Moscow is over 850 years old and retains reminders of its Soviet and Imperial past. The sprawling city has numerous museums, monoliths from the Soviet era, and kitsch from the post Soviet era. As the cultural, financial, and religious center of Russia, Moscow is one of the most influential and most historic cities in the world. You will find sights here that are truly breathtaking.
For a traveller who is willing and able to splurge, the top hotels of Moscow offer pampering and amenities that were not available even ten years ago, but the city still suffers from a lack of decent mid ranged hotels.
Top Moscow Attractions
Once you arrive, one of your first stops needs to be at Red Square. Right in the middle of town, Red Square was once home to everything from executions to military parades. Today, it offers a wealth of things to see and do - including Lenin's Tomb. Red Square is so enormous and fascinating that you can easily spend hours there - day or night.
Another must-see in Moscow is the Kremlin. Inside the walls, you will find cathedrals, palaces, museums, government offices, and even the old Armoury. The Kremlin is another imposing sight that will keep any historical or political buff busy for hours.
The Amusement Palace was so called due to Alexai the nobleman using it as a setting for various theatrical productions in the 1600s. Both Trotsky and Stalin later lived here.
Gorky Park encompasses 275 acres. Laid out during 1928, it is today the most popular recreational centre in the city and attracts families with its numerous attractions.
The Novodevichy Cemetery features a fascinating assortment of memorial art. The cemetery used to be closed but in 1987, it reopened to the public.
The Alexander Garden was laid out during the 1800s by Osip Bove, a Russian architect. It stretches along where the river Neglinnaya used to flow. This river now flows underneath the garden by means of underground pipes. Bove later added classical columns that were topped with an arch of chipped bricks. The romantic imitation of ruins was all the rage in 19th century gardens. Today, a gate blocks the mock ruin that used to hold winter sledding.
If you want to see Moscow from the air, the best place to do it is at the Ostankino TV Tower. At 504 meters tall, it is the tallest free-standing building in Europe and Asia. While the tower really is used to transmit broadcast signals, about halfway to the top, you can stop at the observation deck. There, you will get a one-of-a-kind look at Moscow. And if you're brave enough, you can even walk on the observation deck's glass floor and see all the way down to the ground!
Moscow Hotels
Most of the hotels in Moscow can be found right in the middle of the city, inside the circle line. Moscow accommodation includes five-star hotels where attentive service, health clubs, cocktail bars and cafes, business centres and fine restaurants are the norm these days. With that being said, Moscow still does not have many decent hotels that are mid-range. Some of the cheaper hotels in Moscow that are mid range retain Soviet décor; competition among the hotels is leading to an improvement. It is recommended for visitors to request renovated rooms when reserving.