Moscow

Moscow, on the Moskva River in western Russia, is the nation’s cosmopolitan capital. In its historic core is the Kremlin, a complex that’s home to the president and tsarist treasures in the Armoury. Outside its walls is Red Square, Russia's symbolic center. It's home to Lenin’s Mausoleum, the State Historical Museum's comprehensive collection and St. Basil's Cathedral, known for its colorful, onion-shaped domes.

The Garden Ring district has bars, nightclubs and museums like the Pushkin State Museum, with many Impressionist works, and the State Tretyakov Gallery, specializing in Russian art. Nearby are the Bolshoi Theatre, known for ballet and opera, and Tretyakovsky Proyezd, a street lined with luxury shops. To the north, the Ostankino TV Tower offers panoramic views. Wintertime brings ice-skating to Gorky Park, plus the Russian Winter Festival, featuring music and dance. South of the city center is the open-air architecture museum Kolomenskoye, showcasing a wide range of building types