bread water). The day passes quickly when you're shopping, but be sure to hop on the metro and zip across town to Vorob'iovy Hills before sundown for the best vista of Moscow and look at the Moscow State campus. To meet university students, a legendarily cheap crowd, head to Kitaisky Lyotchik in Kitai Gorod, which has food, drink and live music at bottom-of-the-barrell prices.

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Metro (The)

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Location:

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Garden Ring and Mayakovskaya
103012 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 622 1568

Izmailovo Park (Izmailovskii Park)

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Location:

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Narodnyi prospekt, 17
111187 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 166 7909/ 7 495 166 8690

Observation Site on the Vorob'iovy Hills

Location:

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near Ulitsa Kosygina, 30
119285 Moscow, Russia

Moscow State University, main building (Moskovskii Gosudarstvennyi Universitet)

Location:

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Leninskie Gory
119992 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 939 1000

Kitaiskii Liotchik Dzhao Da

Location:

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Lubianskii Proezd, 25
101000 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 623 2896

Day 3 - Moscow

It's your last thrifty day in Moscow, so we gotta make the most of it. The VVTs (All Russian Exhibition Center) is an interesting relic of the Soviet Union which has fallen into disrepair. Its pavillions formerly displayed the country's agricultural achievements -- now it is home to countless cheap clothing vendors and gaudy amusement rides. Renting rollerblades is the best way to quickly see the whole VVTs before lunch. Keep walking north through the VVTs until you reach the Botanical Gardens, a peaceful park with a view of Ostankino Tower. Next, hop back on the Metro and take it down to the south of the city -- Kolomenskoe station. This massive park can be difficult to navigate; once you arrive, it's best to pick a path and just meander. When you've had your fill of churches and scenery, travel back downtown for a big night of dinner and dancing at Project OGI, a favored club of the young and cheap.

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