In the west of the vast Russian Federation, bathed by the Moskva River, Moscow is the capital and the seat of the Kremlin, the President's residence which houses the treasures of the Tsars in its Armoury Palace. The Kremlin is located on Red Square, where various historical symbols are concentrated: Lenin's mausoleum, the State Historical Museum with its rich collection and the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed with its colorful bulbous spires. From Red Square take Tverskaya Street, the city's most chic street with designer boutiques, cafes and luxurious restaurants. Say hello to the Pushkin statue as you pass through Pushinkaya Square. In this district, you have other must-sees like the Bolshoi theater and the Cathedrals square which bears its name well for its bulbous forest and the presence of sumptuous cathedrals, the one of the Archangel St. Michael, the one of the Annunciation where only the tsars could enter and the oldest is the one of the Dormition where they were crowned. Have fun in Gorky Park, the most popular park in the city with its rides, promenades, cafes and a romantic pond. Enjoy the summer sun or the winter magic, Moscow is a modern, academic and cultural city where there is always something going on. Night owls can go to bars and discos and enjoy the capital's wild nights on the famous Arbat Street, illuminated and animated until the early morning.

What to see, what to do Moscow (Москва)?

When to go Moscow (Москва) ?

Most tourists visit Moscow between June and September, it is the time of the Volga river cruises and the high tourist season when foreign and Russian tourists come together. But the other seasons are also pleasant, especially the heart of winter when Moscow shines under the snow and the lights. Russians are eagerly awaiting the New Year's Day celebrations. The first week of January is a public holiday. It is a time of celebration and cultural programming. And if during the Soviet period Christmas, a holiday considered religious, was overshadowed, now the influence of traditional Eastern European festivities has been felt and Christmas markets begin in mid-December and end in late January. You will find many handicrafts there. In winter, it is also the opportunity to enjoy the largest skating rink in Europe. It is not the prices that will influence your stay dates. Prices do not vary much from one season to another. However, there are price increases for hotels during Russian public holidays. That is, mainly in early May and during the first week of January.

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How to go Moscow (Москва)

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How to go alone

You will not have any particular difficulty in organizing your stay in Moscow by yourself. Low cost flights serve Moscow all year round. You will need to arrange your visa in advance. It is possible, but not necessary, to book your hotel before leaving. In Moscow, the metro will make your life easier.

How to go on a tour

The right formula to visit Moscow. The ideal is an organized one-week stay, which is most often in the catalog of tour operators. This formula is advantageous because the prices of hotels are negotiated and the tours are effective. Important to see a maximum of things in a minimum of time. And you don't have any problems with visa before leaving (the tour operator takes care of it for you), nor problems related to your lack of knowledge of Russian on the spot.

How to get around

The metro is the most practical, fast and aesthetic means of transport in Moscow. Avoid rush hour. Taxis are also available. In Moscow, all you have to do is raise your arm at the curb and an official taxi or private individual will stop. However, the private individual recognizes you as the tourist and the bill climbs accordingly. You can also take advantage of the urban bicycle rental network (300 stations and 2,700). In addition, the pedestrian network is growing more and more.

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Discover Moscow (Москва)

Moscow is striking for the diversity of its historical, cultural and architectural heritage. Each era has left a visible trace on the city's landscape, whether through the sun's reflection on the golden bronze domes of the Tsars or through the stretched shadows of the gigantic Stalinist monuments. You can lose yourself for weeks in visiting each of the pieces of this immense patchwork, or you can get an overview through the eyes of its inhabitants. For them, the city is the center of the world, Ivan III is the founder of Russia, the metro is the showcase of socialism and Pushkin is above all Muscovite! They also see the dynamism of this city, in full architectural, economic and tourist revolution. Let yourself be surprised by this thousand-year-old capital, now very welcoming to tourists, which only asks to be better known and loved by its visitors

Pictures and images Moscow (Москва)

Crabe du Kamtchatka au millet et fromage de Poshehonsky, dans le Menu Russe du Selfie. Selfie
Station Komsomolskaya dans le métro à Moscou. scaliger - iStockphoto.com
Atmosphère féérique sur la patinoire du GOUM. Elena Yuzina
Kremlin, bâtiment de l'Administration présidentielle. Stéphan SZEREMETA

The 12 keywords Moscow (Москва)

1. #Lamb

Moscow is sometimes compared to a bride, adorned with her rings. Replanned by Stalin in 1935, the city has retained its radiocentric layout to regulate road traffic. The most distant is the MKAD, followed by the 3rd road ring, the ring of Gardens, and finally the ring of boulevards follows the contours of the Kremlin walls

2. #PublicBanias

Between the sauna and the hammam, the Russian bania is characterized by its steam up to 80°C. Since the 19th century, public establishments offering this service have been traditional places of relaxation and socialization. Coming to Moscow and not testing the "venik" flogging in Sanduny is a sacrilege. Let your steam be light!

