Moscow
 

I am going to Moscow for St. Patricks 4 day weekend. I am a solo traveler but that doesn't mean much to me as I have been a solo traveler most of my life.
Aside from the usual Kremlin, Red Square, Gorky Park and such, any ideas on how else to enjoy the city? I will be staying at the Palace hotel so will be centrally located. I have been trying to learn at least some of the language as I usually just start from my hotel and wander aimlessly through the cities I visit.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Check out the information on waytorussia.net

Also you will find information on the Lonely Planet at: http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/thorn/branches.pl

Go to the Eastern Europe Branch or directly to: http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/me...d=0&from=1


General information
Everbrite's personal suggestions for 5 days in Moscow would be as follows:
day 1 - Kremlin including the Amory Museum and the Diamond Fund - this is open on Monday and closed on Thursday.
day 2 - KGB Museum in the morning (this requires reservations - only place I know that offers these tours is Patriarshy Dom and then walk in Kitai Gorod and Red Square in the afternoon. Walk along Tverskaya St.
day 3 - Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery - I know it sounds weird visiting a cemetery but it is very interesting. Lots of famous people buried here and the sculptured headstones and monuments are worth seeing and then out ot the MGU campus and the sparrow hills overlook.
day 4 - Church of Christ the Savior, the Pushkin Art Museum and the Prechistenka/Ostozhenka area, walk up Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street.
day 5 - the Tretyakov Gallery and Zamoskvorechye area. Park of the Fallen Heroes and New Tretyakov Gallery

Optional additional days: one of these estates: Kolomenskoye, Ostankino, Kuskovo if the weather is nice and you want to picnic, a day trip to Sergiev Posad and Abramtsevo. If you are there on a weekend then go to Ismailovo Park metro and the crafts fairgrounds at Vernisazh.

Do a tour of the metro stations.
Take the boat ride during the week from Kievskaya Metro/Vokzal to NovoSpassky Monastery.
If you are there in the summer and enjoy classical music, check out what is performing at Kuskovo or Ostankino, both are interesting venues for performances and were Sheremetevo estates.
Check out the walks offered by Patriarchy Dom.

One of my absolute favorite places to visit in Moscow (besides St. Basils) is Pokalona Gora. It is located in Victory Park and is a wonderful and moving museum of World War two. Its often overlooked by tourists but is a hidden gem.

Arbat Street is something else you may enjoy. A trip to see something at the Bolshoy Theatreor Tchaikovsky Concert Hall would be fun too.

Everything Garfield posted for you looks great and things not to be missed as well...

Have a blast! Moscow is so fascinating.

Thank you very much for your comments. My hotel is Sheraton Palace Hotel just west of the Kremlin, so definitely planning on spending quite a bit of time around that area, sometimes night pics offer a lot more than the daytime ones.
There is a lot to try and get done in 3 days, but am enjoying the idea.
Again, thank you for the hints.

Going to Russia for the 1st time in August. Any advise for us?

Nlingenfel - What city are you headed to? Moscow? St. P?? Other??

I loved the Tretyakov Gallery: all Russian artists, all styles. Beautiful paintings! I think many great Russian artists have been overlooked over the years for various reasons.

Ok, here is something particular one can do visiting Moscow.

There is a club in the centre which is English but other languages are audible as well. It holds meetings on Wednesday and Friday evenings and accounts for about 300 members from, I guess, all continents (well, locals are a majority). It is welcome, friendly, availble for anyone who can afford a 3$ entrance fee and feels like getting the benefits of socializing.

The folk is active and outgoing. Don't worry you are a stranger. Just roll in and join in!

Look for more at: www.mecc.ru