Moscow In Your Pocket October-November 2013

Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps

MOSCOW

“In Your Pocket: a cheeky, wellwritten series of guidebooks” The New York Times

October - November 2013

Kolomna

A hidden gem near Moscow

Greater Russia

Explore Russia’s expansive beauty

Culture & Events

The season is in full swing

October - November 2013 N o29 moscow.inyourpocket.com

Contents Nightlife

E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S

4

A word from our editor

News

5 6

Shopping

45

Business directory

46

Expat and Lifestyle

47

Expat Experience and Winter Bazaar 8

The season is in full swing

Features Rent a bike Kolomna Raketa Watches

18 19 20

Hotels

21

A fine selection of places to spend the night

Restaurants

36 39

Banks, accountants and lawyers

Some useful information

Culture and Events

The Kremlin & Red Square Russia’s fascinating history What to buy and where

What’s new in the city

Basics and Language

33

Bars, pubs and clubs – how to stay out till 6 am

Sightseeing

Contents Foreword

3

24

Getting around Transport, tickets and more Maps

49 52

Russia

56 57 61 62 64 66

St. Petersburg Veliky Novgorod Petrozavodsk Sochi Nizhny Novgorod

Russian Cuisine and Sunday Brunch

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October - November 2013

4

News

Foreword We’ve been putting Russia into the pockets of visitors and expats for a full decade now, and as the magazine celebrates its tenth anniversary here this fall we’ve got another packed guide to all the top attractions in Moscow in October and November. We’ve also got an interview with one of the founders of In Your Pocket’s Russian editions, reflecting on 10 years of life in Russia (see page 47).

Looking ahead, art lovers are in for a bonanza as the fifth edition of Moscow’s Biennale gets underway, bringing some of the best and most thought-provoking contemporary art from around the world to the city. It’s an event which has helped to reshape the local cultural scene, and we pick out the highlights on page 14-15.

It’s also time for the theater season to get into full swing, and whether it’s contemporary dance at the Stanislavsky, Wagner and Verdi at Novaya Opera, a reinvention of drama at Dvorets na Yauze or the triumphant return of Broadway blockbuster Chicago, there’s plenty to get excited about. All this, plus a host of great concerts and exhibitions can be found from p8.

The on-going year of Dutch culture continues apace, with an exhibition of Russian artists inspired by the Netherlands and a big show drawing parallels between the early romantics of both countries opening at the Tretyakov. Meanwhile the business and education communities gather for their latest conferences on joint opportunities. See p16 for more.

Sports fans are already looking forward to seeing Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich come to play CSKA in the Champions League – and the Russian champions will hope to avenge a 3-0 defeat in Bavaria in the opening game of the competition.

There’s also Kremlin Cup tennis and the on-going Kontinental Hockey League season to keep the excitement coming – details on page 17.

If you’re looking for a break from the big city, a trip to nearby Kolomna might be just the answer. Only a couple of hours by train, it’s a welcome retreat from the bustle of Moscow – and boasts its own impressive Kremlin as well as a museum of locally-made fruity confectionary to sweeten the deal. Plan your trip with our guide on page 19.

Finally, as the dark nights arrive and the first snows threaten, the IWC’s annual Winter Bazaar is one of the first highlights of the long Russian Winter. It’s a perfect place to do some Christmas shopping while helping good causes locally – for more details see page 28.

Andy Potts, Russia In Your Pocket

E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S Moscow In Your Pocket founded and published by OOO Krasnaya Shapka/In Your Pocket.

Russia, 196084 St. Petersburg, Ul. Tsvetochnaya 25A. Moscow office Russia, 101000, Moscow Krivokolenny Pereulok 12/2 tel: +7 (499) 962 80 50 russia@inyourpocket.com russia.inyourpocket.com Publisher Bonnie van der Velde, bonnie@inyourpocket.com General director Tanya Skvortsova, tanya@inyourpocket.com Director Sales & Strategy Jerke Verschoor jerke@inyourpocket.com

© OOO Krasnaya Shapka/In Your Pocket Published 6 times per year with supplements, No29, 01.10.2013, 60.000 copies

© Maps: J.J. van der Molen, www.jobvandermolen.nl For children aged 16 years and over.

Moscow In Your Pocket

New Accor Hotel complex

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It’s now 21 years since we published the first In Your Pocket guide - to Vilnius in Lithuania - in which time we have grown to become the largest publisher of locally produced city guides in Europe. We now cover more than 75 cities across the continent (with Batumi, in Georgia, the latest city to be pocketed) and the number of concise, witty, well-written and downright indispensable In Your Pocket guides published each year is approaching five million. We also publish an iPhone app, including more than 40 guides, which can be downloaded for free from the AppStore. Search for ‘IYP Guides’ by name.

To keep up to date with all that’s new at In Your Pocket, like us on Facebook (facebook.com/ inyourpocket) or follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/ inyourpocket).

Editorial department

Editor’s note

Research & PR Yana Kurganova pr-moscow@inyourpocket.com Layout & Design Malvina Markina design.russia@inyourpocket.com Editorial contributors Andy Potts, Peter Campbell, Luc Jones

The editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising.

We welcome all readers‘ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors.

The publisher does not bear responsibility for the accuracy of advertising information.

Commercial department Sales Managers Natalia Murgo natalya@inyourpocket.com To order issues Tanya Kharitonova sales.russia@inyourpocket.com

Copyright notice Text and photos copyright OOO Krasnaya Shapka 2003-2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket.

Mосква В Твоем Кармане Учредитель и издатель: ООО «Красная Шапка» Россия, 196084 Санкт-Петербург Ул. Цветочная д. 25, лит. А. тел. : + 7 (812) 448 88 65 факс: + 7(812) 448 88 64 Главный редактор: Бонни ван дер Велде Отпечатано в ООО “МДМ-Печать”, 188640, Л.О., г. Вcеволожск, Всеволожский пр., 114. Заказ No 59-10 Свидетельство о регистрации средства массовой информации Пи No. ФС77-32970 от 29.08.08 выдано Федеральной службой по надзору в сфере связи и массовых коммуникаций РФ. Цена свободная. Тираж 60 000 экз. No29. 01.10.2013 Для детей старше 16 лет.

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Russia In Your Pocket 10 Years

Ideally placed for passengers arriving on the train from Domodedovo Airport, Accor Hotels’ new Moscow site is due to open its doors in November. The complex combines two hotels, the 4-star Mercure and the 3-star IBIS, with the first Adagio aparthotel in Russia. The Adagio comes with 94 apartments, from studios to two-room apartments for up to four guests and offers all the facilities needed for a comfortable stay in the city. But perhaps the biggest attraction is its location – although it’s a couple of minutes away from Paveletsky station, with its metro connections and rail link to the airport, the hotel is set on a quiet street in Moscow’s charming and historic Zamoskvorechye region.

Rates and available are still unknown at the time of going to press, but more details are expected on Accor’s website, www.accorhotels.com, in due course.

Charity Pomogat Legko is a charitable project established in St. Petersburg to help provide treatment to children suffering from cancer. The programme grew out of art therapy classes in which children undergoing hospital treatment spend a little time each week painting.

However, the paintings were so good that Elena Gracheva of the AdVita Foundation decided that the images could be used as gift-cards.

Pomogat Legko has become a fundraising branch of the AdVita Foundation selling a range of souvenirs based on children’s work to raise money for children’s cancer treatment. A gift card and a souvenir suddenly takes on a whole new meaning when you recognise that it is the work of a child suffering from cancer and that it also is helping provide cancer treatment for other children.

From this touching basis the Pomogat Legko project grew. The new organisation has established its own community centre where people can purchase gift cards and souvenirs and can themselves participate in master-classes, attend lectures or volunteer time to the charity to help children. The project acts as a support group for parents who can also spend time painting with their children, gives children relief from the monotony of hospital life and also gives them something to aspire to and look forward – a positive moral boost for anyone going through difficult times. www.advita.ru

Erasmus monument for Moscow

Ten years ago in a brave move, a Dutch couple bought a cat on Nevsky Prospect in St. Petersburg – Russian cats having a notorious reputation, especially the Nevsky kind.

They named the cat Kees and the amiable feline was an instant success story – becoming the first model for St. Petersburg In Your Pocket­– started by the same couple.

Kees is still the inspiration behind Russia In Your Pocket but today he is a little greyer and has given up the high pressure life of a feline model to offer advice behind the scenes. For Kees’ 10th birthday and the anniversary of what has become Russia’s best and biggest publishing house for visitor guides, rumours abound that the Cat Father behind Russia In Your Pocket and Krasnaya Shapka will be holding a party to celebrate 10 successful years helping tourists, expats and companies get the most out of their opportunities in Russia.

Happy Unity Day November 04 is Russia’s Day of Popular Unity. This national holiday is a new old holiday having been celebrated for the first time in 1649 and commemorates the victorious uprising in 1612 by Minin and Pozharsky which ejected the Polish forces from Moscow. Celebrated every year from 1612 up until 1917, the holiday was resurrected in 2005. It is viewed by most observers as a replacement holiday for the nowabolished holiday of November 7 which commemorated the Revolution. Creating the confusion of how to you congratulate someone on this holiday…Happy Unity Day!

World-renowned Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus will be rubbing shoulders with other global giants in the courtyard of the Library of Foreign Literature in Moscow, following an initiative from Nuffic Neso. As part of the on-going year of Dutch culture in Russia, a statue of the eminent philosopher will be installed in the courtyard, alongside such eminent figures as Gandhi, da Vinci, Dickens, Lincoln and Bolivar. Erasmus (1466-1536) has been highly influential in Russian academic circles. His works were translated into Russian during Tsarist, Communist and modern times, making him a well-known figure. The sculpture, due to be installed in November, was designed and constructed by Mikhail Yakovlev from St. Petersburg. www.nesorussia.org

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October - November 2013

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Basics and language Aeroexpress Airport Trains The most reliable way of travelling to and from airports in Moscow is by Aeroexpress.

Aeroexpress trains run between Belorussky Rail Terminal and Sheremetyevo (SVO) airport, Kievsky Rail Terminal and Vnukovo (VKO) airport, and Paveletsky Rail Terminal and Domodedovo (DME) airport. Each rail terminal is connected via the metro circle line. It takes 35 – 45 minutes to get to the airports from the centre of Moscow.

Aeroexpress tickets can be bought at Aeroexpress ticket counters or at automatic machines in the rail terminals, through the websites of partner airlines, travel agencies, and via air ticket agencies, either in Moscow, or indeed almost any other region of Russia. A list of sales outlets can be found on the company’s website, where you can also buy an electronic ticket: www.aeroexpress.ru.

Standard tickets cost 320Rbl for adults and 110Rbl for children between five and seven years of age. Children under the age of five travel for free. Business class tickets cost 900Rbl. Passengers can also buy tickets at the ‘Aeroexpress + Metro’ special fare, the cost of which is 360Rbl and includes a ticket for the metro.

The Aeroexpress hotline is (+7) 800 700 33 77 (calls from within Russia are free).

Basics and language

Alcohol

Alphabet

The traditional Russian alcoholic drink is of course vodka.

The Poles may also claim that they invented it, but what is certain is that the Russians - and in particular the scientist Mendelev - are the ones who perfected the recipe. Vodka is cheap and there are literally hundreds of brands to choose from. The most traditional way to drink it is straight as a shot, followed by a salty snack. Beer (pivo) is now the most popular alcoholic drink in Russia. Sovietskoye shampanskoye (Soviet champagne) is the national party drink. Take note that you cannot buy alcohol in shops between 23:00 and 08:00.

Customs

Language schools

For most travellers leaving Russia you will just need to go to the GREEN (nothing to declare) channel and you do NOT need to complete the ‘Customs and Currency Declaration Statement’ upon arrival or departure (unless you are carrying thousands of dollars in cash with you). Any art works, icons etc that are over 100 years old cannot be taken out of the country. If you are in doubt about antiques you have bought get an ‘expert’s report,’ either from the Rosokhrankultura (Kitaigorodsky pr. 7, bldg. 2, tel. (+7) 495 660 77 30) or an accredited shop. Travelling to most countries you can legally take 200 cigarettes and 2 litres of hard alcohol out with you. To some countries such as Estonia, the allowance is less.

Liden and Denz Language Centre A-1, Gruzinsky per. 3 bldg.1, entr. 6, office 181, MBelorusskaya, tel. (+7) 495 254 49 91, w w w.lidenz.ru. Liden & Denz Language Centre Moscow is thankfully located in the centre, not far from Belorusskaya metro. In terms of facilities and ethos, this is a modern language school with up-to-date classrooms, and all the accoutrements that can assist students. DVD gear is in all classrooms and there’s also wireless and flat screen internet workstations. Students can study in groups, of which the minimum length is one week with a maximum of ten students or learners in one class. Groups have the advantage of great social activities outside of lessons, although individual classes are also available. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A

Foreigner prices The ‘foreigner price’ is a hangover from the good old days of Intourist-organised Soviet travel, which is slowly dying out although at some theatres and museums, foreigners are still required to pay twice to 6 times more than Russians. If you have a document (propusk), which says you work or study in Russia, you are theoretically entitled to the local price.

Internet Access and Mobile Phones Be on guard!

Avoid attracting unwanted attention by not speaking loudly in your mother tongue, or walking the streets if you have been drinking. If you are of African, Arab, or Asian descent or have dark skin exercise caution, particularly at night.

Moscow Tourist Helpline (English) (+7) 800 220 00 02.

Climate Russia in the autumn - rain, wind and then a little flurry of snow. In October Russia’s beautiful ‘golden autumn’ is usually fully underway as the trees start to turn beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow. By the time November arrives though snow will probably already be falling, mixed with the odd bit of icy rain, so stick to wearing layers, waterproof shoes and of course don’t forget your umbrella.

Internet access. Most cafes, restaurants and bars in Moscow have free wifi access or offer wifi for a small sum.

In most places you will need to ask for a password (parol) to logon.

Mobile phones. You can use your mobile phone from home if your provider has a roaming agreement with a Russian mobile company. To avoid roaming charges, you can get a Russian SIM card. You’ll need to bring your passport to the store to register your new sim card.

Registration Remember that you must be registered within 7 days of your arrival in Russia. If you are staying in a hotel the hotel will usually register you within 24hours of your arrival and as the service is complicated a small fee may apply. Many tourist agencies can also register you. If you don’t get registered on time, you can expect serious problems when leaving Russia, ranging from paying a fine, to missing your flight.

Ruslingua Language Center C-5, 1-y Spasonalivkovsky per. 3/5, office 403 (4th floor), MPolyanka, tel. (+7) 495 748 31 85, www.ruslingua.com. This excellent language school has individual and group courses for expats, visitors and revision courses for university students and can organise home stays. There’s a specially dedicated conversation class and they also offer trips with a teacher to the local market to practice your language in real life situations. They also offer a special one day course on how to talk to taxi drivers and chauffeurs which is especially useful if you will be being driven around a lot in Moscow. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00.

Pocket dictionary: Obmyvat Whether you’ve just bought a new car or an apartment, maybe a very expensive fridge or fancy new camera, in Russia after buying this thing you need to obmyvat or ‘wash’ it, to ensure that it will not bring you bad luck. Wash it with what you ask? With alcohol of course! For example, if you’ve got a new flat, invite your friends over, dip the new keys into your vodka shots and drink away. Alternatively you can also obmyvat getting a new job, finishing your military service or getting your diploma, by for example dipping the corner of your contract or certificate into the vodka shot and then gulping down the shot. Cheers!

Crossing the road Unless you want to play chicken with your life, you need to learn the word переход! It means perekhod in Russian or underpass in English. When you see this sign above a tunnel, know that you can head safely under and cross under the street. Miss one and you can end up walking for another 200 or 300 metres. The busiest interchanges have around five different exits, entrances to metro stations and a ton of shops.

Moscow In Your Pocket

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Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

adin dva tri chetyre pyat shest sem vosem devyat desyat adinatsat

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 30 40

dvinatsat trinatsat chetyrnatsat pyatnatsat shesnatsat semnatsat vosemnatsat devyatnatsat dvatsat tritsat sorok

50 60 70 80 90 100 500 1000 2000

pyatdesyat shesdesyat semdesyat vosemdesyat devyanosta sto pyatsot tysicha dve tysyachi

Useful Phrases Basic phrases No/Yes Net/da Hello Zdrastvuite Goodbye Dasvidaniya Thank you Spasibo Sorry/excuse me Izvinite Please Pazhalusta I don't understand Ya ne panimayu I don't speak Ya ne gavaryu Russian pa-russky Do you speak Vy gavaritye paEnglish? anglisky?

Help!

Pomogitye!

Go away!

Ostavte menya!

Нет/Да Здравствуйте До свидания Спасибо Извините Пожалуйста Я не понимаю Я не говорю порусски Вы говорите поанглийски? Помогите! Оставьте меня!

October - November 2013

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culture & events While St. Petersburg may claim to be the capital of Russian culture, Moscow can arguably be considered as its birthplace.

Tchaikovsky, Tolstoy, Stanislavsky, Chekhov, Bulgakov and co. -they all took their inspiration from this magical and majestic place. Live music from local and international performers is another big part of the cultural landscape of the city and on a lighter note, contemporary Moscow also sees the running of high heeled road races, honey festivals, air-guitar competitions and other curious events.

Concert Halls 16 Tons (16T) A-2, Ul. Presnensky Val 6, MUlitsa 1905 Goda, tel. (+7) 499 253 15 50, www.16tons.ru.

Arena Moscow (AM) Leninsky pr. 31, bldg. 4, MDinamo, tel. (+7) 495 940 67 55, www.arenagroup.ru.

B2 Club (B2) B-2, Ul. Bolshaya Sadovaya 8/1, MMaya-

kovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 650 99 18, www.b2club.ru.

Crocus City Hall (CCH) MKAD 65-66 Km, MMyakinino, tel. (+7) 499 550 00 55, www.crocus-hall.ru.

DOM Cultural Centre (DCC) D-4, Bol. Ovchinnikovsky per. 24, bldg. 4, MNovokuznetskaya, tel. (+7) 495 953 72 36, dom.com.ru.

International House of Music - Chamber Hall (IHMC), Theatre Hall (IHMT), Svetlanov Hall (IHMS) E-5,

Kosmodamianskaya Nab. 52, bldg. 8, MPaveletskaya, tel. (+7) 495 730 10 11, www.mmdm.ru.

Izvestiya Hall (IH) B-2, Pushkinskaya pl. 5, MPushkinskaya, tel: (+7) 495 364 05 05, www.izvestia-hall.ru Live Music Hall (LMH) Ul. Dubosekovskaya 4a/1, MVoikovskaya, tel: (+7) 495 785 17 60, www.cdk.ru Moscow Hall (MH) B-1, Triumfalnaya pl. 1, MMayakovskaya, tel: (+7) 495 228 20 80, www.moscowhall.com SK Olimpiysky (SKO) C-1, Olimpiysky pr. 16, MPr. Mira, tel. (+7) 495 786 33 33, www.olimpik.ru.

Stadium-Live (SL) Leningradsky pr. 80, bldg. 17, MSokol, tel. (+7) 495 540 55 40, www.stadium-live.ru.

State Kremlin Palace (SKP) C-3, The Kremlin, Ul. Vozdvizhenka 1, M. Biblioteka im. Lenina, tel. (+7) 495 628 52 32, www.kremlinpalace.org

Culture & events

October events

05.10 Saturday

Through 23.12 Monday

As part of the worldwide Day of Music, the city is planning to host a series of concerts and performances spanning a range of genres and venues. Among the places staging concerts will be large concert halls such as the International House of Music, the Gnesin Academy of Music and the Moscow Philharmonia as well as complexes like Flacon and SAKHArt. The program is yet to be unveiled, but it promises a range of performances, master-classes and discussions covering a wide range of music from classic to contemporary. The organizers hope that it will become an event to match the likes of ‘Night at the Museum’, and establish itself as an annual highlight in the cultural calendar. For more details, visit www.moscowmusicnight.ru.

19:00 Spirit of Japan

C-3, Rakhmaninov Hall of Moscow Conservatory, ul.

Bolshaya Nikitskaya 11, MBiblioteka Imeni Lenina, tel. (+7) 495 629 94 01, www.mosconsv.ru. In Moscow it might not feel like it, but Russia is, geographically speaking, Japan’s nearest neighbour. The countries are separated by just 40km of water between Sakhalin and Hokkaido and the island nation has been supporting the annual “Spirit of Japan” music festival here since 1999 to help cement links between the two cultures. This year’s festival, which runs at the Moscow Conservatory until Dec. 23, combines ancient and modern music for traditional Japanese instruments, performances by Japanese musicians and ensembles, works

by Japanese composers in the European classical tradition and music by Russian and European composers on Japanese themes. Highlights include a shamisen recital on Oct. 27 and a performance of traditional music from the Gagaku court on Nov. 13. Q Tickets 100 - 350Rbl.

