Moscow was my place of choice for an Eastern European city-break. I arrived in Moscow back in May for a long weekend getaway, was met by my driver and transferred to Metrople Hotel in the very centre of the city. Driving in Moscow is an experience and an art in itself. Skillful drivers navigate through the busy streets and know the shortcuts to get you to your destination as soon as possible. Even past midnight, it felt like a rush hour! After the madness of Moscow traffic, arriving at the Hotel Metropole felt like finding an oasis. The hotel is situated in a beautiful Art Nouveau building with marble floors, high ceilings and grand chandeliers. The highlight of the hotel is its stately Metropole restaurant, with a 20 metre high stained-glass ceiling and a central fountain. The location is great for exploration of Moscow – Bolshoi Theatre is across the street and the Red Square just few minutes’ walk away.
The next day I embarked on a tour through the magical city, seeing sites including the Red Square, home to the magnificent St Basil’s Cathedral (one of the Seven Wonders of Russia), the Kremlin, the Tsar Bell and the Novodevichy Convent, to name a few. All of the sites are architectural or historical gems – worth every minute!
Visiting the Kremlin Palace situated within the Kremlin grounds was an honour and a highlight of my trip. Access to the Kremlin Palace is limited and must be arranged several months in advance and, even then, security will closely examine your documents, bags and follow you and your guide throughout the tour. Formerly, Kremlin Palace was the Tsar’s Moscow residence and nowadays it has been used for receptions and official ceremonies.  The Palace has five generously decorated reception halls and upstairs is a surprising part – medieval quarters with low ceilings, historic wooden furnishings, tiled stoves  and walls and ceilings painted with Russian patterns.
Another highlight within the Kremlin grounds is the Armoury museum housing tsar costumes, carriages, Fabergé eggs and many other exhibits. Seeing the beautiful cathedrals dotted around the city, plated with an array of colours, was truly different to any other country I have visited.
To make the most of my trip, in the evenings I headed out for strolls around the city. May evenings were warm and many people were out and enjoying the city. The famous Moscow shopping centre GUM had a striking resemblance with the Harrods lights and St. Basil’s resembled a fairytale cathedral with all the lights and colours. Passing through the Red Square I crossed the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge and had a great view of the Red Square and the Kremlin from the other side of the river. Following the Kremlin wall I turned back on Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge and had a great view of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour – the tallest Orthodox Christian church in the world, and could compete for the most beautiful. It’s gold roofs are stunning. It took me about 2 hours to walk leisurely all the way around the Kremlin with some lovely picture stops and iconic views of Moscow seen so often in the news, guidebooks and on postcards.
After a little sleep, I had my breakfast at the Hotel Metropole restaurant with a harp playing in the background and soon was ready to continue discovering the city. For the panoramic view of Moscow, I visited the Sparrow Hills by the Moskva River as well as a  slightly different site. The Ostankino Tower is a 540.1 metre tall radio and television tower and to this date is the highest freestanding structure in Europe and Asia. If you wish to enjoy the panoramic views of the city in comfort, head for the bar and restaurant on the top floors of the Radisson Royal Hotel situated in one of the Seven Sisters (Stalinist skyscrapers). From the Radisson Royal Hotel I boarded a 2 hour river cruise and enjoyed the city from the water while having lunch onboard.
For those interested in art, the Tretyakov Art Gallery is an option to visit, where the gallery’s architecture is just as beautiful as the fine art inside.
I have always been curious to see the picturesque St. Basil’s cathedral from the inside and on the last day  I had a bit of time before my departure and headed back to the Red Square. Tickets for the cathedral cost 250 Roubles (~ £ 5) and can be purchased from the kiosk at the entrance. The inside of the cathedral is surprisingly small, but very traditional with icons and a male quartet singing to promote their CD. The acoustics were amazing! After this experience, I had a quick lunch of coffee and blini at the GUM and headed back to the hotel for my return transfer. The driver was very punctual and with 4 hours left till my flight, he said with a worried  smile – I hope we’ll make it! As we left the hotel, I understood what he meant, traffic was a nightmare but, the same as upon arrival, the drivers know their way around the city and after a journey through some residential areas with block houses from the Soviet times we were back on the highway heading for the airport and reached it with time to spare.
I found Moscow very clean, green, exciting, adventurous and romantic city. It was my third city break to Moscow, but the one where I saw the most and enjoyed the guided tours as well as my free time. The end of May was great time to visit and now with easyJet flying to Moscow twice a day, it is also more affordable!
Authors: Daina Kontrima and Emilie Ozols
Author – Emilie Ozols – Daina Kontrima