Moscow in 3 days: How to spend a perfect weekend in the Russian capital

The classic first-day route — the historic center. Give it a full day without rushing.

Morning

Start at Alexander Garden — get to the Kremlin while crowds are still thin (Kremlin opens at 10:00). Buy tickets in advance on the official site: entry with museums is 1000-1500 rubles (~$12-18). Must-sees inside: Armoury Chamber (separate ticket ~$12, worth it for the carriages and Monomakh's Cap), Assumption Cathedral, Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell.

Breakfast: cafe Shokoladnitsa or Coffeemania near Alexandrovsky Sad metro. Or grab something from Azbuka Vkusa and eat on a bench in Alexander Garden — the views are worth it.

Afternoon

Red Square — walk from the Iverian Gates to the Execution Place. Saint Basil's Cathedral (entry ~$6) is unexpectedly small inside and very photogenic. If the queue is short, go in.

Zaryadye Park sits right behind Red Square. Striking architecture, a floating bridge over the Moskva River. Free entry. The best view of the Kremlin from the water is from here.

Lunch: Voskhod in Zaryadye (Varvarka St., 6) — Soviet-themed, excellent dumplings and borscht. Or a cafe right in the park.

Evening

In the evening walk down Nikolskaya Street and Kuznetsky Most — a pedestrian zone with shops and cafes. Dinner at Chito-Gvrito (Malaya Dmitrovka St., 6) — Georgian cuisine, khinkali, khachapuri and wine in a lively setting.

A day of culture and walks down the city's most famous streets.

Morning

State Tretyakov Gallery (Lavrushinsky Lane, 10) — get there by 10:00 before the crowds. Book tickets online in advance — ~$7. Three hours minimum: Vasnetsov's Bogatyrs, Ivanov's Appearance of Christ Before the People, Vrubel, all of Repin. Nearby — Tretyakov on Krymsky Val (Krymsky Val St., 10) — 20th and 21st century art, separate entry.

Breakfast: Coffee Bean on Bolshaya Ordynka or Sladkoezhka in Zamoskvorechye with syrniki and porridge.

Afternoon

Patriarch's Ponds — a cult spot for Muscovites. A small square with a pond, surrounded by beautiful pre-revolutionary mansions, cafes and restaurants. This is where Bulgakov's Master and Margarita opens. Nearby is the Bad Apartment (Bolshaya Sadovaya St., 10, apt. 50) — the Bulgakov Museum, free entry.

Lunch: Björn (Pyatnitskaya St., 3/4) — new Scandinavian cuisine with venison and fish, or Syrovarnya (Badaevsky Brewery) — cheese-focused menu and author cuisine. Classic Moscow brunch format.

Evening

Old Arbat — a pedestrian street with artists, musicians and souvenir stalls. Not the most authentic spot, but the most photogenic. Then dinner at Khinkalnaya No. 1 (Arbat St., 30) or Mamalyga — Georgian cuisine steps from the Arbat.

The last day — modern Moscow: the best park, a contemporary art museum and dinner with a view of the city.

Morning

Gorky Park (Krymsky Val St., 9) opens at 8:00. In the morning Muscovites run and bike here. Rent a bike (~$3-5/hour) and ride to Neskuchny Garden — quiet, almost no tourists. The view of the Moskva River from Neskuchny Hill is excellent.

Breakfast: Pioner cafe inside Gorky Park — open terrace, coffee and breakfast with Moscow flair.

Afternoon

Garage Museum (Gorky Park, 9/32) — Moscow's premier contemporary art museum. Exhibitions rotate; always interesting. Entry ~$7-10. Rem Koolhaas adapted a Soviet pavilion into a minimalist space. The museum bookstore is the best in Moscow for art and architecture titles.

Lunch: Museum Cafe at Garage — solid food, photogenic interior. Or Sadovnitsa right on the river in Gorky Park.

Evening

For a farewell view, head to White Rabbit (16th floor, Smolenskaya Square, 3). Vladimir Mukhin's restaurant with author Russian cuisine — the highest-rated restaurant in Moscow on most lists. Book 2-3 weeks ahead. Sunset over the city with views of the Garden Ring and skyscrapers — unforgettable. Average bill for two: $95-180.