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Red Square and the Kremlin

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As a tourist, the Kremlin and Red Square should be at the top of your list of must-see Moscow sights. In fact, for most people, it’s the only thing on their lists. These two destinations are, fortunately, right next to each other in the heart of downtown. Not just the city, but the entire country revolves around what goes on here, making it one of the most important and popular destinations in the world.

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Author: Sonya

Day 1 - Moscow

The Kremlin is the one place everyone who visits Moscow wants to go. For that reason, do yourself a favor and GET THERE EARLY. Doors open at 10…be there at 9 to ensure your Moscow trip isn’t thwarted! Tour leaders will already be there buying up tickets for the rest of the day, especially for the Armory. While you’re waiting, have a walk through Alexandrovsky Sad, the surrounding gardens. OK, ticket in hand, now it’s time to do the Kremlin. Enter through Trinity Gate to the main courtyard, where you will find the Tsar Bell and the Tsar Cannon (never rang and never shot, respectively) near Ivan the Great Belltower. You can enter the Church of the Deposition, the Archangel’s Cathedral and Patriarch’s Palace for up-close viewing. Use your separate ticket to see the Armoury, housing all of the riches of the Tsars, including a diamond collection. Phew! After a morning at the Kremlin, spend the second half of the day on Red Square, starting with lunch in GUM (Government Department Store) at Bosco Café. It’s a pricy meal, but a great view. Later, move on to the iconic St. Basil’s Cathedral. Its crazy multi-colored onion domes provide the ultimate photo-op backdrop for your visit to Moscow. Take in a bit of history at the Old English Court (residence of British traders from the Ivan the Terrible Days) and the State Historical Museum, chronicling the history of Russia since ancient times. It’s in the basement that you’ll wind up the day with a dinner fit for a tsar at 1 Red Square, a historical restaurant serving opulent dishes for times past.

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