World City Guide

Formerly the centre of one of the world’s two superpowers, Moscow (Moskva) is still reeling from the rapid pace of change that the past decade has wrought. Located in the centre of the East-European plain, with its major part occupying the valley of the Moskva River, it is a brash city with pockets of ostentatious new-found (and often ill-gotten) wealth surrounded by the vast majority struggling to live on their meagre salaries or pensions. The spiritual, political and economic capital of the world’s largest country, Moscow is quite different from the rest of the Russian Federation and the worst ravages of industrial decline have bypassed the city, as it is more focused on the administrative and service sectors. It is a magnet, not only for the entrepreneurs of the new Russia but also for some of the most destitute from the far reaches of the country.

For most of eight centuries, the Kremlin, at the very heart of Moscow, has been the seat of power for the grand princes, tsars and, most recently, presidents, as well as an important religious site. For Westerners, the adjacent Red Square, especially the bulbous, multicoloured domes of St Basil’s Cathedral, have been an image synonymous with the Soviet Union and Russian state since the advent of television. Surrounding this centre, Stalin’s so-called Seven Sisters – Gothic-looking Socialist Realist skyscrapers – humble the individual as they loom large from the outskirts of central Moscow. On the approach to the Kremlin, along Novy Arbat, high-rises are lined up like giant dominoes waiting to tumble. However, tucked away are the remnants of the older city – beautiful neo-classical houses and impressive structures, such as the Bolshoi Theatre. Most surprisingly of all, there are the underground palaces of the Metro system, the largest and probably the most efficient in the world.

Nowadays, the posturing Soviet military driving their tanks through Red Square for the October Revolution Parades have been replaced by the posing of wealthy Muscovites with their shiny new Mercedes Benz. The impressive Stalinist buildings along Tverskaya ulitsa, the main drag leading up to Red Square, now house glitzy Western franchises, while providing the incongruous backdrop for the babushkas who sell anything from dishcloths to kittens, in order to make ends meet. The well-heeled New Muscovites may have greeted capitalism with open arms but after 74 years of Communist-imposed atheism, many in the Russian capital have enthusiastically embraced their once-banned Orthodox faith. This is reflected in the restoration of old churches, the rapid construction of new ones and the decision to give the remains of Russia’s last tsar, Nicholas II, a Christian burial. As the second democratically elected President of Russia, Vladimir Putin is the youngest and perhaps the most vigorous leader the Kremlin has seen. At home, Putin has drawn praise for his management of the economy and critcism for his slow response to the Kursk submarine tragedy in 2001. Internationally, Putin has astutely used the ‘war on terrorism’ as an ideal opportunity to thaw the last ice of the Cold War once and for all, culminating in the Russian president’s visit to George Bush’s Texas ranch in November 2001. Closer economic ties and political sympathy in conflict areas such as Chechnya are likely to result from Russia’s loyalty to the USA and its pivotal role in Afghanistan.

One aspect of the city remains constant and that is the harshness of the Moscow winter. Despite the bitter cold, there is nothing so beautiful as seeing St Basil’s Cathedral in the falling snow. In contrast, summer temperatures over 30°C (86°F) are not unusual.

Getting There By Air

Sheremetyevo International (SVO)
Tel: (095) 578 0111 or 5633. Fax: (095) 578 1832.
Website: www.sheremetyevo-airport.ru

Located 30km (19 miles) from Moscow, Sheremetyevo is the largest of Moscow’s airports (the city’s other airports are Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Bykovo) and the only one with Domodedovo to receive flights from Western destinations. It has two terminals, with Sheremetyevo-2 for international flights.

Major airlines: Aeroflot – Russian International Airlines (tel: (095) 156 8019 or 155 5045; website: www.aeroflot.org) is the national airline and flies to 150 destinations in 93 different countries. Most flights to Western destinations are on Boeing or Airbus aircraft – the fleet of Soviet-made aircraft is primarily used for domestic flights. Other airlines serving Sheremetyevo include Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Delta Airlines, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, KLM and SAS.

Approximate flight times to Moscow: From London is 3 hours 35 minutes; from New York is 8 hours 50 minutes; from Los Angeles is 12 hours 10 minutes; from Toronto is 9 hours 20 minutes and from Sydney is 20 hours 5 minutes.

Airport facilities: These include banks, bureaux de change, a post office, newsagents, a pharmacy, restaurants, bars, cafés, duty-free shops, left-luggage and first-aid facilities. Car hire is available from Avis and Europcar.

Business facilities: Sheremetyevo-2 has a 24-hour business centre (tel: (095) 578 7252; fax: (095) 956 4652) with fax and e-mail facilities.

Arrival/departure tax: There is an airport tax of Rb308/US$10 and a departure tax of Rb369/US$12.

Transport to the city: Most hotels will arrange to pick up their guests in a courtesy van for a fee (Rb1222-1527/US$40-50). Taxis are probably the next simplest and safest way to get to the city, however, they are the most expensive (Rb1222-1833/US$40-60). Krasnaya Gorka Taxis (tel: (095) 454 6291 or 7201) operate a taxi service from the airport. The local bus 851 goes to Metro Rechnoi Vokzal and bus 817 goes to Metro Planernaya (journey times – 45 minutes by bus, then 30 minutes by Metro to the centre). There is also the Autoline fixed-route taxi and Airbus service, which departs every 20 minutes (journey time – 45 minutes). Services operate daily 0545-0030. Aerovokzal (tel: (095) 155 0922), the Airport Transportation Terminal and a central point for bus transport to Moscow airports, provides further information.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

The network of roads around Moscow is much more comprehensive than in other parts of the country but off the main intercity routes the surfaces are often poor. It is a good idea for driving tourists to plan an itinerary and accommodation beforehand, to avoid difficulty with bureaucratic red tape. There are suggested tourist routes with some road signs in Latin script. Motorways are prefixed by ‘M’ and major routes are prefixed by ‘A’.

Traffic drives on the right. The speed limit is 110kph (68mph), except in built-up areas where it is 60kph (37mph). It is forbidden to use the hooter (except in an emergency), carry unauthorised passengers or pick up hitchhikers. Driving under the influence of drugs or any amount of alcohol is forbidden, although this practice is increasingly common and motorists should avoid driving at night when the risk is greater. Seatbelts, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher and an emergency triangle or red light are required. It is wise for drivers to carry spare petrol, as filling stations can be far apart.

The minimum age for driving in Russia is 18 and an International Driving Permit or national driving licence with an authorised translation is necessary. Visitors travelling in their own cars must also possess, at all times, a passport and visa. An itinerary card must be carried at all times, bearing the following: visitor’s name and citizenship, the car registration number, full details of itinerary (presented upon entry to the country), a form provided by Customs upon arrival guaranteeing that the car will be taken out of the Russian Federation on departure, petrol vouchers purchased at the border and insurance documents. Road tax is payable upon entry to the country. Motor insurance for travel within the Russian Federation should be arranged prior to departure or upon entry to the Russian Federation, at the offices of Ingosstrakh, the Russian Federation foreign insurance agency. The Russian Embassy or a specialist tour operator can provide foreign drivers with further details.

