Moscow in Russia has to be one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Eastern Europe as people romanticising about the communist times flock here to see the old Soviet sights.
Moscow, the capital of Russia is a real metropolis and as such it has huge traffic jams, a great public transport system and lots of crowds year round. If you are planning a trip to Russia then read this article to get some ideas for the ultimate weekend trip to Moscow and St Petersburg.
No visit to Russia is complete without visiting Moscow or St Petersburg, but I would say if you have the time you should visit both of them. That may require a little more time than a weekend, but if that is all you have then you should take the Sapsan high speed train in either direction and go for a brisk walk around the city centers of either Moscow or St Petersburg.
If you are taking a cruise ship to St Petersburg, you will generally have two or three days to roam around the city. In my experience two days is enough for St Petersburg, so you will have a day to dash off to Moscow on the Sapsan high speed train.
The Sapsan takes a little over three hours so if you leave very early in the morning then you can check out the best underground stops in Moscow, walk around Red Square and have lunch in the Gym shopping center before you return to St Petersburg on the same Sapsan train.
In this article about my ultimate weekend trip to Moscow and St Petersburg I will list all the places to visit in Moscow and then some more places to see in St Petersburg.
You can pick and choose which way you visit these historic places in Russia, but if you have the time (about 3-4 days) then I would recommend visiting them all.
I created lots of videos and pictures of most of the places I visited in Moscow and St Petersburg and I will paste them below in the order I think you should visit them. One of my videos about walking around Moscow at night is very popular on Youtube so make sure you walk around the city center at night to find out what it feels like.
There is also a video of my favourite cake shops in Moscow – nobody tends to think of Russia as a cake haven, but trust me – I had some of the best cakes while on holiday in Moscow!
Getting To Moscow City Center From Sheremetyevo or Domodedovo Airport
The Domodedovo Airport Aeroexpress to Paveletskaya Station is a convenient, cheap and fast way to get to the city. As you come out of the airport terminal, turn right and that’s where the station is. You can buy tickets from the machines – all in English.
The return was 940 rubles at the time I visited in 2016 and the ride was 45 minutes. It is the same cost and length of time from Sheremetyevo Airport as well.
Moscow is perhaps one of the most intriguing cities I have ever been to. It has all the usual tourist traps like shopping malls and museums, but Russia also has another side which I came here to discover. Given that Moscow is the capital of the former Soviet Union, my focus was on Soviet relics of the past.
Wondering around the streets of modern Moscow it was easy to forget about its past. There is now a Channel, Bulgari and Ferrari shop on almost every corner! It also seems that in Russia you can only buy Mercedes, Rolls Royce and BMW. In all the time I spent there I could hardly see any Lada or Moskvitch cars or at least some cheaper Skodas or Volkswagens.
The Domodedovo Airport Aeroexpress
I shot this video during my first visit to Moscow. I flew to Moscow on Easyjet (flight stopped since) and took the Aeroexpress to Paveletskaya railway station in the center of Moscow.
Moscow’s Ultimate Five Star Hotel: The Baltschug Kempinski
This video of Moscow below will take you from Paveletskaya Station in the south to the Red Square in the north. If you fly to Domodedovo your train will arrive at Paveletskaya Station. I would recommend you walk given that it takes only about half an hour to the Red Square.
The main reason for my first visit to Moscow in 2015 was to attend a conference where I gave a speech. It was in the Baltschug Kempinski, where I stayed for two nights. The hotel is absolutely luxurious and it is also the oldest five star hotel in the city.
When it first opened in the 19th century it instantly became famous and has been operating ever since under various owners. The check-in process was slightly longer than expected because they had to register my passport in the system and it didn’t work.
As I was filling out my details I asked if they had my membership number and she said yes and it turned out they upgraded me! I once stayed at the Pan Pacific in Singapore, and they belong to the same group so as a return customer they obviously wanted to please me.
After about 15 minutes at the reception the receptionist asked the concierge to show the room. She gave a tour of the hotel and even opened the door to the room.
She then went to open the curtains and explained this is what she loves in her job: showing off the Red Square to everyone! And there it was, the Red Square and the Kremlin on the big screen!
Checking Out Moscow’s Red Square
The Red Square is Moscow’s most iconic site. It is slap-bang in the middle of the city so you cannot miss it! If you want a real Russian-feel holiday then plan your visit for the winter.
During my visit to Moscow it snowed and I was lucky to make the below video – I will never forget Moscow covered in snow. The river also froze and all the pavements and rooftops were white, just like from a movie.
The only regret I have is that I didn’t have time to visit Lenin’s Mausoleum. Anyhow, hopefully I will have another opportunity in life!
Red Square Walking Itinerary
I started my visit walking from the Baltschug Kempinski from the South. Right in front of the bridge is the entrance to Red Square. You literally cannot miss it as the church spires and the red brick walls give it all away.
Lenin’s Mausoleum will be on your left and the Gym Shopping Centre of the right. In front of you will be a big red building: the History Museum. As you pass the museum you will see a big iron gate on the left. Go inside there and on the left hand side will be the WWII memorial.
