Unlike its slightly friendlier sister city St Petersburg, Moscow is still very much the stronghold of political and military Russia. The most impressive sight in the city is Red Square. The name is not as many think, a reference to communism, but is instead a more poetic play on the double meaning of the Russian word for red, which can also mean 'beautiful'.

And beautiful it is, albeit a little intimidating – sunset over Red Square dramatically highlights the sheer size of it, and its beautiful domed St Basil's Cathedral, built at the behest of Ivan the Terrible and filled with the surprisingly small and intimate nooks that characterize Orthodox architecture.

Restrictions

Most lists of things to do in Moscow contain pretty much the same information. This is not lazy travel writing, this is simply a fact of life in a country that has such strict visa conditions that even arriving in Moscow is something of a coup. Once inside Russia, there is no chance of taking a spontaneous side trip and there is certainly no chance of heading off the beaten path – one of the conditions of getting a holiday visa to Russia is that every point on a visitor's itinerary must be pre-approved, and any deviations from the itinerary without official approval can result in detention, arrest, deportation or prison, depending on the extent of the 'offense'.

On that happy note, welcome to Moscow.

Places to See

The Kremlin (which means 'fortress' and is just one of many kremlins in Russia) is an all-day trip. It houses the seat of government as well as cathedrals and an armory that date back to the tsars. Guides are plentiful, and inexpensive, and it is recommended to hire the services of one of these (who will be hanging around the entrance). Not only will it greatly enrich your trip, but you'll also be contributing to the incredibly depressed local economy. Once inside, the armory is perhaps the best part of the Kremlin. While most Westerners have museums in which one dirt-coated piece of historical rust counts as an exhibit piece, Russia has real history – take a peek at a complete, sapphire and diamond-encrusted eight-horse carriage sent as a courting gift to the Tsar's daughter, or the five hundred year old jewels that once hung on the neck of royalty and could now support the Russian economy for a year, if they were ever to be sold.

If you are so inclined, pay a visit to Lenin's tomb, but be aware that the tomb is only open for an hour or two each day (perhaps to keep it looking busy), cues are long, and you will only catch a glimpse of the great leader before being prodded in the back by the next person in line.

Arts and Culture

Two cultural must-sees in Moscow are the Bolshoi (which literally means 'big) and any of the Metro stations. Buy a ticket to whatever is playing at the Bolshoi Theater – although the ballet is world-famous, anything you see here is guaranteed to be good. Russia is nothing if not a nation of tragic artists. The Metro stations are so opulent as to be bizarre. Thanks to Stalin, who skipped things like food and healthcare for the populace and went straight to the finer things (he called the extravagantly decorated public spaces Palaces of the People), a simple underground station in Moscow is decked out with crystal chandeliers, intricate mosaics and marble benches and archways. Beats concrete and graffiti, but is still a startling contrast to the all-to-obvious above-ground poverty.

Hotels

Although Moscow is relatively inexpensive when compared to other European countries, good accommodation is hard to find at a reasonable price. There seems to be the extremes of hovels with unreliable running water, or opulent five star hotels. If you need to pick one, spend the extra money and go with the five stars – Moscow nights are cold and it's better to have working heat. While these rooms can cost around $400 per night, some more moderately-priced hotels can be found in the $100 - $150 range, particularly if you book your room with a group tour.

Use the Hotelsio Rate Finder on the left to find cheap hotels in Moscow.

(Photo:Fotolia/Ludmila)

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