One reputable (although not necessarily English-speaking) automobile association in Moscow is Avtomobilniy klub Rossii, Yaroslavskaya ulitsa 4 (tel: (095) 785 1010), which provides information and a 24-hour breakdown service.

Emergency breakdown service:
GAI (095) 923 5373 or 236 4136

Routes to the city: The Moskovskaya Koltsevaya Avtomobilnaya Doroga (Moscow Ring Road) is an orbital motorway surrounding the city and linking roads arriving from Minsk (M1), Kiev (M2), Nizhny Novgorod (M7), Riga (M9) and St Petersburg (M10).

Driving times to Moscow: From Nizhny Novgorod – 7 hours 15 minutes; St Petersburg – 12 hours 30 minutes; Kiev – 14 hours 15 minutes.

Coach services: The Central Bus Station is located at Shchelkovskoe shosse 75 (tel: (095) 468 0400 or 4370), in the eastern suburbs of the city. There are, however, no middle- or long-distance coaches available that are of a quality acceptable to most Western travellers.

Getting There By Rail

Moscow has nine railway terminals connected to the Russian Federation’s extensive rail network. The state-owned Russian Railways (tel: (095) 262 2620 or 1531; website: www.css-mps.ru) network is broken into regional divisions. Moscow Railways (tel: (095) 266 9006 or 9333) operates the majority of termini and services in the Moscow area, with passenger services operating on 95% of the network. Service in standard (second class) is usually very good – the compartments are four berth, the linen is generally clean and each carriage has a helpful provodnik (attendant) who will even make a glass of Russian tea for travellers who ask nicely.

The three railway stations most likely to be used by visitors to Moscow are Belorussky vokzal (tel: (095) 973 8191), which has trains from Western Europe, Kievsky vokzal (tel: (095) 240 0415), which has trains from Budapest, Prague, Kyiv, Sofia, Venice and Belgrade, and Leningradsky vokzal (tel: (095) 262 9143), with trains from Helsinki, St Petersburg, Murmansk and Tallin. The Trans-Siberian Express leaves from Yaroslavsky vokzal (tel (095) 921 5914) daily at 1400 – destinations include Yaroslavl, Archanglsk, Beijing, Phyonyang, Ulan Bator and Vladivostock. Trains to and from Riga, the Latvian capital, leave from Rizhky vokzal. Facilities at the larger stations include toilets, shops and food and drink stalls.

The Central Railway Inquiry Office (tel: (095) 266 9000/9) provides timetable information, rail information and ticket sales (tel: (095) 266 9333). Tickets are available at the stations.

Rail services: Due to the large distances involved, almost any trip a Western visitor will make in Russia will be on a night train. Major connecting routes are from Kiev in the south (journey time – 13 hours), St Petersburg (journey time – 8 hours 30 minutes) and Helsinki (journey time – 14 hours) in the north and Western European cities via Warsaw, as well as Budapest and Prague. The Trans-Siberian Railway is a great way to see just how massive a country the Russian Federation is, although the journey takes at least a week.

Transport to the city: The train stations are all connected to the city’s Metro system. Belorussky vokzal is on Metro Belorusskaya, Kievsky vokzal on Metro Kievskaya and Leningradsky vokzal on Metro Komsomolskaya.

Getting Around

Public Transport
By far the easiest and most pleasant way to get around the city is on the Metro system (tel: (095) 943 5001 or 5052; website: www.metro.ru). Moscow’s Metro is the largest in the world and features some stunningly decorated stations that are almost palatial (see Key Attractions). Entrances are marked by a large ‘M’. The system is extremely efficient and good value – a single magnet card, which replaced the tokens (talony), costs Rb5. A magnet card that is valid for five journeys or more, costs from Rb20. The system is based on the Circle Line, which links the major rail stations. A further nine lines connect to this and cross through the city centre. Stations often have multiple names – one for each line that intersects there.

There is also an extensive network of buses, trolleybuses and trams, run by Moscow City Transport, Raushskaya naberezhnaya 22 (tel: (095) 233 3995). These can be crowded and unpleasant during rush hour, although at other times can be an interesting way of sightseeing. Tickets (bilyet) should be purchased in advance at Metro stations or kiosks (ten for Rb25) but can also be bought directly from the driver (ten for Rb30). Tickets should be punched in the machine on the wall of the bus. Spot fines are levied if travellers do not have a punched ticket.

All forms of transport operate 0530-2430, although some bus and tram routes may stop earlier.

Passes for the Metro cost Rb200 per month. Unified City Transport Passes cost Rb320 per month and are valid on buses and trams as well.

Taxis
Although there are official taxis and private taxis, it is still a common practice for private cars to stop and offer a ride when flagged down. Obviously, fares must be negotiated and this is best done before entering the car. The official taxis are yellow cars with a ‘T’, which have chequered emblems on the door, a sealed meter and printed fare table inside – a green light indicates availability. Tipping is not expected. It is usually possible to hire a taxi by the hour, if desired. Visitors should never share a taxi with a stranger.

There is a central number for radio taxis (tel: (095) 927 0000) or visitors could call Moscow Taxi (tel: (095) 238 1001). The average taxi fare in Moscow is Rb10 per kilometre. Drivers may negotiate a flat fare rather than a metered fare; this should be settled before commencing the journey.

There are also marshrutki (route-taxis), which are minibuses that follow a set route and guarantee riders a seat. They can be caught near Metro entrances or by flagging one down at a bus stop. They run 0800-2200 and are more expensive than standard buses.

Limousines
There are numerous limousine services in Moscow, including Limousine-Taxi (tel: (095) 292 2010 or 960 2020, ext. 1202), City Limousine (tel: (095) 248 5233) and Limousine-Service (tel: (095) 257 4000). Hire costs about Rb919/US$30 per hour, with a minimum hire of four hours.

Driving in the City
Moscow’s road system is based on a series of concentric rings, connected by arterial roads that radiate from the centre. The innermost, the Garden Ring Road, follows a path similar to the Metro’s Circle Line. The outermost is the Moscow Ring Road motorway. Traffic accidents, many of them caused by drink driving, are becoming increasingly prevalent and night driving is not recommended.

During the last few years, traffic has increased significantly, while improvements to the infrastructure have lagged behind, making driving difficult, especially in the centre. Rush hours are 0700-0930 and 1630-1900. With the added hassle of over-zealous traffic police, difficult-to-find parking and Cyrillic-only road signs, many Western visitors find it easier (and often cheaper) to hire a car with a driver. It is advisable to use a guarded parking lot (platnaya stoyanka) as theft is common – many of the larger hotels offer this facility to non-guests and other parking lots can be found in the vicinity. The average rate is about Rb31/US$1 per hour.

