For most visitors, Red Square is indelibly associated with images of stonefaced Soviet leaders standing in the bitter cold as a panoply of military might rumbles past their review stand atop Lenin's Mausoleum. Although the Square is no longer witness to the imposing parades of May Day, it remains a profoundly impressive space. Delimited by the stark severity of the mausoleum, the expansive facade of the world-famous GUM department store, and the exuberant colors of St. Basil's Cathedral, Red Square is, and deserves to be, the requisite first stop for any visitor to Moscow.
Varvarka
t is the most ancient street in Moscow and dates back to the 14th century. In old times it was region where artisans and skilled craftsmen lived. After the 15th centurythis region began to transform into a region of the privileged nobility. Here boyars built their estates and foreign embassies took up residence.
Varvarka goes from one of exits of "Kitai Gorod" Metro station to the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed. A walk along Varvarka Street will take a short time. You may do it in any direction - from Metro station to the Cathedral and then to Red Square and to the Kremlin. Or back from Red Square.
The heart of the district known as Zaryade, which was once the dwelling place of the artisans who sold their wares on Red Square, Ulitsa Varvarka holds a claim to being the oldest street in Moscow. Although short, it also boasts the most churches of any street in the city, and has some fascinating if lesser known sights that beautifully evoke the more personal side of life in medieval Moscow. In the Soviet era it was named after Stepan Razin, the Cossack rebel hero who was led along it to his execution in 1671, and before that, in 1380, it was the road down which a victorious Dmitry Donskoy paraded after defeating the Mongol Horde at the Battle of Kulikovo Field.
The street is dominated by the Rossia Hotel (Varvarka, 6), a monumental glass and concrete block with 3,200 rooms that was built in the late sixties and is now (over)due for demolition - although for guests it provides the best views in the city.
Lubyanka
Lubyanka street as well as square is not far from Red Square. The name is first mentioned in 1480, when Ivan III settled many Novgorodians in the area. They built the church of St Sophia, modelled after St Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, and called the area Lubyanka after Lubyanitsy district of their native city.
Lubyanka Square is best known for Alexey Shchusev's large yellow brick building which has been the headquarters of the KGB in its various incarnations. The square was renamed Dzerzhinsky Square for many years, in honor of the founder of the Soviet security service, Felix Dzerzhinsky, nicknamed Iron Felix. Vuchetich's monumental statue of Dzerzhinsky was erected in the center of the square.
On October 30, 1990, the organization Memorial erected a monument to the victims of the Gulag, a simple stone from Solovki. In 1991 the statue of Dzerzhinsky was removed, following the failure of the coup against Mikhail Gorbachev, and the square's original name was officially restored.
"Baby World" also Detsky Mir (Children's World)
Detsky Mir (Children's World) is the largest children's universal store in Europe; since 1947 it brings joy to the children of Russian capital.
Detsky Mir is a real paradise for children and, therefore, a minefield for your purse. Your son or daughter will surely enjoy light and roomy halls with high ceilings, packed with toys of various kinds: meccanos, puzzles, dolls, electronic games: The merry-go-round in the centre of the main hall, though closed almost all the time, is the object of special delight. As for adults, here they will find some luxury boutiques, souvenir shops, usually offering different wood paintings and carving, and even the Swiss watches salon. Detsky Mir has a well-kept secret other than its real ice-cream milkshakes served year-round.
On the fourth floor of the classic shop, still operating with the Soviet system of specific departments for each type of item needed, there is an authentic Stalin-era cafe. What makes this cafeteria the genuine article is the system of selecting typical Russian dishes by sliding a plastic tray along metal rollers and peering into darkened cabinets full of vinaigrette salads, herring and beets, pirogi and cabbage dishes.
Bolshoy Theatre
Moscow's top dance venue remains the Bolshoi, the showcase for several generations of internationally adored ballet stars. The company has at last begun loosening up its long-stale repertoire, though the results are mixed so far, and Tchaikovsky's classics still form its backbone. Besides the impeccable dancing, another major reason to visit the Bolshoi is the sumptuous setting. The 18th-century theater is fronted by a triumphant sculpture of Apollo's chariot topping the eight-columned portico. A blinding abundance of red and gold decorates the interior, inspiring viewers even before the curtain (still embossed with the Soviet hammer and sickle) opens. Its four balconies rise steeply over the orchestra seats and above the velvet-lined czar's box (long referred to as "Stalin's box"). The seats are separate, movable chairs, and the balconies are divided into separate cabins of a few seats each. Most hotels can arrange tickets, but at a hefty markup. The official ticket office is in an adjacent building, with computer screens listing available seats and their prices -- but in Russian only. Lines are not long. Tickets must be purchased at least a week in advance. For the main stage, prices range from $30 to $200, with big draws such as the ever-popular Swan Lake more expensive than others. A smaller, newer stage hosts performances of the same caliber as those on the main stage, but at about half the price. Tickets can also be purchased online before your trip.
Tverskaya street
Tverskaya Street, known as Gorky Street (Russian: улица Горького) between 1935 and 1990 and (unofficially) Piterskaya (Russian: Питерская улица) in the preceding decades, is the main and probably best-known street of Moscow, the capital of Russia. The street runs from the Moscow Kremlin in the direction of Saint Petersburg.
Tverskaya Street existed as early as the 12th century. Its importance for the medieval city was immense, as it connected Moscow with its chief rival, Tver. At that time, the thoroughfare crossed the Neglinnaya River. The first stone bridge across the Neglinnaya was set up in 1595.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Tverskaya Street was renowned as the centre of Moscow's social life. The nobility considered it fashionable to settle in this district. Among the Palladian mansions dating from the reign of Catherine the Great are the residence of the mayor of Moscow (1778-82, built up in 1946), the English Club (1780s), and the Eliseev Department Store (1770s, rebuilt in 1790s and 1898).
Tverskaya Street runs from the Manege Square through the Tverskoy District and the crossing with the Boulevard Ring, known as Pushkin Square, to the Belorussky Railway Station. Its extension, First Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street, continues further north-west right up to Leningradsky Prospekt which keeps the same direction before diverging into Volokolamskoye Shosse and Leningradskoye Shosse (literally, Leningrad Expressway).
