Winter in Moscow is a truly romantic tale featuring beautiful parks, squares and churches covered with thin snow and shiny bright decorations that make you feel as if you were living in a fairytale. Don’t be afraid of the colder temperatures, if you packed a thick winter coat, some cozy, warm clothes and waterproof shoes, you are ready to enjoy your vacation.
This is our choice of the most beautiful places to visit on your trip to Moscow in the romantic winter season.
Sparrow Hills
Offering one of the most beautiful views of the city, the Sparrow Hills are situated near the stunning Moscow State University building. This university is the first skyscraper to appear in the city’s skyline.
The Sparrow Hills are a great place to see what Moscow looks like, and there’s no wonder why students tend to spend a lot of time here. During the winter, the ski trails here are open all day long.
The Red Square
No matter how cold the weather is, your visit to Moscow will not be complete without seeing the famous Red Square. The most beautiful Moscow market is paved with stone, and is situated close to the Kremlin. The term “red” does not refer to its color, if that’s what you were thinking of. In the old Russian language, the word red means “beautiful”.
Throughout its long history, this place used to be a market, and a good while ago, a place where decapitations took place. In modern history, the Red Square hosted numerous events, from military performances to rock concerts. Throughout winter, an ice skating rink is created in the square, where people can show off their ice skating skills.
St. Basil Cathedral
The St. Basil’s Cathedral in the Red Square looks like a huge wedding cake. It was built in the middle of the 16th century, and legend says that Ivan the Terrible ordered the architects to be blinded after creating this masterpiece, in order to make sure that it would never get replicated.
The cathedral consists of nine churches surrounding a tenth one. Take a walk through its narrow galleries and look at its mesmerizing walls with breathtaking paintings, religious paintings and murals. During the Soviet period the cathedral was miraculously protected from demolition, and today it is one of the most preferred travel attractions in Moscow.
Krasny Oktyabr
Krasny Oktyabr means “Red October” and used to be a major Chocolate factory in the Soviet period. Currently the most active hubs in Moscow , with thousands of young people eating, working and having fun here. The plant consists of 23 beautiful red brick buildings.
Novodevichy Monastery
This astonishing monastery was built in 1524 and somehow managed to remain intact throughout history. It was recently added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 2004. The building features red brick and white stone, decorated with golden domes. When surrounded by snow, it resembles a magical fairytale castle.
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
The Cathedral of Christ the Savior and its giant gilded dome looks like an ice castle, especially in the winter. It took 44 years to be built, as an appreciation for the divinity that saved Russia from Napoleon. In 1931 some of its parts were demolished to make room for the Soviet Palace, which ended up not being built.
Instead, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev decided to open the largest outdoor swimming pool in the world here. However, in 1990 it was decided to rebuild the cathedral using modern technology. The project lasted three years and today you can enjoy the amazing results.
Hermitage Garden
If you have time to see only one place in the center of Moscow, it should be the Hermitage Garden. Although the park is small it offers many wonderful views of the city and an extremely pleasant atmosphere, especially in the winter. You’ll find here a few coffee places, three concert theaters and a wonderful children’s playground.
The best food, music and festivals are provided here, and during the winter the locals enjoy a huge ice skating rink. No matter how many children and music lovers gather in this place, the atmosphere doesn’t feel crowded, but rather intimate.
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