Cathedrals, palaces, museums, art galleries, old streets… Moscow is huge, and it can feel overwhelming for first-time visitors. So, what are the must-see places you shouldn’t miss?
After dozens of trips to Russia’s capital, I’ve narrowed it down to 19 essential places every first-time visitor should see (IMO), perfect for a 3-day itinerary.
Disclaimer: This list is deliberately short. Let’s be realistic: you probably don’t have weeks to visit every onion-domed church or weird museum in the city.
Last updated : 08/12/2025
📍 Practical guide for visiting Moscow
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1. Red Square
One of the most iconic squares in the world and a UNESCO site. It’s basically a “5-in-1” where you can see Moscow highlights: the Kremlin, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin’s Mausoleum, the State Historical Museum, and the GUM.
Fun fact: the name originally meant “beautiful square” (red & beautiful are the same word in Russian), so nothing to do with Soviet red. Back in the day, the Kremlin was wooden. It burned multiple times, and in the 15th century it was rebuilt in red bricks.
If that’s your thing, you can have a look at Lenin’s Mausoleum. The body of the Bolshevik Revolution’s leader has been on display since 1930. Stalin used to lie next to him, but he’s long gone for obvious reasons. (I’ve never been inside, so I can’t tell you how he looks in 2025 😅)
2. Saint Basil’s Cathedral
By far the most iconic onion dome church in the world, the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed by its full name was built in the mid 16th century by order of Ivan The Terrible to mark the conquest of the Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan.
A local legend says that lovely Ivan blinded one of the architects so that he could not replicate such pretty church.
📍 Daily from 10am to 6pm | 700 to 1000₽ depending on season | Official website
3. GUM
Located across Red Square from the Kremlin, this 19th-century department store originally housed street vendors. Under Stalin, shops were replaced by offices. Today, it’s a mix of trendy and luxury brands.
A great spot to see how Western brands left Russia after 2022 sanctions … spoiler alert, they didn’t.
📍 Open daily from 10am to 9pm | Official website
4. State Historical museum
The State Historical museum is one of the best museum in the country in my opinion. It has an incredible collections of millions artifacts from every corner of Russia : traditional costums, paintings, manuscripts, jewelleries … from Siberian people to the Romanov disnaty.
If there’s only one museum in Moscow you should see, this is it ! I absolutely love the imperial jewleries display, it’s stunning (and super secure, nothing like the Louvres, there were armed security in the room and pictures were prohibited last time I was there).
📍 Open daily from 10am to 9pm | 800₽ | Official website
5. The Kremlin
Moscow’s Kremlin is by far the most famous in Russia (yes, there are quite a few Kremlins around the country). It’s a 28ha citadel/fortress surrounded by high walls next to the Moskva river. The very first foundations of today’s city.
Within its walls you will find 3 cathedrals, 2 churches, the Tsar’s bell and a few museums. Parts of the Kremlin are not open to visitors, there are governments offices. The State Duma is located elsewhere and Putin doesn’t live there.
📍 Open from 9.30am to 6pm (10am to 5pm in winter) – Thursday off | Tickets start at 700 – 1000₽ | Official website
6. Kafe Pushkin
Opened in 1999 and named after the famous Russian poet, it’s in a baroque mansion from the 18th century on Tverskoy Boulevard.
Coffee is surprisingly affordable; full meals can go 50–100€/person. French-Russian cuisine, stunning 19th-century interiors, and my favorite: the library area (open during the day only).
Note: as a French person, the desserts are overpriced, I’m telling you, but if you have a sweet tooth, check out the pastry shop nearby. And if you like grand dinner settings and have the budget, the Savoy Hotel’s restaurant is gorgeous!
📍 Monday to Wednesday 9am to midnight – Thursday to Sunday 24/7 | Official website
7. Varvarka street
Yes, Arbat Street is the one everyone recommends: old pedestrian street full of restaurants, souvenir shops, and street performers.
Too touristy for my taste. I much prefer Varvarka Street right next to Red Square: one of the oldest streets in Moscow, quieter, and full of little churches, old architecture, and hidden corners to explore.
