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Weekend in Moscow

Description:

Living in Moscow for three years, I was lucky to have a good number of friends visit. So many, in fact, that I devised a set program to deal with their tourist needs. This weekend guide balances Moscow's must-see tourist stuff and quirkier attractions to make the most of your Moscow trip.

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Author: Sonya

Day 1 - Moscow

There's no way around it: gotta start it off right at one of the world's most breathtaking sites -- Red Square. There's enough around the square to keep you busy for several hours, but we will limit it to Lenin Mausoleum (the guards only let you see him for 30 seconds, so don't blink) and GUM, the Soviet department store now filled with expensive designer labels. Of course, get a photo in front of St. Basil's, that's what you came to Moscow for. Next, walk up Tverskaya to Elki-Polki, a kitschy Russian family restaurant. Most visitors will opt to begin their vodka-drinking now, and that's good, because it's cheap here. I'd also recommend the shashlik (meat kebab). After lunch, pop into Turandot, but only to look. It's a ridiculous gilded restaurant -- good thing you didn't eat there, it would have cost a small fortune. Continue to walking up Tverskaya to Mayakovskaya metro station, which won the World's Fair for its design. Actually a lot of Moscow metro stations are very nice, and riding the metro itself is a must. Technically, you are not allowed to take pictures of anything in the metro, but you usually have a good five minutes of snapping time before someone starts yelling at you. Take the metro to Gorky Park (Park Kultury), where you will marvel at the amusement park's terrifying Stalinist gates. Ride the ferris wheel for a city panorama. Then cross the river to Mama Zoya, a restaurant on a boat, where you will eat delicious cheesy, eggplanty Georgian food and drink copiously. Stagger to Ikra afterwards for a chill show at the city's best concert club.

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Red Square (Krasnaia Ploshchad')

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Red Square
(Krasnaya Ploshad)
125009 Moscow, Russia

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

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Red Square (Krasnaia Ploshchad')
103073 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

+7 495 232 5657(Tourist Information)

Elki-Palki

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Neglinnaya, 8/10
107031 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 628 5525

Turandot

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26/5 Tverskoi Bulvar
125009 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 739 0011

Metro (The)

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Garden Ring and Mayakovskaya
103012 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 622 1568

Mayakovskaya Station

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1-st Tverskaya Zastava Ploshchad'Yamskaya street
Moscow, Russia

Gorky Park

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Krymskii Val, 9
Krymsky Val
117049 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 237 1100

Mama Zoya

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16D Frunzenskaya nab.
119146 Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 242 8550

Ikra

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Location:

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Kazakova Ulitsa, 8
Same Building as Gogol Theatre
Moscow, Russia

Phone:

7 495 505 5351

Day 2 - Moscow

Red Square again (don't worry, it never gets boring). Now you are here for brunch at Bosco Cafe, which is rather pricy but you get a seat on one of the world's greatest landmarks. This cafe is great for people-watching while feeling like a fatcat. Eat lot because there's a bit of traveling to do and perhaps you want to have the day's first vodka shot. First take the metro down to Tretyakov gallery where you will do an essential express tour of the treasures of Russian art. Then get back on the metro for approximately half an hour to hit Izmailovsky market before 4, when it starts shutting down. This is the mother of all souvenir markets which has every item you'd ever associate with Russia (fur hats, amber, flasks, icons) including a vast antique section. Load up on gifts then return to the city enter for dinner at Shinok, a colorful peasant-themed Ukrainian restaurant. If you didn't know, the Ukrainians love fried lard (salo) -- better try it. After dinner, toast to your fabulous Moscow weekend at Simachev bar, a haunt for the beautiful people on Moscow's haute couture street.

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