Moscow had always been so high on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. I had always wanted to see St. Basil’s Cathedral in person, and I have to say it was even better than I imagined. Every building in this city seemed so fancy and intricate. Even the subway stations were a work of art! I’ve been dying to come back to Moscow since the day we left. These are some of the best things we did on our trip, which we likely will do again the next time we’re here!
Things to Do in Moscow
Visit the Izmailovsky Market (Also Known as Izmailovo)
Other than Red Square, this market was our favorite part of our whole trip to Moscow. While it is a bit outside of the city center, it still was only a short trip on the metro to get here.
The architecture here is absolutely stunning. Everything is so detailed, colorful, and beautiful. Each building was so different from the others but they all were equally gorgeous.
Even though it was freezing outside and starting to snow, we loved walking around this little market exploring everything we could find. There were even adorable little photo op sections placed all over the market.
There were tons of adorable little bakeries and shops that helped us warm up for a bit when we came in. We bought so many cookies and treats that day and, of course, vodka.
The Izmailovo Market is hands down the best place to shop for souvenirs as they have matryoshka dolls and fur hats galore. This was also one of the few places in Moscow where we were actually able to find a few people that spoke English. It was a nice relief! And, we were able to successfully bargain for prices we wanted on (most) of our souvenirs.
Attend a Ballet at Moscow Bolshoi Theatre
We attended a ballet titled ‘Le Corsair’ and I actually loved it far more than I thought I would. I never had a real interest in ballet, but it had always been on my bucket list to attend one. What better place to do so than the Bolshoi Theatre?
Even if you’re not a ballet (or opera) fan, the Bolshoi Theatre is still worth going to just for the beauty of the theater itself. It was much larger on the inside than I even expected and, like many other places in Moscow, the details of the theater were so beautiful. We rented a pair of opera glasses for a few extra dollars (because it just felt necessary, honestly) and had our coats checked when we arrived. If you ever want to feel fancy, go for a night at the ballet. 😉
Stroll Through Red Square
When you think of Red Square you probably picture St. Basil’s Cathedral, maybe the Kremlin. While these are definitely the main attractions, there’s actually so much more than just that.
State Historical Museum
The State Historical Museum is the largest national museum of Russia and one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Red Square. You could spend hours exploring just this museum alone.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Like many other countries in the world, Moscow has a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which is permanently guarded by Russian soldiers. There is a changing of the guard ceremony which takes place every hour. In front of the tomb is an eternal flame with an inscription underneath that reads “Your name is unknown, your deed is immortal.”
St. Basil’s Cathedral
One of the most iconic buildings in the whole world. This had been on my bucket list for so long and seeing it in person exceeded my expectations by far. The whole Cathedral is so detailed and colorful. No photo will ever do it justice – this is one you have to see for yourself.
Believe it or not, the inside of the Cathedral is just as beautiful as the outside, if not even more so. We spent a good hour just walking around admiring everything. The walls, the windows, the decor.. everything was gorgeous.
Red Square is also where you’ll find Lenin’s Mausoleum, the GUM Shopping Center, Spasskaya Tower, and Kazan Cathedral. You could spend a whole entire day of your trip just exploring Red Square.
Eat at the White Rabbit
The White Rabbit is one of the top 50 restaurants in the whole entire world. The chef, Vladimir Mukhin, was even featured in a Netflix series! Needless to say, eating at the White Rabbit won’t be the cheapest meal of your life, but it will certainly be worth it.
The restaurant has a bit of an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ type theme with the whimsical decor and furniture. The top floor dining room is a glass dome with 360 degree views of Moscow from above. We scheduled our reservation just before sunset so we could see the views during the day and at night (definitely worth it).
For dinner we had lamb and chicken with potatoes and for dessert we had coffee with little chocolate white rabbits (which was only appropriate). I swear my husband still says it was the best dessert he’s ever had, years later!
For more info or to view the menus, click here.
Try Some Local Moscow Vodka
I mean, you can’t come to Russia and not have some vodka, right?
We went to the Vodka History Museum which was actually located inside the Izmailovsky Market. We each were given 3 shots of vodka just for entering the museum. And, we definitely stocked up on Russian vodka to bring home with us while we were there. We still have a few bottles in our cabinet to this day!
Is Moscow Worth the Trip?
Absolutely. It’s one of my favorite trips to this day. I’ve never seen so much beautiful architecture in one place. And, the people here were actually so friendly. There was a bit of a language barrier (nothing we couldn’t work past) and it was SO cold but I’ve been dying to go back ever since the day we left. We were only in Russia for a few days and I would love to return and spend more time exploring.
What are some of your favorite things to do in Moscow? Share in a comment below!
Like it? Pin it!
Don’t forget to check out these other posts:
- Traveling As a Couple
- How to Avoid Looking Like an American Tourist
- The Best Airbnb’s Around the World
I haven’t been to Moscow, but hopefully, someday I’ll make it over there. It looks like you had an amazing time exploring all of the city!