48 HOURS IN MOSCOW, RUSSIA | TOP THINGS TO SEE & DO
Moscow has always been a city that has peaked our interest. None of our friends or family have ever travelled to Russia and I think it was the unknown that really drew us to wanting to travel to Russia, and in particular - Moscow! After an incredible week exploring St Petersburg and Novgorod with On The Go Tours, it was time to jump on an overnight train and head to the country's capital.
If you are curious to see what we got up to during our 48 hours in Moscow check out our YouTube video below, and keep on scrolling for our list of top things to see & do.
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1. Red Square
A visit to Moscow would not be complete without heading to the heart of Russia's capital, the Red Square. The cobblestone square is surrounded by breathtaking architecture, and a spot that has seen a lot of Russian history take place. The square was once a market for traders selling their goods and is now the most iconic site in the city, where you will find the Kremlin, St. Basil's Cathedral, Lenin's Mausoleum and the Gum.
2. The Kremlin
The Kremlin is the biggest active fortress in all of Europe! We recommend taking a tour within the 2,235 meter long walls where you can wander through five different squares, see the world's largest bell and canon, and many beautiful churches and cathedrals.
We went on an amazing 3 hour walking tour which was included in our 9 day On The Go Tour.
3. St Basils Cathedral
Seeing the rainbow domes of St. Basil's cathedral was at the top of our bucket list here in Moscow. The cathedral was built in the 1500s by Ivan the Terrible, and it is said that he found the structure so beautiful that he ordered the architect be blinded so he would never beat this creation!
The price to enter is 500 rubles.
4. Stroll along Arbat Street
This historic street in the heart of the city is one of Moscow's most touristy spots. The street is over 1km long, with lots of cafes, restaurants, souvenir stores, theatres and live music performances lining the popular street. It runs straight off the Red Square, so we recommend spending an afternoon taking a stroll here.
5. Explore the Metro
The Moscow Metro is like no other! It is stunning to look at, works amazingly well, and is super cheap. It runs from 5.30am to 1am with trains coming every 60 second during the peak hour, and a single ride only costs you 50 rubles and has no time limit. This means you could basically ride around touring the stunning metro system all day and spend only $1.
There are 196 metro stations with none looking like the other. Each station is like a work of art, some with glass stained windows, others with large mosaics covering the walls. Our favourite stations we recommend you check out are Slavyansky Bulvarm, Kievskaya, Ploschad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya & Novoslobodskaya.
6. Go Shopping at The Gum
Built back in the 1890's, this department store in Moscow has one of the most beautiful interiors we have ever seen. This legendary store is home to over 200 boutiques, from luxurious brands like Dior to the more affordable like Zara. The glass-roofed arcade is worth a visit, even if you aren't into shopping. We also recommend coming here for a bite to eat, with a bunch of amazing restaurants and cafes to choose from.
7. See Moscow by Night
Moscow is one of those cities that needs to be explored during the day and also by night. Once the sun goes down Moscow lights up, with the Red Square and all surrounding buildings being lit up by either spot lights or twinkling fairy lights. We went on a full night tour through the city with On The Go Tours, taking us to amazing lookouts where you can see the city lights from afar. It was the perfect way to spend our final night in Russia.
IF YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE ALL THIS AND MORE, WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND CHECKING OUT THE 9 DAY TOUR WE DID IN RUSSIA WITH ON THE GO TOURS.
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A big thank you to On The Go Tours for inviting Flying The Nest to visit Russia and sponsoring this incredible trip, as always all opinions are our own.