Through 09.10 Wednesday

International Ballet Festival at the Kremlin

C-3, State Kremlin Palace, ul. Vozdvizhenka 1, MBiblioteka Imeni Lenina, tel. (+7) 495 628-52-32, kremlinpalace.org. This autumn brings some of the brightest stars of the ballet world to the Kremlin Palace in a season of crowd-pleasing dance classics. The festival began on Sep. 20 with a gala performance of Swan Lake, and reaches its climax with three nights of world-class ballet in early October. On Oct. 6, it’s Minkus’ Don Quixote with a largely Russian cast. Oct. 7 brings Le Corsaire, and Oct. 9 runs down the curtain with Prokofiev’s dramatic Romeo & Juliet, featuring the talents of guest star Igor Yebra of the corps-de-ballet at the Bordeaux Opera House. Q Tickets 100 - 2,500Rbl.

Music Night

06.10 Sunday

17:00 Kinozvuk festival

B-1, Glinka museum of musical culture, ul. Fadeeva 4, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 739 62 26, noirmusic.ru.

Elsewhere, orchestras and ensembles have long been keen to attract audiences by devoting themselves to movie soundtracks - whether it’s the London Symphony Orchestra doing the Imperial March from Star Wars, or a Korean group putting on a symphonic version of computer game sounds. Now the concept is coming to Russia, lights and fireworks and all, with the Noir Quartet giving its take of some Hollywood classics - and a few numbers from the likes of Angry Birds and Super Mario Bros to boot. It’s something of a departure from the Glinka Museum’s usual highbrow fare, and some local listeners may raise an eyebrow at the absence of any of the much-loved Soviet cinema songs, but it promises a fun evening. Q Tickets 600 - 2,000Rbl.

Moscow Philharmonic The Moscow Philharmonic is world-renowned, and carefully preserves performance traditions. Its aim is to provide the modern listener with a diverse repertoire of folklore and innovation. Over the last ten years, it has increased the number of concerts, with now more than three thousand a year across the globe. The Philharmonic’s creative subscription policy attracts children to concerts, providing them with an opportunity to hear the world’s best contemporary artists. The number of subscriptions is growing, with more than 200 issued for the coming season. Each year more attention is paid to children’s projects, with famous Russian artists participating in the popular ‘Tales and Orchestra’.

Moscow Conservatory Grand Hall (CGH) B-3, Bol. Nikitskaya ul. 13, MArbatskaya, tel. (+7) 495 629 94 01, www.meloman.ru.

Moscow Philharmonic Chamber Hall (PCH) B-1, Tverskaya ul. 29, bldg. 3, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 232 53 53, www.meloman.ru.

Moscow Philharmonic Small Hall (PSH) B-3, Bol. Nikitskaya ul. 13, MArbatskaya, tel. (+7) 495 232 04 00, www.meloman.ru.

Moscow Philharmonic Tchaikovsky Hall (PTH) B-1, Triumfalnaya pl. 4, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 232 53 53, www.meloman.ru.

Moscow In Your Pocket

17.10 Thursday

19:00 Vagen Nalbandyan

C-3, State Kremlin Palace, ul. Vozdvizhenka 1, MBiblioteka Imeni Lenina, tel. (+7) 495 628 52 32, kremlinpalace.org.

Vagen Nalbandyan has been one of the pre-eminent dancers and choreographers of his age and to celebrate 60 years in dance the Kremlin Palace is hosting a gala evening in tribute to his life and work. His long career won him the acclaim and affection of dance lovers all over the world. The festival includes an impressive list of stars of Russian music and dance, from pop stars to folk-dance ensembles, reflecting the diversity of Nalbandyan’s career. Q Tickets 500 - 8,000Rbl.

05.10 Saturday

Musical Chicago

A-6, MDM, Komsomolsky pr. 28, MFrunzenskaya, tel. (+7) 495 788 46 46, chicagothemusical.com. Blockbuster musical Chicago is returning to Moscow for a new run this fall, with Larissa Dolina returning home to reprise the role which made her a Broadway star. Back in August Dolina appeared as Mamma Morton in New York, becoming the first Russian to take on a starring role on Broadway and winning great acclaim from American audiences. Now she’s leading the cast in the Russian version of the production, which opens on Oct. 6 and runs for 42 performances, bringing this great show back to town for the first time in more than 10 years.

Q Tickets 1,000 - 3,800Rbl.

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Stanislavsky Music Theatre

Theatres Bolshoi Theatre (BT) C-2, Teatralnaya pl. 1,

MTeatralnaya, tel. (+7) 499 250 73 17, www. bolshoi.ru.

Helikon Opera (HO) B-3, Ul. Novy Arbat 11, bldg. 2, MArbatskaya, tel. (+7) 495 695 65 84, www.helikon.ru.

Maly Theatre (MT) C-2, Teatralny proezd 1, MTeatralnaya, tel. (+7) 495 625 48 59, www.maly.ru.

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For Russia’s culture vultures, the Bolshoi is not the only name in town. Indeed, given the high prices and sometimes difficulty in getting tickets for Russia’s most famous stage, it’s not surprising that many discerning opera lovers and balletomanes are opting to go to the Stanislavsky Music Theatre instead. After a successful renovation the theatre on Bol. Dmitrovka has gone from strength to strength, gaining a reputation for beautiful productions which match the elegant surroundings.

The 95th season got underway at the end of September with the premiere of Richard Wagner’s opera Tannhauser.

Until recently Wagner was almost unknown on Moscow’s stages – politically dubious in Soviet times, the demands his works make on performer and audience alike kept him out of view in the immediate post-Communist era as well. But a successful recent production of Lohengrin at Novaya Opera, and the unearthing of the rarely seen Ban on Love at Helikon, have whetted local appetites for the Teutonic master and encouraged more companies to include him in their programs.

It’s not the only grand premiere of the coming season: Verdi’s lavish Aida, commissioned to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal and neatly demonstrating how even the most base propagandistic cliché can be transmuted into artistic gold in the right hands, is also coming to the stage in a new production, as is Mozart’s timeless Don Giovanni. With critics in recent years rating the theatre’s opera company as Russia’s most talented – if not always its most prestigious – audiences could be in for a treat.

Dance lovers are welcomed with the contemporary DanceInversion Festival (16.10 Wednesday - 24.11 Sunday), which brings leading companies from Brazil, Australia, New Zealand and France to various stages in Moscow, and also features fruits of the Stanislavsky Musical Theatre’s collaboration with leading contemporary director Jiri Kylian. His latest work, Wings of Wax, gets its premiere towards the end of the festival alongside other recent prize-winning shows.

The company also premieres a new take on La Bayardere, with opening night on October 18. This was one of the key ballets of the Russian Imperial era, set to music

by Ludwig Minkus, whose Don Quixote is also a fixture in the Russian repertoire, and its set pieces have rivaled the immortal Swan Lake for popularity over the years.

The new production is directed by Natalia Makarova.

For full program details and ticket booking, visit www.stanmus.ru

Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre C-2, Ul. Bol.Dmitrovka

17, MPushkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 629 28 35.

October - November 2013

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Culture & events

18.10 Friday

18.10 Friday - 20.10 Sunday

25.10 Friday - 10.11 Sunday

Arena Moscow, Leningradsky prospekt 31, bldg. 4, MDinamo, tel. (+7) 495 940 67 55, www.arenagroup. ru. Suzanne Vega’s last trip to Moscow prompted some to observe that her music was akin to the sort of quirky pop Phoebe from Friends might have produced if “Smelly Cat” had actually been any good. Damned with faint praise? Not exactly. Her thoughtful lo-fi pop certainly has more than a whiff of a homely downtown coffee bar, but elevated to the point of pure artistry. Oddly then, she’s also regarded as the mother of the MP3, since techies feared that here a cappella hit “Tom’s Diner” would be too great a challenge for their recording system. They were wrong, and the track became not only one of the first MP3 files but also Vega’s calling card.

Q Tickets 1,200 - 10,000Rbl.

Pl. Zhuravleva 1, MElektrozavodskaya, tel. (+7) 495 933 58 59, www.teatrntp.ru. Moscow’s Independent Theater Project is set to unleash a new kind of performance on audiences in the city with a genre-defying “Tapyor Show” full of music and dance. Dialogue is kept to a minimum with Klass Quartet takes to the stage, making it an ideal opportunity for non-Russian-speakers to get a flavor of the city’s vibrant drama scene. And the message is to expect the unexpected, with a performance which even its creators admit is difficult to define in terms of conventional theater. It’s been a year in the making, and combines live music and dance with drama. For the first time in Russia, the cast is made up of musicians rather than actors, united under director Elshan Mammadov’s vision of ensuring that “theater can be different once again”. Q Tickets 500 - 1,500Rbl.

С-1, Kolobov Moscow Theater New Opera, Karetny Ryad 3, bldg. 2, MTsvetnoy Bulvar, tel. (+7) 495 694 08 68, www.novayaopera.ru/en. Wagner and Verdi are two great, but contrasting masters of the operatic arts. So Novaya Opera is out to showcase their work in a festival this fall. The Italian is represented by Rigoletto and Il Trovatore at the end of October, plus a gala evening of highlights from his operas. Wagner, meanwhile, features at the start of November with a staging of his Lohengrin and a return for the Moscow premiere production of his great love story Tristan und Isolde.

The festival wraps up with an evening of symphony and vocal extracts from the masterpieces of both composers on Nov. 10. Q Tickets 800 - 2,500Rbl.

21:00 Suzanne Vega

Klass Quartet: Tapyor Show

International Festival Two Masters - Two Worlds

Art Salon on Starosadsky

November events 01.11 Friday

19:30 Mylene Farmer

19.10 Saturday

22:00 Pirate Station Revolution

Cirque du Soleil, Kooza Through 04.11 Monday

Cirque du Soleil, KOOZA

F-6, OK Luzhniki, ul. Luzhniki 24, MSportivnaya, tel. (+7) 495 780 08 08, www.cirquedusoleil.com. The world-famous Cirque du Soleil is back in Moscow -and its new show, KOOZA, sees the Canadian troupe go back to its roots. Pitching its big top at Luzhniki once more, the company is building this production around the core circus disciplines of clowning and acrobatics. It’s a real box of tricks: the show’s name is derived from the Sanskrit word for ‘box’, reflecting the explosive start as the key characters spring out of their box and also evoking the spirit of a kind of Pandora’s Box of moral conundrums faced by the cast on a journey which explores questions of right and wrong without losing its lightness of touch and entertaining approach. Q Tickets 1,600 - 12,000Rbl.

Moscow In Your Pocket

Stadium Live, Leningradsky pr. 80, bldg.17, MSokol, tel. (+7) 495 540 55 40, www.radiorecord.ru/ news/231856/. For its devotees, Drum & Bass is more than just a type of music - it’s closer to a way of life. And that’s what Stadium Live is planning to put on show when Pirate Station comes to town. Sponsored by Radio Record, it brings six revolutionary acts which changed the face of dance music, combining music with theater and circus acts to create a full-on show following a well-established template which has toured the world over the past 11 years. It promises to be far more than just a dance event, with a large-scale spectacle suspended above the heads of the audience and reinforced by dazzling special effects. Q Tickets 1,200 - 4,600Rbl.

25.10 Friday

20:00 Brainstorm

Stadium Live, Leningradsky pr. 80, bldg. 17, MSokol, tel. (+7) 495 540 55 40, www.stadium-live.ru/en. Latvian rockers Brainstorm made a little bit of history this summer, becoming the first band from the former USSR to perform at the legendary Glastonbury Festival, promoting this year’s English-language release “Another Still Life”. But 2013 also marks the 10th anniversary of the band’s first Russian appearances, and one decade on they remain as popular as ever here. Renars Kaupers, frontman of the band, suggests that the time is ripe for his band to bring its full stadium show to Russia for the first time. Q Tickets 1,500 - 10,000Rbl.

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С-1, SK Olimpiysky (SKO), Olimpiysky pr. 16, MPr. Mira, tel. (+7) 495 786 33 33, w w w.olimpik.ru.

It’s four years since Mylene Farmer last came to Moscow, but the French chanteuse is back at last with a brand new show. The ‘Timeless’ tour, which kicked off with 10 nights at the Bercy Arena in Paris, draws heavily on material from last year’s “Monkey Me” album and 2011’s “Bleu Noir” and also promises a spectacular show complete with dancing robots. The latest album, which reunited Farmer with producer and songwriter Laurent Boutonnat was a huge hit in France and received good reviews for its cuts of classic synth pop. Q Tickets 1,750 - 50,000Rbl.

03.11 Sunday - 04.11 Monday

Nitro Circus Live

С-1, SK Olimpiysky (SKO), Olimpiysky pr. 16, MPr. Mira, tel. (+7) 495 786 33 33, www.olimpik.ru. One upon a time, stunt bike riding was a slightly cheesy affair, typically involving the likes of Evel Knievel trying to leap safely over a long line of London buses. Today, though, the rise of extreme sports has transformed these humble beginnings into a compelling spectacle of skill and courage. The renowned Nitro Circus is rated as one of the best in the world, with riders hurtling skywards off 18m ramps to perform their acrobatics stunts. It’s not all motorcycles and BMX either - some of the stunts are specially tailored for toy vehicles. If you never thought you’d see Barbie like this, think again … Q Tickets 1,000 - 7,000Rbl.

D-3, Starosadsky per. 10, MKitay Gorod, tel. (+7) 495 624 15 83, www.gemsart.ru. This small gift shop is a veritable Aladdin’s cave of semi-precious stones, minerals and amber handcrafted into unique jewellery, ornaments and decorative items by talented local craftsmen. If you are looking to take away a unique little piece of Russia, rather another item from the usual tourist conveyor belt then look no further than these cabinets filled with items made from gleaming Russian malachite, agate, jasper, the purest Baltic amber and other lustrous precious stones.

For something even more exotic they’re also selling fragments of the Sikhote-Alin meteorite that fell in Far Eastern Russia in 1947 and of the one that made the headlines in February in Chelyabinsk. In addition there’s a large selection of paintings to be found, hand-painted lacquer boxes, pottery, traditional scarves and of course Russian dolls.Q Open Mon - Sat 11:00 - 20:00, Sun 11:00 - 19:00.

05.11 Tuesday

19:00 Jason Palmer

B-1, Glinka Museum of Musical Culture, ul. Fadeeva 4, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 739 62 26, jasonpalmermusic.com. The smooth sound of Miles Davis is on the menu at the Glinka Museum of Musical Culture when Jason Palmer brings his trumpet to town in November. He joins the Alexei Podymkin Quartet in an evening of music dedicated to Miles - but while Palmer looks back at a great name of the past audiences have the chance to hear one of the stars of the future. Says who? Well, influential magazine Down Beat listed him as one of the top 25 horn players of the future, and he’s worked with stars like Wynton Marsalis and Herbie Hancock, among many. It’s definitely one to get mellow with.

Q Tickets 800 - 1,800Rbl.

06.11 Wednesday - 07.11 Thursday

19:00 Three Сenturies of Ballet

C-3, State Kremlin Palace, ul. Vozdvizhenka 1, MBiblioteka Imeni Lenina, tel. (+7) 495 628 52 32, kremlinpalace.org. The Moscow State Academy of Choreography celebrates its 240th birthday this year, and the Kremlin Palace’s “Three Centuries of Ballet” is the main party to mark the anniversary. It’s a two-day event which introduces the star students of some of the world’s most prestigious dance schools - including leading institutions in Italy, the USA, Spain, Japan and, of course, Moscow’s own celebrated academy. As well as rising stars, the shows on Nov. 6 and 7 will also feature famous graduates, including the likesof Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Igor Zelinsky, Tamara Rojo and Maria Alexandrova.

Q Tickets 200 - 4,000Rbl.

moscow.inyourpocket.com

October - November 2013

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Culture & events

19.11 Tuesday

03.10 Thursday - 17.11 Sunday

16.10 Wednesday - 16.02 Sunday

C-3, State Kremlin Palace, ul. Vozdvizhenka 1, MBiblioteka Imeni Lenina, tel. (+7) 495 628-52-32, kremlinpalace.org. Russian pop music has been one of the highlights of recent Eurovision song contests, with the country consisting polling well in the big event. And while it may have more than a slight whiff of cheese about it at time, there’s no denying that the country’s perkiest acts deliver a nifty line in song-and-dance routines. So while it would be hard to claim the MusicBox Prize ceremony on Nov. 19 at the Kremlin Palace as an event of great artistic significance, its constellation of top local stars should make for an entertaining night out. The range of music is relatively wide, from controversial rapper Noize MC to pop-rockers Quest Pistols, but the highlights are likely to be provided by the pretty girlie-pop princesses Maksim and Nyusha. Q Tickets 500 - 8,000Rbl.

Jewish museum & Tolerance centre, ul. Obraztsova 11, bldg. 1A, MDostoyevskaya, tel. (+7) 495 645 05 50, www.jewish-museum.ru/en. Jewish life in the Soviet Union was a complicated thing, as believers’ status varied between the edge of the abyss and the potential perk of freedom to emigrate. But away from the political machinations of the age, Moscow’s Jewish community continued to live life as normally as it could in sometimes stressful times. A new photo-exhibition, “Photographs which were not”, recalls some of that life. Taken by Emmanuil Evzerikhin in 1957, 1960 and 1965 they show the grand ceremonies at Moscow’s Great Choral Synagogue, as well as snapshots of everyday life in the Soviet capital at that time. Now stored in Liechtenstein, these photos are seldom seen here in Moscow - but will be on show at the Jewish Museum until Nov. 17. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00, Fri 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat. Admission free.

B-5, Tretyakov State Gallery, Krymsky Val 10, MPark Kultury, tel. (+7) 495 951 13 62, www.tretyakovgallery.ru. Natalia Goncharova was a hugely significant figure in 20th century art, and this long overdue retrospective at the Tretyakov offers a valuable opportunity to explore her creative life in detail. Presenting more than 400 of her works, it reflects several areas of her art, from painting and sculpture to theater design and book illustration. Goncharova was a vigorous defender of the avant-garde, having begun her career in the heady post-revolution period of experimentation and audacity.

Yet she also drew heavily on the history of art - especially Russia’s diverse folkloric traditions - for inspiration, creating a bridge between past and present. QOpen 10:00 - 19:30.

Closed Mon. Admisson 250Rbl.

19:00 MusicBox

Exhibitions

Emmanuil Evzerikhin: Photos which were not

Natalia Goncharova, between East and West

Through 30.01 Thursday

Romanovs, portrait of a dynasty

C-3, Historical museum, Ploshchad Revolutsii 2/3, MTeatralnaya, tel. (+7) 495 692 40 19, w w w.1812shm. ru. 2013 marks th e 400 th anni versar y of the Romanov dynasty, tsars of Russia for more than 300 years un til th e 1917 revolu ti on.

To celebrate, the State Historical Museum is holding an exhibition of portraits of the men and women who shaped Russia’s destiny across the centuries. For much of the Romanov era, the Royal Family was the predominant subject of Russian secular art. Portraits of the royals, and depictions of their lives, was an essential way of ensuring that the country’s rulers - and national symbols - became familiar to every Russian. The exhibition includes more than 400 works, divided among eight eras of Romanov rule, and features paintings by Russian and European masters.

QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 11:00 - 21:00. Closed Tue. Admission 200Rbl.

Through 27.10 Sunday

The Riddle of Vivian Maier

С-4, Lumiere Brothers Gallery, Bolotnaya naberezhnaya 3, bldg. 1, MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 228 98 78, www.lumiere.ru. Vivian Maier is one of the enigmas of photography. For 40 years she worked as a nanny in Chicago, with few knowing anything about her secret passion for the camera. Yet in obscurity she managed to shoot more than 100,000 negatives - few of which were seen by anyone prior to 2007. When they emerged into view at auction in her home town, they quickly caused a sensation: her streetscapes bear comparisons with the likes of Henri Cartier-Bresson, her compositional techniques recall Andre Kertesz. Over the past two years, 11 solo shows of her work have been staged, and a collection of 50 b&w works highlighting the architecture and street life of Chicago and New York is coming to Moscow for the first time at the Lumiere Brothers Gallery. QOpen 12:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon.

Moscow In Your Pocket

11.10 Friday - 17.10 Thursday

Moscow Design Week

Art Play, Nizhnyaya Syromyatnicheskaya 10, MKurskaya, tel. (+7) 495 620 08 83, www.artplay.ru. Moscow Design Week is back for its fourth year, and after 2012’s local edition the emphasis in 2013 is far more global. Centred on the Artplay complex, this year’s exhibitions bring top talents from Italy, the US and Slovenia, with a joint project involving Fiera Milano listed as the biggest event this time around.

