Hi everybody, my name is Wihdaily and welcome back to my blog, which is about traveling and discovering new places around the world. This time, I'm in Moscow, and I'll be showing you all the interesting things you can do in this beautiful place. If you're planning to visit Moscow one day, make sure you have to read till the end.
This is how my trip started: I booked a flight to Domodedovo International Airport, which is one of the largest airports in Moscow. The airport is around 50 km away from downtown. This is why taking the train is the best option. The train station is located right next to the airport and it's called Aeroexpress. The ticket for the train cost 500 rubles and it helps you to avoid the traffic—so make sure you don't miss it while traveling here.
Less than an hour and we were in downtown. Here, we needed to take the Moscow Metro, which is one of the largest in the world. Our hotel was located right in the heart of the city. It was very close to the Bolshoi Theatre, which is a place that I highly recommend everyone to visit while in Moscow. It is considered one of the most iconic landmarks in all of Russia.
Another 5 minutes of walking from the Bolshoi Theatre and we were at our hotel. We paid around $400 for six nights, which was quite good considering the location and the service. Although it was getting dark and we were quite tired, we realized that we didn't have much time, so we decided to visit Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure.
Gorky Park is a central park in Moscow, named after Maxim Gorky, a Russian and Soviet writer. The park is 300 acres and it is situated just across the Moskva River. It was opened in 1928, which makes it one of the oldest parks in Russia. The view from the park was amazing, and this is how we spent our first day in Moscow.
After a very busy and tiring day, we woke up early in the morning because we had so many things to see and at the same time we had just five days remaining. So, the first destination for our second day that we chose was the Red Square—the place where the president lives, the place where you can find Lenin's Mausoleum, the GUM Department Store, St. Basil's Cathedral, and many other things.
On our way to the Red Square, we saw the GUM Department Store from the left, and we decided to go in and check it out. GUM in English means Universal Store, also known as State Department Store during the Soviet era. It was built in 1893, and at that time, its glass roof design made GUM Department Store very popular in the world.
Most of the former Soviet Union countries like Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, and Georgia used to have GUMs in their own countries. However, Moscow GUM used to be the most popular among them because it was the largest and the oldest one. So, if you are in Moscow and you are into shopping or historical destinations, Moscow GUM can be an excellent choice for you.
The next destination in Red Square is St. Basil's Cathedral, which is one of the most popular cultural symbols of Russia. It was built in 1555 by Tsar Ivan the Terrible, which commemorates the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan districts. Its completion, with its colors, was made in 1683. The cathedral is like no other Russian building; that's why the church has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1990—and a place which should definitely be visited.
Before leaving the Red Square, make sure you visit the Museum of History and take a walk in the Alexander Garden, which stretches along all the land of the Kremlin Wall for 865 meters. Here, you can see the names of the Hero Cities—the Russian cities where the fights were very intense during the Second World War.
Not far from it, you will find the Eternal Flame, dedicated to those who fell during the war.
The next day of our trip, we decided to visit the Moscow International Business Center, also known as Moscow City. It is located just 4 kilometers west of Red Square, and our guide told us that the highest observatory in Europe is located here, on the top of one of those skyscrapers. That's why we came here and decided to check it out.
The name of the skyscraper is OKO, which means "an eye." The entrance for the observatory cost us 4,000 rubles, which is $50 American. And for that price, you can get an ice cream and a cup of tea while enjoying the highest observatory in Europe.
I'm not too much into art, but I have heard so much about the Tretyakov Gallery that I decided to visit it. Tretyakov was a merchant who lived in the 19th century. He acquired works by Russian artists of his day and wanted to create a collection which might later grow into a museum of national art. In 1892, Tretyakov presented his already famous collection of approximately 2,000 works to the Russian nation. Until now, the Tretyakov Gallery is the richest gallery in Moscow. That’s why, if you are interested in art, make sure you visit it while in Moscow.
The last day of our Moscow trip, we decided to go to the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy, which is more popular here as VDNKh. This place is a permanent trade show and an amusement park in Moscow. It was opened in 1935 and had pavilions of all former Soviet Union countries.
Now, some of the pavilions are renamed because of political issues, but some of them are still operating. Like this one is the Pavilion of Armenia. Here you can see Uzbekistan. This one is the Pavilion of the Russian Federation, Republic of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and so on. So if you want to find food or products from the former Soviet Union countries in one place—or if you just want to spend a good time in the historical park—VDNKh is the best place to visit.
There are so many other nice places to visit in Moscow. I’ve just made my own list and I hope you like my blog.
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