After pickup from your hotel by car or minivan, join your knowledgeable guide for a private tour of Moscow’s highlights. Starting in Red Square, in the heart of the city, look up at the striped onion domes of St Basil’s Cathedral as you learn about the Russian Orthodox Church. From here, see the huge GUM shopping mall and hear about its fascinating history as a former department store.
Your guide will point out Lenin’s Mausoleum, which contains the mummified remains of the Russian political ruler, and show you the modern Moscow Hotel, recently built where the Hotel Moskva long stood. Witness the Changing of the Guards in Alexander Garden and learn how to properly throw coins into the Ruins Grotto for good luck.
Next, catch sight of more famous landmarks, including the Kremlin and the nearby Christ the Savior Cathedral, the country’s main cathedral and the world’s tallest Orthodox church. See the exterior of the walled Novodevichy Convent, built in the Moscow Baroque style, and learn why it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At Victory Park, your guide will tell you about the Great Patriotic War Museum.
Then, head down Boulevard Ring, a beautiful chain of ten avenues in the city center. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to get out for a short stroll and take pictures along the way, including on Arbat Street, a promenade known for its matryoshka dolls and souvenirs.
After you glimpse Moscow State University, the Bolshoi Theater, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the controversial Monument to Peter the Great, take in magnificent views of the city from Sparrow Hills. At the end of your tour, your guide will drop you off at your hotel or any place in the city that you prefer.