Car Hire
Car hire can be expensive in Moscow and large fees may be charged for airport transfer. Many independent firms hire out cars but only with a driver. International firms represented in Moscow are Budget, Volgogradsky prospekt 43 (tel: (095) 737 0407; website: www.budget.ru) and National, Bolchaya Kommunistichie ulitsa 1/5 (tel: (095) 298 6146; website: www.nationalcar.com). Drivers must be at least 21 years old and have one year of driving experience. An International Driving Permit or national driving licence with an authorised translation is necessary. A small car costs approximately Rb1991/US$65 per day, including insurance, VAT and unlimited mileage. Visitors planning to hire a car in Moscow should book one in advance.

Bicycle Hire
Cycling can be tricky in Moscow, as there are no bike paths and bicycles are liable to be stolen if left alone. Nevertheless, tour operator Way To Russia (tel: (095) 936 0279; e-mail: info@waytorussia.net; website: www.waytorussia.net) hires out bicycles for Rb62/US$2 per hour.

Business

Business Profile
The economy so far appears to have benefited from the installation of Vladimir Putin in 2001, buoyed by an 8.9% rise in foreign trade turnover, largely due to the expansion of energy exports. The country even seems to have been relatively unaffected by the global economic slowdown. However, the September 11 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York are likely to impact hard, as Western companies, particularly from the USA, have invested heavily in Russia since 1991. For example, the daily Dollar trade turnovers on the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange declined sharply to US$140.5 million in September from US$166.1 million in August 2001.

A national GDP growth rate of 6.3% in 2000, a decline in unemployment from 12.2% to 10.2% and an increase in consumer spending of 8.1% in 2001, have all contributed to a rare period of economic stability and prosperity in the capital. Moscow is particularly prosperous, with unemployment standing at 2.4%. Meanwhile, 40% of people in the Russian Federation still live below the poverty line, while low birth rates and the increase of HIV infection have resulted in a 2% drop in the population since 1992.

Moscow is the largest industrial centre in Russia and more than half of the workforce is involved in heavy manufacturing, such as engineering and metal work, to produce cars, lorries and machine tools. The textile industry is the city’s second largest employer. The main business areas are along Tverskaya ulitsa and at central business centres in the area, such as the World Trade Centre (website: www.wtcmo.ru) and Riverside Towers.

Western manufacturing companies based in the capital, such as General Electric, Sun Microsystems, Rank Xerox, Siemens, Peugeot, IBM and Hewlett Packard continue to develop their brands in Russia but have reported massive decreases in sales since the 1998 crash. Despite the huge job losses in the West, following September 11, large corporations have shown no major signs of pulling out of Moscow. One of the reasons is that due to closer ties between Presidents Bush and Putin, Russia, with a quarter of the world’s oil reserves outside the Middle East, may bring more trade and industry to Moscow.

Business Etiquette
The business culture in Moscow has changed dramatically over the past decade. Investment from major Western corporations has brought wealth for a select few, as well as a more Western approach to business. English is far more prevalent than it used to be but it is always worth making sure that there is an interpreter on hand.

Offices are generally open Monday to Friday 0900-1800. Although Russians are not always punctual, it is important for business visitors to arrive on time. Business cards are readily handed out – they should have a Russian translation on the reverse. Business lunches are quite common but evening meetings tend to be more social and occasionally Russians will bring their spouses with them. If invited to a Russian’s home, guests should bring a gift (wine, chocolates or an uneven number of flowers) and something small for the children. Refusing to drink a toast is a major faux pas and once a bottle is opened it will be finished. Business suits should be worn for meetings, otherwise dress is slightly more casual than elsewhere in Europe. A fair amount of sexism still persists in Russian society and businesswomen are advised to dress conservatively.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
The first stops on any tour of Moscow are Red Square and the Kremlin – the heart, not only of the city but also of the country itself. The history of the country is writ large here in the historic centre of Moscow and the seat of Tsarist and Soviet power. The Garden Ring Road circles the city centre and within its boundaries are most of Moscow’s major attractions. The Moskva River arcs within this ring, aligning with one of the Kremlin’s walls and passing Gorky Park to the southwest. It is worth noting that most museums are closed on Monday.

Tourist Information
Intourist Travel Agency
Milyutinsky pereulok 13/1
Tel: (095) 923 5089 or 956 8844. Fax: (095) 956 4202.
E-mail: info@intourist.ru
Website: www.intourist.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1730.

Until recently, the Intourist travel company acted as the state tourist board, however, it has now been privatised and broken up into separate companies. There is no official city tourist board, although information and advice is also available from the tourist office in the Metropol Hotel, Teatralny proezd 1/4 (tel: (095) 927 6000), as well as from the embassies. One of the ‘official’ Moscow websites (www.moscow-guide.ru, www.moscowcity.com and www.museum.ru) may also be of use to visitors. The Travellers’ Yellow Pages (website: www.infoservices.com/moscow/index.html) has good supplementary information, as does Russia Tourism (website: www.russia-tourism.ru).

Passes
There are no tourist passes currently available in Moscow.

Key Attractions

Kremlin
The heart of Moscow and of the Russian State itself, the Kremlin (literally meaning ‘fortified town’) is a walled fortress dating back to the city’s founding in 1147 (although the oldest extant walls and churches date from the 15th and 16th centuries). From 1276 to 1712, it was the seat of government for the grand princes and tsars, from 1918 to the present, the Communist government. The red-brick walls and towers enclose a number of churches and palaces and, once past the soviet-era Palace of Congresses, the visitor will find a pleasing ensemble around the main square.

The Uspensky Sobor (Assumption Cathedral) is the largest of the churches. It was the burial place for Orthodox patriarchs and was used for the coronations of tsars. The zakomary (arched gables) are a visual extension of the vaulting within the cathedral. The pretty Blagoveshchensky Sobor (Annunciation Cathedral), with its nine glittering copper-gilt domes, was the private chapel of the tsars. Ivan the Terrible added the Grosnenskiy Porch, because he was refused entry after contravening church doctrine by marrying for a fourth time. Archangelsky Sobor (Cathedral of the Archangel Michael), although built in 1505, houses the remains of the grand princes and tsars who reigned from 1325 to 1696. The Armoury Museum and Diamond Fund are worth visiting for the state and church treasures, including Fabergé eggs (in the former) and the 180-carat diamond given to Catherine the Great (in the latter). Also within the Kremlin are the Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell, both the largest of their kind (40 and 200 tonnes, respectively) and neither one used for its intended purpose. English-speaking guides will often approach tourists outside the main gates – there is no set price so bargaining is necessary.

Krasnaya ploshchad (Red Square)
Tel: (095) 203 0349 or 202 4256. Fax: (095) 203 4256.
E-mail: press@kremlin.museum.ru
Website: www.kremlin.museum.ru
Transport: Metro Biblioteka imeni Lenina or Aleksandrovsky Sad.
Opening hours: Fri-Wed 1000-1700.
Admission: Rb290.

