7 Concierge Recommendations for a Perfect Day Out in Moscow

We asked Moscow’s top concierges to share their personal recommendations for the perfect day in the capital

MS. ANASTASIA TOPOROVA

“Start your perfect day in Moscow by exploring the city center, which is also where The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow is located.”

“A walking tour around the Kremlin – around 45-60 minutes – will not only give you a great perspective on Moscow’s most important landmark, but also introduce to you the surrounding attractions. A couple well worth seeing are Alexander Garden with its beautiful fountains and flowerbeds, and the Moskva river embankments with stunning views of the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral and Red Square, from its many bridges.

After your walking tour, enjoy an exclusive shopping experience at GUM department store; an architectural wonder in its own right, located directly on Red Square. Besides offering world-renowned luxury brands, GUM also sells a great variety of local brands – in foodstuffs and fashion.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite walking around GUM, head to Bosco Café. This excellent meeting place is located in the same building as GUM, with its floor-to-ceiling windows directly facing Red Square. An experience not to be missed.

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A visit to the Winzavod Contemporary Art Center should be on the list of every art lover visiting Moscow. A former winery dating back to Soviet times, Winzavod has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind arts venue representing the diversity of contemporary culture, including Russian modern art.

Before setting out for dinner, stop by The Ritz-Carlton and enjoy a fabulous foot massage in the ESPA spa. Pamper yourself in the Swarovsky lit swimming pool, Jaccuzi, sauna, steamroom and the lounge zone.

Take the lift to the 12th floor of the hotel and order a ‘Vodka Tasting’ in the O2 Lounge rooftop bar. This fabulous experience consists of three stages of vodka enlightenment. The ceremony begins with an introduction from the vodka sommelier. Guests will discover why the perfect vodka should contain 40 percent alcohol, the connection between vodka and famous Russian scientist Mendeleev, why the most popular vodkas are made of wheat, rye or potato, and why some vodka tastes sweet, despite containing no sugar. Then, the sommelier offers a tasting of three Russian premium and luxury vodkas. Finally, according to our tradition, a set of Russian-style ‘zakuski’ dishes in a miniature format, are served as accompaniment to the tasting. Lasting 30 to 45 minutes, this special vodka ceremony is the perfect start to a dinner and a unique introduction to Russian culture.

A lavish dinner ‘à la Russe’ is a must experience for every visitor. Book a table at one of Moscow’s finest restaurants serving upscale Russian cuisine, such as the legendary Café Pushkin.”

BEST RESTAURANTS

Café Pushkin

Cuisine: Russian

BEST shopping

TSUM

Best to Do

Visit Red Square.

ANDREY KORYSTOV

BEST RESTAURANTS

Best Breakfast: Café Pushkin

Cuisine: Russian

Lunch in: The Most Cafe

BEST shopping

GUM

Cara&Co

Barvikha Luxury Village

Best to Do

1. Visit the heart of Russia: Red Square, St Basil’s Cathedral and The Kremlin.
2. Take a private tour to Meiendorf Castle in Barvikha, one of President Dmitry Medvedev’s residences.
3. Enjoy the ballet or opera at the famous Bolshoi Theatre.

BEST COCKTAILS

Kalina Bar

BEST CLUB

Soho Rooms

MRS VIKTORIA KLOKOVA

BEST RESTAURANTS

Prichal

Tzarskay Okhota

BEST shopping

GUM

Best to Do

First day:

9am – breakfast in the hotel
10.15am – meet the guide in the lobby
10.30am – 6.30pm tour of Moscow including the Kremlin, Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, GUM galleries
12pm – Kremlin, the Armory Chamber
1.45pm – Kremlin, the Kremlin Cathedrals, the Diamond Fund
4pm – St. Basil’s Cathedral
6pm – GUM Galleries
7pm – Dinner at Café Pushkin Second day:
9am – breakfast at Veranda y Dachi restaurant (Italian/Japansese/Uzbek)
10.45am – 3pm – transfer from the restaurant to the Tretyakov Gallery with the guide
4pm – 5pm – late lunch at Oblomov restaurant, during the tour
5.30pm – transfer to the hotel

YULIA BORTNIKOVA

“Please note that recommendations are for summer 2011 only.”

Begin your day at Red Square with breakfast at Café Bosco; a perfect location on the first floor at GUM, the famous department store. The terrace faces Red Square and is a great place to enjoy the beauty of the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral before the crowds arrive. The breakfast menu is full of fresh juices, coffee, omelets and pastries, and is served from 9am until 12pm.

Your private guide can collect you from Bosco and take you to the Kremlin Tour. Walking through the Alexandria Garden you’ll visit some of the major museums of the country, the beautiful grounds, the cathedrals, the Armory Chamber and Treasury Room. All tours to The Kremlin must be organized at least one month in advance.

