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Russia : Moscow - January 2009

Country Code: Dial + for Russia

Congratulations if you’ve made it to Moscow in the middle of winter – even Napoleon had problems leaving the city! The onion domes of the Kremlin covered in snow are truly breathtaking, and don’t forget to lace up your skates at Park Kultury. Micha Rinkus bundles up and heads out

Getting around

Domodedovo International Airport

Bus: Coaches from Domodedovo station leave every 15 minutes and take 35 minutes to reach the city centre. Tickets cost €1,15/RUB 40.
Train: Trains leave from Domededovo to Paveletskaya train station every 40 minutes, with the journey taking 40 minutes. Tickets cost €5/RUB 180.
Taxi: A journey to the city centre should cost about €43/RUB 1600. The trip takes around an hour.
Tourist information: The main tourist office is at 4 Ulitsa Ilyinka (tel. , www.moscow-city.ru).

PARK KULTURY

Stretching three kilometres along the Moscow River, Park Kultury still barely has enough room to contain all the Muscovites heading there for wintertime recreation.

Culture vultures – Moscow’s historic Park Kultury is flooded in the winter to create a massive ice-skating rink for the public – an unforgettable experience.

Must eat – The golden-horned rhinoceros head mounted on the wall is a quick indicator of how lavish dinner at Ju-Ju (15 Smolensky Bulvar, ) will be. Enjoy a range of grilled meat for no less than €80. At Kasbar (53/6 Ostozhenka Ulitsa, ), top off your Middle Eastern meal with a kalyan (water pipe).

Must drink – It’s hard to say which is more difficult: getting into ultra-exclusive Tvoi Bar No. 1 (32/2 Ostozhenka Ulitsa) or finding the strength to leave before noon the next day.

Dance the night away – The lenient door control and cheap vodka shots at Soviet-themed Vodka Bar (18b Lva Tolstogo Ulitsa) make it perfect for those just passing through town.

KUZNETSKY MOST

There’s history on every block in Kuznetsky Most. Beloved by the beau monde since Tsarist times, this district has treats from every era.

Culture vultures – Dip into history at the Sanduny Baths (14 Neglinnaya Ulitsa), a bathhouse that was formerly the focal point of Moscow high society. Beware novices: the Russians like their banya at scorching temperatures!

Must drink – The Conservatory Lounge (4 Neglinnaya Ulitsa) enjoys an impressive panorama of downtown Moscow from the 10th floor of the Ararat Park Hyatt. Drinking and shopping is a dangerous mix, but may be worth the risk at Chapurin Bar (6/3 Kuznetsky Most), a glitzy boutique/bar launched in October by designer Igor Chapurin.

Shop til you drop – Multi-level toy store Detsky Mir (5 Teatralny Proyezd) hasn’t changed a bit since Soviet times. These days, it’s worth a visit primarily for nostalgic value, although you can still find unique Russian toys here.

PETROVKA ULITSA

Running parallel to busy Tverskaya, Petrovka Ulitsa has ample high-end shopping.

Sleep soundly – The Petrovka district being synonymous with luxury, Marriott Royal Aurora Hotel caters to travellers looking to be spoiled.

Culture vultures – Not all of Petrovka is dedicated to frivolity. Amid the boutiques and cafés, the Gulag Museum (16 Petrovka Ulitsa) stands as a jarring reminder of a painful epoch in Russia’s history.

Must eat – Barashka (20/1 Petrovka Ulitsa, tel. ) distinguishes itself from the multitude of Caucasian restaurants by forgoing overtly ethnic trappings. Its delicious, meat-heavy cuisine speaks for itself.

Shop til you drop – Save your rubles for a spree at Petrovsky Passage (10 Petrovka Ulitsa), a renovated art nouveau shopping arcade full of haute couture boutiques.

ULITSA 1905 GODA

This north-western neighbourhood is steadily developing its own quirky club and restaurant scene.

Sleep soundly – Budget travellers who aren’t prone to seasickness can rest their heads at Alexander Blok . Located on a steamship, it’s a hotel, restaurant and nightclub rolled into one.

Must eat – Salted pork fat, or salo, is a staple of Ukrainian cuisine best enjoyed at the folksy Shinok (2 Ulitsa 1905 Goda, ). Top restaurateur Andrei Dellos’s new project, unpretentious Manon (2 Ulitsa 1905 Goda, ), serves a dependable, French-accented menu.

Dance the night away – A titan of the elitny (elite) club scene, Opera (6 Trekhgorny Val) aspires to glamour but verges on the comical.

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