Krasnaya Ploshchad and Pokrovsky Sobor (Red Square and St Basil’s Cathedral)
The site of large May Day parades during the Soviet era and a market before that, Krasnaya ploshchad (Red Square – although krasnaya means ‘beautiful’ in Old Russian) is a dramatic 700m-long (2300ft) space. It also drew crowds to visit Lenin’s Mausoleum – a cubic, Russian avant-garde structure with a crystal casket containing the preserved body of the Soviet Union’s founder. The square is dominated by the walls and towers of the Kremlin on one side and the façade of the GUM department store on the other. Yet these provide a frame for Russia’s most famous image – the multicoloured onion domes of Pokrovsky Sobor (Cathedral of the Intercession, better known as St Basil’s Cathedral). Each dome has distinctive patterning and colours and the effect of the ensemble is stunning. It was built in the 1550s, to commemorate Ivan the Terrible’s victory over the Mongols at Kazan.

Krasnaya ploshchad 4
Tel: (095) 298 3304.
Website: www.shm.ru.
Transport: Metro Kitay-Gorod.
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 1000-1630.
Admission: Rb100.

Muzey Izobrazitelnykh Iskusstv im A S Pushkina (Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts)
Second only in reputation within Russia to the Hermitage in St Petersburg, the Muzey Izobrazitelnykh Iskusstv im A S Pushkina contains a rich collection of artworks, ranging from an Egyptian exhibit to Impressionist (notably Claude Monet) and Post-Impressionist paintings. Audio tours are available for a fee. Visitors should hold onto their admission tickets – they are also valid for the adjacent Museum of Private Collections, which displays 19th- and 20th-century Russian and foreign art.

Volkhonka ulitsa 12
Tel: (095) 203 7998 or 6974. Fax: (095) 203 4674.
E-mail: finearts@gmii.museum.ru
Website: www.museum.ru/gmii
Transport: Metro Kropotkinskaya.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1700.
Admission: Rb200 (foreign visitors); Rb25 (Russians).

Tretyakov Galereya (Tretyakov Gallery)
The most important collection of traditional Russian painting in the world resides here. The extensive collection of icons is well worth seeing, as it covers the development of this art form from early Byzantine times to the more developed Russian schools of the 17th century. The most famous of these icons is the 12th-century Vladimir Virgin and there are also works by Theophanes the Greek, Dionysius and Andrey Rublyov – some of Russia’s greatest icon painters. The gallery’s collection of paintings, sculptures and graphics covers Russian art from the 18th to early 20th centuries.

Lavrushensky pereulok 10/12
Tel: (095) 230 7788. Fax: (095) 953 1051.
Website: www.tretyakov.ru
Transport: Metro Tretyakovskaya.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1930.
Admission: Rb250 (tourists); Rb25 (Russians); Rb120 (foreign students).

Novodevichy Monastyr (Novodevichy Monastery)
Founded in 1524, by Grand Prince Vassily III (although the present towers and walls date from 1685-87), the Novodevichy Monastery contains the Sobor Smolensk Bogomateri (Cathedral of the Virgin of Smolensk), with its distinctive bell tower dating from 1690. The cathedral itself was built in 1525 and contains 16th-century frescoes, as well as a magnificent late 17th-century iconostasis. The convent was a place of exile for noblewomen in mourning or disfavour, including Sophia, Peter the Great’s sister, who instigated a coup against him from here in 1698. The adjacent Novodevichy Cemetery contains the graves of distinguished Muscovites, including Nikita Krushchev (the only Soviet leader buried outside the Kremlin), Nikolai Gogol, Sergei Prokofiev and Anton Chekhov.

Novodevichy proezd 1
Tel: (095) 246 8526. Fax: (095) 246 1327.
Transport: Metro Sportivnaya.
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 1000-1700; closed first Mon of the month.
Admission: Rb30; Rb65 (combined ticket for cathedral and exhibition).

Moscow Metro
Busier than New York’s subway and London’s underground combined, the Moscow Metro transports eight million passengers a day, with a surprising degree of efficiency. Up and running just four years after building started in 1931, the Metro is one of the Communist regime’s few glories. The stations themselves are an attraction, their unique designs are often palatial and provide an introduction to the development of Soviet art and architecture over more than half a century. Mayakovskaya Station (1938) has a central hall with a ceiling of Socialist Realist mosaics supported by stainless steel and red marble columns. In Revolyutsii ploshchad, bronze sculptures of Red Army soldiers hold up the arches in the passageways. Komsomolskaya (1950s), the busiest station in Moscow, has upper walk-through galleries and offers a Russian history lesson in the mosaics near the Circle Line platforms. The Metro Museum displays interesting exhibits about the system.

Metro Museum
Sportivnaya Metro station
Tel: (095) 924 8490.
Transport: Metro Sportivnaya.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1700.
Admission: Rb25.

Further Distractions

Musey arkhitecturi imena A V Shusheva (Museum of Architecture)
Moscow’s architecture is rich and sharply contrasting, reflecting the seismic changes that the city has undergone. The Museum of Architecture is a great place to see how cultural transitions have been etched onto the urban landscape. Spanning five centuries, there are over one million exhibits – including street plans, blueprints, draughts, models, engravings, lithographs and photographs.

Vozdvizhenka ulitsa 5/25
Tel: (095) 202 3979 or 291 2109. Fax: (095) 291 2109.
Transport: Metro Arbatskaya or Biblioteka Lenina.
Opening hours: Tues-Fri 1100-1730, Sat and Sun 1100-1600.
Admission: Rb20.

Muzey-panorama – ‘Borodinskaya bitva’ (Museum-Panorama –’Borodino Battle’)
Visitors can experience the epic battle of the Patriotic War of 1812, when the Russian army met Napoleon’s Grand Army at Borodino, to the west of Moscow. The main feature is a panoramic painting that shows the decisive battle of 7 September 1812, on a canvas 115m (377ft) wide and 15m (49ft) high. English-language audio guides are available.

Kutuzovsky prospekt 38
Tel: (095) 148 1967. Fax: (095) 148 9489.
Transport: Metro Kotozovskaya.
Opening hours: Sat-Thurs 1000-1800; closed last Thurs of month.
Admission: Rb20, concessions available; Rb300 for guided tours – groups of 1-14).

Memorialny Muzey Kosmonavtiki (Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics)
The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is easy to find, thanks to the gigantic titanium rocket sculpture outside it, which was built to commemorate the launch of Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite. The museum is as much a tour of the lengths the Soviets went to in their bid for world supremacy during the Cold War as it is a tribute to the history of Soviet space technology. Most of the dated spacecraft on display now look like technology-turkeys but it is worth a visit, if only to see Yuri Gagarin’s original space suit. For a few Roubles, visitors can wriggle into the suit to pose for a photograph.

