Since its founding in 1147, Moscow (Russian: Москва, Moskva) has been at the crossroads of history as the capital of empires and a frequent target for invaders. As the capital of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and, today, the Russian Federation, it has played a central role in the development of the largest country in the world.
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Moscow is the financial and political centre of Russia and the countries formerly comprising the Soviet Union. It has a population of around 13 million and an area of 2,511 square kilometres (970 sq mi) after an expansion in 2012. Moscow is the second most populous city in Europe, after Istanbul, and has the most populous metropolitan area in Europe, with some 21 million residents, comprising roughly one-seventh of the population of Russia.
Yandex Maps is the best mobile app for planning journeys on public transport. The metro is comprehensive, boasts some great architecture, and is relatively cheap. City buses, trolleybuses, trams and metro operated under "Moskovskii transport" franchise by different operators but common fare system. The cheapest way to use the public transportation system is to purchase a plastic Troika re-loadable debit card. The card costs 50 руб and can be redeemed for cash at the end of your trip. You can "top up" your balance at any metro station. For each trip taken, 57 руб will be deducted from your card.
Individual listings can be found in Moscow's district articles Moscow's architecture is world-renowned. Moscow is the site of Saint Basil's Cathedral, with its elegant onion domes, as well as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. and the Seven Sisters. Look out for the monumental Stalinist architecture, most famously the Seven Sisters. Also check out a preserved collection of monumental buildings centred within the historic areas of the Kremlin and Red Square. Moscow is a very green city: Gorky Park along the Moskva river contains estrades, children's attraction, dancing, tennis courts and other sports facilities. Moscow has many notable art museums.
Moscow has many attractions, but many of them are not friendly to a non-Russian-speaker. The Moscow Times is an English-language newspaper help to navigate towards English-language friendly attractions and services; however, it may be hard to access due to its political stance. Make sure you visit a Russian bathhouse (banya) while in Moscow, as it's an important Russian tradition and some Russians, especially those over 40 years old, go at least once a week. Have a hot steam, followed by a good whipping with birch branches.
Dining establishments in Moscow range from food stalls near metro stations to quick canteen-style 'Stolovaya' eateries to American-style fast food chains to overpriced restaurants catering to tourists to high-end restaurants where you can spend 10,000 руб. Restaurants and cafes promising "European and Caucasus cuisine" generally cater to tourists and are usually bad; seek a restaurant that specializes in a single region instead (Georgian, Russian, Italian, French, etc.). Many small restaurants offer lunch specials costing 200-250 руб.
Individual listings can be found in Moscow's district articles Nightlife in Moscow is bustling, intense and exciting. It starts quite late; it's common for the headliners to start at 02:00-02:00. Most noticeable are areas near Solyanka street and Krasniy Oktyabr' place. At summer time a lot of clubs opening open-air terraces called "verandas". Most of clubs in Moscow are very picky of who they let in, so make sure you have a positive attitude and dress up if you are going to a fancy club. Moscow has several café chains with great coffee including Coffeemania and Coffee Bean. Moscow also has a good selection of tea saloons.
Moscow enjoys a relatively low crime rate. Drunk people are the most likely sources of problems. In the past years, lots of policemen were corrupt, and it was best to avoid them. Nowadays Moscow has a Tourist Police force, whose officers are able to speak foreign languages and help tourists. Police officers are equipped with body-cameras. It is preferable to avoid some parts of the outer districts of Moscow, especially in the south. Some of those areas are notorious for gopniks (drunkards notorious for muggings and starting fights with strangers, and will do so seemingly unprovoked), who normally hang out in sparse residential areas and in industrial zones.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Jul, Moscow typically sees ~27°C daytime highs and 15 rainy days.
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