Leading architectures, designers and manufacturers are coming from Artplay to recreate something of Milan’s celebrated annual international design show here in Moscow. From America, industrial designer Brad Ascalon premieres his DeEvolution, in which he explores the way in which objects decay and creates a metaphor for the American Dream’s conversion to an impossible myth. And Slovenia’s young designers offer a show of their industrial designs, deliberately rejecting the pantheon of brands to showcase individual creativity in all its quirks and unexpected detours. Design week runs from Oct. 11-18. Full program details at moscowdesignweek.ru QOpen 11:00 - 20:00. Admission 200Rbl.

The Royal Game Through 27.10 Sunday

The Royal Game

C-1, All-Russia Decorative Art Museum, Delegatskaya ul. 3, MTsvetnoy Bulvar, tel. (+7) 495 609 01 46, www.vmdpni.ru. Russia has long been synonymous with chess-playing greatness, and “The Royal Game” exhibition at the Decorative Art Museum celebrates that with a look at some unusual chess sets. From luxurious line-ups of porcelain or ivory to the historic Peoples of the Caucasus set, carved in bone and displayed at the 1900 World Expo, it’s a tour of exotic and creative interpretations of this great game. Some sets carry a political message, like Natalia Danko’s The Red and the White made in Leningrad in 1925 where the red king is a hammer-wielding worker or wooden sets which pit workers against capitalists. Chess from outer space is represented by a special set, weighted for use in zero-G and playing on Soyuz 9 in 1970. And, from perhaps the high point of Soviet chess, the table used when Karpov and Kasparov faced off for the world title in what proved to be the longest ever match is also on show.

But there’s also a Spartan side to the exhibition. A relic from the siege of Leningrad shows cardboard cubes with images of pieces glued to the sides, while another exhibit comes from the GULag, where stray bits of wire were twisted into shape. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 21:00, Sat 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Tue. Admission 200Rbl.

21.11 Thursday - 19.01 Sunday

Performance Now

Jewish museum & Tolerance centre, ul. Obraztsova 11, bldg. 1A, MDostoyevskaya, tel. (+7) 495 645 05 50, www.jewish-museum.ru/en/main. Performance art has become one of the most powerful new trends in the contemporary art world, and the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center explores some of the highlights of the genre’s short history in its latest exhibition. Curated by RoseLee Goldberg, one of the leading theorists of this strand of visual expression, Performance Now focuses on the rise of performance art in the first decade of this century, looking at some of the key artists who have led its development. Bringing together video footage, objects, drawings and photos, the exhibition shows off some of the iconic moments of the past 10 years. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00, Fri 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat. Admission 300Rbl.

30.11 Saturday - 04.12 Wednesday

Moscow’s World Fine Art Fair

Pavilion Forum, Expocenter, Krasnopresnenskaya nab.

14, MVystavochnaya, tel. (+7) 499 795 37 99, www. sixagency.com/mwfaf. Moscow’s World Fine Art Fair returns for the seventh time - and this year promises to be the biggest yet. At the time of writing, about 80 international galleries and fashion houses have signed up for the 2013 event, an increase of 30% on the previous edition. Each will bring an assortment of unique works from the 16th-20th centuries, including great paintings, unique sculptures and important works by the Impressionists and other early 20th-century figures. There’s also a wide range of modern art, photography and decorative arts including fabrics and jewelry. The grand opening is on Nov. 29, and full details of the salons attending can be found at www.moscow-faf.com. QOpen 14:00 - 22:00.

December 3 14:00 - 24:00, December 4 14:00 - 19:00

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October - November 2013

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Culture & events

Through 22.01 Wednesday

Biennale bonanza

С-3, Kremlin Moscow, MTeatralnaya, tel. (+7) 495 697 03 49, www.kreml.ru/en. A new exhibition at the Kremlin revels in the pomp and pageantry of Russia’s Imperial age.

From the splendor of the crown of Monomakh to the recentlydiscovered original of Tsar Pavel I’s ‘Act of Succession’, it’s a tour of the highlights of royal Russian history. Amid all the magnificence - and there’s plenty of that, with jewel-encrusted accoutrements and lavish coronation outfits to the fore - there is also an explanation of the symbolism of the entire ceremony as wedded the ruler to the country and its people - for better or worse. Many of the exhibits are making their first public appearance after painstaking restoration, adding to the excitement around one of the blockbuster shows of the year.

QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Thu.

Moscow’s Biennale of Modern Art is not one of the city’s longest-running events, but in its relatively short history it has had a huge impact on the city’s cultural life. This year’s edition is the fifth, and in that time it has not merely grown from its own humble beginnings, it has breathed life into a wide range of projects which have transformed the visual arts scene. After all, it was events like the second Biennale in 2007 which firmly established Winzavod as a major player among Moscow’s venues, and the success of that project, transforming a disused industrial site, has been influential in establishing similar creative hubs at places like Artplay, Flacon and the Krasny Oktyabr complex.

As contemporary art became more fashionable, so the development of prestigious complexes such as Garage – now in a new home in Gorky Park – came with it. In a city like Moscow, where for decades art was treated with heavy-handed suspicion from the authorities, this switch in emphasis has been a revelation for both creators and consumers of the arts.

It’s no longer just about the venerable likes of the Tretyakov Gallery or the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts – creativity is finding its place all over town, inspiring and challenging new generations of Muscovites.

Full details of the on-going Biennale 2013 can be found at www.5th.moscowbiennale.ru/en/, while below Moscow In Your Pocket picks out some of the best exhibitions on offer.

Coronation in the Moscow Kremlin

Through 20.10 Sunday

More Light

C-3, Manezh, Manezhnaya pl. 1, MBiblioteka Imeni Lenina, tel. (+7) 495 645 92 77, www.5th.moscowbiennale.ru/en. More Light (Bolshe Sveta) - the Manezh is the centerpiece of the festival, and it will show an exhibition of 30 works. The highlight of these looks set to be an installation by architect Alexander Brodsky, which the artist hopes will challenge audiences to wonder where his entranceway constructed of recycled materials might lead. This show is also the headline act for this year’s curator, Catherine de Seeger, the first woman to take charge of the Biennale. Her choices reflect her own circumstances, caught somewhere between radicalism and mainstream and resistant to the idea of big name headline-grabbers. Among the more obscure names to look out for is the ‘Gorod Ustinov’ collective from the provincial city of Izhevsk, while Azerbaijani photographer Rena Effendi’s work is also deserving of attention. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00.

Closed Mon. Admission 300Rbl.

18.10 Friday - 16.02 Sunday

Leningrad Symphony

С-5, Tretyakov State Gallery, Krymsky Val 10, MPark Kultury, tel. (+7) 495 951 13 62, www.tretyakovgallery.ru. The Leningrad Symphony of Dmitry Shostakovich is one of the great works of 20th century music; its artistic equivalent came from the sketchpad of Georgy Verey. His ‘Leningrad Symphony’ is the subject of an exhibition at the Tretyakov starting on Oct. 17, which showcases about 70 works inspired by the city of his birth. Having lived through some of the most turbulent years in the history of Russia’s Northern Capital, taking in revolution and war along the way, his finest works are a portrait of Leningrad - its landscapes, streets and houses, and the life of its residents. This intimate exhibition includes original drawings, etchings and lithographs from the Tretyakov’s collection. QOpen 10:00 - 19:30. Closed Mon. Admission 250Rbl.

The Kabakovs

B-4, Moscow Multimedia Art Museum, ul. Ostozhenka 16, MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 637 11 22, www.mdf.ru.

The Kabakovs - Il ya and Emilia Kabakov have long been pre-eminent among Russia’s installation artists, and the Biennale program coincides with a series of shows devoted to their work.

It’s been a bumper year for them in Moscow, with the “Ship of Tolerance” project in Gorky Park introducing youngsters to modern art while the Multimedia Museum stages a large-scale exhibition of collaborations with El Lisitsky as part of the Biennale’s broader program. The Kabakov brand manages to speak as clearly to children and their love of bunnies as it does to citizens of the former USSR, evoking a host of memories and images that distort and define the times we have lived through and live in. QOpen 12:00 - 21:00.

Closed Mon.

Through 24.11 Sunday

Reconstruction

Winzavod 4-y Siromyatnichesky per.1, bldg.6, MCh-

kalovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 917 46 46, www.winzavod. ru. Winzavod - it’s no surprise that once again Winzavod is staking heavily on a successful Biennale. This time the show stopper is an exhibition of surrealist sculptures by Erwin Wurms, hosted with the support of the Regina Gallery. Under the heading ‘Cowardly Tractor’, Wurms displays 18 works, from his trademark houses to a new series of abstract works involving rubber sausages. To his fans, he delivers a bitterly ironic critique of the modern world. Elsewhere the confined spaces of the Fermenting Rooms take on the ambience of an Egyptian catacomb during a short-term show from the Vglaz collective (until Oct. 5) while the other galleries in the complex will be unveiling their new season’s exhibitions to coincide with the main event. QOpen 12:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon.

Through 17.11 Sunday

Through 15.11 Friday

Ukraine: Expropriation

Grinberg gallery, Winzavod, 4-y Syromyatnichesky per. 1, bldg. 6, MKurskaya, tel. (+7) 495 228 11 70, grinbergphotos.com. Five contemporary photographers from Ukraine feature in the Grinberg Gallery’s show ‘The Expropriation’. The most celebrated of the quintet is Bob Mikhailov, now based in Berlin, whose works feature in the collections of several of the world’s top galleries and who is perhaps the most famous post-Soviet photographer. Here he’s represented by works from his deliberately kitschy “Lurik” collection, whose bright colors were intended to highlight the absurdities of the Soviet system. More contemporary work comes from Roman Pyatkovka, whose conceptual project reinvents Soviet photography by adding modern, quirky images to the staid lay-outs of the magazines of the USSR. Another of his projects recreates portraits of Ukrainians who died during Stalin’s purges and the famine of the early 1930s. QOpen 12:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon. Admission free.

D-2, Ekaterina Cultural Foundation, Kuznetsky Most 21/5, MKuznetsky Most, tel. (+7) 495 621 55 22, w w w.ekaterina-foundation.ru/eng. Reconstruction (Rekonstruktsiya) - the Ekaterina Foundation recreates an epochal exhibition of contemporary art from the early-90s, curated by Elena Selina, one of the leading gallery owners of that era. It offers a fascinating glimpse of how Russia’s artists reacted to the sudden switch from Soviet society to a no-holds-barred new world where old certainties were swept away almost overnight. For lovers of art as a social document, this is an unmissable event. As well as the exhibition, the Garage Center offers a series of lectures which put these works into a historical context. And this show is part one of a series which continues in December looking at artists of the late 90s. QOpen 11:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon.

Through 06.10 Sunday

The Dance of Dead Languages

С-2, Tsum, ul. Petrovka 2, MOkhotny Ryad, tel. (+7) 495 933 73 00, www.tsum.ru. The Dance of Dead Languages (Plyaska mertvykh yazykov) - swanky TsUM, Moscow’s central department store, is typically a home to fashion victims rather than culture vultures. But during Biennale it plays host to an ironical installation which draws on the transience of the fashion industry. Occupying a whole floor of the store, it explores the fate of Internet slang and the way in which fashions change, often wildly, to create an enduring state of flux. In an installation modeled on a granny flat, the skeletons of fashion are ready to dance. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 11:00 - 22:00. Admission free.

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October - November 2013

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Culture & events Inspired by Holland

Moscow goes Dutch From shipbuilding to soccer coaching, Russia and the Netherlands have enjoyed close links for centuries and continue to do so to this day. Which is part of the inspiration behind this 2013’s ‘Year of the Netherland in Russia’, exploring and celebrating links between the two countries and aiming to forge new ones.

As well as a strong cultural program which has been running throughout the year, and continues this fall with a look at Dutch poetry and a review of how the landscapes and cities of Holland have inspired Russian artists, there is also a wealth of information available for those looking for forge business or academic links between the two countries. In doing so, perhaps they will safeguard future generations of Russo-Dutch cooperation and friendship.

Exhibitions Through 24.11 Sunday

Piet Mondriaan

B-5, Tretyakov State Gallery, Krymsky Val 10, MPark Kultury, tel. (+7) 495 951 13 62, www. tretyakovgallery.ru. From the celebrated modernism of Piet Mondrian to cutting-edge video installations, there’s something for everyone in a series of art shows in honor of the festival. The Mondrian exhibition is the flagship event at the New Tretyakov Gallery, exploring how the Dutchman, along with those émigré Russians Kandinsky and Malevich, laid the foundations for abstract art. The whole movement was suppressed by the Soviet authorities, and to this day Mondrian’s work is little known in Russia.

QOpen 10:00 - 19:30. Closed Mon. Admission 250Rbl.

Dutch art has a well-deserved place in history, and it’s hardly surprising that contemporary students are drawn to the country’s academies to hone their skills. This exhibition, running to Oct. 21 at the Library for Foreign Literature, showcases about 20 works by the latest generation of young Russians who have headed west. There’s a mixture of professional artists, photojournalism and talented amateurs contributing to a look at the world from two distinct directions, all of which helps to update the audience’s views of what is happening in the contemporary Dutch art world.

Library for foreign literature E-3, Ul. Nikoloyamskaya 1, 3rd floor, MTaganskaya, tel. (+7) 495 915 00 23, www.nesorussia.org.

Performing poetry

In modern-day, polyglot, cosmopolitan Amsterdam it’s easy for a visitor to barely encounter the Dutch language. Yet at the height of the Dutch Empire it was as much a global lingua franca as English is today, the established tongue of trading posts throughout the world. And, like any major language, Dutch inspired its own literary tradition. As part of the Dutch Days festival, a special event introduces Russian audiences to the 19th-century “Tachtigers”, an influential and distinctive school of poets writing in the 1880s. More of a performance than a discussion, the Boekenhoekje on Oct. 1 introduces the writing of Jacques Perk, Willem Kloos, Herman Gorter, Lodewijk van Deyssel and Frederik van Eeden, poets who changed the face of the Dutch Literature forever.

Library for foreign literature E-3, Ul. Nikoloyamskaya 1, 3rd floor, MTaganskaya, tel. (+7) 495 915 00 23, www.nesorussia.org.

Dutch studies

The Netherlands is attracting an ever-growing cohort of international students to its universities and higher education institutions, and Russian youngsters are forming part of that trend. So once again Nuffic Neso Russia is running its Holland Pavilion at the ICIEP international student fair in Moscow, with 13 institutions on hand to present details of their English-language study programs. Immediately prior to that Oct. 5 event, a two-day conference involving Russian and Dutch universities and colleges will follow up on the memorandum of understanding signed during Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Netherlands earlier this year. QSaturday, October, 5 12:00 - 17:00.

Radisson Slavyanskaya Hotel A-4, Pl. Evropy 2, MKievskaya.

07.11 Thursday - 12.01 Sunday

Russian and Dutch art of the first part of the 19th century

С-4, Tretyakov State Gallery, Lavrushinsky per. 12, MTretyakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 951 13 62, www. tretyakovgallery.ru/en. The great Dutch masters - Rembrandt, Hals and others - are well represented in Russia’s museums. But at the Tretyakov Gallery in November art lovers have a chance to get acquainted with a series of lesser-known works dating from the early 19th century. As artistic fashions shifted towards Romanticism, Dutch artists followed suit, even if their works have tended to be known only to a small circle of specialists. The Tretyakov exhibition will include portraits by Cornelius Kruzeman, still lives by Johannes van Osa and Landscapes by Barend Cornelius Kukkula. These works are to be shown alongside important Russian artists of the same period such as Troponin, Kiprensky and early works of Aivazovsky. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Thu, Fri 10:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon. Admission 200Rbl.

Moscow In Your Pocket

Waiting for Sochi …

Bring on Bayern!

The big event for football fans in Moscow this autumn is the visit of Europe’s top side, Bayern Munich. Last season’s Champions League winner is heading this way in defense of that title having been drawn in the same group as Russian champion CSKA. Last season was an unforgettable one for Bayern as it bid farewell to retiring coach Jupp Heynkes with a clean sweep of the Bundesliga title, the German Cup and a Champions League final triumph over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley to wrap up a memorable treble. Bayern legendary Franz Beckenbauer described Heynkes’ team as the best-ever Bayern side, and few would argue that the Bavarians have outstripped Barcelona to become Europe’s undisputed top dog.

But demand for tickets to see the all-conquering German side under the guidance of new head coach Pep Guardiola is likely to outstrip supply: with Moscow’s main stadium at Luzhniki undergoing renovation, the game is to be played at Arena Khimki. While that suburban venue is the most up-to-date in the area, it’s a compact affair with fewer than 20,000 seats.

CSKA has promised a general sale after the club’s season ticket holders have had a chance to book their places at the big game on Nov. 27 but it’s likely that any available spaces will be snapped up quickly. For full details keep an eye on www.pfc-cska.com.

Bayern isn’t the only big name heading to Moscow – CSKA’s group opponents also include big-spending English side Manchester City (Oct. 23). After decades in the shadow of local rival United, the blue half of Manchester invested heavily to win the Premier League in 2012. But so far the club’s wealthy Emirati backers have seen little return on their investments in Europe – City has yet to advance beyond the group phase of the Champions League, and faces a tough test this time against an experienced CSKA squad and the proven class of Bayern. The fourth team is Czech outsider Viktoria Plzen (Oct. 2).

Unusually, CSKA is Moscow’s only Euro-representative this season. Dynamo and Lokomotiv failed to qualify, while Spartak’s Europa League campaign was ended at the first hurdle following a play-off defeat against Swiss side St. Gallen. But Anzhi Makhachkala is due to continue playing its Europa League games in the Saturn Stadium at Ramenskoye, Moscow Region. Its group stage opponents are Tottenham Hotspur (England, Oct. 3), Tromso (Norway, Oct. 24) and Sheriff (Moldova, Nov. 28).

Doing business

Also within the festival, representatives of Dutch companies doing business in Russia will stage a one-day conference (Oct. 5) to help explain some of the prospects and pitfalls facing firms exploring the Russian market.

More information about the program of the RussiaNetherlands bilateral year 2013: www.nlrf2013.nl, www.nesorussia.org

moscow.inyourpocket.com

It’s a big season for Russian ice hockey, with everyone looking forward to the Sochi Olympics and hoping that Russia can win the gold medal on home ice. While many of the places on the Olympic roster will go to Russia’s NHL stars, the top players from the KHL have one last chance to impress head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov as the regular season continues.

For Moscow’s teams, there are good grounds for optimism.

Dynamo, going for the third successive title, began the season strongly with four victories in its first four games back in September.

The return of Leo Komarov from Toronto has revitalized the Blue-and-White offense, while goalie Alexander Yeryomenko has been impressive between the piping and could yet sneak into the Olympic party.

Across town CSKA has appointed American John Torchelli as head coach and signed up former team Russia captain Alexei Morozov to join the free-scoring Alexander Radulov at the sharp end of a potent attack. Early signs suggest this team will take time to settle into a rhythm, but it has the potential to improve on last season’s Conference semi-final.

Even struggling Spartak looks stronger this time out, with goalie Jeff Glass playing 153 minutes from the start of the season before finally conceding a goal. The Sokolniki side missed out on last season’s play-off, but under experienced coach Fyodor Kanareikin there’s already evidence that this season will go the distance.

All three teams are in regular action throughout the autumn.

Dynamo plays at Luzhniki (m. Sportivnaya), CSKA at Leningradka (m. Aeroport) and Spartak at Sokolniki (m. Sokolniki).

Midweek games start at 7:30 pm, weekends usually at 5 pm.

For an up-to-date schedule, see en.khl.ru.

At your service

Moscow’s biggest tennis tournament, the Kremlin Cup, is back at Olympiisky from Oct 12-20. The showpiece event forms part of the APT and WTA tours, and there are some big names expected to take part. Among the men, US Open semi-finalist Stanislas Wawrinka is expected to be a leading contender, along with defending champion Andreas Seppi and French ace Richard Gasquet. Local interest is likely to center more on the ladies, where several Russian stars including Maria Kirilenko, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova lining up alongside top-seeded Italian Sara Errani. For full details of the competition, and information about tickets, visit the tournament website at www.kremlincup.ru.

By Andy Potts

moscow.inyourpocket.com

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featureS Getting There Kolomna is just over 100km from Moscow, making for an easy day trip. Your best bet is to drive, as the distance can be covered in under two hours (although part of the road was under construction when we visited, resulting in a detour and a significant delay, by the time you read this it should have been ‘remonted’)! Take the highway heading south-east from Moscow through Lyubertsy towards Ryazan.

