things to do in moscow?

[vee]

Hi There,
Would like any recommendations on things to do in Moscow now that the weather is getting warmer! Any info on parks, day trips, eating places, shows etc would be appreciated.
Thanks

[Dr_Woland]

Moscow doesn't really have great parks - in fact, Russia generally does not "do" parks very well!! But there's a reason - there is so much open space which does not belong to anyone in Russia, that city-dwellers like to get outside the city when it gets hot, and go to rivers, forests, etc.

Best of all, they like to go to a dacha - a little wooden house in the countryside (or, depending on your view, a huge fortified castle with guard-dogs in Barvikha...). So you need to find some friends, who have a dacha! If not, you can go to a "Dom Otdykha", a kind of downscale rural guesthouse - some can be good, many are not...

But say you don't have access to either...

... there are a few parks in Moscow to try. You can go to Kolomenskoe (metro has same name), it has some old wooden buildings, an old church etc, although the former wooden palace there burnt-down long ago. Take a picnic, not much to eat locally!

"Gorky Park" is only known by this name in English - to Muscovites it's "Park Kultury". This is more of a funfair than a park, but there are some good rides there, people having fun, all quite harmless amusement.

There are quite a lot of smaller parks in the further reaches of Moscow. I live near one, which is quite ok, but I can't suggest you make a special trip only to see it!

There's also a river beach, if you want to try it! Unfortunately they closed the best swimming pool to build a cathedral :-(

Excursions? Well, are you ready for what Russians call "Elektrichka"?? :-) Official translation = suburban train. Unofficial translation = sardine-can on wheels, in which your uncomfortable journey is "improved" by mad people shouting to you about the batteries/timetables/egg-timers/camera-films etc they have on sale.

If you can live with the elektrichka (tip - be ready near the platform to run on board and grab a seat as soon as they open the doors!) then there are lots of places you can go! Kolomna is very pretty. Sergiev Posad (formerly "Zagorsk") is a nice trip too.

If you go to Vladimir, there is now a high-quality electrichka with reserved seating and nice conditions on board, only 2 hours to the "Golden Ring". If you go, then take a taxi (40 mins) to the museum-town of Suzdal - really nice! There is a return elektrichka in the evening.

Prices on transport like elektrichka and buses are still very low. There are lots of places you can go by bus, too. The main Moscow bus station is at Sholkovskaya metro, and it was recently rebuilt, now like an international airport inside, even clean toilets! The buses didn't change, though!

If you just want somewhere nice to go for a picnic on the Moscow metro, go to Sportivnaya Metro, and walk to nearby Novodevichy Convent (C!6th). The Convent is beautiful inside! After, take your picnic to the lovely lakeside park behind the convent.

The Moscow Times (freesheet) has some listings (on Fridays) about reputable places to go. the eXile (freesh*t) has longer listings of disreputable places to go :-)

Dr W.

[Dr_Woland]

Moscow doesn't really have great parks - in fact, Russia generally does not "do" parks very well!! But there's a reason - there is so much open space which does not belong to anyone in Russia, that city-dwellers like to get outside the city when it gets hot, and go to rivers, forests, etc.

Best of all, they like to go to a dacha - a little wooden house in the countryside (or, depending on your view, a huge fortified castle with guard-dogs in Barvikha...). So you need to find some friends, who have a dacha! If not, you can go to a "Dom Otdykha", a kind of downscale rural guesthouse - some can be good, many are not...

But say you don't have access to either...

... there are a few parks in Moscow to try. You can go to Kolomenskoe (metro has same name), it has some old wooden buildings, an old church etc, although the former wooden palace there burnt-down long ago. Take a picnic, not much to eat locally!

"Gorky Park" is only known by this name in English - to Muscovites it's "Park Kultury". This is more of a funfair than a park, but there are some good rides there, people having fun, all quite harmless amusement.

There are quite a lot of smaller parks in the further reaches of Moscow. I live near one, which is quite ok, but I can't suggest you make a special trip only to see it!

There's also a river beach, if you want to try it! Unfortunately they closed the best swimming pool to build a cathedral :-(

Excursions? Well, are you ready for what Russians call "Elektrichka"?? :-) Official translation = suburban train. Unofficial translation = sardine-can on wheels, in which your uncomfortable journey is "improved" by mad people shouting to you about the batteries/timetables/egg-timers/camera-films etc they have on sale.

If you can live with the elektrichka (tip - be ready near the platform to run on board and grab a seat as soon as they open the doors!) then there are lots of places you can go! Kolomna is very pretty. Sergiev Posad (formerly "Zagorsk") is a nice trip too.

If you go to Vladimir, there is now a high-quality electrichka with reserved seating and nice conditions on board, only 2 hours to the "Golden Ring". If you go, then take a taxi (40 mins) to the museum-town of Suzdal - really nice! There is a return elektrichka in the evening.

Prices on transport like elektrichka and buses are still very low. There are lots of places you can go by bus, too. The main Moscow bus station is at Sholkovskaya metro, and it was recently rebuilt, now like an international airport inside, even clean toilets! The buses didn't change, though!

If you just want somewhere nice to go for a picnic on the Moscow metro, go to Sportivnaya Metro, and walk to nearby Novodevichy Convent (C!6th). The Convent is beautiful inside! After, take your picnic to the lovely lakeside park behind the convent.

The Moscow Times (freesheet) has some listings (on Fridays) about reputable places to go. the eXile (freesh*t) has longer listings of disreputable places to go :-)

Dr W.

[Homenuck]

One day (after a LONG walk) I found myself between Universitet and Sportivnaya metro stations... yes, at the unfinished metro station at the river.

I couldn't believe that such a nice wooded area was located in Moscow. It's a very nice walk, with steep hills going down towards the river. You can continue down to Neskuchny Sad and there's a metro station nearby to take you back home, as well.

Dave

[Acanthia]

Yes, Dave! Now you're talking!!!

I wouldn't agree that Moscow does not have good parks, I'd rather say that the purpose of North American parks vs. Russian parks is different.

What I would suggest, if you like nature walks, is to go to the Moscow State University. Its' area is filled with parks of different appointment. Hohlova Street & Mendeleeva Street conceal a huge Botanic Garden, which is open to the visitors most of the times in Summer.

If you drive (walk?) along the alley of the Mendeleeva Street (away from Lomonosovskii Pr-t), you will eventually walk into a small grove. (It even has a civilized washroom in it somewhere!)

If you turn right at the crossroads (either at Kosygina Street, or at the first one that leads to the Main Entrance to the Moscow State University), you'll walk right up to the "Smotrovaja ploschadka" with the view on the Moscow River. There is a charming groove there that ends at the rivershore. Across it, there's a 'Sport Complex'...

Ahh,.. Moscow, Moscow!..

-==she deepens into her own thoughts..==-

Acanthia.

------------------
Now, children it's time for recess, please roll up your sleeves.