Mira prospekt 111
Tel: (095) 283 7914 or 282 7398 (information). Fax: (095) 282 8212.
E-mail: mcrus@glasnet.ru
Website: www.museum.ru/kosmonav
Transport: Metro VDNKh.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800; closed last Fri of month.
Admission: Rb5000.

Khram Khrista Spansitelya (Christ the Saviour Cathedral)
Christ the Saviour Cathedral is a monument to the struggles of 20th-century Moscow. The brainchild of Moscow mayor Yuri Luzkhov, the cathedral was paid for by public donations from school children, babushkas and public officials to rich benefactors alike. Completed in 1997, the building now stands on the site of the original Christ the Saviour Cathedral, which was constructed to commemorate Moscow’s victory over Napoleon. In 1930, Stalin ordered the church to be demolished, to make way for a skyscraper. When it was discovered that the ground was too soft, the area was turned into a hugely popular outdoor swimming pool instead.

Prechistenskaya naberezhnaya 37
Tel: (095) 203 3823.
Transport: Metro Kropotkinskaya.
Opening hours: Daily 0630-2200.
Admission: Free.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Private guides can be hired through the major hotels. There are always individuals in the Red Square/Kremlin area, who will offer to act as a guide for a fee – visitors should negotiate this before setting off. As a general rule of thumb, prices are around Rb400/US$13 for three hours and Rb738/US$24 for six hours. Moscow City Excursion Bureau (tel: (095) 921 1508 or 924 9446) organises various walking and bus excursions taking in the Red Square, China Town, Novodevichiy Monastery, Vagankovskiy Necropolis and Novy Arbat.

Bus Tours
Astravel, Novoslobodskaya ulitsa, dom 31, Stronyeniye 2 (tel: (095) 926 8700; e-mail: income@astravel.ru), offers four-hour city sightseeing tours, taking in St Basil’s Cathedral, the Vorobyovy Hills and Moscow State University. The cost of the tour varies, depending on how many people take part, starting at Rb2122/US$69 for an individual tour to Rb246/US$8 per person for a tour of 40 people. Bus tours can also be readily arranged through hotels and incoming tour operators. Intourist (tel: (095) 923 5089) has a representative in most of the major hotels and at Sheremetyevo airport. It is also possible to hire a car and driver who will give a customised tour of the city.

Boat Tours
One of the more pleasant ways to see the city is to take a boat trip on the Moskva River. Cruises leave half hourly from a number of landing points in the city centre and last for 90 minutes. Good starting points are Kievskaya, near the Metro station, the Radisson Slavjanskya Hotel and the Borodinsky Bridge (the city’s oldest, built in 1912). Cruises can generally be booked through hotels or by contacting Freestyle 21 (tel: (095) 209 0824), who organise a range of tours. The cost of a boat tour is generally Rb154/US$5.

Excursions

For a Half Day

Ostankino: Built by the Sheremetyev family in the 18th century, around an earlier theatre, Ostankino Palace, Ostankinskaya 1-aya 5A (tel: (095) 283 4645), in the northeastern part of the city, is open daily 1000-1800 (May-September) and has elegantly furnished rooms and an art collection of 17th- and 18th-century works by minor European painters. Admission costs Rb100-150. Also in this area is the TV Tower (tel: (095) 282 2038 or 2293; e-mail: excursion@tvtower.ru; website: www.tvtower.ru), which, at 540m (1772ft), is the second tallest free-standing structure in the world. An observation platform and restaurant – at a 337m (1106ft) – elevation are no longer operational, since the tower caught fire in August 2000. However, the tower continues to transmit TV to Muscovites. A visit to the nearby All-Russian Exhibition Centre – a rather bizarre former showcase of Communism that is now a cross between a bazaar and world’s fair of capitalist goods – can easily make this a full-day outing. The nearest Metro is VDNKh, from where tram 11 leads to the palace.

The Tsaritsyno Arts and Nature Historical-Architectural Museum: This musuem, at Dolskaya ulitsa 1 (tel: (095) 321 0743 or 6364), is a popular trip for those wanting to escape the grind and grime of the city centre. It houses antique furniture, ceramics and paintings. Perhaps of more interest are the pleasant gardens, which host festivals and concerts. There is also an opera house and restaurant. The nearest Metro stations are Orekhovo and Tsaristsino. The museum is open Wednesday-Friday 1100-1600 and Saturday and Sunday 1000-1700. Admission costs Rb20.

For a Whole Day

Sergiyev Posad: One of the most magical sights in Russia is the monastery of Troitsko – Sergieva Lavra (The Trinity – St Sergius Lavra) in the town of Sergiyev Posad (formerly Zagorsk). Onion domes in gold and bright blue with gold stars come into view from the last rise in the road from Moscow. The monastery is one of Russia’s most important pilgrimage sites and one of only four in the Russian Orthodox Church to have the honorific ‘Lavra’. It is part of the Golden Ring, a group of ancient Russian towns to the northeast of Moscow that are, in effect, open-air museums. The monastery complex, begun in the 1340s by St Sergius of Radonezh (the Russian Orthodox Church’s greatest saint), comprises churches, cathedrals and monastic buildings that are once again in use. Troitsky Sobor (Trinity Cathedral) is the oldest (1422-23) and finest of the churches and its iconostasis included paintings by Rublyov, some of which are now visible in the Tretyakov Gallery. The monastery (tel: (095) 284 3164 or 281 6020) is 80km (50 miles) north of the city and can be reached by train from Yaroslavsky Vokzal station in Moscow. It is open daily 0800-2000 and admission to the church is free (the monastery itself is not open to the public).

Sport

Moscow hosted the Olympic Games in the summer of 1980 and as a result has a number of good sporting venues, although the 100,000-seat Lenin Stadium – former home of the Spartak Moscow (tel: (095) 799 5622; e-mail: info@spartak.dol.ru; website: www.spartak.com) football club – at the Luzhiniki stadium complex, is now a giant flea market. Spartak Moscow now plays at the Lokomotiv Stadium, Bolshaya Cher-kizovskaya ulitsa 125A (tel: (161) 9385 9063), as do Lokomotiv Moscow (website: www.lokomotiv.ru). The renowned Dinamo Moscow (website: www.football.ru/dm) football club plays at the Central Dinamo Stadium, 36 Leningradsky prospekt (tel: (095) 271 8529), while FC Torpedo Moscow (website: www.torpedo.ru) plays at the Torpedo Stadium, Vostchnaya ulitsa 4 (tel: (095) 275 0745). The fifth premier division team in the city is the Central Sport Club of the Army (website: www.cska.ru) – abbreviated TSSKA or CSKA – who play at the CSKA Peschanoe Stadium, Leningradsky prospekt 39A (tel: (095) 213 7992), as does the popular CSKA (website: www.cska.ru) ice hockey team. In fact, many of the teams cross sport boundaries – Spartak field an ice hockey team and CSKA also has a basketball team.