In case you don’t have your own wheels, the trains are always come to the rescue – there are two options, both leaving from Moscow’s Kazansky Vokzal (at metro Komsomolskaya on the red/brown line):

Kolomna Rent a Bike Moscow is one of the latest cities to set up its own bike programme, allowing both tourists and Muscovites a new way to travel around. The pay-as you go stations for these bikes are mostly on the Boulevard Ring, and the notable red bikes, courtesy of Bank of Moscow, can now be seen all over the city. Moscow in Your Pocket tried out the system and has mapped out for you a possible route from Chistye Prudy to Tsvetnoy Bulvar’, which takes you through some of Moscow’s leafiest and most loved boulevards.

A nice place to start is the far end of Chistye Prudy (‘Clean Ponds’). Say hello to the African ducks with the orange beaks and admire the memorial to the Kazakh poet Abay Kunanbaev, which in recent years has been the setting for opposition meetings. Pedal past the ‘Sovremennik’ theatre on the right, set up by young actors in 1956 and one of the first theatres which enjoyed the new freedoms of the Thaw era.

Weave in and out of the strollers until you reach the Chistye Prudy metro station and the statue of Russian playwright Griboedov, author of the play “Woe from Wit.” Unfortunately the ‘Stretensky Bulvar’ square is closed at the moment for repairs, so you will have to ride on the road to continue the route, or alternatively, you can start your ride at the end of the park, picking up a bike on Bol. Lubyanka street.

This area has a lot of religiously-significant monuments, including the Stretensky Monastery, built to commemorate the events of 1395, when the city was said to have been saved from the advance of Tamerlane by the arrival of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which is now displayed in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Crossing the road to reach Rozhdestvensky Bulvar’, you will find a new memorial to Evdokiya Dmitrievna, said to have brought the icon to Moscow. Riding downhill you reach Trubnaya Square. On the right, at the start of Tsvetnoy Bulvar’, a 32 metres high column commemorates policemen who die in the line of duty, and is topped by a statue of St George and the Dragon. The unicycling clown statues in the middle of the Tsvetnoy Bulvar’ park are a creation of Zurab Tsereteli, the famous sculptor of the Peter the Great statue by the river, and celebrate the circus on your right which has been here since the late 1980s. You can leave your bikes at the Tsvetnoy Bulvar’ metro station at the end of the park.

Moscow In Your Pocket

How Does It Work?

To rent a bike, you will first need to register online at www.velobike.ru using a credit card, which means that you will need internet access or to do this at home. The website is all in Russian, so get a Russian friend to help you. The prices vary depending on the ‘tariff plan’ you choose, which means the amount of time you decide you want to have the bike service available to you. You then pay additionally for the hours you use the bike, although any trip up to 30 minutes is free with the tariff plan. 30 minutes to an hour costs 30Rbl and an hour to an hour and a half costs 90Rbl. Once you have registered online, you will receive a text message with the number of your ‘bikecard’ (velokarta) and a PIN number. You enter these in to the terminal near the bike stand along with the number of the bike you wish to rent, and have 60 seconds in which the bike is released from the lock. And away you go! You can return the bike to any bike station, just make sure that it is properly secured in the lock and returned on time. Late returns, loss or damages can make you liable to a 3,000-15,000Rbl fine.

Please note that the bike-season in Moscow will end

by October 31st or when the snow hits the streets.

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After exploring Moscow’s main sites, it’s always tempting to get beyond the hectic life of the city and explore somewhere a bit different. Quiet Kolomna might lack the fame of the Golden Ring, but that’s not to say there’s nothing here to see. Your guide book might only mention Vladimir, Suzdal and Yaroslavl, and you’ll struggle to find much about the town in English on the Internet, but don’t let that put you off. It’s not because Kolomna isn’t worth visiting, quite the opposite; the key reason is that during communist times, the Kolomna region hosted factories that were involved in the production of military equipment, and was off-limits even to ordinary Soviet citizens, so the chance of curious foreigners being allowed in was somewhere between nil and zilch! Soviet paranoia has diminished somewhat in recent years so Kolomna is open to all, although very few foreigners make the trip simply because they aren’t aware of it.

The town’s most unique attraction, in fact, is a factory of sorts. But far from military technology, the Kolomna Pastilla museum (www.kolomnapastila.ru/en/) on Posadskaya Ulitsa is all about confectionary made from the fruits of the region’s orchards. A guided tour shows how the candies were made and gives visitors the chance to try a few tasty treats for themselves, while the attached shop offers the perfect souvenir for friends back home.

The Pastilla business reached its peak in the 19th century, when it even got the Royal seal of approval after a visit from the Tsar, but the town dates way back to 1177. You’ll do well to find anything that old nowadays but the 16th-century Kremlin is still a big draw. It was re- built in stone between 1525 and 1531 during the reign of Tsar Vasily III (initially it had been made from wood). West European Russia used to have hundreds of Kremlins, varying in size although few survive intact today and the Kolomna Kremlin stands as an example of one of the better preserved. In fact this particular Kremlin formed part of the Great Abatis Line (‘Bolshaya Zasechnayacherta’ in Russian) which was a chain of fortifications created by the Grand Duchy of Moscow, and later the Tsardom of Russia to protect it initially from raids

by Crimean Tatars but also served as a border between the Muscovy state and the steppe nomads to the south. In total it stretched for several hundred miles.

Situated on the confluence of the Moskva and Oka rivers, the Kolomna Kremlin once had 17 towers, four of which had gates, with the main gates being located at the northern and southern end of the complex. Only seven towers and two parts of the wall have survived. However, on its territory

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Express train: there are three per day in both directions heading for Ryazan, but stopping at Golutvin which is a couple of km from downtown Kolomna – walk from there or catch a cab for 100Rbl. This option is definitely the quicker as the train takes around an hour and a half and you’ll have a reserved seat, but tickets can sell out at peak times. Unlike the elektrichka, once the tickets have gone, it’s tough luck – you’ll have to wait for the next train (unless you’ve booked in advance)!

Elektrichka: there are numerous trains daily although bear in mind that they stop at every lamppost along the way so the journey will take you over two hours each way. Buying a ticket doesn’t guarantee you a seat and in the summer months you’ll share a wooden bench with a babushka carrying two large bags to and from their dacha. The advantage of this method is that the tickets are (slightly) cheaper than the express, and they don’t sell out, even if you have to stand for part/all of the trip, and the train will drop you off right in the middle of Kolomna! are numerous churches and monasteries which are open to the public (except the female-only convent!), the key ones being the Uspensky Cathedral, the Voskresensky Chruch and the Spassky Monastery. There are plenty of souvenir stalls selling the standard touristy kitsch to prove that you’ve actually been to Kolomna.

There are several restaurants bunched together at the entrance to the old par t of Kolomna, all serving up a combination of Russian and European-style food, plus beer brewed in nearby Ryazan. Despite the ‘tourist trap’ potential location, prices are reasonable (i.e., considerably lower than what you’d pay for similar fare in Moscow)! It’s hardly Michelin star but several steps up from stolovaya standard!

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FeatureS We‘ve selected a range of accommodation options from some of the top end wallet-busters down to the frugal and friendly options. Prices include VAT (18%) and breakfast unless otherwise indicated. All prices listed are according to the information received by us from hotels for the period October - November 2013. In Your Pocket assumes no responsibility for discrepancies and changes in pricing.

Raketa Watches Raketa is not only the oldest factory in Russia, but also the only watch factory in the whole country. Additionally, it is one of the only watch factories in the world, the only others being Rolex and Swatch, that manufactures its own movements; including the hair spring and escapement. To visit the factory (which offers free tours in English), you would have to travel to St. Petersburg. Read the story below to find out what makes Raketa so interesting.

It was founded as a stone carving factory in 1721 by Peter the Great, producing items for the Russian royal family. After the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War of 1812, what had become the Petrodvorets watch factory was reorganised to supply the Russian army with equipment. The factory also provided the stones of Lenin’s Mausoleum, and the famous red stars which you can see on top of the Kremlin’s towers.

The factory began producing watches in 1949 under the name Zvezda (star) and Pobeda (victory). In 1961, Yuri Gagarin made the first flight in history into outer space; the factory renamed the brand Raketa (rocket) to commemorate this.

With the help of Swiss engineers, the factory began to be reorganised in 2009. There are now approximately 60 workers, (originally there were around 6000), still using the factory’s original buildings. The factory purchased modern equipment

Raketa Sonata Watch The ‘Sonata’ watch, which is unisex, is one of Raketa’s many in terestin g watches. The watch factor y was inspired by the works of the many great Russian composers, such as Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, who both gave the world great masterpieces, to create and launch this new collection of watches, which are based on th e historical design of 1984.

There are three options for the strap; either a gold coloured steel bracelet, a brown genuine leather strap, or a black genuine leather strap. The crystal is mineral, and the face features a unique, intricate gold pattern, as well as a small red star, which is reminiscent of the large red stars that you can see on top of the towers of the Kremlin, which were created at the Petrodvorets Factory before it began to produce watches. Each Raketa watch has a unique design on the back, and the ‘Sonata’ watch is no different, featuring a floral design. The ‘Sonata’ watch is the ideal watch to wear for an outing to the Bolshoi Theatre.

5 stars

from the Swatch group in 2011, which improved the watch quality; although a range of Soviet machines indispensible to the watch-making process are still in use. An ex-Rolex production director joined the team in 2012, planning to pass on the Swiss standard certification “Chronofiable” and “COSC” to the company. In 2013, Raketa launched its new “Automat Raketa” movement, and a new watch designed by the famous actress Natalia Vodianova.

Raketa watches were produced for the Communist Party and affiliate organisations, and their watches are therefore tailored to the needs of these jobs. The ‘Seaman’ watch has a 24 hour dial, divided into three watch systems: Russian, British, and Scandinavian, and is decorated with marine cardinal buoys and International Marine signal flags. It features an integrated solar compass, and a double time system, useful when sailing around the world. The ‘Traveller’ watch, inspired by Russia’s vastness, features all of the country’s eleven time zones. Other watches include the ‘Eternal Calendar’, which allows the user to look up any date and discover which day of the week it will fall on, and the ‘Gorbachev’ watch, which features a 0 instead of a 12. Foreign journalists questioned its uniqueness, to which Gorbachev’s reply was: ‘in Russia, we start at again at 0’.

As these organisations had a male majority, Raketa produce few women’s watches. Some designs include the ‘Ballerina’ watch, which features red stars on its face reminiscent of those on the Kremlin; and the ‘Winter’ watch, inspired by Russian folk tales.

Raketa manufactures watches to commemorate special occasions. In 2012, the ‘Borodino’ watch, featuring an eagle, a symbol of the Russian Empire, was created to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War. The factory also designed a watch for the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, with a different sport represented at each hour.

On this page we have highlighted one of Raketa’s most interesting watches, and listed where to buy them - they would make a great souvenir of your time in Russia! www.raketa.com

Where to Buy Podium Concept Stor C-2,Ul.Kuznetsky most. 14, MKuznetsky most, tel. (+7) 495 926 15 35, www. podiumfashion.com. QOpen 12:00 – 23:00.

TSUM, 4th Floor, C-2, Ul. Petrovka 2, MTeatralnaya, (+7) 495 933 73 00, www.tsum.ru. QOpen 10:00 – 22:00, Sun 11:00 – 22:00.

Tsvetnoy Central Market, 4th Floor C-1, Tsvetnoy bul. 15, MTsvetnoy bulvar, (+7) 495 737 77 73, www. tsvetnoy.com. QOpen 10:00 – 22:00, Sun 11:00 – 22:00.

Twins Shop D-3 Ul. Solyanka 11, MKitay Gorod, tel. (+7) 495 698 53 93, www.twinsshop.ru. QOpen 12:00 – 22:00.

Moscow In Your Pocket

Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow D-4, Ul. Baltschug 1, MNovokuznetskaya, tel. (+7) 495 287 20 00, www.kempinski.com/moscow. Without actually being the President, it would be hard to live closer to the Kremlin than this. Moscow’s first five star hotel is just across the river and has a stunning view of the Kremlin. The lobby is home to more business men than tourists. Rooms bear the mark of royalty and some suites literally have been designed by minor members of the British royal family. Suites also have the most sensational bathrooms, sure to one day grace the pages of design magazines. Q230 rooms (Room prices start at 16,000Rbl). Breakfast (1,900Rbl) and VAT are not included. PTHA6UFLGDCwW hhhhh Lotte Hotel Moscow A-3, Novinsky bul. 8, bldg. 2, MSmolenskaya, tel. (+7) 495 745 10 00, www.lottehotel.ru.

This sparkling new hotel from the prestigious Korean Lotte hotel group offers top-class Asian standard service right in the centre of Moscow. The lobby is an opulent feast of specially commisioned blown glass chandeliers and real marble pillars, while the restaurant options are some of the hippest and most exciting in town. Upstairs you could drive a car in the gigantic ballroom whilst the spacious and luxurious bedrooms with discreet state-of-theart extras all feature the kind of bathrooms you would expect to see in a very expensive spa. Due to the specially designed glass facade the noise of the street is completely inaudible throughout the hotel and we’ve rarely seen a better thought-out club lounge. Q300 rooms (Room prices start at 15,000Rbl).

Extra bed 2,000Rbl. VAT and Breakfast (1,800Rbl) not included.

PTHA6UFLGKDCW hhhhh Mamaison All-Suites Spa Hotel Pokrovka E-2, Ul.

Pokrovka 40, bldg. 2, MKurskaya, tel. (+7) 495 229 57 77, www.mamaison.com. Boutique design hotel - there is a fine line being walked here in the loud design, but in the end the purple, red and black-coloured interior makes the grade. The cigar lounge and the restaurant are stellar, created from the excitable minds of Russia’s best designers. Indeed, the abundance of French furniture turns the hotel into a gallery. The Mamaison Pokrovka has only suites and apartments (no standard rooms) and all are filled with hip design features and modern kitchenettes.

The small foreign literature library suffices, should you get bored with the state-of-the-art televisions, wireless internet and luxury spa complex with hydromassage pool. In the single room, the double bed folds up into the wall. Q84 rooms (Room prices start at 11,000Rbl). Extra bed 1,800Rbl. VAT and breakfast (1,200Rbl) not included. PTHA6FLGKDCW hhhhh

Symbol Key P T K F C D 6

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Air conditioning Child friendly Restaurant Fitness centre Swimming pool Sauna Animal friendly

A Credit cards accepted H Conference facilities U Facilities for the disabled L Guarded parking G Non-smoking rooms M Nearest metro station W Wi-Fi connection

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Marriott Moscow Grand Hotel C-3, Tverskaya ul.

26/1, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 937 00 00, www. marriottmoscowgrand.com. Situated conveniently on Tverskaya ulitsa, the Marriott Grand boasts luxurious rooms with modern stylings, fitness and health facilities, and European restaurants. The Grand is co-managed with two other Marriott hotels in Moscow, which ensures flexible booking. The rooms themselves offer a generous amount of space and freshness. Twin rooms come with two king-size beds that you could swim in. Natural light shines abundantly in their conference rooms and trademark foyer atrium and there are quality buffet lunches in the restaurant. Q386 rooms (Room prices start at 15,000Rbl). Extra bed free of charge. Breakfast 1,450Rbl. PTHA6UFLGKDCW hhhhh Marriott Royal Aurora Hotel C-2, Ul. Petrovka 11,

MKuznetsky Most, tel. (+7) 495 937 10 00, www.marriottmoscowroyalaurora.ru. The presence of the Polo Club Steakhouse, an ode to a blue-blood English gentleman’s club, goes to show that the Marriott Royal Aurora is one for those looking for refinement. Butler service comes along with the hotel’s classically styled rooms, complete with enormous beds and quality furnishings. The team of well-trained, attentive butlers show guests to their rooms (champagne in-hand) and attend to each and every aspect of their stay. Executive facilities include private meeting rooms and lounges. Q231 rooms (Room prices start at 19,000Rbl). Extra bed 500Rbl. VAT and Breakfast (1,800Rbl) not included. PTHA6UFLGKDCW hhhhh

Metropol C-2, Teatralny proezd 2, MTeatralnaya, tel.

(+7) 499 501 78 00, www.metropol-moscow.ru. A marvel of history, the Metropol has kept its original art nouveau exterior that stood witness to the revolution of 1917. The story of its famous founder, Savva Mamontov, and the hotel’s decorative mosaics can fill a book. Get ready to breathe in the atmosphere as most rooms are filled with early twentieth century furniture and original lamps. Q 362 rooms (Room prices start at 15,000Rbl). Extra bed 1,500Rbl. VAT and Breakfast (1,100Rbl) not included. PHAUFLGKDCW hhhhh

Nikol’skaya Kempinski C-2, Ul. Nikolskaya 12,

MLubyanka, tel. (+7) 495 775 92 22, www.kempinski. com. This five star hotel from the Kempinski group looks out over Lubyanka Square in the heart of the city, a stone’s throw away from Red Square. The hotel’s grand Art-Deco style echoes the turn of the century, when this former residence of Count Orlov became a luxury perfumer’s. Degas and Klimt style paintings adorn the walls of the rooms which are furnished with fine fabrics, gilded oak, marble and crystal. An original 1907 mosaic frames the windows looking out onto Nikolskaya street in the MosaiK restaurant, which serves Russian-European cuisine. The conference facilities are ultramodern from ball-room to board room, and the hotel offers plenty of places to relax too, with several bars, an Italian restaurant, a French bistro and a spa. Q211 rooms (Prices start at 16,000Rbl). PTHA6UFLGKDCW

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Hotels Ask the Concierge Interview with Ekaterina Zhuravleva – Concierge at Moscow Marriott Royal Aurora Please tell us something about yourself.

I am Ekaterina Zhuravleva, and originally come from Moscow. I studied at the Foreign Languages University and the Moscow Academy of Finance, receiving two degrees.

I started working at the Moscow Marriott Royal Aurora in 2000 as a concierge and am now Guest Service Manager at the same hotel. I am also a member of Executive Committee of Clefs d’or, Russia.

October/November aren’t seen as the best period to visit Moscow, can you convince us otherwise?

October and November are the best months to visit Moscow, in my opinion, as the weather is milder than in the summer months, and the ‘Indian Summer’ starts.

There are lots of things to do in Moscow during this period – all the theatres open with their new season, you can visit museums, galleries and go to the movies if it’s rainy. In Moscow there are lots of parks where you can walk with your friends and family and even do some sports – roller-skating, bike riding etc. Still it is not too late to have a barbecue outside Moscow on the weekend – it might be even better fun than in summer.

Moscow is full of experienced business travellers and expats, could you give them a tip for a secret must-see place in Moscow.

The Kremlin, Bolshoy Theatre, Red Square, Pushkin Museum and Tretyakov Gallery are all well known places to every experienced traveller. But there are some places that are not so well-advertised like Stalin’s Bunker, the Cosmonauts’ museum which is a real pearl in the city now, the Moscow Planetarium and Gulag Museum.

On a rainy/snowy day, what do you recommend Moscow visitors to see?

First of all, of course, I would recommend that they visit a cinema or a theatre. There are now a number of cinemas in Moscow where you can watch movies in the original language; the theatres are full of premieres, especially the Bolshoy that attracts tourists at all times. And, surely, restaurants – there are thousands of them in Moscow, for all tastes and wallets, with all types of cuisines. Here is where a concierge can give valuable advice to suit the guest’s wishes.

What is your favourite place in the city?

It is difficult to choose just one place in a big city like Moscow, but I would name Christ the Saviour Cathedral and its surroundings – the bridge over the Moskva River at the cathedral is certainly one of the best places to take amazing panoramic pictures of Moscow.

For hundreds more reviews of hotels check out our website www.inyourpocket.com Moscow In Your Pocket

Hotels Radisson Royal Hotel A-3, Kutuzovsky pr. 2/1, bldg.

