The exciting night in Moscow

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Every city in the world has a story to tell – The story is very different in the night and different during the day ..I was in one of the world’s biggest city – Moscow … and had only a few hours out of my hectic schedule to explore Moscow. I had something like 15 hours before my flight, so I decided I will take a night tour and explore same places in the daytime and click how they look different in day and different in the night.

The charm of this city is different at night. All Major Buildings are beautifully lit up with colorful lights.

To make most out the time  I had in the night, I decided to hire a car tour ( which I cannot even think during day time as the traffic on the streets is very high ).

I started from Tverskaya street, as we passed through the street I could see the buildings beautifully lit up with lights in the night.

During the day same streets look different and boast of major statues which tell the history of Moscow.

First stop was the City center – Red Square. It looked really beautiful during the night as it was nicely lit up and less crowded.

There are a lot of buildings around the red square but the elaborate bright and multicolored domed building of Saint Basil’s Cathedral which can easily be termed as the Icon of Moscow and definitely was the highlight.  It gives a feeling of an Arab Country Landmark but actually is a church and it is beautiful. Today it is UNESCO world heritage site

When I visited Red Square in the morning it was buzzing with tourists.

The clock tower on Kremlin wall is the second best thing on my rating at red square.

Another beautiful sight was Gum department store whose complete boundary is lit up with lights and looked awesome.

Just next to red square is Moskvoretsky bridge, an ideal place to take in a picturesque panoramic view  Moscow and Kremlin, especially during the day.

Next stop was Christ the Savior Cathedral – The biggest Eastern Orthodox Church in the world. The cathedral was built to celebrate the Russian victory in the Napoleonic Wars. Please note – you cannot click pictures inside the church .. but it’s a must visit as it amazingly beautiful.

Next to the church is a beautiful bridge from where one can see the Panoramic view of the city on one side and Red October the chocolate Factory on the other side …with statue of Peter the great !!

Next stop was the impressive building of Moscow State University. The building looks magnanimous from all sides. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to go inside.

Near to the Moscow University is Sparrow Hills one of highest points in Moscow. It gives an excellent panoramic view of the city in dancing lights.

After almost 2 and a half hours of driving and around 11 km of walking, we went to Hotel Ukrania ( Radisson royal now ) which is undoubtedly one of the costliest Hotels in Moscow.  It has beautiful wall and roof mosaic art done inside the lobby.

It has a very beautiful lobby and boasts of the Moscow City’s replica. It is said that Neil Armstrong wanted to buy this replica of Mosco city but he was never allowed to buy it.

During my day visit, I chose Metro over car/taxi. The metro stations are one of the most beautiful stations in the world and depict history and heritage of Russia.

The Moscow metro looks different from subways in other European capitals. Each station has a unique and individual design. The halls are finished with marble and lit with chandeliers, walls and ceilings glitter in mosaics and stained-glass windows. No surprise it was often called “marble palaces for the people

Many of the stations have been recognized as important sites of Russian cultural heritage. So you ride metro and get a Museum tour side by side —

With some time left to catch my flight, I also explored the Memorial Museum of Space Exploration which is situated inside an enormous monument to the explorers of space.
It is a giant curved titanium obelisk topped by a rocket, soaring to a height of 100 meters. The museum was opened in 1981 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first manned space flight, completed by Yuri Gagarin.

The various displays trace the history of space exploration: the first satellite – Sputnik – launched in 1957; takeOriginal exhibits include the spacesuit of Alexei Lenovo, in which he walked in space; space dogs Belka and Strelka (preserved by taxidermy)

My Take: If you get a chance to be in Moscow – A night tour becomes a must as Moscow looks more beautiful in the night than it is during the day .

Some Tips and tricks

• The process of getting tourist visa is simple – Book the hotel for at least 15-20 days to get more days on visa
• The currency Ruble is not in best shape right now – so things are cheaper as compared to Europe
• During the day avoid  taking car/taxi – rather a Metro which will be different experience
• As language is an issue – not many people speak English – prefer to take a guide – My recommendation will be to hire Bridge to Moscow tours- very professional and proficient.