Russia is a place that we haven’t made it to thus far, but it is certainly a place we plan on going to one day. If I had to guess, I would bet we would end up probably going in the summer to enjoy those long nights of sunshine that Russia is famous for and enjoy some (hopefully) warmer temperatures. Being the largest country by area in the world, where do you start?! Well, I think you have to start in the metropolis of Moscow, and I am pretty sure this would be our first stop. Here are a few things I think we’d both like to do or see in Moscow.
Red Square
Red Square is the absolute epicenter of Moscow tourism and likely the first place we would start our sightseeing. In fact, it would be fabulous if the hotel where we were staying was near Red Square so we could just stroll over after check in. Seeing Lenin’s Mausoleum and the Kremlin’s long red brick walls sound fabulous, but the highlight of the area for me would be without a doubt St. Basil Cathedral. This Cathedral is one of the most unique I have ever seen (online only so far), and its colorful mushroom-topped domes are the symbol of the entire city of Moscow if not the entire country.
Metro Stations
I know it may sound funny, but I really want to see the Metro Stations in Moscow. Oh sure, we will probably ride the metro once or twice while we are down there, but just admiring them has to be almost as fun. I mean, these metro stations have to be the most beautiful in the world – many of the stations are filled with ornate decorations and chandeliers that look straight out of a symphony hall not a subway stop.
Hockey
Being home to a few KHL teams, catching a hockey game would be a fun thing to do when in Moscow. Of course, we would have to come in winter to enjoy this activity, so it may have to wait until our second trip. Many of the teams have Russian players that could play in the NHL but choose to stay home and play for their local league. The prime example of this is Illya Kovalchuk, one of the biggest stars in the NHL who chose to walk away just last year to return home and play in the KHL. It will be interesting to see how the atmosphere would be different compared to the NHL games we have been to in St. Louis.
Gorky Park
Every big city has to have a signature park to take a stroll in and experience nature in the middle of the concrete jungle, and Gorky Park is that park in Moscow. Gorky Park had actually fallen in to a state of disrepair until 2011 when it was renovated and instantly became more of a trendy hotspot as at anytime in its past. The rides were renovated too and the park now features free WiFi, which is always a good thing for people like us who like to be constantly connected.
Photo credit: gorky park
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