1, MKievskaya, tel. (+7) 495 221 55 55, www.radisson. ru/royalhotel-moscow. An absolutely monumental hotel, which with its 505 rooms and 29 floors, is easily the biggest luxury hotel in Moscow. The lobby takes in not only the reception, but also a huge interactive scale model of Moscow as it was back in the 1970s and the chance to buy a Rolls Royce. The rooms vary in colour schemes and size, but all benefit from huge beds that you almost need a step ladder to mount and original Socialist realist art. The bathrooms with panoramic views of the city in the ambassador suites are particularly inviting. Dining options take in a wealth of options including an outstanding Iranian restaurant. Not a place to do things by halves, the Royal has a full Olympic sized pool as well a gigantic fitness centre in the basement. Q497 rooms (38 apartments, Room prices start at 11,000Rbl). Extra bed 1,500Rbl. Breakfast 1,500Rbl. PTHAUFLGK� DCW hhhhh

4 stars Courtyard by Marriott Moscow City Center Hotel

B-2, Voznesensky per. 7, MOkhotny Ryad, tel. (+7) 495 981 33 00, www.courtyardmoscow.com. The hotel is tucked away on a quiet side street facing an old Anglican church and the world-famous Red Square and Kremlin are just a short walk away giving you the best of both worlds: the comfort of the hotel’s peace and quiet, and the excitement of the accessible, fast-paced Tverskaya area. The inside courtyard’s massive glass roof radiates positive energy into the lobby. All guest rooms are also very well lit and feature ultra comfy beds and pillows. If you want a great view of the city, ask for a room on one of the top floors or if you like to people watch, choose a room with a courtyard view. Q218 rooms (Room prices start at 8,000Rbl). Breakfast (990 - 1,200Rbl) not included. PTHAUFLGKW hhhh

Crowne Plaza Moscow WTC Krasnopresnenskaya nab. 12, MVystavochnaya, tel. (+7) 495 258 22 22, www.cpmow.ru. The charming mechanical rooster crows across the wide atrium every hour and the palm trees bring to mind Hawaii. Here you will find stylish rooms and facilities in a classic hotel space. Standard rooms are tastefully kitted out in chocolate and biscuit striped carpet, a bold design feature that gives an air of innovation and warmth. There is also the Real Food Restaurant and a daily shuttle to the nearby Expo exhibitions centre. Q724 rooms (Room prices start at 8,000Rbl). Extra bed 1,800Rbl. VAT and Breakfast (1,300Rbl) not included. PHA6UFLGKDCW hhhh Hotel Gentalion B-1, Ul. 1-ya Brestskaya 38, bldg.

1, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 777 80 97, www. hotelgentalion.ru/en. This small hotel’s four-star quality and central location make it the perfect choice for business guests, who will be charmed by the homelike atmosphere which is not often found in some of the larger and more impersonal hotels. The hotel’s 30 comfortable double rooms are furnished in a classical style with free Wifi access, airconditioning and a mini-bar.There is also a spa area with a pool and a Finnish sauna to relax in, and lobby restaurant serving European classics such as beef tenderloin and crab julienne, with an extensive wine list. Q30 rooms (Room prices start at 7,650Rbl). PTALKDCW Novotel Moscow City Hotel Presnenskaya nab. 2, MMezhdunarodnaya, tel. (+7) 495 664 89 89, www. novotel-moscow-city.com. Novotel’s latest addition to the Moscow scene is ideally placed amongst the glittering skyscrapers of the new Moscow City business district for those who like to work hard and relax just as hard as well. moscow.inyourpocket.com

The flexible conference facilities leave nothing to be desired, whilst the suite category of rooms could host small meetings in themselves and come with a large sofa, separate bathroom for guests, and a Nespresso brand coffee machine for the caffeine-fuelled businessman. To relax after a hard day’s businessing there’s a spa with sauna and Turkish baths, a large restaurant, a free-standing fireplace in the bar for sitting down with the paper, calm minimalist design and beds of impressive proportions. Q360 rooms (Room prices start at 6,000Rbl). PTHA6FLGKDW

3 stars Azimut Moscow Tulskaya Hotel Varshavskoye shosse 9, MTulskaya, tel. (+7) 495 987 22 22, www. azimuthotels.com. A stellar mid-range option with much more style and verve than Moscow’s usual offerings. The clever ex-industrial ‘loft’ design perfectly incorporates its 19th Century factory building’s historic details like vaulted ceilings, brick walls and cast-iron columns with hip lighting and modern minimalist chic. Rooms vary in size, but all are remarkable for their clever use of space and abundance of nifty gadgets and super rain showers. Numerous trams stop directly in front heading to the metro station which is a ten minute walk away. Q (Room prices start at 4,700Rbl). Extra bed 800Rbl. Breakfast (600Rbl) not included. PTAULGKW Karetny Dvor Hotel C-1, Mal. Karetny per. 5, MTsvet-

noy bulvar, tel. (+7) 985 458 89 19, www.kdvorhotel.ru.

This small boutique hotel on the top floor of a historic building is quiet and peaceful despite being a short walk away from Tverskaya Ulitsa and the Boulevard Ring. The name of the hotel, ‘Carriage Yard,’ harks back to the past when the area was home to carriage-makers, and the hotel’s design reflects this past with wooden wheels, the original attic beams and a tiled stove. The rooms are all modernly furnished, with a mini bar and free wifi. One of the rooms has a fantastic view over a nearby onion-domed church. A family room is available. Q PTHA6FLGKDW

Medea Hotel D-4, Pyatnitsky per. 4, bldg. 1, MNo-

vokuznetskaya, tel. (+7) 495 232 48 98, medeya-hotel. ru. Medea, The 21-room ‘small-hotel’, is named after the elegant Italian furnishings which sprinkle its various rooms.

Ranging from the ‘twin studio’ to the apartment-sized ‘Medea suite’, it’s perfectly capable of accommodating entire families in addition to its usual influx of business travelers; rooms come with a ‘kitchen-in-a-cupboard’ for those that want to prepare their own food. However, the hotel lobby also boasts both an Italian restaurant and a smaller cafe, open to both guests and those wandering in off the street - the building is located within some 100 meters of the metro. Rooms are equipped with tea and coffee making facilities. Q21 rooms (Room prices start at 5,200Rbl). Extra bed free. Breakfast 300Rbl. PTAGKW

Apartments Moscow Suites Serviced Apartments B-3, Ul.

Novy Arbat 22, MArbatskaya, tel. (+7) 495 233 64 29, www.moscowsuites.ru. These modern, well-appointed apartments are centrally located on two main streets of Moscow (Novy Arbat and Tverskaya), and offer great value accommodation. You can choose between studios and one bedroom apartments. All apartments are freshly renovated and include high speed Wifi, flatscreen cable TV, imported linen, full kitchens and even a free airport/train pickup! The knowledgeable and helpful staff can assist you with additional services and guides are available. Q (Prices start at 6,000Rbl). PAGW

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Restaurants

Restaurants Korchma Taras Bulba C-3, Ul. Pyatnitskaya 14,

MNovoskuznetskaya, tel. (+7) 495 951 37 60, www. tarasbulba.ru. This popular Ukrainian restaurant chain is great fun in a kitsch style. The rustic country theme is done up to the max, from the colourful folkloric interior to the staff members’ extravagant traditional costumes. They serve hearty traditional Ukrainian food and the menu is very long and wide-ranging, although you do have an option to get most dishes in small portions so you can taste a lot of everything.

Entertainment is provided by the dancing waiters and the amusingly terrible English translations of their dishes (or perhaps they really do mean ‘fish fried by a chicken’?). Q Open 09:00 - 02:00. €€. PAGBS Within the same Moscow city block you can find both good and bad service, five-star fine dining and hot dog snack vans.

Muscovites love going out, so most restaurants tend to fill up quickly. To be sure of getting a table, make sure to book in advance. Be aware that many restaurants morph into bars and clubs in the later hours of the evening, so make early reservations if you want some peace and quiet. Tipping is one Western tradition that Russians are making their own. Tip for good service only - around ten percent is considered fair.

Our price guide is based on the average price of a main course: € - 0 - 400Rbl €€ 400 - 800Rbl €€€ 800 - 1,200Rbl €€€€ 1,200Rbl plus

Mari Vanna B-2, Spiridonievsky per. 10a, MPushkins-

Russian and Ukrainian

ShchiSliva С-3, Ul. Volkhonka 9, MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 499 393 39 61, www.volhonka9.ru. We think ShchiSliva deserves a large ‘spasibo!’ for bringing to our attention a different side to Russian food - it needn’t all be caviar, pies and elk slathered in sour cream! The light décor and mossy wall panels create a garden-like atmosphere, perfectly complimented by the wholesome food packed with Russian flavours, herbs and even - shock horror! - vegetables. That’s not to say you can’t get a square meal here, from a hearty Sunday brunch to a three course dinner and pine tree ice cream. Altogether it feels like a glimpse into an alternative Russia which, rather than being overrun by pizza and sushi restaurants, is making something quite special from its own homemade cuisine.

QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. €. PTAGSW

Cafe Chekhov Kamergersky per. 3, MTeatralnaya, tel.

(+7) 495 692 09 34, www.cafe-chekhov.ru. Sitting next to the Chekhov theatre, the interior here has been inspired by the great playwright’s era. The dining room is decorated in beautiful bright white with art nouveau cornices, stained glass lamps and even the waitresses wear Edwardian costume.

Chekhov boasts to serve ‘new Russian cuisine’, although in our book there’s nothing Russian about pasta and ruccola.

Their version of borsch with apples in it is however a welcome innovation. Service can be frustratingly slow at times so don’t be shy with the staff. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PABS

Cafe Pushkin B-2, Tverskoy bul. 26a, MTverskaya, tel. (+7) 495 739 00 33, www.cafe-pushkin.ru. This aristocratic restaurant is extremely famous and popular with local business men and passing tourists. Diplomats, bankers and Moscow’s rich and famous now frequent it, but it used to be known as the city’s only upper class restaurant where you could eat European standard food and talk freely without being disturbed by the roaming ears of KGB men. The Russian and French cuisine recalls Tsarist times and on the first floor there is a sophisticated 24-hour café and a restaurant called the Library Room, which has a splendid view of Tverskoy Bulvar. Q Thу first floor open 24hrs, the second floor 12:00 24:00. €€€€. PTALVEBSW Chemodan B-3, Gogolevsky bul. 25/1, MArbatskaya, tel.

(+7) 495 695 38 19, www.chemodan-msk.ru. This is the place to come for real Russian hunter’s fare. The menu is based around numerous old recipes found in a 19th Century Siberian cookbook - resulting in stag, bear, arctic goose and unusual Siberian fish such as white salmon and muksun holding court across the menu accompanied by other treats of the Taiga and homemade Russian vodka and other liqors. Portions are hefty and hearty and the warm and inviting 19th Century parlour interiors, discreetly lit by candles and old lamps, add to the feeling of shelter from a snowstorm, even in summer. Chemodan’s helpful staff and convivial atmosphere make for a wonderful experience for fans of historic references and kitsch-free Russian cuisine.

QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PTAEGSW

Moscow In Your Pocket

kaya, tel. (+7) 495 650 65 00, www.marivanna.ru. Bookings for this popular restaurant are essential as the idea is that you are eating as if at a friend’s house and what kind of guest would turn up unexpected? With a reservation safely made the door to the flat will be unlocked for you and you’ll be invited in to dine on traditional Russian home food such as borsch, pelemeni and pirogi in a cute little place designed to look like an old (but unbroken) Russian flat. The food itself is not mind-blowing, just plain good and filling but the service and homely atmosphere, complete with toys and crayons for the kids and the odd family pet trotting around certainly make it a memorable experience.

QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. €€. PTAVGS

Caucasian/Central Asian Dzhon Dzholi B-2, Ul. Tverskaya 20, blgd. 1, MPush-

kinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 650 55 67, www.ginza.ru. Dzhon dzholi is another exponent of that concentrated casualness of the country kitchen that is all the rage in Moscow - and this time they even go so far as to install a huge stone oven. The reason you really come here is to eat though, and for anyone new to Georgian food this is a good and easily accessible introduction. Khachapuri and huge shashlik of course top the bill, but they also have other well-formed local delights hidden in there too like mchadi (sweetcorn fritters) and chicken chkmeruli (garlic chicken) which should excite the taste buds. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri 11:00 - 05:00, Sat 12:00 - 05:00. €€. PTABSW

Symbol Key P E T G V B

Air conditioning Live music Child friendly Non-smoking venue Home delivery Outside seating

A Credit cards accepted S Take away U Facilities for the disabled L Guarded parking M Nearest station W Wi-Fi connection

moscow.inyourpocket.com

Khacha-puri B-2, Bol. Gnezdnikovsky per.10, MTverskaya, tel. (+7) 495 629 66 56, www.hacha.ru. An inexpensive little Georgian café with a minimalist interior that shuns the usual plastic grapes and kitschy music in favour of bright New York loft style surroundings. The khachapuri (cheese bread) after which it is named, is quite OK and in our book any place that will serve you Georgian cheese bread with an egg on top for breakfast will always get a big thumbs up. The shashlik (shish kebabs) comes accompanied by plenty of greens and onions and is washed down nicely with homemade fruit drinks.The tables are all cramped together giving the place a noisy diner feeling, complimented by a particularly eclectic clientele. Also at Ukrainsky bul. 7 (metro Kievskaya). Q Open 10:00 - 23:00. Sat, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. €. PTAVEBSW

Russian Cuisine Traditional Russian food is rich and stodgy peasant-fare with a dash of French inspired creamy sauces and other scrumptious flavours. If you are wondering what that green grass stuff is, it’s dill (ukrop-укроп) and it usually finds its way into everything.

Madame Galife D-1, Pr. Mira 26/1 (entrance on Grokholsky per.), MProspekt Mira, tel. (+7) 495 775 26 01, www.madamgalife.ru. Madame, do you have a table near the window? If you are lucky enough to get your way, you will enjoy an enchanting, close-up view of one of Moscow’s smaller botanical gardens and the quirky homemade surroundings of Madame’s parlour room. Many of the items on the Georgian menu are prepared expertly on the rustic charcoal grill that sizzles to the left of the dining room entrance and the giant khachapuri is irresistible. But if you show up unannounced (and yes, you must ring a buzzer to be let in) and without a reservation, then you will be shown to the basement room, tucked in a corner somewhere and deprived of all that makes this magical restaurant so fun to dine in. QOpen 12:00 - 05:00. €€. TAEBS

Sakhli С-1, Bol. Karetny per. 6, bldg.1, MTsvetnoy Bulvar, tel. (+7) 495 699 91 71, www.sahli.ru/en. Sakhli is a class act with a menu developed from old Georgian family recipes, a very warm and inviting country home style interior.

Of particular note are the excellent lobio kakhetinsky (kidney beans with onions and spices), the irresistible cheese khinkali (giant cheese filled dumplings) and the grilled meats.

A mix of cold phakhli (a kind of thick Georgian dip) featuring aubergines, spinach and sweet peppers is great for groups, while the desserts are nicely displayed to help you make up your mind about how to finish up an excellent meal. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. €. PTAEBW Suliko na Patriarshikh B-2, Ermolaevsky per. 7,

MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 650 41 89, www. suliko.ru. Suliko is a place to eat and eat very well. Famous in Moscow for its khinkali, the giant meat-filled dumplings here do not disappoint. With the perfect blend of herbs and spices, they are rightly said to be some of the best outside of Georgia. Service is low key but spotless and a word of warning; order carefully, in traditional style, the portions here are really big. Q Open 11:30 - 23:30. €.

PTAUVBSW

Uryuk Cafe A-3, Kutuzovsky pr. 12, MKievskaya, tel. (+7) 985 410 00 86, www.urukcafe.ru. Uryuk specialises in colourful food with colourful names like ‘chakhlangan’ and ‘chukuduk’ (thankfully descriptions of the dishes are also provided so you’re not totally in the dark). The interior is a pleasant blend of laid back sofas and Caucasian rugs with a hint of French bistrot; it seems equally suited to life as a restaurant or a bar. Menu-wise there’s a big choice of different Uzbek dishes from soups and salads to all manner of beasts spiced, roasted and kebab’d. Then of course there’s tea served with an Uzbek sense of ceremony, and the hot snacks - variations on the theme of cheesy bready goodness - provide filling options for vegetarians. QOpen 12:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 06:00. €. PTALBSW moscow.inyourpocket.com

Bliny and snacks

Snacks (zakuski -закуски) are very popular and include all manner of pickled things (solyony-соленый ) as well as small open sandwiches (buterbrod-бутерброд). Pancakes (Bliny - блины) are very popular and may come with savoury fillings such as ham (vetchina-ветчина), caviar (ikra-икра), cheese (syr-сыр), mushrooms (griby-грибы) or sour cream (Smetana-сметана) or with sweet filling such as honey (myod –мед) or condensed milk (sgushonka - сгущенка).

Soups and salads

Russians are big on soup (sup- суп) and there are literally hundreds of different kinds. The quintessential Russian soup is of course the beetroot and beef based borsch.

Ukha (уха) a fish soup often made with salmon or trout is another favourite as is the heavy meaty ‘hunters’ soup Solyanka (солянка).

Russian salads invariably have mayonnaise in them and are a permanent feature on any menu. The classic Russian salad is Olivye (оливье) - boiled potatoes, carrots, peas and eggs, pickled Cucumbers with either cheap spam ham or something luxurious like lobster, sturgeon or crayfish. Selyodka pod shuboy (селедка под шубой) which translates as ‘herring under a fur coat’ is another popular salad consisting of layers of pickled herring, boiled potatoes and beetroot.

Main dishes

Pelmeni (пельмени) - boiled dumplings stuffed with meat and served with sour cream. Varenki (вареники) are the same but stuffed with vegetables or sweet fillings.

Uzbek versions (manty - манты) are slightly bigger and often steamed, while the Georgian versions (khinkali хинкали) are huge and eaten with the hands.

Beef stroganoff (бефстроганов) - a Russian classic, famous across the world.

Pirogi/pirozhki (пироги/пирожки) - pies (usually made with bready yeast dough) stuffed with meat, cabbage, mushroom, fruits or even potato. Pirozhki are the small versions that look like little buns.

Kotlety (котлеты) - little meat patties usually made with minced beef (govyadina - говядина) or pork (svinina - свинина). Frikadelki (фрикадельки) are meatballs and similar in taste but made with rice and meat and usually served with a sauce.

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Restaurants American and Latin American American Bar and Grill A-1, 1-ya Tverskaya-Yamskaya

ul. 2, bldg. 1, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 499 250 95 25, ambar.rosinter.com. You know how tourists travelling to America often talk about how big the servings are there?

How they had to split a salad between two people? This is like this place. The casual easygoing atmosphere, country music soundtrack and big servings are American dining staples. Here they do American style and Tex-Mex (which is American as well). The interior is mostly wooden but not the waitresses. Also at ul. Zemlyanoy val 59 (metro Taganskaya) and ul. Kirovogradskaya 14 (Shoping center Global City, metro Yuzhnaya). Q Open 24hrs. €€. PTAW

Sunday Brunch

Restaurants Сafe Blues Proletarsky pr. 20, bldg. 1, MKantemirovs-

tel. (+7) 499 238 54 13, www.pancho.ru. Pancho Villa has the distinction of promoting itself as a restaurant-museum, a rarity in Moscow. Located in a large Mexican-themed basement on Bolshaya Yakimanka, we found it mostly to be a great place to party. The happy hour specials almost call for inebriation with a selection of cocktails and shots on offer at the price of 2 for 1 until 19.00. It is indeed an unusual place in a good way, with wandering tequila girls pouring shots, Latin American dance lessons and a roving Cuban magician, who without much hyperbole, will blow your mind with his tricks. The Nachos Supremos come in portions rarely seen outside of North America, and the quesadillas and Jalapenos Rellenos are also quite good. The fajitas are also a safe bet if a bit pricey. To be fair this place is best enjoyed if one is not looking for a quiet night out. Q Open 11:00 - 06:00, Mon, Tue 11:00 - 24:00. €€. PAESW

Corner Burger A-1, Ul. Bol. Gruzinskaya 76, MBelorusskaya, tel. (+7) 495 926 83 98, www.cornerburger. ru. Possibly the only American joint in town not running a full on diner theme, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything lacking in the menu. Corner Burger focuses on the obvious, which unusually come in an English muffin or German pretzel (we recommend the muffin). The meat comes serves medium to rare and is definitely noticeably higher quality than usual. Vegetarians also get their own veggie burger, while sweet tooths will be delighted to see that the outstanding cake company next door provides the desserts. All round corner burger has a classy New York feel, heightened by the motown soundtrack and dim minimalist interiors. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 02:00. €€. PAVSW

Starlite Diner C-2, Strastnoy bul. 8a, MChekhovskaya,

Moe’s Ul. Pyatnitskaya 13, MNovokuznetskaya, tel.

A luxurious Sunday brunch is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the Moscow culinary scene. Mountains of gourmet food items including oysters, lobster, Kamchatka crab, roast meats, sashimi, exotic dishes from the Far East and of course caviar served up with endless amounts of wine, fresh juice and champagne and a huge sweets spread for dessert is a treat not to be missed.

Baltschug Kempinsky D-4, Ul. Baltschug 1, MNovokuznetskaya, tel. (+7) 495 287 20 00, www.kempinski-moscow.ru. Q Sun 12:30 - 16:30.