Tennis is currently enjoying a great deal of popularity, not least because it was frowned upon as bourgeois in Soviet times and because of the international success of Russian stars, such as Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Anna Kournikova and Marat Safin. Moscow hosts the country’s annual grand slam, the Kremlin Cup, at the Olympiisky Sports Complex, Mira prospekt 16 (tel: (095) 288 5453).

Partner (tel: (095) 363 5555; website: www.partner.ru) is a good ticketing company, covering sport, theatre and music events. The Moscow Head Office of Theatre, Concert and Sport Ticket Bureaus (tel: (095) 249 5792) provides information and tickets.

Banya: As sure as a Russian likes tea from a samovar, a Russian likes a banya – which usually includes a sauna, massage and sometimes even a light whipping with birch twigs, just to make sure that the circulation is really working. Seleznovskye Bani, Seleznovskaya ulitsa (tel: (095) 978 7521), meets all the necessary requirements for a traditional banya. Meanwhile, the Bani na Presne, Stolyarniy pereulok (tel: (095) 253 8690), takes a more modern approach.

Diving: Visitors to Moscow can learn to dive at the Sprut (Octopus) diving club (tel: (095) 212 5775).

Fitness centres: The new modern sanatorium-style complex Kimberly Land (tel: (095) 310 0401) offers an aqua park with some swimming pools (whirlpool, kids pools and hills), a fully equipped gym and Turkish baths. Bitsa Equestrian Sport Club (tel: (095) 318 5366) offers shooting, swimming, tennis, volleyball, aerobics, horseriding and paintballing, as well as a full fitness centre. The Entertainment Centre na Tulskoi, Kholodilny pereulok 3 (tel: (095) 954 0158; website: www.centr.ru/center.html), is open 1200-2400 for rollerskating (Rb80-150 per hour) and bowling (Rb60-100 per game), as well as 2300-0600 on Friday and Saturday for a roller disco.

Golf: There is a fairly central nine-hole course at the Moscow City Golf Club, Dovzhenko ulitsa 1 (tel: (095) 147 1826), where admission costs Rb1661/US$54 for non-members. More challenging 18-hole courses are further out at Le Meridien Moscow Country Club, in Nakhadino (tel: (095) 926 5911). Green fees are Rb3076/US$100 at the weekend and membership is required.

Tennis: The Chaika Tennis Courts, Korobeynikov pereulok 1 (tel: (095) 202 0474), are conveniently located near Park Kultury Metro station. There is also a swimming pool in the complex. Petrovsky Park Tennis Club, Leningradsky prospekt 36 (tel: (095) 212 7392), is another option.

Wintersports: There is a downhill ski jump in the Vorobyevi Hills and cross-country skiing opportunities at Izmailovsky Park and in the countryside outside of Moscow. There are numerous places to skate when the water freezes in mid-winter, including Gorky Park.

Shopping

The showpiece of the Soviet economy was the GUM department store, which faces the Kremlin across Red Square. Goods can be found at much cheaper prices in other parts of the city, so it is a good idea for visitors to see what is on offer at GUM and then buy elsewhere. Popular shopping streets in the area include Novy Arbat – a major thoroughfare to the west of the Kremlin – and Arbat ulitsa, which runs parallel to it. Okhoktny ryad, the newest of the arcades in Moscow, is also worth a visit, if only to see Russian aspirational consumerism gone mad. Built by Moscow’s mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, for a princely sum of US$350 million, it is as much a tribute to consumerism as his other brainchild, the Christ the Saviour Cathedral, is a symbol of Russia’s religious renaissance. Tverskaya ulitsa, heading north from Red Square, is Moscow’s most fashionable shopping street and the address of some expensive boutiques. Classic Russian chic can be found at Valentin Yudashkin, on Kutuzovsky prospekt, one of the grandest shopping streets in Moscow, which is also home to the exclusive Moskva Shopping Centre.

For the souvenir hunter, Palekh and Kholui lacquered boxes make attractive gifts, as do the traditional Matryoshka dolls (wooden dolls within dolls) and samovars. Other options are Khokhloma wooden cups, saucers and spoons (painted gold, red and black) and Dymkovskaya Igrushka pottery figurines based on popular folklore characters. Engraved amber, Gzhel porcelain, Vologda lace and Fabergé eggs and jewellery are highly sought after. Mementoes from the Red Army abound. Izmailovskii Park has a good craft market at the weekends and with careful bartering can stretch those Dollars a bit further. Antiques, valuables, works of art and manuscripts, other than those offered for sale in souvenir shops, may not be taken out of the Russian Federation without an export licence.

For a real taste of Russia, the Cheremushinsky Rynok, on Lomonovksy prospekt, gathers together fresh produce from all corners of the former Soviet Union. The market is open Monday-Saturday 0700-1900 and Sunday 0700-1700. Visitors should not expect pristine hygiene, although bargains are plentiful. The Konkovo Fair, open daily 0800-2000 and located on Profsoyuznaya ulitsa, is Moscow’s largest market and caters to function rather than form, selling clothes, household goods and food.

Shopping hours are generally Monday to Saturday 0900-1800, although some larger stores open from 1000-2000, while smaller shops still take a break from 1300-1500. VAT stands at 20% (10% for certain foodstuffs and items for children).

Culture

The city’s cultural history spans all the arts and, having been the capital for so long, much of the nation’s cultural effort was concentrated here. Notable achievements include the long period of icon painting up to the time of Peter the Great. The most famous icon painter of the Russian Orthodox Church, Andrey Rublyov, had his workshop and was buried in the Spaso-Andronikovsky Monastyr (Monastery of the Saviour and Andronicus) in the eastern suburbs of the city. The 19th century brought painters such as Ilia Repin whose Realist works portrayed peasants and other ordinary people. The excitement of the Constructivists’ avant-garde work, in the early 20th century, was dampened by Stalin’s regime and, until recently, Socialist Realism has been the only publicly produced art.

The former Soviet Union took great pride in its cultural institutions and these were often of the very highest calibre. A number of these are based in Moscow, notably the Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Company and the Moscow Circus. Advance tickets can be quite cheap but those purchased from ticket touts on the evening of the performance are usually fairly expensive. Concert and theatre tickets can be purchased at the venues, from large hotels or at the IPS Theatre Box Office in the Metropol Hotel, Teatralny proezd 1/4 (tel: (095) 927 6000). Tickets for most performances range between Rb620/US$20 and Rb830/US$27.

Moscow Out (website: www.moscowout.ru) is an excellent source of listings and information (in several languages, including English) on cultural events in the capital.

Music: The Moscow Conservatory, Nikitskaya ulitsa 13 (tel: (095) 229 8183), is an important music school, as well as the venue for major concerts – premieres of works by Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitry Shoshtakovich took place here. Pyotr Tchaikovsky taught at the Conservatory but died before public concerts started in 1898. One of the students who he commended for his thesis project was none other than Sergei Rachmaninoff. Concerts take place in both the Great and Small Halls.

The Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, Triumphalaya ploshchad 4/30 (tel: (095) 299 3957), hosts a full programme of symphony and chamber concerts, as well as special festivals and performances of Russian national dance and organ and choral music. Arbat-Opera, Arbat ulitsa 35 (tel: (095) 248 0987), is one of the newest music theatres in Moscow and, although it is small, is ideal for chamber operas of Pergolezzi, Rimsky Korsakov, Pulenc and the like.

Theatre: Moscow’s pre-eminent theatre company is the MKHAT imeni Chekhova (Moscow Art Theatre, named after Chekhov), Kamergersky pereulok 3 (tel: (095) 229 8760; website: http://art.theatre.ru), founded in 1898. It revolutionised drama in Europe, staging plays by Anton Chekhov and providing a venue for the method-acting techniques of Konstantin Stanislavsky. No longer avant-garde, the theatre today continues the tradition of method acting.

The Maly Teatr (Small Theatre), Teatralnaya ploshchad 1 (tel: (095) 923 2621), has a history of staging plays of political and social satire, notably during the 19th century. Some of Russia’s most famous playwrights, including Nikolai Gogol, staged their first plays here. There are performances daily at 1900, although most of these are in Russian. The Taganka Drama and Comedy Theatre, Zemlyanoy val (tel: (095) 915 1015), has an excellent reputation, earned through its staging of modern classics such as Doctor Zhivago and Master and Margarita.

Dance: One of the world’s most renowned ballet and opera companies, the Bolshoi, is based in Moscow, from September to June (performances are daily at 1900 and weekend matinees). The company, formed in 1773, began its rise to fame in 1918. Yuri Grigorovich, who directed the company for decades, until 1995, raised the Bolshoi’s status internationally, aided by some formidable dancers. The Bolshoi Theatre, Teatralnaya ploshchad 1 (tel: (095) 299 5325; website: www.bolshoi.ru), a grand neo-classical building that was constructed in 1824, is renowned for its size and the quality of the acoustics. If, for some reason, tickets for the Bolshoi are unavailable, visitors should try the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre (known as the Stasic) on Bol Dmitrovka ulitsa 17 (tel: (095) 229 2835) – Moscow’s ‘second Bolshoi’. Founded in 1940, the auditorium is small but the stagings are of a high quality – the Swan Lake is reputed to rival that of the Bolshoi.

Film: The Moscow Film Festival takes place in July (website: www.film www.festivals.com/moscow). English-language films can be seen at the American House of Cinema, located in the Radisson Slavjanskya Hotel (tel: (095) 941 8890), the Dome Theatre, located in the Moscow Renaissance Penta Hotel (tel: (095) 931 9000), and the International Cinema Centre, on Krasnaya Presnaya, Druzhinnikovskaya ulitsa 15 (tel: (095) 205 7306). The International Cinema Centre also screens arthouse movies and houses the Cinema Museum (tel: (095) 255 9057), which screens documentaries, retrospectives and silent movies. Listings for movies are in the Friday edition of The Moscow Times.

Sergei Eisenstein captured one of Moscow and Russia’s harshest rulers in the films Ivan the Terrible I and II (1945 and 1958 respectively). The famous director also used the Kolisei cinema (now the Sovremennik Theatre) for his Proletcult worker’s theatre.

Cultural events: The Great Moscow Circus no longer quite lives up to its reputation but still provides good entertainment. There are performances Tuesday to Friday at 1900, as well as multiple performances at the weekend. The New Circus is located at Vernadskovo prospekt 7 (tel: (095) 930 2815), and the Old Circus at Tsvetnoi bulvar 13 (tel: (095) 200 0668). The Muscovites make good use of the white nights, which happen during summer, with the annual White Nights Festival – a celebration of music, theatre, street events and fireworks. Winter is no less fun, with the Russian Winter Festival from over Christmas and New Year. Moscow comes alive with troika rides and traditional folk customs. More sombre annual events include the poetry readings at the Pushkin Monument, celebrating his birthday on 6 June.

Literary Notes
Moscow has been home to many important writers and has often been the setting for their works. The houses where playwright Anton Chekhov and novelists Leo Tolstoy (Leo Tolstoy ulitsa) and Maxim Gorky (Malaya Nikitskaya ulitsa) spent part of their lives, are all open to the public. Philosopher, moral thinker, nobleman, writer of realism and intellectual giant, Tolstoy (1828-1910) was born on his family estate, south of Moscow. In many of his works, Tolstoy illustrates life in the capital, particularly in War and Peace (1865-69), considered one of the greatest novels ever written, in which he describes the burning of Moscow during the Napoleonic wars.

Chekhov’s play, The Seagull (1896), premiered at the Moscow Arts Theatre in 1898. Chekhov and the novelist/playwright, Nikolai Gogol, were both buried in Novodevichy Cemetery, in the southwest of the city (see Key Attractions). Fyodor Dostoevsky was born and spent his early years in Moscow, returning to give a stirring speech (as did Ivan Turgenev) at the unveiling of the monument to Alexander Pushkin in 1880 – it was the first public recognition of Russian national literature. Seen as the father of Russian national literature, the best-know works of Pushkin are Eugene Onegin (1825) and Boris Godunov (1824).

Boris Pasternak lived in the outskirts of Moscow (1939-60), among the artists and writers in Peredelinko. It was here that he wrote his sweeping romantic novel about the Russian Revolution, Doctor Zhivago (1957). Mikhail Bulgakov set parts of his novel, The Master and Margarita (written in the 1930s, first published posthumously in 1967), in the Central House of Writers restaurant, as well as at Patriarshiye Prudy (Patriarch’s Ponds), where the novel begins.

Mikhail Lermontov, the poet and novelist, studied at Moscow University and lived just off present-day Novy Arbat. The house of Ivan Turgenev’s mother, where he stayed while in Moscow, can also be visited. More recently, Victor Pelevin, who penned The Clay Machine Gun (1996), has been compared to Martin Amis.

There is no shortage of works by Western novelists set during the Cold War – Moscow was a favourite setting for John Le Carré and there is also the eponymous Gorky Park (1981), written by Martin Cruz Smith.

Nightlife

Discos are popular in Moscow, although there are also an increasing number of pub-type bars, many of which serve food. These generally offer a happy hour, with two-for-one drink specials. There is no shortage of exotic entertainment and Western men do tend to attract young Russian women. Some bars can be quite violent – it is best for visitors to ask for local advice on which ones to avoid.