8. Nikolskaya Street & Tretyakov Passage
Dating back to the 13th century, Nikolskaya is one of Moscow’s oldest streets — once the city’s spiritual and intellectual heart. It was home to monasteries, schools, and Moscow’s first printing house (1553) under Ivan the Terrible, where the earliest Russian books were produced.
Pedestrianized in 2013, it’s now a lively promenade with cafés, façades from different eras, and its famous fairy-light canopy that turns the street into a glowing tunnel at night.
Just off Nikolskaya, don’t miss Tretyakovsky Passage — built in the 1870s and financed by the Tretyakov brothers (yes, the art gallery family). This short luxury lane was created as a merchant shortcut, and its neo-Gothic arch marks where it once pierced the old Kitai-Gorod wall — not medieval as many assume, but a stylish 19th-century statement.
9. The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
One of the tallest Christian Orthodox church in the world standing at 103 meters. This is the most important cathederal in the city and the seat of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus’.
It’s architecture is inspired by the Hagia Sophia cathedral (today Grand Mosque) in Istanbul.
Stalin ordered its destruction with explosives in 1931. He planned on building a huge “Palace of the Soviets” instead (he ambitionned to be the tallest building in the world) but the project was never completed due to WWII.
Khruchtchev turned the empty place into a swimming pool and finally after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the governement deciced to rebuilt the cathedral in 2000.
There is an exhibition inside with pictures of the demolition etc and there is an awesome panoramic view of Moscow from the domes.
I last visited it in October 2025: The exterior were under repair, ladders and scaffolding visible. Still worth it!
📍 Open daily from 8am to 6pm (later in the summer) | free entrance | Official website
10. Moscow metro
Moscow’s metro is an underground museum. It has over 200 stations, each of them with a unique interior built around a theme. Stalin called it the “palaces of the people”. The most stunning metro in the world for sure.
Tours are organised to visit some of the prettiest and most popular stations but you can also visit it buy yourself for the price of a single metro ticket.
Check out my self guided tour guide around Moscow’s metro.
11. The Bolshoi theatre
There is no better place to see a Tchaikovsky or Khachaturian ballet than the Bolshoi theatre ! Alright, maybe the Mariinsky in Saint Petersburg is an equally good place.
It was built on the foundations of the Petrovsky theatre at the beginning of the 19th century and today’s Bolshoi compagny is one of the most prominent ballet and opera compagnies in the world.
Don’t miss out the opportunity to see a beautiful ballet in a stunning interior.
12. The Tretyakov gallery
The galllery was created in 1856 by Pavel Tretyakov in his family house. He gifted it to the city of Moscow some 30 years later. It hosts the world’s largest collection of russian paintings and icons.
A insane art collection where you can admire centuries of art by russian artists such as I. Shishkin, V. Vasnetsov, I. Levitan, A. Rublev, I. Aivazovsky (I’m a huge fan) and many others.
Note : there are 2 different builings : The Tretyakov gallery which is the original one and New Tretyakov located elsewhere. If you wish to see a particular painting, make sure you’re at the right place.
13. VDNKh
The “Exhibition of the Achievements of the National Economy” is a +200ha Soviet park to show off the industrial, spacial, agricultural and more achievments of the USSR. There are also plenty of pavillions representing the Soviet republics.
At the top of the giant main entrance arch you can see the statue of The worker and Kolkhoz woman holding a sheaf of wheat, inside the park look for the iconic fountain of the Friendship of Peoples with sculptures of 16 girls wearing national costumes.
There are also a Space museum etc and the park offers plenty of exhibitions and events all year around (check the VDNKh’s website).