3. #Cluster

This term refers to a concentration of companies in the same field in a small area. In Moscow clusters are integrated into the policy of rehabilitation of industrial zones and create unique places worth visiting. For inspiration or a coffee, visit the Artplay design centre or the Red October art village.

4. #Russian woman

The beauty of Russian women is recognized worldwide. But in Russia, women are especially renowned for their courage since the wives of the Decabrists followed their husbands en masse into exile in Siberia. According to a famous Russian poem, a Russian woman does not hesitate to stop a galloping horse or enter a burning isba

5. #Kommunalka

Overcrowded, Moscow suffers from a lack of housing. A solution in the 1920s opted for the creation of communal apartments, where each room is occupied by a family. This phenomenon is still topical and according to the writer Bulgakov, a Muscovite could even be nice if he was not alienated by "the housing issue".

6. #Marketplace

106 Marché Danilovsky  © Pavel L Photo and Video - shutterstock.com.jpg

Synonymous with a no-go zone in the 1990s (with Cherkizovsky in the lead, closed in 2009), Moscow's 25 markets are now favourite venues for local hipsters. Discover them without moderation (Danilovsky and Moskvoretsky for the most cosy) to taste cuisines from all over the world and buy handcrafted products.

7. #Marshrutka

Derived from "itinerary", these minibuses operate like a collective taxi with fixed stops. Born in Moscow in 1938, they spread throughout the Soviet space. They are popular despite their dilapidated condition and the risky driving of the drivers. A single of the same name by pop star IOWA even made it the favourite place for romantic encounters.

8. #The golden domes

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It is said that during the tsarist era, all you could see of Moscow were the golden domes of its churches. Since the end of the USSR, Moscow has once again become the capital of Orthodoxy and new domes are blooming everywhere. Among its thousand churches, you will also see blue, green or multicoloured domes, each colour having a meaning.

9. Night of the shovels

Ten years ago, the approaches to major boulevards and squares were not clear. A tide of illegal kiosks and billboards was part of the streetscape before the city hall launched a policy of beautifying the city. It culminated in the night of 9 February 2009, when the last installations were razed to the ground

10. #Dormitory Neighborhoods

111 Quartiers dortoir© mzabarovsky - shutterstock.com.jpg

Beyond the 3rd ring road is the world of the sleeping quarters. Built as early as the 1960s, they can be identified by their buildings, known as "Khrushchevka", and the almost total absence of living quarters and small shops. Destined to disappear with the current urban rehabilitation project, they still stain the city's landscapes with grey

11. #Ryumotshnaya

Inherited from the Soviet era, these establishments are experiencing a real renaissance in Moscow. At the time it was a shots bar where one drank a vodka accompanied by a buterbrod (Russian sandwich) between work and home. Transformed into cosy bistros by modern marketing, they offer a wide range of vodkas and liqueurs.

12. #Smart city

113 Wifi dans un parc © Alexander Zamaraev - shutterstock.com.jpg

Moscow wins the prize in the world ranking of connected cities with a large annual budget of 600 million euros. For example, there is free wifi and soon 5G in the metro and public spaces or digitalized public services such as Moscow Parking, which allow you to pay for your ticket from your smartphone.

You are from here, if...

Since your youngest age, you've been doing ballet, painting, karate, playing chess and practicing three musical instruments... but you haven't bothered to learn English

You embrace capitalism with a capital K and your modern-day God is Steve Jobs. Besides, you've been touching on the sacred a little bit since you bought the last iPhone on credit

You have a crazy pace of life and you love it. For you, it's normal to go out and buy a new TV on a Sunday at 4am.

You fraternize easily over a drink with strangers. But you still don't understand people smiling in public spaces

You don't drink water since you discovered black tea with honey and lemon

You have a lot of little rituals: you like to "sit for the road" in the calm before a trip and touch wood to ward off bad luck.

Card Moscow (Москва)

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