Adults 4,900Rbl (alcohol incl.), 3,900Rbl (soft drinks incl.), сhildren under 6 years free, from 6-11 years - 1,950Rbl. TALEW Holiday Inn Moscow Lesnaya A-1, Ul. Lesnaya

15, MBelorusskaya, tel. (+7) 495 783 65 00, www. moscow-hi.ru. Q Sun 13:00 - 18:00. Adults 2,400Rbl, children 6 - 12 years 1,200Rbl, children under 6 years free. PTALEW

Marriott Grand Hotel B-1, Ul. Tverskaya 26, MTverskaya, tel. (+7) 495 937 00 00, w w w. marriottmoscowgrand.com. Q Sun 12:30 - 17:00.

Brunch in Samobranka restaurant 3,800Rbl (Argentinian wine), Grand Alexander restaurant 4,200Rbl (French wine). Children under 5 free, Children age 5 -11 1,200Rbl. PTAEBW Marriott Royal Aurora C-2, Ul. Petrovka 11, MKuznetsky Most, tel. (+7) 495 937 10 00, www. marriottmoscowroyalaurora.com. Q Sun 12:30 17:00. Adults 3,150Rbl (no alcohol), 3,950Rbl (with alcohol), children under 6 years free, 6-16 years 1,100 - 2,000Rbl. PT Moscow In Your Pocket

Pancho Villa Ul. Bol. Yakimanka 52, MOktyabrskaya,

kaya, tel. (+7) 499 218 15 81, www.cafeblues.ru. A suburban gem, this bar and restaurant hosts a live “Best Blues Jam” on Wednesdays, to the great delight of its enthusiastic patrons. The standard of the guitar groups and singers is truly superb, fostering a friendly local atmosphere and much energetic dancing. The café serves a great range of Mexican and American dishes- the fajitos were a particular favourite, as well as classic desserts such as Tiramisu and apple pie.

Sadly the café does not serve any alcohol other than beer, and although you can bring your own the corkage is 300Rbl a bottle for alcohol under 18%, and 500Rbl if higher.The club hosts concerts Wednesday-Sunday, with karoake nights from Thursday-Saturday on the lower floor. Q Open 12:00 - 24:00, Fri 12:00 until last guest, 13:00 until last guest, Sun 14:00 24:00. €. PAEW

(+7) 495 953 06 60, www.moesrussia.com. Cheap tex mex food plus cheap beer plus all the salsa you could ask for equals wonderfulness. That’s the formula Moe’s sticks to and it’s hard to disagree with its genius when every dish comes with free tortilla chips and a variety of salsas. The menu offers a choice between tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos with vegetarian, chicken or meat toppings, as well as a few soup and breakfast options, and vegetarians will find they’ve as much to choose from as everyone else.

Simply pick your option and they’ll put it together straight away, plus you can customise to your tastes what goes in it.

Being serenaded as you eat by inexplicable classical guitar remixes of pop songs and Christmas carols is the cherry on the cake (or on the burrito?). Also at pr. Mira 211 (Zolotoy Vavilon shopping centre, metro VDNKH). QOpen 09:00 23:00. €. PTAVGSW

tel. (+7) 495 989 44 61, www.starlite.ru. It’s most certainly American and those red booths are the real thing - the only Russian elements here are the electric sockets. You’ll hear more English spoken in this diner than anywhere else in Moscow, which adds to the otherworldly home-away-from-home experience. The menu spins out all the classics in authentic style, including huge waffles, burgers and giant milkshakes made with oreo cookies, massive breakfast and huge filter coffees from the pot. American diners are now de rigeur in Moscow but Starlite are still the original and best. They now have five 24 hour venues, with the original being the giant silver truck in a leafy garden near Mayakovskaya metro (Bol. Sadovaya 16), although our favourite is the latest spacious venue on Stastnoy bulvar. Also at ul. Vernadskogo (metro Universitet), Korovy val 9a (metro Oktyabrskaya) and Bolotnaya pl. 16/5 (metro Tretyakovskaya). Q Open 24hrs. €€. PTABSW

Asian and Indian Aromass Ul. Krzhizhanovskogo 20/30, bldg. 1, MProf-

souznaya, tel. (+7) 495 543 54 26, www.aromass.ru.

This Indian restaurant, which features a number of dishes from the Kerala region on its menu, gets reviews so good online that something almost seems amiss. Indeed, I knew one long-term expat who travelled at least once a month fully across the city to eat here. Located in the south of the city along the orange line, the food, the service and the ambience do not disappoint. There is an excellent selection of vegetarian options, Kingfisher beer, and plenty of seafood options which is no surprise considering that Kerala straddles the Arabian and Laccadive Seas. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PTAESW

Bely Zhuravl F-5, Frunzenskaya nab. 14, MPark

Kultury, tel. (+7) 495 542 23 23, www.beliy-juravl. ru. Possibly the best Korean food in Moscow is served up at this simple restaurant and the portions are huge! Plenty of complimentary Korean pickled delights (including kimchi) are provided to tide you over until the main dishes arrive. The idea here is to bring a group of friends and share things out between you as the soups, noodles and meat dishes come by the kilo. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. €€. PTAVSW

Darbars Hotel Sputnik, Leninsky pr. 38,16th floor, MLeninsky prospect, tel. (+7) 495 930 29 25, www. darbar.ru. Superb view with superb food. Sure, Leninsky prospekt is not the most central place in the city, but it’s worth the trek to dine here, if you want a view to die for and some of the best Indian food in the city! Darbars serves traditional southern Indian cuisine and attracts a strong following of faithful Indian expats. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €.

PTALVSW

Navarros Bar and Grill Shmitovsky proezd 23, bldg.

4, MUlitsa 1905 goda, tel. (+7) 499 259 37 91, www. navarros.ru. This Latin American restaurant is large, popular and teeming with the noise of sizzling steaks and bubbly conversations. Salsa dances get going in the adjoining bar.

Portions are generous and bound to keep hungry boys satisfied and the preparation of all dishes in general is authentic and delicious. Don’t miss out on the house speciality ceviche (fresh fish with chillis, coriander and lime), it is fantastic and we must admit, quite addictive. Navarro’s is far from the metro so it is advisable to arrive by car. QOpen 11:00 - 03:00. €€.

PALEBSW

Eshchyo pazhalusta – One more round please moscow.inyourpocket.com

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Restaurants Mama Tao D-5, Ul. Pyatnitskaya 56, MNovokuznets-

kaya, tel. (+7) 495 953 42 49, www.mamatao.ru. A reasonable Chinese place with colourful and tasty food and a fair idea of what constitutes a good portion size. It just manages to avoid looking too much like one Moscow’s millions of sushi restaurants by merit of an abundance of pot plants which along with the dark wood decor creates quite a laid-back atmosphere. Otherwise, it offers what you might expect from a Chinese restaurant, down to the fortune cookie at the end. Also at Leninsky pr. 70. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €. PTAESW

MEGU A-3, Lotte Hotel Moscow, Novinsky bul. 8, bldg.

2, MSmolenskaya, tel. (+7) 495 745 10 00, www.lottehotel.ru. Popular in New York’s fine dining circles MEGU brings its flair for finding the finest ingredients with it to Moscow and is quite simply the premier Japanese restaurant in town.

Finally here’s the chance to find out what Japanese service standards and fine dining are really about. Signature dishes such as the irresistible Kanzuri shrimp or the premium Wagyu Kagero Yaki (stone grilled wagyu steak) are emblematic of just how much dedication goes into this food. The volcanic hot stones are taken from remote mountain rivers in Japan, the kanzuri chili is specially preserved in snow - and don’t even get us started on the fish! The discreet atmosphere is perfect for business discussions or intimate dinners. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 13:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PTALEW

Roni C-2, Ul. Petrovka 20/1, MKuznetsky Most, tel. (+7)

495 625 26 06, novikovgroup.ru. Roni is a very Moscow style ‘gastropub’ - the staff are certainly less snooty than usual, the food is still top quality and the seating has a casual feel to it, but the chandeliers, low lighting and house music remind you that this is still Moscow underneath it all. If you like Asian spices you will love Roni, the menu is imaginative and strongly flavoured. There’s a focus on Japanese cuisine with most dishes cooked on either robata grill or the restaurant’s large open teppanyaki iron grill.

Korean, Malaysian and Chinese influences are also prominent and without a doubt this kitchen really knows what it is doing.

QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00. €€. PASW

Cruising the Moskva

Restaurants Tibet Himalaya C-3, Shopping centre Nikolskaya Plaza, ul. Nikolskaya 10, MLubyanka, tel. (+7) 495 287 20 21, www.tibethimalaya.ru. The Tibet Himalayan is no secret to the expat community as the long-standing venue for the Tuesday night “Curry Club.” What’s more, it offers a Buddha bellyfilling, value-for-money business lunch that even the Dalai Lama himself would approve of! Though far from the Himalayan mountains tops, this colourful basement restaurant brings a note of tranquillity to the bustling metropolis. A different menu each weekday with soup, bread, a choice of starter and main course (often yak meat), rice, dessert, and a drink to wash it down. Vegetarian and fish options are available, too.

A rare opportunity to try Kalmyk specialities a la carte. Also at pr. Mira 79 (metro Rizhskaya). QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €€.

Turandot C-2, Tverskoy bul. 26/5, MTverskaya, tel.

(+7) 495 739 00 11, www.turandot-palace.ru. This is as chic as it gets. Exquisite wines, live classical music on a revolving podium, hand painted furniture and a fireplace makes this a place for all those who need or want to impress their company. The service is remarkably good (they even bring separate tables for the ladies handbags), and professional.

The bigger main room has high ceilings and is surrounded by arches where separate tables can be booked. If you don’t get a light feeling in your head from the wine, you’ll surely get one from the orchestra playing on a rotating stage. Rumour has it that the cost of building Turnadot exceeded 25US$ million.

QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PTALVEBSW

European Brown Fox and Lazy Dog C-1, Ul. Sadovaya-Samotechnaya 13 bldg.1, MTsvetnoy Bulvar, tel. (+7) 495 684 47 42, www.fox-and-dog.ru. The Brown Fox and the Lazy Dog is one design fanatic’s dream corner café come true. From the doors to the tables and even the multi-coloured toilet paper, this trendy little café is a delight for trend-seekers. The music is a spot-on hipster’s mix of obscure Brooklyn based bands and other eccentricities. The most incongruous element here though is the high number of distinctly ordinary folk - and why not? The menu has some nice pizzas and salads, it’s a stone’s throw from the metro and in the evenings it’s a charming little nook to enjoy some quiet cocktails in. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri 12:00 - 02:00, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. €. PTAEGBSW Cafe Tchaikovsky B-1, Triumfalnaya pl. 4/31, MMaya-

One of the easiest and most appetizing ways to get to know Moscow is to take a dinner cruise with Flotilla Radisson Royal. Whatever the weather, this fleet of comfortable vessels offers an attractive menu with a slight Italian accent as it plies a route along the Moskva River, taking in a series of key city sights. Having invited many guests to Moscow to join us on the route, it’s regularly got the thumbs-up, and with winter fast approaching it’s already time to start thinking about breaking the ice – literally and figuratively – over a tasty risotto on the water.

Flotilla Radisson Royal Moscow A-3, Tarasa Shevchenko nab., Hotel Ukraina pier, MKievskaya, tel. (+7) 495 228 55 55, www.radisson-cruise.ru.

Moscow In Your Pocket

Tapa’ Rillas C-1, Strastnoi Bulvar 4/3 (entrance in the yard), MPushkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 989 41 59, www. taparillas.ru. This brightly decorated tapas bar hidden in a grungy courtyard just off Pushkinskaya square is a super laidback venue for an informal dinner and drinks, especially at the weekends when Spanish guitarists wander the tables and diners get involved in the inevitable Gypsy Kings sing-a-long.

For once the wine is more than reasonably priced, although it is easy to rack up a bill by over ordering on the generously portioned tapas plates. If you are just here for grazing its best to opt for the tasty bite size pinchos, while hungry diners may prefer to hold out for a huge paella to share. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 02:00. €€. PTABSW

International Delicatessen C-1, Ul. Sadovaya-Karetnaya 20, bldg. 2,

MTsvetnoy Bulvar, tel. (+7) 495 699 39 52, www.newdeli. ru. In Moscow it’s often the impossible to find places that turn out to be the best and Delicatessen definitely falls into this category of hidden treasure. Go in to the courtyard of building 20 (where the coffee shop is), veer left and you will find a colouful entrance way announcing ‘thank you for finding us’. Down in this bustling basement with its gorgeous antique bar, enthusiastic foodies dig into an array of the chef’s favourite things. Ceviche, chocolate puddings, homemade pasta and more - the whole menu is a success. Some say the pizzas are the best in town, others say it’s the nicoise salad. For us feeling you’ve been let in on a great little secret is the real winning element. Reservations recommended. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PASW

Kalina Cafe С-4, Prechistenskaya nab. 17, MKropot-

kinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 695 16 39, www.kalinacafe.ru.

The sister establishment of the famous Kalina Bar, this stylish restaurant-bar really puts a focus on the food with an adventurous menu led by the creations of the young Italian head chef Michele Lanzani. New inventions are always finding their way into the menu but mouth-watering dishes such as the tatar of langoustines with wasabi foam or the tagliatta of beef with grappa are permanent features of the menu by popular demand. The wine list is extensive and cocktails here are expert.

With a karaoke room, late night DJs and live music Kalina Cafe is also a great venue for glamorous late night drinks - especially when the dramatic view of the Moscow river and Red October factory is lit up. QOpen 12:00 - 06:00. €€€. PALEW

kovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 699 91 14, www.novikovgroup. ru. A sprawling café and restaurant understandably popular with theatre and classical music enthusiasts as it is located right in the centre of Moscow theatre land and literally underneath the Moscow Conservatory. Dark lighting, leather and mahogany furniture and elegantly dressed waiters create a pleasantly grand atmosphere although a bit more classical music on the stereo would perhaps better suit the surroundings. Regardless the menu is packed with well-made Russian classics and a wide selection of pizza, pasta, grilled fish and the like meaning there’s something for everyone. Tchaikovsky also has an extensive selection of great cakes, pastries and other desserts. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€. PASW

Kitchenette С-2, Kamergersky per. 6, MOkhotny Ryad,

Ogni C-1, Mal. Sukharevskaya pl. 8, MSukharevskaya,

Presnenskaya nab. 2, MMezhdunarodnaya, tel. (+7) 495 664 89 99, www.novotel-moscow-city.com. On the ground floor of the brand new Novotel in Moscow City, the MC Traders restaurant has a great buffet with hot and cold meals ranging from French bread and cheeses to sushi to crème brûlée. It also serves international cuisine, business lunches, and their own irresistible bitesized Novotel-branded French macaroons.

The large open plan space is divided into rounded white boothlike settings which complement the unusual bright minimalist design of the bar. QOpen 06:30 - 23:00. €€€. PTALW

tel. (+7) 495 660 91 17, www.restogni.ru. Ogni gives the impression at times of both a bar, café and restaurant, spread out as it is into different areas of varying formality. They serve up a great selection of European classics such as carbonara or stroganoff and with a simple approach and masterful hand everything the chef dishes up will no doubt be swiftly polished off. Special mention should go to the staff who are by turns flirty, friendly and thoroughly efficient. A good place for some glamour on a budget. Q Open 24hrs. €. PTALVBW

moscow.inyourpocket.com

tel. (+7) 495 221 88 47, www.kitchenette.com.ru. As the name suggests, Kitchenette takes popular elements of the world’s favourite cuisines - French breakfast croissants and crème brûlée, American burgers, Italian seafood linguine, English fish and chips - so there’ll be something familiar for everyone on their menu. Its main venue has the happy advantage of being on the pretty Kamergersky Pereulok, which suits its laid back European bistrot/café feel. The sweet homemade lemonade is a good refresher and the slick black and red interior lends itself to chilled-out afternoons of conversation over a cup of coffee. Q Open 08:00 - 02:00. €€. PTASW

MC Traders Restaurant & Bar Novotel Moscow City,

moscow.inyourpocket.com

Mechta Е-5, Ul. Sadovnicheskaya 84, bldg. 3/7,

MPaveletskaya, tel. (+7) 495 633 21 11, www.mechtacafe.ru. Mechta’s secret lies not so much in a creative menu as the ability to make relatively simple dishes well. Forget about mousses and reductions - how do you make a piece of toast taste so good? A place serving an all day breakfast with plush armchairs can’t help but be chilled out. Yet it also feels like a proper grown-up dining experience and bar, with a selection of appetising cocktails of cheering proportions.

Then there’s the attentive staff and pleasant decor: this place pretty much ticks all the boxes. Q Open 24 hrs. €€.

PTALBSW

Neskuchny Sad B-5, Frunzenskaya nab. 18D, MPark Kultury, tel. (+7) 495 363 64 64, www.nesad.ru. This restaurant is in a truly stunning location-set atop a renovated barge at Frunzenskaya Naberezhnaya opposite Gorky Park, the rooftop veranda has views of the parks on the other side of the river and down to the Kremlin. The cool river breeze and cane armchairs add to the air of being on a luxury cruise. Neskuchny Sad serves classic dishes as well as Italian cuisine, with large pizzas. The cocktail menu is artisan and extensive- we tried the Lychee Martini and the Mango and Rosemary Cointreau Fizz. If you do indulge in the cocktails, please note that the boat sways slightly on the water, so it’s not just you. Neskuchny Sad is gaining in popularity with a smart clientele, so do book ahead. Q Open 12:00 - 06:00. PASW

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Restaurants Pelman Hand Made Café B-2, Tverskaya ul. 20/1,

MPushkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 650 68 83, www.pel-man. ru. Filled dumplings in all their forms have got to be the world’s ultimate comfort food, and if that’s your formula for making a restaurant you would have to try pretty hard to be anything other than just great. Pelman offers more than just pelmeni there’s also vareniki and international variations on the theme such as dim sum, gyoza, ravioli and profiteroles. Whilst 200Rbl will only get you 10 or so pelmeni here, they’re doused in butter and full of wonderful calorifical things so you hopefully won’t feel cheated. You can opt to take them away or eat in, where the jukebox will serenade you with some lively tunes. There’s also a ‘complaints wall’ which you’re welcome to write on, though we didn’t spot any criticisms on it. This could be because the restaurant’s mascot is the tattooed strongman Pelman, who judging by the photos was born with a moustache, and handy rolling pins decorate the café’s interior, presumably for dealing with dissatisfied customers. Our only complaint? Though Pelman is ostensibly ‘fast food’, it wasn’t prepared as quickly as it might have been, which on reflection is probably a sign that your chosen dumplings will be served freshly cooked, straight from the kitchen. Also at Gorky Park (Ul. Krymsky Val 9, near the Buran space shuttle, metro Oktyabrskaya ). QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. €. PTAEGBSW

Tsifry E-2, Mamaison All-Suites Spa Hotel Pokrovka, Ul. Pokrovka 40, bldg. 2, MKurskaya, tel. (+7) 495 229 57 78, www.restaurant-numbers.ru. The veranda of the Tsifri Restaurant at this five-star hotel on Ul. Pokrovka is a perfect place to relax, with its classic menu and signature cocktails by famous mixologist Max Brodarsky. The menu is light and experimental, with the novel flavours of its raspberry and Coppa salad complimenting traditional Russian dishes such as the soup Okroshka, made with the refreshing ryedrink Kvas. The scallops, served with spicy sauce and apple puree, seared to perfection, are a reminder of the seashore in the midst of the city. Relax on the soft white sofas in the evening, when the veranda hosts live smooth jazz music. Q Open 24hrs. PTAULESW Zafferano А-3, Lotte Plaza shopping centre, Novinsky

bul. 8, MSmolenskaya, tel. (+7) 495 258 93 05, www. zafferanorest.ru. Novinsky Boulevard might not offer the most inspiring views, but Zafferano’s bright year-round roof terrace makes up for that. Larger-than-life pot plants and sofas for lounging are complemented by the large array of salads on the international menu. Since this is Moscow you can correctly assume an additional sushi menu; the main menu offers a mix of global-influenced dishes and desserts.

Eastern dishes such as dolma, plov and kebab are prepared with a twist, as are traditional Russian desserts. The biggest draw though of this neatly designed restaurant isn’t just the extensive wine list or the berry-filled puddings, but most of all its pleasant leafy terrace. Q Open 12:00 until last guest. €€€. PTAESW

Moscow In Your Pocket

Restaurants Italian Bocconcino С-2, Strastnoy bul. 7, bldg. 1, MTverskaya,

tel. (+7) 926 926 59 26, www.bocconcino.ru. Not the place to eat with your hands, although the pizza tastes so good, you may really want to - the dough is magic: thin crispy and light. This classy pizzeria’s decor screams Moscow, e.g. the bone and cream coloured faux Tuscan interior, but the cuisine is pure Italy.The toppings are fresh and full of taste and flavour. Bocconcino never fails to please Italian cuisine fans and hence has a strong following of faithful regular clients who have been visiting for years. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00. €€. PTALSW

Il Forno C-2, Ul. Neglinaya 8/10, MTeatralnaya, tel.

