Postcard from Moscow

It’s only a game. No, it’s not!

The FIFA World Cup is a chance to bring the world to Russia, and for the world to see what we really think. There was a lot more to Moscow than gingerbread castles!

Saint Basil’s Cathedral (1555–61) is a spectacular example of Renaissance Russian architecture.

We were there for the World Cup football. Russia was a bonus, or not, depending on what your views are! We loved every minute of our time there. The city was heaving with colourful football fans, mainly from South America, who gave the place a noisy, happy party atmosphere.

It also meant that unless you were incredibly well organised , (we never are!) getting to see some of the most popular tourist sites, like the Kremlin, Lenin’s memorial and St Basil’s cathedral,  involved massive queues.

We took the view that we would wander, soak up the atmosphere and in between our three football matches, we would get to know the place a little better.

The Church of the Resurrection of the Speaker at the Assumption Vrachke

Moscow was drop dead gorgeous!

Wanna join me for a fun day out? Here are five things you’ll not want to miss in Moscow!

1. Breakfast at Dr Zhivargo, Grand Cafe, National Hotel:  Bldg. 1 ul. Mokhovaya 15 | Hotel National, Moscow 125009, Russia (Tverskaya)  

There can be no better place to start your day overlooking the Kremlin trying to decide whether vodka and caviar for breakfast would be too decadent. The waitresses in their maid’s outfits are renown for their sternness but that’s all part of the fun!

2. Take a walking tour by Moscow Free Tour

It’s a short stroll across the road to the meeting point of the Marshal Zhukov monument for the excellent two and a half hour tour of the area in and around Red Square. The centre of Red Square has been turned into a giant fan zone and football pitch.

You get to walk inside the upmarket GUM Shopping Arcade, where we bought a Russian Ice-cream, some water and tossed some coins at a stern looking loo-lady to enter the immaculately kept toilets!

This is one of those tours where you decide how much to tip the guide. Great tour we loved it

3. Flotilla Radisson Royal cruise – Pier Hotel Ukraina Tarasa Shevchenko Embankment | Gorkiy Park Pier, Pushkin Embankment, Moscow 121248, Russia

We really enjoyed this cruise along the Moskva river where you get to see the beauty and historical centre of Moscow, from a gorgeous purpose built air-conditioned restaurant yacht. It was heavily booked so we took a 3 pm cruise, for a late lunch and afternoon tea.

Moscow was warm in June, and this was a perfect way to see the sights.

4. Mercedes Benz Bar at the top of the Radisson Royal Hotel: Kutuzovskiy ave, 2/1 | Radisson Royal Hotel, 31st floor, Moscow, Russia

I’m all for making things easy and it’s a short stroll up the hill to the Radisson hotel, where at the very top of this elegant hotel you will find the Mercedes Benz bar. For a warm Russian welcome make sure you have booked your table beforehand and be reasonably nicely dressed! It is a pricey drink, but oh so worth it!

What was fabulous about this hotel was that it was a FIFA hotel. Security was high as we were mixing with officials and players in the foyer. No probs with our FAN ID’s dangling round our necks we can mix it with the best of them!

5. A classical music concert at the Moscow Conservatory: Bolshaya Nikitskaya 13, Moscow 125009, Russia

For a must-have Moscow experience, that you will remember forever, how about trying to get tickets for a classical music concert at the Conservatory, failing that sit in the outdoor seating area of the coffee shop next door and eavesdrop! We bought our tickets directly at the ticket office – brilliant!

I was genuinely surprised at how architecturally interesting the city was.  As a young Government and Politics student, fascinated, as we all were, by Communism across the globe, I imagined a city heavily dominated by Soviet Industrial architecture.

The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour stunning example of Russian revival architecture The current church is the second to stand on this site. The original church, built during the 19th century, took more than 40 years to build, it was destroyed by Stalin in 1931 and rebuilt in 2000.

I must have had my head in a Marx or Lenin book, forgetting Imperial Russia and that the Tsars built the most amazing capital and the importance of Russian Revival architecture, recreating past glories.

On every corner there was a wow, on every corner there was a church

on every corner was a cleaner….

Not only was the football side of the FIFA World Cup superbly organised, so was everything else. I had a chuckle at the newly painted grey railings with the red handrail all the way from the airport to the city. Oh yes, I’m sure if Mr Putin says he wants the railings painted, he gets the railings painted. 

Everywhere was spotless, the city was having every pavement literally washed and scrubbed till it looked like marble. There were orange dressed men and women everywhere with matching orange cleaning trucks with massive hosepipes on the back.

The place had been spruced up beautifully for the foreigners… or maybe it is always like this?

In addition, any slightly ugly, or building under construction or renovation was shrouded in a cloth.

The city looked pristine. 

Photos above show the buildings under wraps during renovations

Moscow is full of wide boulevards, big black cars and traffic jams, little squares, hidden churches, ornate cathedrals, splendid Metro stations, an ever-increasing number of very modern skyscrapers, and some giant sculptures

It is a city with an interesting history from medieval Moscow to modern Moscow there is something to see on every corner.

I hope you have enjoyed this little wander with me throughout Moscow. I also hope it’s not too long before I am back in Moscow, we have so much more to see.

Linking with thanks to Maggie at Mosaic Monday and all the hosts at Our World Tuesday