Moscow has a number of 24-hour bars and ‘night restaurants’ that are often open until 0500 or 0600. These combine dining, drinking and entertainment under one roof. Otherwise, bars tend to stay open until 2400 or 0100. The minimum drinking age in Russia is 18 years, although the minimum purchasing age is 21 years. Cover charges vary – some places actually offer free drinks for a limited time, while others charge a cover of Rb613-919/US$20-30 (or more). Live music is played all over the city but quality acts are not always easy to come by. Many of the bars and clubs are located in the larger hotels or the immediate vicinity. Because of the rocky economy, bars and clubs tend to close down and open up fairly frequently. The American ex-pat newspaper, eXile (website: www.exile.ru), offers an up-to-date, if somewhat rude, guide.

Bars: The John Bull Pub, Kutuzovsky proezd 4, has decent music and stays open until 0300 at the weekend. The Irish pub Rosie O’Grady’s, Znamenka ulitsa 9/12, is a popular spot. Homesick Canadians head for the Moosehead Canadian Bar, Bolshaya Polyanka ulitsa 54, where buffalo wings and other bar food keeps the punters happy and beers cost Rb122-184/US$4-6 (daily 1200-0500). Chesterfield’s, Zemlyanoy val 26, has the longest bar in Russia (apparently) and draws a mixed ex-pat and Russian crowd. For those who enjoy a cigar and cognac, The Embassy Club, Bryusov pereulok 8/10, provides an appropriately swanky environment. The News Bar, Petrovka ulitsa, has recently made a stylish entrance into the nightlife of Muscovites, while OGI Project, Potapovsky pereulok, has become hugely popular.

Casinos: There are dozens of casinos in Moscow. Some of the more elegant are attached to the five-star hotels. The 24-hour Casino Metropol, located in the hotel of the same name at Teatralny proezd 1/4, is a classic casino with blackjack, roulette and poker. The minimum stake is Rb166/US$25. For lower stakes, the Olympic Casino Club, aboard the Valery Brusov, Krymskaya naberezhnaya, is open 1900-0600 and offers roulette, blackjack and poker. Another alternative is the Casino Moskva, located in the Leningradskaya Hotel, Kalanchevskaya ulitsa 21/40. There is an age restriction of 18 years for gambling; a passport is not always required and the dress code is smart-casual.

Clubs: Propaganda, Bolshoi Zlatoustinksy pereulok 7, is one of the city’s best dance clubs and plays non-techno tunes (occasionally acid jazz). Techno ravers head for Khaos, Timirgazevskaya ulitsa 17. Brand, Smolensky ploshchad, has a more upmarket feel with a disco and bars. The big-name international DJs who appear from time to time at Club XIII, Myanitskaya ulitsa, attract foreigners and young Russians with pockets full of cash. Titanik, inside the Young Pioneers Stadium, Leningradsky prospekt 31, is a well-known techno club with a decent but expensive chill-out area (the cover charge is Rb919/US$30). Clubs catering to a gay crowd are becoming increasingly popular in Moscow. The most frequented of these is Central Station, Bolshaya Tatarskaya ulitsa, which could almost compete with any Western gay club. Homophobia is still very much in evidence in Moscow, so it is advisable for visitors to avoid going to any of the gay clubs alone.

Live music: Many of the bars and clubs have live music – usually rock but occasionally country, reggae or folk – for a couple of hours in the evening (generally 2200-2400/0100). For jazz and blues, the Arbat Blues Club, Aksakov pereulok 11, is considered one of the best spots in Moscow. The Jazz Art Club, Begovaya ulitsa 5, offers what the name suggests for a Rb214/US$7 entry fee. Bunker, Tverskaya ulitsa 12, and Tabula Rasa, Berezhkovskaya naberezhnaya 28, both feature live bands – the cover charge depends on the night and who is playing. The Voodoo Lounge, Sredny Tishinsky pereulok 5/7, is a fairly recent arrival, hosting rock and Latin music.

City Statistics

Location: Province of Moscow, west Russian Federation.
Country dialling code: 7.
Population: 8,652,195 (city); 11,552, 601 (regional area).
Ethnic mix: Predominantly Russian; minorities from all over the former Soviet Union.
Religion: Predominantly Russian Orthodox.
Time zone: GMT + 3 (GMT + 4 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: - 13°C ( - 9°F).
Average July temp: 18°C (64°F).
Annual rainfall: 624mm (24.3 inches).
Annual snowfall: 132mm (5.2 inches).

Special Events

Great Moscow Circus, daily throughout 2002, Vernadskovo prospekt 7 and Tsvetnoi bulvar 13
Consumexpo 2003, largest consumer goods trade fair in Russia, Jan 2003, Expocenter
Russian Orthodox Christmas, 7 Jan, churches throughout the city
Prodexpo, Feb, largest annual food and drink exhibition in Russia, Expocenter
Maslenitsa or Blini Day, pancakes are made to celebrate the coming of spring, first week Mar, throughout the city
Women’s Day, early Mar, throughout the city
May Day, colourful parades, 1 May, Red Square
Victory Day, parades at war memorials to celebrate the end of World War II, 9 May, war memorials throughout the city
World Water Festival on the Moscow River, Jun, Gorky Park
Pushkin’s Birthday, poetry readings, 6 Jun, Pushkin Monument
Russian Independence Day, public holiday, 12 Jun, throughout the city
White Nights Festival, music, theatre and street events with fireworks, late Jun-mid-Jul, throughout the city
Festival of Symphonies and Serenades, open-air events, Jul, around Moscow Park
Russian Open, golf tournament, Aug, Le Meridian Moscow Country Club
Moscow International Outdoor Jazz Festival, Aug, Hermitage Garden
Day of the Failed August 1991 Coup, to mark the turn of Communism and honour the dead, 19 Aug, throughout the city
Smirnoff International Fashion Awards, Sep, Andreyev Bridge
International Peace Marathon, early Sep, start at Red Square, finish in front of Rossya Hotel near St Basil’s Cathedral
Moscow Day, a day of celebration, 19 Sep, throughout the city
Kremlin Cup, Oct, Olympiisky Complex
Efes Pilsner Blues Festival, Nov, Moscow Palace of Youth
Anniversary of the October Revolution, traditional holiday, 7 Nov, throughout the city
December Evenings Festival, Dec, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts
Russian Winter Festival, end Dec-early Jan, throughout the city

Cost of Living

Prices have been given in Roubles where Roubles are the only currency accepted (for example, on public transport, tourist attractions etc). However, many organisations accept – indeed welcome – US Dollars and prices are usually quoted in both currencies. US Dollars are usually the better guide for prices anyway.

One-litre bottle of mineral water: Rb30/US$1
33cl bottle of beer: Rb100/US$3.30
Financial Times newspaper: Rb140/US$4.60
36-exposure colour film: Rb120/US$4
City-centre bus ticket: Rb5/US$0.15
Adult football ticket: Rb100-400/US$3-13
Three-course meal with wine/beer: From Rb600/US$20

10 Russian Roubles (Rb10) = £0.20; US$0.35; C$0.41; A$0.46; ¬0.29
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005