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It always seems that when you live somewhere you never do as much as tourists who visit for a few days. On my first trips to NYC I was shocked that the locals had never done all the iconic experiences I was so excited to take part in. When I moved to NYC I made sure to have all the touristy and local experiences. But that’s another story!

Moscow on the other hand was completely different. I was so busy with school life and planning all my travels on school holidays that I kept pushing back exploring the city. In my last couple weeks in the city I tried to fit in as many activities as possible.

Most people know about the Red Square, the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral. You should definitely visit them and here is a post on how to visit those must-see sights in Moscow. 

After exploring the Red Square try out some of these unique things to do in Moscow. These lesser known places will fill up your Moscow itinerary quickly! 

Gorky Park

You can spend several hours exploring Gorky Park. I’m rather partial to Central Park in NYC, but it did have a similar feel. People of all ages should be able to find an activity that interests them.

A little amusement park area and several playgrounds will grab children’s’ attention.

Many teens were hanging out at the skate park and renting bicycles to ride around the park.

Adults were enjoying the many restaurants and bars. Some bars like this one below had outdoor games.

People of all ages can enjoy taking pedal boats around a lake or watching a movie at an open air theater.

If nothing else suits you, the park is worth a visit for a stroll around the gardens and fountains.

Free bathrooms are located all over the place. There was even a water fountain for drinking. If the actual park didn’t sell me, the free water and bathrooms did! It was one of the few places in Moscow I wish I would have visited more.

River Cruise

Right from Gorky Park you can take a cruise along the Moskva River with Radisson. For other cruise options click here.

I personally never got a chance to take a river cruise, but it seemed like a nice relaxing way to get an overview of the city and see some of Moscow’s beautiful architecture.

VDNKh

Vystavka Dostizheniy Narodnogo Khozyaystva (bet you can’t remember that) or VKNKh was recommended to me by a co-worker. I find their website unhelpful and even though I spent several hours there it is hard to say what it is. More confusion, like much of my experience in Russia!

To me it seemed half like a large park and half like what I envision the world’s fair would have been like years ago.

According to google it is technically an exhibition and trade center with restaurants, museums and pavilions. You can also check out what exhibitions and events are happening ahead of time. There seems to be a bit of everything going on there.

You can spend a few hours just walking around and getting a sense of the place for free or have a longer visit and pay to go inside some of the museums.

Here are some examples of the variety of places available to visit.

Moskvarium

A large aquarium where you can even go swimming with dolphins

Museum of Cinema

A new museum that has exhibits on the history of cinema.

Museum of Cosmonauts

Would be really interesting to see the view of the space race from the Soviet view.  

Beekeeping Museum

Because why not go to Moscow and learn about the work of beekeepers and the lives of bees?

Flacon

I made a planned visit to one of the stores in Flacon and was pleasantly surprised with what I stumbled upon. Flacon is an indoor and outdoor shopping and food area with an artsy, hipster vibe.

When I walked around the area I could almost imagine myself back in Brooklyn. It is a nice change from the rest of Moscow and a way to pass a few hours doing some boutique shopping and getting a bit to eat.

Izmailovsky Market

If you came to Russia to feel like you are in Russia, you must check out Izmailovsky market. It is a large outdoor market full of arts and crafts and antiques. It is the best place to buy Russian souvenirs. There are also some food places and speciality museums. Read about my experience and how to visit here.

Bolshoi Theater

This one is a classic not to be missed. Which almost happened to me when I forfeited my Nutcracker tickets due to a multiple day delay from NYC. I got a second chance months later when I saw the opera La Traviata. Remember, the words and all the announcements will be in Russian.

Another way to see the theater is to go on a guided tour. 

Museums

What would a visit be to a European city without going to a museum? Although Moscow differs from other European cities in many ways, one similarity is the number of museums. Click on each museum name to read more about visiting these museums that will teach you about the history of the city.

The State Historical Museum

Museum of the Patriotic War in 1812

Victory Museum

Moscow City Museum

Crocus City Oceanarium

Another one of Moscow’s aquariums. This one is divided into sections such as “jungle”, “rivers & lakes” and “seas & oceans”. It isn’t a huge aquarium, the Moskvarium at VKNKh is much larger, but it is a well laid out museum with a food court on the third floor. I visited on a field trip with a group of three year olds. Be warned that you are supposed to buy a photography pass to take your own photos. There are photographers roaming around trying to take and sell you photos.

Check out my Russia Page for more Moscow recommendations and stories. Let me know if you enjoyed any of these unique things to do in Moscow! 

Visiting Information

Where

All places listed above are located within about 30 minutes of the city center by public transportation. Put the name of the place into google to receive the exact address.

How to Get There

Each place is accessible by metro. To read more about the Moscow Metro and how to use it click here.

Where to Stay

Search for a great deal on a hotel near the sights you want to see the most!

Booking.com

 

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