Moscow - Rusia

Moscow is the barometer and nucleus of the changes sweeping through Russia. Nowhere are Russia's contrasts more apparent than here - ancient monasteries and ultra-modern monoliths stand side by side, and 'New Russian' millionaires and poverty-stricken pensioners walk the same streets.

Moscovites now prefer international name brands to monolithic department stores, and the beautiful churches vandalised or abandoned during the Soviet era of hardline atheism are being lovingly restored. But the real flavour of this city is in its nooks and crannies, each of them unique.

When to go

Moscow's climate really consists of two seasons: winter and summer. Russian winter, if you're prepared, can be adventurous: furs and vodka keep people warm, and snow-covered landscapes are picturesque. A solid snow pack covers the ground from November to March. The lowest recorded temperature is -42°C (-43°F), although it's normally more like -10°C (14°F) for weeks on end. Occasional southerly winds can raise the temperature briefly to a balmy 0°C (32°F). Days are very short.

During the spring thaw - in late March and early April - everything turns to mud and slush. Summer comes fast in May and temperatures are comfortable until well into September. The highest recorded temperature is 39°C (102°F), although on a humid August day you'll swear it's hotter than that. July and August are the warmest months and the main holiday season. Train tickets and accommodation can be difficult to come by during these months, and attractions around Moscow tend to be overrun with visitors. They are also the dampest months in Moscow, with as many as one rainy day in three. Rain showers are brief but thunderstorms can be violent. For these reasons, early summer, with its long days, and early autumn, with its colourful foliage, are many people's favourite seasons.

A Top Day in Moscow

The best days in Moscow start off at Coffee Bean with the Moscow Times . After a leisurely latte, I hop on the metro: I'm off to do some shopping amid the sounds and scents of Dorogomilovsky Market. I buy some fresh fruit and hot pirozhki (pastries) and stash them in my backpack. From Kiev Station, I ride the riverboat along the Moscow River, past the golden domes of Novodevichy Convent and the Stalinist skyscraper at Sparrow Hills, getting off at Gorky Park. Here, among babushkas pushing strollers and lovers kissing on park benches, I find a quiet corner to enjoy my picnic. After lunch, I spend a few hours exploring the art galleries and trolling for treasures in the Central House of Artists. Afterwards, I don't miss the opportunity to stroll around the Sculpture Park, where Lenin and Stalin and Sverdlov have been laid to rest among flower-filled gardens and other whimsical statues. As the sun sets, I walk across Krymsky val and up ulitsa Ostozhenka. For dinner, I have my heart set on the rich, spicy flavours of Georgian food, and that means Tiflis. I sit out on the restaurant's terrace, sipping wine from the house vineyard, and drink a toast to a delightful day in Moscow.

Author: Mara Vorhees