12 Best Places to Visit in Russia

2. Moscow

Since most international flights arrive or at least stop in Moscow, it’s worth planning your trip so you at least have a few hours to explore the city. Russia’s capital is a magnificent mix of greenery, stunning architecture, and lots of historical reminders of times gone by.

Visitors to Moscow usually start exploring in the center, where the Kremlin, Red Square, and the colorful St. Basil’s Cathedral are located. The shopping mall GUM, with its glass and steel roof, is also a popular destination—even by tourists who can’t afford the luxury brands sold here—and a great place to try authentic Russian food.

Even if museums are not your thing, Moscow has some amazing options, including The State Tretyakov Gallery (which houses only Russian art); the Pushkin Museum (for more international collections); and the Kremlin Armory Museum for a look into some unique items, such as the ivory throne of Ivan the Terrible and gold-covered imperial carriages. The Bolshoi Theater, one of the largest ballet and opera theaters in the world, is also worth a visit if you can get tickets.

Some of the best things in Moscow require some walking to be properly explored, such as the pedestrian-only shopping street Stary Arbat and the boardwalk along the River Moskva.

Moscow’s Metro stations are a work of art in themselves, decorated with porcelain relief, crystal chandeliers, and unique mosaic artworks that make these places basically look like subterranean palaces.