(+7) 495 621 90 80, ilforno.ru. This very centrally located Italian restaurant has been around for years and hasn’t let down its standards or its set of regulars customers. Breakfast is popular as this is still one of the only places in this part of town where it is available at 8 a.m. and weekday afternoons are also busy when there’s 20% off the whole menu. Il Forno’s specialties are its large thin pizzas baked in their signature wood-fired oven and the homemade pasta, which inevitably leaves your mouth watering for a second helping. Also at ul.

Ostozhenka 3/14 (metro Kropotkinskaya). QOpen 08:00 24:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. PTALVSW

Italianets C-1, Ul. Samotechnaya 13, MTsvetnoy Bulvar,

tel. (+7) 495 688 64 01/(+7) 495 688 56 51, www.italian. ru. It’s a fair old walk from the metro and there’s little in the way of tourist sights, but the journey is worth it if you are hoping to stumble upon some really top quality authentic Italian cuisine.

The head chef and owner Giuseppe has brought with him plenty of expertise from his native Puglia - the fish is particularly good - and believes in mixing up classic Italian ingredients in new ways that actually make sense (no silly foams and Asian effects here). His dishes are perfectly balanced and in authentic style, generously portioned. Family friendly but also with more intimate spaces for romantic diners it’s no wonder they are always busy.

QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. €€. PTAULVEBSW

Sorriso Osteria and Pizzeria C-2, Ul. Tverskaya 7, MOkhotny Ryad, tel. (+7) 495 506 24 44, www. pizzasorriso.ru. The real winner here is the pizza - it’s long and incredibly thin and arrives at your table straight after being cooked to a crispy delight in a stone wood-fired oven. There are also other Italian favourites on offer, but we are always tempted by the pizza. The smart staff and a soundtrack that for once does not include songs by Eros Ramazotti adds yet more fresh air to the usual formula. If you are around Red Square, it’s the ideal choice for watching the world go by on the buzzing ul. Tverskaya. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. PTASW

Steak Houses Beeftro Steak House and Burger Bar C-1, Ul. Ts-

vetnoy bulvar 26, MTsvetnoy Bulvar, tel. (+7) 495 545 43 53, www.beeftro.ru. Aiming to bridge the gap between laidback bistro dining and steakhouse meaty goodness, Beeftro has nudged its way in with a relaxed restaurant that also serves top steaks. The ‘1930s retro’ look is bright, clean and oh-so stylish and steers well-clear of the usual macho steakhouse clichés. The staff, who are trussed up in trilbys and braces, are another plus point - friendly, efficient and well-versed in the intricacies of the menu. The beef is corn-fed organic US black Angus and is very well-prepared and mouthwateringly good and goes particularly well in their excellent burger and the selection of sauces are winners.

QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €€. PTALSW

Chicago Prime Steakhouse C-2, Strastnoy bul. 8a, MChekhovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 988 17 17, www.chicagoprime.ru. Everyone may tell you it’s the best, and we are going to too, after a visit to Chicago Prime you will be left with no doubt that you have just eaten a very memorable piece of meat. The rest of the things on the menu like the large salads, lobster consumme and blue fin tuna steak are just as accomplished and the portions are huge. If you can’t afford to keep up your steak habit, you can also order cheaper yet similarly delectable steak sandwiches and burgers at the bar.

A discreet yet friendly atmosphere complete the winning combination. QOpen 12:00 - 05:00. €€€€. PTALESW

Mamma Giovanna C-4, Kadashevskaya hotel, Kadashevskaya nab. 26, MTretyakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 287 87 20, www.mamma-giovanna.ru. This low ceilinged, darkly lit restaurant perhaps doesn’t make the best of its excellent canal views, but what it lacks in vistas it makes up for with its menu and darkly intimate atmosphere. The crispy pizzas here are particularly delectable and fortunately the place is laidback enough that you can go to town on them with your hands. The mains such as the excellent grilled tuna are also worth plumping for and will certainly be filling, although desserts are markedly dull in comparison. QOpen 07:30 - 23:00. €€. PTALSW

Goodman B-1/2, Ul. Tverskaya 23, MPushkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 775 98 88, www.goodman.ru. The good in Goodman says it all. This stylish steak house chain is informal, relaxed, and the food is to be savoured. Great care is put into your meal and how it is served. The wood interior plays host to soft leather couches and all the waiters wear chef’s whites. The lavatories are five star, just like the service. Their menu, although predominantly meat oriented, has a hefty chunk of salads and seafood. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€.

PTALEBSW

MoMo D-5, Ul. Pyatnitskaya 66, bldg. 2, MPaveletskaya, tel. (+7) 495 953 95 20, www.momorest.ru. This Italian restaurant perhaps defines itself a little too narrowly - although specialising in pizza and homemade fresh pasta, it has a strong selection of fish and meat too, served in a style that wouldn’t be out of place in an upmarket British restaurant. Be careful though - the massive choice of seafood comes priced by the 100g, and it’s difficult not to get carried away! The wine list prides itself on its selection of French and Italian vintages, but its fresh juices look equally appetising. Its business-class clientele are dispersed across three rooms, with its most spacious resembling a terrace, complete with wicker chairs. The other two are more low-lit and glamorous, and it is in these that MoMo’s plans to function as an exhibition space for modern photographers will come into play.

QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PTAVEBSW

Louisiana American Steakhouse D-4, Ul. Pyatnitskaya 3, bldg. 4, MNovokuznetskaya, tel. (+7) 495 951 42 44, www.louisianasteakhouse.com. Ranging from the standard rib-eye steak to the deliciously tender flank steak, cuts of veal and lamb, you can choose from Australian, Irish and American, grain-fed or grass-fed too. Although sides such as fries have to be ordered separately, they’re not very expensive additions, and for the less devoted carnivores, a Tex-mex menu and salads are also on offer. Number plates from Kentucky, Tennessee and, of course, Louisiana, scatter the walls, which are also adorned with native American models, and one funny ‘high-society’ marriages column from an old paper. The waiting staff compliment the theme, all wearing checked shirts, with the males having gun-holsters slung over their waistbands. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 14:00 - 24:00. €€. PABS

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October - November 2013

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Nightlife

Restaurants Cafes, Coffee houses and bakeries Art-Café Publika D-4, Ul. Pyatnitskaya 30, bldg. 1,

MTretyakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 651 84 05, www. cafe-publika.ru. Perhaps this place has a little way to go to earn its self-appointed title of ‘art-café’ (no, putting up sepia photos of the Eiffel Tower doesn’t automatically make you arty). Nonetheless it makes good use of historic building in which it finds itself; the open-plan style lends itself well to the window-lined room with views of historic Moscow. The international menu is likewise not as creative as you might like from somewhere like this, but the light business lunch option (salad, soup and drink) seems fairly priced at 180Rbl. Q Open 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sut 12:00 until last guest. €€. PABS

Chainaya Vysota E-2, Ul. Pokrovka 27, MChystye

Prudy, tel. (+7) 495 225 59 96, www.cha108.ru. We’re finding it difficult to condense how exciting this place is into words! An ice-cream-café-cum-specialist-tea-shop, it features delicate mixes from the minds of local artists such as famous mime Slava Polunin. The available flavours include dandelion honey, elk milk, kvass and linseed, with more daring combinations such as the gorgonzola, bergamot and pear. Menus are mounted on thick slabs of wood, but not yet in English.

However, this could be a bonus - it’s so difficult to choose that picking by chance could be easier! There is an equally varied selection of granola, and seaweed-sheet snacks, all in the setting of a bookshop, furnished with clean, simple linen. It also has an oriental-style room for tea ceremonies where its 300 kinds of tea can be taken at floor-level, under the gaze of an original Yuriy Norshteyn hand-drawn hedgehog. When out and about don’t miss their stand in Gorky Park opposite the Buran space shuttle (Gorky Park, Pushkinskaya Embankment, tel: (+7) 903 010 80 30). QOpen 11:00 - 00:30, Sun 14:00 - 00:30. PTA

Food from Former Republics One of the unquestionable pluses of Russia’s Soviet past is the popularity of restaurants serving cuisine from former Soviet republics. Of these the most popular both with locals and visitors is probably Georgian, but there are also Armenian, Uzbek, Azeri and Kazakh places, as well as generalised ‘Caucasian’ cuisine which appears all over the place.

Although generally quite meat-heavy - a staple of Caucasian cuisine is the fabulous shashliky (grilled kebabs) which appear on every menu - food from this part of the world is also a good option for vegetarian visitors, making use of the vegetables and pulses native to that part of the world. Particularly popular dishes include Georgian khachapuri (cheese-stuffed bread), satsivi (chicken in walnut sauce), khinkali (giant meatfilled dumplings) and lobio (red bean stew with spices, herbs and pomegranate seeds), Uzbek plov (rice with lamb) and lagman (thick noodle and meat soup) and Armenian dolma (stuffed grape-leaves).

Koffeecake Corner B-1, Ul. 1-ya Tverskaya-Yamskaya

4, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 669 57 75, www.koffeecakecorner.com. This American coffee house all the way from New York is full of sticky pancakes, chocolatey muffins and other happy-making sweet treats. It would be only too easy to get addicted to their irresistible Nutella coffee and peanut butter hot chocolate (and there are plenty of other shamefully indulgent flavours to pick from). Then of course there’s toasted bagels, burgers and plenty of choices even for vegetarians it’s not hard to see why Koffeecake Corner has such a loyal following back home. Q Open 24hrs. €. PTAGSW

Le Pain Quotidien C-2, Kamergersky per. 5/6,

MTeatralnaya, tel. (+7) 495 937 77 42, www.lpq.ru.

This Belgian bakery with outlets the world over brings its rustic down-to-earth bread philosophy to Moscow. Long wooden tables, delicious coffee served in bowls perfect for dipping your croissant in, Belgian tartines (open-face sandwiches), salads and cheese boards are all on offer. Many locations have excellent street terraces including this one just a short distance from Red Square, and all the ‘LPQ’ (as they are affectionately nicknamed by locals) also run great value lunch deals on weekdays. Has numerous locations across the city including at Evropeisky Shopping Centre, Pl. Kievskogo Vokzala (metro Kievskaya), ul. Pyatnitskaya 6/1, bldg. 1 (metro Tretyakovskaya) and ul. Lesnaya 5 (metro Belorusskaya). Q Open 07:00 - 23:00, Thu - Sat 24hrs. €.

PABSW

Madame Boulanger B-3, Nikitsky bul. 12, MArbatskaya, tel. (+7) 495 690 19 01. This quaint little French-style bakery and cake shop sells all manner of fresh baked breads and savoury snacks such as quiches, sandwiches, salads and pies. On the sweet side there’s plenty to tickle your fancy with the classic French éclairs, handmade chocolates, macaroons and of course obvious favourites croissants. If you choose to eat in you’ll have the extra delight of dining from gorgeous mismatched antique fine china crockery and admire the charming interior and musicians are welcome to serenade the other guests on their piano. Drinks are also available to go; cakes and other tasty treats can be made to order and delivered to your door. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. €. PAGBSW Paul A-3, Ul. Arbat 54/2, bldg. 1 (entrance on Garden

Ring), MSmolenskaya, tel. (+7) 495 783 16 38, www. paul-russia.ru. This inviting and cosy café, part of French bakery and patisserie chain Paul, has fast become a favourite in Moscow. At the counter as you enter you can pick up breads, sandwiches, pastries and the like to go, or alternatively you may opt to squeeze yourself into the petite café area and enjoy a meal. Paul has a huge breakfast menu and is great for light lunches such as quiche or the irresistible croque-madame. On the sweet side Paul’s pastries are scrumptious authentic French bites - we especially love the strawberry tarts, chaussons aux pommes and custard pies, whilst their refreshing iced frappucinos are a great pick-me-up. Also at Ul. Tverskaya 23/12 bldg.1, Gruzinsky Val 28/45, Pyatnitskaya ul. 20, Sadovnicheskaya ul.

82 and the new café at Lesnaya ul. 27. Q Open 07:30 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 23:00. €. PAVGSW

Stary Telegraf C-2, Ul. Tverskaya 7, MOkhotny Ryad,

tel. (+7) 495 506 22 44, www.tverskaya7.com. Open 24hrs, this cafe is good fix at any time of day. If you’ve just arrived from an early train, or you’re on your way home after a night out you’ll be pleased to hear that breakfast here starts at 06:00 a.m.and runs way on into lunch time. The menu is particularly strong in baked goods, pies, sandwiches, croissants and the like while larger mains are also available. Being so close to Red Square it’s a great refuelling spot while on the tourist trail. Q Open 24hrs. PASW

Moscow In Your Pocket

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Moscow never sleeps. And it has everything going under those burning neon signs. Whether you are after an elite nightclub with a pyrotechnic show and a face control policy to shake fear into the hearts of grown adults, a dingy dive or a comfortable English style pub where you can hole up til the wee hours of the morning, you’ll not be disappointed.

Admission prices are indicated where applicable and note that in many places a ‘face control’ (dress code) policy applies.

Bars and Pubs Bar 69 Bis C-1/2, Mal. Gnezdnikovsky per. 9/8, bldg.

7, MPushkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 629 89 84, www.bar69bis.ru. For want of a better word we would have to describe this joint as just plain random. One minute they’re playing Sting on VH1 Classic and the next, the volume has been cranked up for a pumping dubstep DJ set. Young hipsters and dreadlocked hippies share bar space with smartly dressed secretaries, alcohol is strong and occasionally homemade (ask for their nastoiki if you are looking to get drunk fast) while the décor is a mix of battered looking antiques including a massive old punching bag and a Victorian street lamp. Most curious is the dartboard. We presume it never gets used as it is tacked on to the back of the main entrance door. With low prices and the air of a genuine drinkers den, this is a place to get drunk in. Q Open 12:00 - 24:00, Fri 12:00 until last guest, Sat 17:00 until last guest. To book a table for Sun call (+7) 495 629 89 84. PAEBSW

Barry Bar C-2, Ul. Kuznetsky Most 1, MTeatralnaya, tel.

(+7) 495 276 07 36, www.barrybar.ru. Barry bar sports a surprisingly stylish interior, despite the now very cliche moustache theme - the floor is covered in striking colourful ceramic tiling, which is complimented by unusually shaped lamps, barebrick walls and disco balls over by the DJ area. The clientele tend to be well-dressed and groomed and more than a little fashionable as well. During the week it’s a quiet place to hang out with a cocktail listening to some chilled out house and at weekends the music and buzz is just about funky enough to justify that pretty dance floor which sees some action past midnight. Q Open 09:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 03:00. PAW

Bar Strelka C-4, Red October Chocolate Factory, Bersenevskaya nab.14, bldg.5, MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 771 74 16, www.barstrelka.com. The main headquarters of Moscow’s hipster parade, this bar attached to the Strelka Design Institute has become a bit more inclusive of regular folk in jeans and suits since it first opened but is still notorious for the entrance lineup where they suss out how hip your outfit is before letting you in. The music is usually a decent house/lounge/electro mix from popular DJs and the design is very aesthetically pleasing as well as comfortable.

The small dance floor fills or completely empties depending on the weekend DJs. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Fri 09:00 - 03:00, Sat 12:00 - 03:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PAULBSW British Queen C-2, Ul. Bol. Dmitrovka 5/6, MTeatral-

naya, tel: (+7) 495 226 23 23. British Queen wears its monarchist tendencies on its sleeve – from the Beefeater doorman to the snug of the Queen Victoria bar, and on into the Queen Mary dining room. But while it looks like a reconstruction of a typical British boozer, and it boasts the welcome sight of beers from Cornwall’s St. Austell Brewery among the usual suspects on tap, closer inspection reveals it to be surprisingly Russian. Not only is the menu monolingual, it also steers away from typical pub grub in favor of the soups, salads and zakusky of a “Pivnoi Restoran”. Nothing wrong with that, but an odd decision given the Brit branding. Q Open 10:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00.

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Cafe Bar Ekus D-1, Bol. Sukharevsky per. 25/23, MSukharevskaya, tel. (+7) 915 106 64 66/(+7) 985 157 29 93, www.quevola.ru. Ok we have to admit this place does not look like much at all. A tiny bar, a couple of tables with plastic tablecloths and metal chairs strewn about and the odd sombrero here and there, make you feel like you’re in a very poorman’s apartment but if you are looking for Moscow’s Spanish speaking community and quality South American music, this is the place. The beer is easily the coldest in Moscow (they keep the glasses in the fridge), but the staff, clientele and inefficient air-conditioning make the place feel as hot as the owner’s native Columbia. Q Open Mon - Fri 18:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 18:00 until last guest. PENS Cafe Retseptor B-2, Ul. Bol. Nikitskaya 22/2, MAr-

batskaya, tel. (+7) 495 695 66 86, www.cafereceptor. ru. Tread carefully down the steep stairs and make yourself at home in this tiny artistic cellar bar. Every inch of the place has been customised or graffitied by the regulars giving the whole ensemble a lived in and loved feel. Generally the vibe is very mellow, there’s live acoustic folk and jazz music or film screenings most nights and at the weekends they bring in funk DJs to liven things up a bit and encourage some cramped dancing. Wine is a popular tipple as are the exotic teas which come by the tankard. The varied menu is packed with fresh produce in the form of salads, pies and some lesser-known Asian specialities and has plenty of vegetarian options.

QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri 10:00 - 06:00, Sat 11:00 - 06:00, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. PAVW

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Nightlife Chelsea C-2, Mal. Gnezdnikovsky per. 12/27, MTver-

skaya, tel. (+7) 495 629 66 88, www.chelsea-pub.ru.

There’s nothing like a great British boozer, as many Moscow imitations have found to their cost. Chelsea is among the latest to attempt to translate the concept, and like most of its rivals it manages both hits and misses. A big thumbs up for the bar that greets new arrivals - dark, intimate and unpretentious, it feels like a place where fast friendships can be struck over a pint.

Applause also for an extensive selection of Sunday roasts, and a well presented pint of Boddington’s bitter. But the ambience of the main dining room, with its pictures of Maggie Thatcher and the Queen Mum, somehow vaults beyond the gastropub target and lands somewhere uncomfortably close to a tea room, albeit with big screen sport on offer. Q Open 24hrs. €€. PASW

Edward’s Pub Artplay, Ul. Nizh. Syromyatnicheskaya

10, MKurksaya, tel. (+7) 926 358 36 76. It calls itself a pub, but this tiny place tucked under the arches at the Artplay complex is really more of a cafe which serves beer. This booklined nook has a feel of faded English grandeur about it, and feels like an attempt to recapture a literary circle in inter-war London. That caters nicely to the artsy, studenty crowd which comes to exhibitions and shows at Artplay. Busier during the day, the food tends to the snackier end of the market and can be in short supply by evening time. However, it makes a nice alternative to Clumba, the main restaurant on this site. Q Open 10:00 - 22:00, Thu - Sun 10:00 - 06:00. €. PASW

Hard Rock Cafe A-3, Ul. Arbat 44/1, MSmolenskaya, tel. (+7) 499 241 43 42, www.hardrockcafe.ru. This is the mac-daddy of American style food and fun. Three levels of rock memorabilia, a bar downstairs and a central dancefloor on the second floor with a DJ booth above.

Food here is a bit disappointing (this is guacamole?) and

Nightlife their long island iced tea was closer to actual tea than to any long island tea we remember drinking. They play rock music, and after 9pm on weekends, there’s a cover charge.

The place is pretty popular so get in early and eat before you go. Q Open 09:00 - 24:00, Thu 09:00 until last guest, Fri - Sun 24hrs. PTAEBS

Look In Cafe C-2, Ul. Bol. Dmitrovka 9, bldg. 1,

MTeatralnaya, tel. (+7) 495 692 62 95, www.citycafe.ru. Saying LookIn is a ‘cafe’ is a bit of a con. With this lighting and music volume really it’s a bar, although one of the more tame ones were office workers pop in for lunch and men eat chicken soups and drink tea in the evening.

The food arrives relatively quickly and is of fair quality for the area and the same can be said of the cocktails.The music is that classic mellow mix of chilled house, which mixes oddly with the enticing rock themed posters covering the whole place. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 06:00. ABW

MyBar D-1, Ul. Kuznetsky Most 3, bldg. 2, MTeatralnaya,

tel. (+7) 916 583 52 79. This is not another ‘elitny’ hangout with generic Moscow cocktails and pounding music. My Bar’s philosophy is to create a welcoming venue for friendly people who are looking for a relaxed hangout and down-to-earth staff.

