Weather Hotels Maps Museums Nightlife Photos Restaurants Attractions Things to Do 

The Red Square – Moscow Must See Itinerary for a 5 Day Stay

First Day- Morning

Red Square , Moscow is usully the first tourist stop along the path of Moscow sightseeing. It is a good place to go in the morning while there aren't many people and the Lenin mausoleum is open. It would be wise, though, not to go on a Monday, because most facilities and museums are closed then. For most visitors, Red Square, Moscow is indelibly associated with images of stonefaced Soviet leaders standing in the bitter cold as a panoply of military might rumbles past their review stand atop Lenin's Mausoleum . Although the Square is no longer witness to the imposing parades of May Day, it remains a profoundly impressive space. Delimited by the stark severity of the mausoleum, the expansive facade of the world-famous GUM department store, and the exuberant colors of St. Basil's Cathedral , Red Square, Moscow is, and deserves to be, the requisite first stop for any visitor to Moscow.
Make sure to check out the Historical Museum on Red Square, Moscow – the red building with two peaks adorned with doubleheaded eagles, symbols of Russia.

 

First Day – Afternoon

After all the history of St. Basil's Cathedral, Lenin's Mausoleum, and the Historical Museum some shopping would be a good continuation of the day. The GUM mall is right on Red Square. This was the central Soviet department store in the U.S.S.R days. However, today, with boutiques like Christian Dior, Max Mara, and United Colors of Benetton this place no longer resembles the Sovieet fashion central it once was.

If GUM was not enough of a shopping experience, go down towards Tverskaya Ylitsa to Okhotni Ryad. This underground shopping center is much more modern and elaborate. It has everything from simple shops to swanky boutiques and jewelers.

 

Second Day – Morning

After you've had a look at Red Square, Moscow it's time to dig deeper and visit the heart of Moscow and of Russia- the Moscow Kremlin. T he Kremlin is Russia's mythic refuge, a self contained city with a multitude of palaces, armories, and churches, a medieval fortress that links the modern nation to its legendary past in the ancient state of Kievan Rus'. As the dominance of Kiev faded and its empire fragmented under the weight of foreign invasion and internecine strife in the 11th and 12th centuries, regional princes gained power. In 1147, as Kievan Rus was experiencing its final death throes, a chronicler recorded that a feast was held at the hunting lodge of Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy, ruling prince of Rostov and Suzdal. The lodge was perfectly situated atop a hill overlooking the Moskva and Neglina rivers, prompting its development (in such troubled times) as a fortified town, or Kremlin.

 

Second Day – Afternoon

You will surely be tired after the Kremlin and all its thrilling sights and attractions. A great way to spend the rest of the day is to sit back at a cozy Russian restaurant or café and contemplate all that you've seen. A good suggestion is café Pushkin - a not so cheap, but worth-every-cent kind of place offering exquisite Russian cuisine and known to have the best chef in the city.

If you've still got energy left to take in sights, take a boat ride on the Moscow river, if the weather permits. There are small tour boats that run from the banks of the Moscow river near the Kievsaya, Poveletskaya, Krasnopresnenskaya, and other metro stations and off the river bank near the Kremlin.

 

Third Day – Morning

To take a rest from endless historical sightseeing visit Gorky Park - a famous Soviet fun park and modern day place for rest and entertainment. Stretching almost 3km (1.8mi) along the river, Gorky Park is full of that sometimes rare species, the happy Russian. Officially the 'Park of Culture', named after Maxim Gorky, it's the original Soviet park - part ornamental and educational, part funfair and amusement park, and a good place to escape the hubbub of the city.In winter the ponds freeze and the paths are flooded to make a giant skating rink - you can rent skates if you take along some ID, such as a passport. But that's not all. Gorky Park has a small amusement park with two Western roller coasters and almost a dozen other terror-inducing attractions (aside from the Peter the Great statue).Space buffs can shed a tear for the Buran, the Soviet space shuttle which never carried anyone into space. The park has a number of snack bars and, behind the amusement park, a 2000-seat German beer hall.

 

Third Day – Afternoon

Get dressed up and have anight on the town - go to the Bolshoi Theater ! Whether it's ballet, opera of classical music that you like, this theater will not dissapoint you. Just the atmosphere at the Bolshoi takes you back in time and to a world of art and the aesthetic. Bolshoi means big, so this is a big theatre. Built in 1824, this theatre was the second biggest theater in the world after Milan 's "La Scala". Besides, it is one of the best opera theaters in the world. It is hard to buy ticket, but if you manage to do this, you will like the show.

 

Fourth Day – Morning

Visit one of the most beuatiful architectural sights in Moscow – the Novodevichy Convent . At the same time that Moscow's Kremlin was reinforced as a protective citadel for the city center, a series of fortified monasteries were constructed as an outlying defensive chain to the south. The most famous of these is the beautiful Novodevichy Convent, founded in 1524 and situated along a prominent bend in the Moskva River . The convent's fame, however, has less to do with its role as a protective fortress than with its aristocratic and political history, for Novodevichy was the favored destination for high-ranking women banished from court. The most famous such inmate was Peter the Great's elder sister Sofia, who had ruled as Regent during his minority. After Peter came of age and--with some difficulty--claimed his throne, it was to Novodevichy that he banished his Machiavellian sibling in 1689. Nine years later, as Peter was returning to Russia after his travels in Europe, Sofia engineered an attempted coup from the convent. The coup failed, and Peter reached home in time to participate in the mass execution of the rebels. Although Sofia was not to be harmed, she was apparently driven mad when the bodies of her supporters were strung up outside her window.

Novodevichy is also famous for the cemetery that lies beyond its south wall. Here lie many famous writers, artists, and politicians including Gogol, Checkov, Bulgakov, Mayakovsky, Stanislavsky, Shostokovich, Eisenstein , and Nikita Khrushchev, the only Soviet leader not buried behind Lenin's Mausoleum.

 

Fourth Day – Afternoon

Not far from the Novodecichy Convent is Moscow most unique and fun street- Arbat . This is the bohemian hang out for Moscow 's artists and musicians. There are innumerable cafes lining the street and street vendors sell any kind of souvenirs, from matrioshkas to soviet banners. Arbat is a marvelous place to combine eating, shopping, and enhoying music and art.

 

Fifth Day – Morning

There is no greater place to see Russian art in Moscow than the Tretyakov Gallery . It began as a private collection of Pavel Tretyakov that was later given as a gift to the city of Moscow and made into a national gallery. Today there is a wide collection of art ranging from the 10 th to the 20 th century presented at the gallery. This is a must see art collection for both art buffs and cutious tourists.

 

Fifth Day – Afternoon

One of the most important cathedrals in Moscow and all of Russia is the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. This structure of impressive size has a rich, yet tragic history. It was only recently rebuilt after the Soviet era of atheism. There are regular services daily at 6pm. It is obligatory for women to have their heads covered, when entering a Russian Orthodox cathedral, so you might want to take along a kercheif. The interior is truly stunning as is the size and exterior opulence of the cathedral.

There are many other interesting sights and attractions in Moscow. It is impossible to list all of them. This itinerary is just a general suggestive plan of what to see on your Moscow trip. Check out our Moscow Tours, Moscow Museums pages for more ideas!