I found it fascinating how the soldiers stood there come day or night, snow or rain – not a single movement, just like statues. From here you can walk another five minutes through the park to reach the Kremlin. There are various churches and monuments inside the Kremlin, so plan at least an afternoon there.
My Favourite Soviet Sights In Moscow
My favourite Soviet sights in Moscow have to be Stalin’s daughters and the metro network. I also loved the Vdnkh, the Cosmonautics Museum, the KGB headquarters and so on.
The best is that most of these are on top of a metro stop so you never need to walk far. This comes in handy if you visit in the winter when temperatures tend to plummet.
My major regret is that I couldn’t go inside Stalin’s Bunker – maybe during my next visit! If you want to see all the sights in the below video, plan at least four days.
My Favourite Cake Shops in Moscow
My favourite cake shops in Moscow have to be the Anderson Cafe chain and the Pushkin Cafe. Although I am no great fan of chains, Anderson is different. I’ve visited three different Anderson Cafe’s while in Moscow and the cakes all tasted amazing.
Not only that, service was very friendly and they make the soups and virtually everything except for the cakes on site. On my third visit I was greedy and ordered two types of dumplings and a bowl of borscht. I also bought two slices of cake to take away. No need to say I almost burst and I couldn’t finish it all!
My other favourite, although only once-visited cake shop is Pushkin Cafe. The entire building looks stunning on the inside and the cakes were also amazing.
Even though it’s a bit pricey, if you just have a cake and then walk around the other parts of the building it will make the visit worthwhile.
Walking Around Moscow At Night
Daytime hours tend to be very short in Moscow during the winter so chances are you will need to walk around after dark. That shouldn’t stop you from visiting though because Moscow is a super safe city. During my four visits to Moscow I never felt I was in danger of any kind, even at night.
Moscow’s Streets All to Yourself
In fact, I preferred walking around at night because the streets were empty! As soon as the sun sets, the weather turns pretty chilly so the locals go home.
That means you will have the city to yourself and the many cars driving around town. A lot of the restaurants stay open late at night, so instead of taking a cab just walk and enjoy the snow.
The Mystery Park in Moscow
Moscow is a mysterious city in many respects – and most likely also haunted. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that most basements are filled with ghosts – a legacy of Lenin and Stalin torturing and executing thousands of people in the city. Perhaps this is what caused some mysterious events to occur in one Moscow park on a winter night.
As I was walking back to my hotel I passed the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Moscow on Leontyevskiy Pereulog. There is a nice park right next to it and just as I arrived it started snowing.
So I got my iphone out to take a few photos. But lo and behold just as I pressed the record button it ran out of battery! No bother I thought – the hotel was next door and I had another night to come back. I went home, plugged the phone in and it said it still had 33% battery – very odd.
The next evening I made sure to walk across the same park and had 54% battery left. All I wanted was to take about 10 seconds of shots from two angles.
Third Time Lucky
Again, just when I turned the screen on and was about to press the record button the phone turned off! My gosh I thought this is very strange. So I went back to the hotel, plugged the phone in and it showed 35% charge still! I am not one to easily give up though.
I put my shoes and jacket back on and rushed back to make those last shots. This time it worked! The moon was full and it was still snowing so I got some really nice shots.
Underground In Moscow: The People’s Guilded Waiting Rooms
The best Moscow Metro subway stations are all on the lines that Stalin built. The new system was Stalin’s pride and joy and he built every station as palaces for the proletariat.
During my visits to Moscow I became very familiar with the metro and I would definitely recommend at least one visit to it. I had to literally pick my jaw up walking around Komsomolskaya, Mayakovskaya, Paveletskaya and Belorusskaya stations.
There was marble, brass, granite and gold leaf virtually everywhere. And the best is that the trains ran every 2 minutes!
Going On A Self-Guided Tour
Most stations were full to the brim but it never felt crowded like the London Underground. The stations were so big it felt like I was inside an underground cathedral.
There were benches at every station so people often use these places to meet up or to have a date. There is also free wifi on the trains and at every station so it is miles better than London.
The Lomakov Car Museum In Moscow
The Lomakov Car Museum in Moscow has to be the best car museums outside the US. It exhibits hundreds of soviet and US cars as well as some European models. There are also buses, trucks and experimental models which never made it to the roads.
The Lomakov Car Museum is inside an old bus depot with five or six massive hangars. Now think Soviet measurements when I say MASSIVE! I spent about two hours wondering around the building and looking at some of these reflections from the past. The last two cars in the below video are my favourites, would love to take them out on a test drive one day!
The Hotels I Stayed In While In Moscow
During my visits to Moscow I stayed at three Marriott hotels and the Kempinski by the river and the Red Square. I will give a bit of extra detail below in case you decided to stay in one of them.
The Courtyard by Marriott Near Paveletskaya
When the conference in 2015 ended I checked out of the Kempinski and went to another hotel that I could actually afford myself. I picked the Courtyard Marriott Paveletskaya which has amazing views over the city. It is a multi story hotel with huge glass windows.