Lunch can be taken at Strelka Bar, which boasts a fantastic terrace, right above the Moscow River and opposite the beautiful Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

After lunch, remember to walk across Patriarch Bridge, where you can take some wonderful photos.

If you still have enough energy, I recommend a visit to the Pushkin Museum of Fine Art, which is located near the Cathedral. There are many excellent artists on display: Monet, Gauguin, Degas and Picasso to name but a few.”

BEST RESTAURANTS

Bolshoi

BEST shopping

TSUM

GUM

Best to Do

1. A day trip with a private guide and chauffeur to Suzdal: Suzdal is an authentic Russian village with its own kremlin (fortress). Nearby, you can visit the Spaso-Evfimiev monastery and the museum of wooden handcrafts. Why not spend a day on a Russian estate and take a course in Russian cuisine using organic products from the garden – with a full lunch or dinner afterwards.
2. Memorial Museum of Astronautics: The Memorial Museum of Astronautics is located in the basement of the memorial ‘To Space Pioneers’ – a unique monument in Moscow built in honor of the first Earth satellite launch on November 4, 1964. The museum is the brainchild of Sergei Korolev, the Chief Constructor of rocket-and-space systems during the 1950s and 1960s. The Museum Fund contains space technology items, personal possessions of Soviet spacemen, archive documents, video and photo materials, numismatic collections, philately, deltiology and faleristics objects and works of art.
3. One day Tour with a private guide and chauffeur to Sergiev Posad: Sergiev Posad is the center of the Russian Orthodox religion, and home to the magnificent medieval Trinity Monastery of St. Sergei. Built in the 14th century, for many years – even under Communism – it was the official seat of the Patriarch of Russia. This is a full day trip of around five to six hours, with a traditional lunch in one of the local restaurants.

EKATERINA SAFRONOVA

The perfect summer weekend:

Saturday

– Breakfast in Moskovskiy restaurant with a breathtaking view of the Kremlin

– Kremlin tour with the best private guide, including a visit to the Armory Chamber – a world-renowned treasure trove, the Diamond Fund and the Red Square. On Saturdays at noon there is a ceremonial parade by the Presidential regiment (horses and military) in the Cathedral Square at the Kremlin.

– Lunch at the Trellis Terrace at Turandot restaurant between the fountains and marble statues with a marvelous view of the Metropolitan Centre

– Enjoy Russian classical ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre

– Dinner at the elegant Bolshoi restaurant after the performance

Sunday

– Luxury breakfast served in your presidential suite

– Private tour around Moscow including a view of the masterpieces of Russian Fine Art at the Tretyakov Gallery

– Lunch at ‘The Sad’, a brand new Ginza project restaurant located next to the Tretyakov Art Gallery

– The authentic Russian Banya bathhouse experience at Expeditzia

– Dinner at Expeditzia Restaurant (Siberian, Arctic cuisine), one of the favorite restaurants of our president Dmitry Medvedev. Try omul (whitefish) from Lake Baikal, Kamchatka crab or marinated grilled elk meat.

BEST RESTAURANTS

Bolshoi

Café Pushkin

Cuisine: Russian

Expeditzia

BEST shopping

TSUM

Best Do

Enjoy a walk around Old Arbat in Moscow’s historic centerat

MICHAEL HOPF

For the perfect day in Moscow:

“Start with breakfast at the Restaurant Baltschug, which has the best buffet breakfast in town.Then head out on foot for a private tour of The Kremlin, including a visit to the Armoury (look out for the Fabergé eggs). For lunch, try the hip Bosco Bar, a modern brasserie-style restaurant on the ground floor of iconic GUM department store with a great view of Red Square. In the afternoon, visit the New Tretyakov Gallery National Museum of Russian Fine Art or visit Garage – a superb contemporary arts center based in a former bus depot in the north of Moscow.”

BEST RESTAURANTS

Café Pushkin

Cuisine: Russian

GQ Restaurant

Cuisine: European and Asian

Baccarat

Cuisine: French

Best Shop

Denis Simachev

PAVEL NIKOLAYEV

“Begin with a morning tour of The Kremlin, followed by an Italian lunch at Bontempi and a visit to the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, where you can see one of the best Impressionist collections in the world.”

“Then, I recommend a visit to the Lenin Mausoleum or Sparrow Hills on the banks of the Moscow River, which has one of the best views over the city. In the evening make your way to the City Space Bar centerat Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy and enjoy some of finest cocktails in the capital.”

BEST RESTAURANTS

Café Pushkin

Cuisine: Russian

Best Shop

GUM