Extras I love:
– If you’re looking for a real Pavlovsky Passad Russian scarf, check out this shop inside the RM shopping center right next to VDNKh: amazing selection, the shop lady is lovely and very patient
– Vintage shop next door: I spotted Lenin and Stalin Soviet trinkets
📍 open 24/7 except pavillions/museums from 10am to 9pm on average + free entrance to the park | Official website
14. The Izmailovsky Kremlin
Izmailovo Kremlin is a cutural complex, a 21st century replica a of 14th to 17th centuries Moscow historical wooden buildings. There are plenty of entertainments in Izmailovo : dozens of small museums including one about vodka’s history, cafés and food stalls selling russian pastries made from old recipes …
There are also two markets within the walls (9am to 5pm) :
1. the Izmailovsky Vernisazh where to buy traditional russian crafs like Gzhel porcelain, Khokhloma wodden furnitures or Palekh laquer boxes.
2. The Izmailovsky flea market for overpriced matryoshka dolls, Central Asian and Caucasian rugs, Soviet posters or just about anything you want as a souvenir.
Don’t be surprised if you see a wedding. there is a registry office within the Kremlin.
📍 8am to 9pm daily | Free entrance to the Kremlin and markets but not the museums – average 250P | Official website
15. Novodevichy Convent & Cemetery
The Novodevichy Convent is a fortified religious complex dating from the 16th century. It is a UNESCO sight with 14 buildings wich 8 of them are cathedrals.
The women of the Tsar’s family and Moscow’s aristocracy took the veil in the convent and the cemetery within its walls is the burial place of many political and noble figures of those days.
Next to the convent is the Novodevichy cemetery, this is the Moscow equivalent of Le Père Lachaise in Paris or Highgate cemetery in London.
It’s the final resting place of many famous political leaders, musicians and writters such as Gorbatchev, Krutchev, Yelstin, Chekhov, Shostakovitch, Prokofiev, Gogol …
There are some 26 000 burials on 7.5ha. Many carved stonegraves, mausoleums and scuptures.
(Official website)
📍 Open from 7am to 7pm | free entrance | Official website
16. The Cathedral Mosque of Moscow
Many forget or might not know that the second religion in Russia is Islam. The original mosque was built in 1904 by the Tatar community but this splendid building fully replaced the old one in 2015.
This is one of the largest mosque in Europe (#1 is Shali’s in Chechnya). There are obvious influences of Kazan’s Kremlin and onion domes of Orthodox Christian churches in its architecture.
There’s a small museum of Islam and even a halal food shop on the spot.
📍 visit outside prayer time, dress appropriatly, shoes off, different entrance for men & women | free including the museum | Official website
17. Bunker-42
The 1951 bunker was a 7000m² secret military complex hidden 65 meters deep in a regular looking building in the very center of Moscow. A couple of thousands of people used to work there.
Today it’s a really unique museum about the Cold War and you can even have food at the Bunker’s restaurant.
📍 open daily from 10am to 9pm | Prices start at 30€ | Official wesbite
18. Tsaritsyno palace
For some reason this place never make it to the list of most but I love it. Tsaritsyno was founded by Catherine the Great as her Moscow countryside house, but never finished in her lifetime. In fact its contrcution ended only in 2007, according to the initial plans.
The palace was designed by Russian architects in a Pseudo-Gothic style in a 400ha park. This is the only one in Europe built in this style. It is truely splendid !
Today it’s a museum and Nature Reserve with grand & small palaces, three orangeries, an opera house, a Cavalry building and a Bread House.
Note : it’s located in the very south of Moscow but it’s easily accessible by metro from the city center.
📍 Park opens daily from 6am to midnight / Palace opens from tuesday to sunday 10am to 8pm | free entrance to the park / 1120₽ for palace etc. | Official website
19. Viewing platform at Zaryadye Park
Zaryadye park is a modern park with a floating bridge and panoramic views of the Kremlin & the Moskva River. Great spot for sunset photos, and the landscaping inside the park is impressive with small gardens representing different Russian climates. You can grab a coffee from the park café and enjoy the view.
Bonus: 20. Zabelina street
I love this little-known street next to Kitai-Gorod. Amazing view from St. Vladimir Church. Perfect for photos & a quiet stroll away from tourists. You won’t feel like you’re in the very center of Moscow.
Going to Saint Petersburg next ? Check out the 19 essential places to visit in Russia’s cultural capital !