It has 360 degree views of the city, comfortable beds and a nice shower room. I loved every minute in the hotel! Since I am a silver member I got a room on the 14th floor, away from the lift with spectacular views!
The girl that checked me in was Oksana, the super recognizer. It is quite a funny story in itself. A year later I came to Moscow again but stayed at another Marriott where she transferred by then and she recognized me!
The Marriott Royal Aurora
My second visit to Russia in May 2015 was again to attend another conference. I gave a speech and following the event I extended my stay. This time I stayed at the Marriott Royal Aurora, paid by the company again.
The Royal Aurora is in a great location and the staff were very friendly, although the views weren’t nearly as good as from the Courtyard in December. If I can I try to stay at a Marriott hotels unless the conference hotel is better or cheaper.
The reason for this is that they are very good hotels, consistently good quality and not extortionately priced. They also have an amazing loyalty program. Thanks to my line of work I travel quite a lot and it so happens that these conferences are regularly in nice hotels. I view this as a bonus of the work – not everyone can stay in these nice places and travel the world!
The Courtyard by Marriott Moscow City Center
The 2015 conference organizers invited me back to give another speech at the Baltschug in 2016 so off I went! The Kempinski is quite an expensive place so instead I stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Moscow City Center.
Although the Kempinski experience was great, I cannot say it is worth four times the cost of a Courtyard or even the Royal Aurora. The cost of the stay at the Kempinski was nearly £300 a night, whereas the Courtyard in the City Center was £75 and I slept even better!
When I check into a room I always look at the carpet and the Kempinski had worn out carpets, whereas the Courtyard was fresh and clean. Of course, the Courtyard is a relatively new hotel, but still. Hopefully some day I can stop being a hotel inspector and just enjoy a stay, but these little things do mean a lot!
Visiting St Petersburg in Russia
The fastest and easiest way to get to St Petersburg from Moscow is by the Sapsan high speed train. Flying is an absolute hassle and the Sapsan train only takes about 3 hours, so it’s a no-brainer.
Both terminals are bang in the city center and the tickets are not expensive either. So if you are spending 7-10 days in Moscow you can easily fit in two or three days in St Petersburg.
Food and accommodation is far cheaper up north and if you go in June the White Nights Festival will offer plenty of activities. Regardless of when you visit there is plenty of things to do. In my three days I visited these museums:
- The Hermitage
- The Menshikov Palace
- Peter and Paul Fortress
- The Museum of the Defense and Siege of Leningrad
This video below shows you the ride from St Petersburg to Moscow, but it’s the same either direction!
St Petersburg Metro Tour
The St Petersburg Metro is the second largest in Russia after Moscow Metro. It is not as ornate as Moscow’s Metro but it is still interesting and worth a visit. Also, some of the tourist sites are far from each other so using the metro will save time.
Tickets cost next to nothing and the system is very modern with magnetic entry cards.
Cycling Around St Petersburg
Cycling around St Petersburg will help you cover a much larger area than you would be able to on foot. St Petersburg is a pretty big city and while you can see much of the historic sector on foot it is good to rent a bike for at least one day. I spent three days there and for the first two days I walked around the canals and visited some museums.
Itinerary for Cycling Around St Petersburg
- Cycle to Monastryskiy O.
- Roll down along Obvodniy Channel back into the city center
- Cross the city on Moskovskiy Avenue
- Cycle along any of the canals to Palace Square
- Cross Liteyniiy Bridge to visit Lenin Square
- Go across Sampsoniyevskiy Bridge to St Petersburg Mosque (blue building on video)
- Go around Peter and Paul Fortress
- Take bike back to Skatprokat near Moskovskiy Voksal
Then on my third day I rented a bicycle from Skatprokat Bike Rentals. They are very flexible and low cost, right next to the train station. And if you don’t want to cycle on your own they also organize bicycle tours of St Petersburg. Being a lonely spirit I opted for renting a bike on my own.
St Petersburg – Gardens and The Hermitage
St Petersburg is not only famous for its canals but also its gardens. On almost every corner there is a large or small garden with well-kept lawns and flower beds. I walked between Mikhailovksy Garden and Palace Square (Hermitage). On the way there I also stopped at the Summer Gardens and the Field of Mars.
St Petersburg Canal Walk and Stately Parks
This St Petersburg Canal walk will take you from Palace Square (the Hermitage) to St Petersburg’s less visited side. You will walk along Aleksandrovsky Sad, the Admiralty Embankment, Nikolsky Sad, past Fontanka River and finally Polsky Sad.
This is a slightly more unusual route but it will give you a taste of quieter streets in St Petersburg. Some of the largest private palaces used to be in this area as well, so don’t miss it off your itinerary.
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in St Petersburg’s is next door to the Hermitage. Once you are done with the museum go and have lunch along the embankment leading up to the church.
After lunch you can go and have a look inside the church and then walk around Mikhailovsky Park. The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is where they used to crown the tsar so it is pretty important in the city’s history.