GUM and TUM are the luxury malls, complete with insane architecture, glass ceilings, and $5,000 jackets. Fun to walk through and home to my favorite restaurant, Gastronome No. 1!
Red Square is host to St. Basil’s Cathedral, the only thing anyone knows about Russia, and the Kremlin, where Putin actually works. It’s pretty, and there’s a few cool monuments and activities around. I recommend the fallen soldier flame.
Secret mall? Secret Mall! And home to Burger King! If you come back out to the front of Red Square, facing St. Basil’s, you’ll see a few statues, these raised domes of glass, and a doorway slightly underground. Go inside and experience a 4 story basement of amazingness. Those domes are skylights…
If you haven’t already planned lodging, definitely swing for a decent Moscow hostel. They are cheap, safe, English speaking, and near everything. Here’s my favorite area, which also has the pleasure of being across the street from the first McDonald’s in Russia! McDonald’s is another beast there – good, but expensive.
The tomb is open for a short period each day, only on weekdays (more or less). And people fiend over this. I got there at 6am to find a line over 200 people long.
Prepare by having NOTHING on you except vitals. Try to avoid a phone or jacket. You will be arrested if you try to take pictures inside. Likewise, any possessions you have must be checked in at another building for cash.
If you swing through Vladimir, Novgorod, or even Suzdal, you’re in luck! This is the Golden Ring, the original heart of Russia back in the 800s and 900s. You’ll find tourists, weird peasant life reenactments, and some of the most amazing buildings this side of Italy. Most are Unesco sites.
Even if you don’t get far, peep the Kremlin – the fortress is extremely old and representative.
You like shawarma? Get ready for heaven. Russian street food matches Thailand’s: a full spread of traditional, amazing tastes everywhere. Do not be afraid of appearances – some of the best food is weird looking or inexpensive. I recommend borscht from a good cafeteria hall, pierogi, and shashlik, a kebob-like meat thing.
The meat tower is your new god; there is a place right where the Arbat begins, on the stretch exactly one street over from the huge bookstore. Go there.
During the Soviet era, the government spent millions on building the MOST elaborate train stations in the world. Each one is unique, representing a different aesthetic. Stunning to look at. Take no photos – you will get a fine.
The Metro in Russia is exact. Trains leave every minute in the Circle Line, and crowds are enormous. It is easy to get lost, so plan routes early. Also, train culture is different in Russia – most are dead silent. Do this.
