Moscow

Good to know

1. 1Red Square sits beside the Kremlin, the old fortified centre of government, and St Basil's Cathedral with its colourful onion domes stands at its southern end.
2. 2The Moscow Metro opened in 1935 and many of its older stations are decorated with marble, mosaics, chandeliers and statues, so riding it is a sight in itself.
3. 3The city lies on the Moskva River and is laid out in rings, with the Kremlin at the middle and major roads circling outward from it.
4. 4Russian is the language, written in the Cyrillic alphabet. Learning to read the letters, even slowly, makes signs and metro maps far easier to follow.
5. 5The Bolshoi Theatre is one of the best-known homes of ballet and opera in the world, and the Tretyakov Gallery holds a great collection of Russian art.
6. 6Food here leans on soups such as borscht and shchi, dumplings like pelmeni, blini with various fillings, and plenty of rye bread. The currency is the rouble.

Tips for a first visit

• Learn the Cyrillic alphabet before you go. Metro station names are shown in Cyrillic, and being able to match letters will save you a lot of confusion.
• Use the metro for most trips across the city, as it is fast and runs frequently. Avoid relying on road transport at rush hour, when traffic can be very heavy.
• Dress in layers and bring good walking shoes, since sightseeing here means a lot of time on foot and moving between cold streets and warm buildings.
• Try pelmeni, blini, borscht and a pastry such as pirozhki at a casual café or canteen-style place, which is often cheaper and more relaxed than a formal restaurant.
• Take off your coat in museums and theatres, where there is usually a cloakroom, and don't be surprised if you are asked to leave a large bag there too.
• Carry a little patience for formalities. Service can seem brisk and unsmiling at first, which is usually just a local style and not unfriendliness.

When to go

Summer is warm and the days are very long, which suits parks and river walks, though it can turn hot. Autumn is cooler and golden in the parks, while winter is cold and snowy with short days, and it gives the city a striking look under snow. Spring is a slow thaw and can be muddy early on, then turns pleasant by late spring.

From the airport

Moscow has several airports, with Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo being the main ones. From each, the usual way into the centre is an express train that runs to a central station, which takes roughly 30 to 50 minutes depending on the airport. Taxis and buses linking to the metro are also options, but road travel takes longer when traffic is heavy.