It seems like Moscow has never been so beautifully decorated as this year. Colorful illuminations cover the entire city center, turning it into a one big Christmas and New Year miracle space.
Starting from Dec. 22 and up to Jan. 14 nine Moscow parks, Boulevard and Garden Rings, Tverskaya Street and all the squares in the center from Triumfalnaya to Lubyanka (and of course Red Square) are taking part in massive winter celebrations. Russia Beyond has chosen the most interesting spots you should visit.
(From Pushkinskaya/Tverskaya/Chekhovskaya metro station to Tretyakovskaya metro station)
1. Ice theater at Novopushkinsky Public Garden
Jump into the Christmas spirit with interpretations of the legendary ballets – Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Snow White
2. International Christmas Theater
Walk along Tverskaya Street, enjoying the glowing decorations all the way up to Tverskaya Square. This side is one of the city’s coziest and most beautiful places during winter. Here you can enjoy staged fairytales from various countries while sipping mulled wine.
Tverskaya Square
Andrei Lyubimov/Moskva Agency3. 19th Century New Year
Cross Tverskaya Square and keep walking along Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street. When you reach
Walking around the Four Season hotel from the left you’ll see Revolyutsii Square. There you can learn how families celebrated New Year and Christmas back in the 19th century.
4. Slide down an ice slide in front of the Kremlin
Going from Revolyutsii Square and Manezhnaya Square, take a ride on an ice slide with a view of the Kremlin.
Ice slide on Revolutsii Square
Sergei Vedyashkin/Moskva Agency5. Magic forest on Manezhnaya Square
Take a walk
6. Russian market extravaganza on Red Square
Go through the gates on Manezhnaya Square and find yourself on Red Square. Here you can enjoy some skating on the ice rink or walk a bit further and see the city’s main festival of street food, mulled wine and Russian handicrafts shops.
7. Park Zaryadye
If you are already frozen, take a stroll through the GUM department store, which is fabulously decorated inside (and has public toilets inside). Or walk further to a new Moscow public space, Zaryadye Park. It’s worth visiting any season, but looks especially beautiful at night, with all those lights (it gets dark at around 4-5 pm during the winter here). Enter the floating bridge overlooking the Moscow River and you can see the Kremlin walls and decorated embankments.
Mulled wine available on all the city's cafes and Christmas markets
Pixabay8. White Theater on Kilemtovsky Lane
Cross Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge and keep walking straight along Bolshaya Ordynka Street. In three minutes if you turn right to Bolshoi Tolmachevsky Lane, you will find the Tretyakov Gallery – probably the most famous Russian art gallery. And if you turn left
You can also enter St. Clement’s church, which looks stunning both inside and out.
If you are feeling hungry – there are many cafes and restaurants in the area.
This year one can explore the colorful city center not only on its
From Gorky Park to Sokolniki, there are several great
Ice rink on Red Square
Komsomolskaya Pravda/Global Look PressIt is not forecast to be extremely cold in Moscow this New Year’s eve but the city can surprise you with a sudden snowstorm or drop in temperature, so here are a couple of ideas if you want to stay indoors.
Until Jan. 29 visitors to the Museum of Moscow (Zubovsky Blvrd, 2) will be able to see an exhibition about city festive designs throughout the centuries. How Moscow was decorated during the tsar’s coronation, or how it celebrated revolutionary events; how Moscow looked during the Summer-1980 Olympics and how designers and artists see the city today.
Gostiny Dvor building not far from Red Square (Ilyinka st. 4, on the way to Zaryadye Park) offers an exhibition exploring Christmas and New Year fashion traditions in Russian and European design. Items on display include antique New Year tree toys, gifts
The stone mansion of the Old English Court located near the Kremlin on Varvarka Street 4a was built in the early 16th century when tsarist Russia and Shakespearean England established trade relations. In the 1960s restoration work began and in 1994 Queen Elizabeth came to the opening of the Old English Court museum. Now the unique acoustics in the building allows for the arranging of chamber performances of antique music.
The next concert is Dec. 27. On Dec. 24, 28 and Jan. 8 Christmas Vertep (Orthodox puppet theater) will be held in the court.
And don’t forget to visit our main museums: the Pushkin Museum of Fine art, Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Gorky Park and others.
To explore more about “Winter in the city” venues and events please visit the official website in English.
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