MyBar is well and truly a dive bar; especially popular with expats and local office workers looking for a post-work drink and some fun, it offers a refreshingly laid-back alternative to Moscow’s glamour dominated nightlife scene. The music selection varies vastly, but is usually a good mix of golden oldies, with some great pop and rock classics to dance to at the weekend. Thursdays and Sundays are now live music nights with free concerts from rock and blues bands. The happy hours, charismatic owner and relaxed opening hours (stay as long as you like!) have made it a hit with both locals and stars such as the Crazy Horse cabaret, and Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit fame with his band Black Light Burns. Be prepared to queue a little to get in later on at the weekend as the dancefloor fills up and the crowd gets lively. QOpen 18:00 until last guest. PAW

Clubs B2 Club B-2, Ul. Bol. Sadovaya 8/1, MMayakovs-

kaya, tel. (+7) 495 650 99 18, www.b2club.ru. One of Moscow’s biggest live music clubs, B2 offers live jazz, latino, rock and ska music and more. With five floors holding seven bars, a courtyard and a capacity of 2000 people it’s quite possible that you will hear every kind of music imaginable in just one night - if you can manage to figure your way around the labyrinthine interior that is. Students and older locals alike flock to the place to hear some of Russia’s best and newest bands play at low prices. As well as the jazz club, disco club, latino music, lounge, rock concerts and football screenings, there’s karaoke, billiards, sushi, a cinema and a cosy courtyard - a veritable one stop shop for a busy night out. QOpen 12:00 - 06:00. PAEBSW

Club Garage С-5, Brodnikov per. 8, MPolyanka,

tel. (+7) 499 238 70 75, www.garageclub.ru. One of Moscow’s longest-running clubs (open since 1998), Garage packs in the crowds for its legendary Wednesday / Sunday R’nB nights, and Friday / Saturday after parties. Open 24 hours with a full bar, restaurant and hookah menu, Garage has something going on at all hours. The crowd tends to be young and Russian (although some of the fashion tastes can be a little extreme), but the friendly atmosphere and relaxed “face control” makes it a fun night out for those who don’t want to deal with the attitude of Moscow’s glamour clubs.

Summer terrace is open from the end of April until October.

Q Open 24hrs. PASW

Moscow In Your Pocket

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Club Vermel D-3, Raushskaya nab. 4, MNovokuznetskaya, tel. (+7) 499 238 33 03, www.vermel.ru. Although it seems like a standard mood-lit trendy bar upon first entry, the venue is home to bands, cinema evenings and also a restaurant, all compactly organised in the brick-walled basement space. Having been open for 17 years, and with a director who’s run the place for 10 years, they have worked on some original twists to standard Moscow clubs. Alongside their britpop, rock and indie ‘vibe’, the venue is also home to weekend discos, and markets of handmade items also sporadically take place. As well as running a business lunch, the club also offers a ‘business dinner’ on Monday-Friday between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and menus are in both English and Russian, with some delightfully funny translations - “don’t be afraid of ordering a carp!”. Additionally, a ‘house cocktail’ containing hand-made horseradish vodka is on offer. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri 12:00 - 06:00, Sat 16:00 - 06:00, Sun 16:00 - 24:00. PAESW Gogol Club C-2, Stoleshnikov per.11, bldg.1, MTeat-

ralnaya, tel. (+7) 495 514 09 44, www.gogolclubs.ru.

Something is surely going to happen here, any minute now in any one of the three connecting spaces - its got that backstage energy. From the stage under the circus tent out the front, the cosy Parisian style restaurant and the beer kiosk that wouldn’t be out of place at an outdoor festival of rock, Gogol is a great place for any amount of time, be it long or short, day or night. Bouncers keep everything sane and there are plenty of quiet nooks to escape to if things get too hectic near the dancefloor. The music is bohemian European stuff you probably won’t remember the next day but you’ll enjoy it while you’re here. QOpen 12:00 - 05:00.

PAEBSW

Cocktail Bars BottleBar D-4, Shopping Centre Pyatnitsky, Pyatnitsky per. 2, MNovokuznetskaya, tel. (+7) 495 646 49 25, www.bottlebar.ru. As its straightforward name suggests, BottleBar isn’t trying to be a flashy high-end bar, not a hip dive bar, nothing special. What it does do is sell good, inexpensive drinks. The cocktails are some generally quite tasty and original concoctions which during their happy hours (16:00-19:00 Monday to Thursday) are definitely at ‘go on then I’ll have another one’ prices. Large groups (or foolhardy individuals) can also order sharing cocktails in giant martini glasses. Those in a desperate hurry to down as much alcohol as they can in a short space of time might find it’s not the place for them, as the service runs as what might be termed a ‘laid-back’ pace. Whilst their dark, spacious and very faintly pub-like interior doesn’t exactly radiate atmosphere, it’s pleasant enough with a few bottle-themed twists, but ultimately, it’s a bar - it’s not there for the décor. Q Open Mon - Wed 12:00 - 24:00, Thu 12:00 until last guest, Fri - Sat 12:00 - 05:30.

Closed Sun. PAESW Secret Bar C-2, Stoleshnikov per. 6, bldg. 3 (down

alley behind Jean Jacques), MTverskaya, tel: (+7) 495 921 07 50, www.secretbar.ru. Who would guess that a discreet door down an alley off one of Moscow’s fanciest shopping streets hides one of Moscow’s most popular cocktail bars? They would be even more surprised by the democratic door policy and cheap prices! These factors may help explain why Secret Bar (hence the name) is packed with a hip and fun-loving crowd on the weekends, and those looking to savour a well-crafted cocktail or hookah during the weeknights. On the busy nights it can take a while to get a drink, but the cocktails are worth the wait, and with these prices, you can order a few at a time! QOpen 18:00 - 06:00. PAESW

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Pub Crawl Moscow, as the song goes, never sleeps. Which is great if you want to party all night. But arriving in a new city can often feel like you’ve been left out of a party which everyone else is invited to: unknown venues, unfamiliar faces…

That’s where Pub Crawl Moscow comes in. Like all the best ideas, it’s a simple one. Gather a group of like-minded revelers under the guidance of locals who are in-the-know, get everyone dressed up in their finest dancing shoes, and lead them out for a night on the town.

It’s the only English-language service of its kind in town, making it an ideal way to meet fellow visitors to the city and make new friends over a drink or two. For new arrivals, it’s a great chance to get to know Moscow a bit better, for old hands it’s a chance to explore new bars. For everyone, it’s a great opportunity to freshen up your social circle, let your hair down and party the night away. The nitty-gritty: tours run twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, starting from 9pm. The group meets at a central location, usually on or near Okhotny Ryad metro station. Advance booking is essential. Saturday’s tour includes three bars and a club, Tuesdays offer four bars with two dance locations.

Nightclub dress code – no sportswear, no sneakers, no baseball caps – applies. Tours cost 600r per person, which includes free entry and a welcome drink at each venue as well as the services of the English-speaking group leader, security and a photographer. Guests must be 18 or over, and bringing ID is recommended – especially for the young and beautiful. www.moscowpubcrawl.com

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Sightseeing

Sightseeing Red Square Lenin Mausoleum C-3, Red Square, MOkhotny Ryad,

Must See Moscow

tel. (+7) 495 623 55 27, www.lenin.ru. On display in various incarnations of his mausoleum since 1924, this is where the waxy, bald and embalmed body of the founder of the Communist Party is. Visiting here is a no-nonsense event with guards posted at each corner to prod you forward should you halt at any stage during the viewing. Join the super-long queue at the entrance to Red Square nearest to the Alexandrovsky Gardens.

No bags. No cameras. They’ll search your pockets to make sure you don’t sneak anything. Leave bags in the storage lockers before going through the metal detectors, he may be dead but you can’t mess with him. QOpen 10:00 - 13:00. Closed Mon, Fri. Entrance is free.

St. Basil’s Cathedral (Pokrovsky Sobor) C-3, Red

The Kremlin The Kremlin C-3, Alexandrovsky sad, MAlexandrovsky Sad, tel. (+7) 495 697 03 49, www.kreml.ru. The street plan of central Moscow forms an impressively ordered pattern of concentric circles, clearly marking the city’s development outwards over the centuries. In the middle of this great Catherine wheel is the Kremlin, the fortified hill which formed the heart of the ancient city, and which to this day houses the political HQ of the planet’s largest nation. Within the worldfamous red walls nestles a collection of buildings of various architectural styles, ranging from ancient Russian ecclesiastical, through Romanov imperial classicism, to 1960s Soviet modernism. While much is out of bounds to tourists, being part of the Government and Presidential estate, there are easily enough treasures open to the public to make the citadel an essential conquest.

Unlike Napoleon, who stayed here after his forces took Moscow in 1812, you will need a ticket to enter. There are a number of ticket booths, the most important being located in Alexandrovsky Sad (on the west side of the Kremlin), which in itself is a great people watching place. Having bought your tickets, leave any large bags in the cloakroom located near the ticket office, under the gate.

A ‘Kremlin Territory’ ticket gets you into the site itself, along with all of the cathedrals and the more ancient buildings. To visit the Kremlin Armoury (where all the sparkly diamonds, jewels and so on are stored) you must buy a separate - and considerably more expensive - ticket, which will have an entrance time on it. This ticket can only be purchased before you enter the Kremlin.

Inside the Kremlin Cathedral of the Archangel Michael. A relative youngster on the Kremlin church scene, this cathedral was erected in 1505 and holds the tombs of Russian rulers from Ivan I to Tsar Ivan V. It also has more of an Italian renaissance feel to it with its Corinthian gables and turrets and white stonework.

Annunciation Cathedral. This imposing cathedral, where Russia’s Tsars were christened and married, was built by Pskov architects in 1482. The frescoes inside are considered to be some of the most valuable in Moscow given that prominent artists of the time including Andrey Rublyev (also buried here), Theophanes the Greek and Prokhor of Gorodetz all worked on them.

Moscow In Your Pocket

Church of the Deposition of the Robes. Taking its name from an ancient festival where the Virgin’s robes are transferred from Palestine to Constantinople (now Istanbul), this is a more modest cathedral nestled in a corner. Built in 1484- 1485 by artists from Pskov, this church notably has stained glass windows. Along with some fine icons, inside you can also find wooden sculptures from the 15th century.

Cathedral of the Assumption. The grandfather of all the Kremlin churches, the Assumption Cathedral is the oldest and the biggest. Built in 1475 by Italian architect Aristotle Fiorovanti, this is where Ivan the Terrible was crowned Emperor in 1547 before becoming a stable for Napoleon’s horses in 1812. Their soldiers made off with the chandeliers now hanging overhead, some weighing over 5 tonnes. The cossacks brought them back after they caught up with the light-fingered Frenchmen. In 1918 the last Easter service was held here. Services resumed in 1990.

Square, MOkhotny Ryad, tel. (+7) 495 698 33 04, www. saintbasil.ru. Standing magnificent at the head of Red Square is St. Basil’s Cathedral. Russia’s most recognisable building was built in 1561 to celebrate Ivan the Terrible’s crucial defeat of the Khan of Kazan, a victory which secured Moscow’s position as the region’s dominant city. While the view from outside is spectacular and rightly famed, it is certainly also worth a visit inside. Visitors used to the vast open spaces of Western European cathedrals will be shocked to find a stone warren of small, intimate chapels, each decorated with countless icons and engravings and soaring in one direction only: upwards, to the height of the onion domes above. Russia’s history is all about a country being simultaneously tugged towards the west and the east. A visit inside St Basil’s gives an invaluable lesson on the importance and undoubted attractions of the latter. Q Open 11:00 - 17:00. Admission 50-250Rbl.

Take a boat tour. A boat trip down the Moscow

river is hands down the best way to see the city and get a sense for its scale. Boats pass by the majority of Moscow biggest landmarks and with some tickets you can make a day of it and hop on and off as you wish.

The Patriarch’s Palace. Once the home of the Moscow Patriarch, this grand medieval building is now a museum where ecclesiastical treasures of the Orthodox church are on display as well as various precious tableware, furniture, jewellery and clothing used in the court of the medieval Tsars. The building also often houses temporary exhibitions.

The Ivan the Great Bell Tower. The impressive 60 metre high tower was built between 1505 and 1508. The adjoining belfry was built 15 years later and contains some 20 bells. The biggest bell (the world’s largest no less) however was too big to remain in its place and sits to the rear of the tower with a huge crack in it. In recent years the the belfry has become home to a new high-tech exhibition which illustrates the history of the Kremlin’s changing architectural styles. It is also now possible to climb up the tower (that’s 137 steps to be exact) to admire the view over central Moscow and get a close up look at the bells. You must by a separate ticket for the Ivan’s Bell Tower excursion at the excursion office before you enter the Kremlin and you can only go up the tower at the time indicated on your ticket.

Q Open 10:00 - 17:00, closed Thu. Admission to the

Kremlin Cathedral Square (5 museums-cathedrals, the Patriarch’s Palace) 100-350Rbl. Excursions 2,0002,500Rbl + admission. Ticket for Ivan the Great Bell Tower 500Rbl. Tickets for the Kremlin Armoury 700Rbl (seances at 10.00, 12.00, 14.30, 16.30). All tickets must be bought at the ticket offices outside the Kremlin walls.

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The obvious starting point of any sightseeing trip to Moscow is Red Square, the heart of the city with the iconic domes of the magnificent St. Basil’s Cathedral at its helm. Browse the shops and gourmet supermarket of the historic GUM department store, queue up early to catch a glimpse of mummified Lenin and explore the long and turbulent history of Russians in the State Historical Museum. After watching the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier pass through the imposing Kremlin walls in the Alexandrovsky gardens and explore the Kremlin’s numerous historic churches. If you are feeling flush splash out on a ticket to see the Kremlin armory filled with the crown jewels of the Tsars.

State History Museum C-3, Red Square 1, MOkhotny Ryad, tel. (+7) 495 692 37 31, www.shm.ru. Right on Red Square, this museum consists of two floors offering an extensive foray into Russian history from the ice ages of the mammoths right up to the 19th century. The first floor which runs up to the beginning of Peter the Great, and the 17th century holds many relics and artifacts of historical interest. Not just the exhibits are of interest, each individual hall complements its in-house exhibition, such as the Novgorod and Vladimir Halls with their vivid reconstructions. Upstairs while it lacks any English explanation, has an abundance of cool historical tit bits. Like the boots big enough to hide a small child which are worn to get through a swamp and were worn in Peter the Great’s. The elegant side of Russian life is given slightly more space than the peasantry but their role in history garners them several rooms toward the end demonstrating Russian customs and revolutionary activists such as the Decembrists. There are English leaflets that you can request from the counter as you enter that cover the first floor, but not unfortunately the second. There is a 2hr audio guide (one hour for each floor) at a cost of 300Rbl. Q Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 11:00 - 20:00.

Closed Tue. Admission 60-440Rbl. Guided tours for up to 15 people by prior arrangement. PAU moscow.inyourpocket.com

Art and literature. For Russian art head straight to the Tretyakov Galleries. The older of the two buildings houses a stunning collection of medieval to nineteenth Century paintings, while the equally impressive collection at the modern building on Krymsky val covers Russian art through the 20th Century. The Pushkin Fine Arts Museum is the city’s largest collection of medieval, renaissance and early 20th Century European art and tucked in behind the building is the fantastic Roerich Museum filled with the Russian painter’s mystical works.

Many of Russia’s best writers have been inspired by Moscow and the homes of Chekhov, Tolstoy, Mayakovsky and Bulgakov – to name but a few – have been preserved as museums.

Enjoy the city’s parks. Moscow may be a bustling metropolis, but it also one of the greenest cities in Europe. In the south of the city you can enjoy the medieval architecture of the well cared for Kolomenskoye Museum Estate or the crumbling charm of Catherine the Great’s Tsaritsino. Stretching along the Moscow river Gorky Park and the Neskucnhy sad was always the people’s park and is especially loved by families, if your feet can take it the latter is also a good jumping point for a climb up the Sparrow Hills to enjoy a panoramic view over Moscow. To the north the stately palaces of Kuskovo and Arkhangelskoe offer a glimpse into how Moscow’s nobility used to live in the days before communism.

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Sightseeing

Sightseeing Danilov Monastery Danilovsky Val 22, MTulskaya, tel. (+7) 495 961 14 80, www.msdm.ru. This classical monastery, named after its founder, Alexander Nevsky’s son Danil, has been in the news of late with the return of their original 18 church bells from Harvard in the US. The Soviets sold them off for scrap but a benevolent American, Charles Crane rescued them. The bells were recently returned due to the efforts (and cash no doubt) of Faberge egg rescuer, Viktor Vekselberg. Danilov Monastery was the last monastery to be closed under the Soviets and the first to be reopened under Gorbachev in 1983. Q Open 10:00 - 17:00. Admission free.

Donskoy Monastery Donskaya pl. 1, MShabolovskaya,

Churches and Monasteries Andronikov Monastery Andronevskaya pl. 10,

tel. (+7) 495 952 49 01, www.donskoi.org. The late sixteenth century saw the founding of this well-kept monastery, originally part of Moscow’s fortifications. The surrounding brick walls include twelve towers with the main entrance being decorated by bright frescoes as you enter. Formerly the headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Church until 1927, today it is a peaceful abode surrounded by pleasant parklands and a hub of religious activity very popular with pilgrims who come to visit the 16th Century miracle working icon and the holy relics of St. Tikhon. Inside the monastery grounds are bizarrely, a few tanks in honour of the Church’s efforts in the Great Patriotic War (WWII), although the real draw of course is the stunning 16th Century churches. The adjoining cemetery is also a worthy historical site dating back to the 17th Century.

Excursions can be organised around the walls and towers.

Q Open 07:00 - 19:00.

Admission free.

MPloshchad Ilyicha, tel. (+7) 495 678 14 67, www. rublev-museum.ru. Originally founded in 1320, this monastery is famous for its icon painting monk, Andrei Rublyev who lived and died here in the early 14th century. Rublyev is the poster boy of Russian icon painting having worked on the icons of the Kremlin’s Cathedral of Annunciation and other churches. Today there is the Cathedral of the Saviour, and the museum named after Rublyev is housed in the adjacent Chapel of St. Michael Archangel. It’s about half the size of Novodevichy and it has a quarter of its crowds. Q Open 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Wed and last Fri of the month. Admission free.

Novodevichy Cemeter y Luzhnetsky proezd 2, MSportivnaya, novodevichye.com. This is the Who’s Who of Russia. Anyone who was anyone is here. Given the Russian adoration for statues and immense monuments, it is a fascinating place and hunting around for the famous graves is almost as much fun as actually finding them. Chekhov’s simple and modest memorial is in stark contrast to the many Soviet megaplinths. Notable graves include Stalin’s wife, Mayakovsky, Gogol, Eisenstein, Khrushchev and Yeltsin. Q Open 09:00 - 17:00. Admission free.

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour C-3, Ul. Volkhonka 15,

MSportivnaya, tel. (+7) 499 246 85 26, www.shm.ru.

Monastery or convent, this place occupies a very specific place in Russian history. On the grounds surrounded by the Kremlinesque walls, which were built to act as a fortress, are four cathedrals including the majestic four-onion globes of Smolensky Cathedral which dates back to 1524. It was at Novodevichy that Peter the Great imprisoned his sister Sophia and executed her supporters from the Streltsy rebellion. Today it is a magnificent and peaceful cloister with an impressive icon collection. Be sure to look at the fascinating nearby cemetery too while you are here and take a stroll around the picturesque pond beyond the walls. Q Open 09:00 17:00. Admission 250Rbl.

MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 637 28 47, www.xxc.ru.

This is what a new Russian Orthodox church ought to look like.

This newly restored example came into being from 1994 until 2000 and is a shiny beacon for the Russian Orthodox Church at home. Buy your candles to the left of the entrance way, photos and souvenirs to the right. The walls are decorated with lists of battles and awards. Those who perished or were awarded in the war with Napoleon in 1812 are also inscribed once more upon the walls. The sprawling cathedral houses a museum on the history of the site where you can see pictures of the giant swimming pool the Soviets built here and the huge Lenin topped skyscraper they had originally planned for. During excursions (minimum 10 people) you can see the cathedral, museum and the view from the collonade. As it is a working place of worship women are expected to cover their heads and everyone should dress conservatively. No cameras or mobile phones should be used. Q Open 10:00 - 18:00, Mon 13:00-18:00.

Admission free. Guided tours in English for groups for up to10 people 6,000Rbl (pre-booking required call +7 495 637 28 47).

Moscow In Your Pocket

Novodevichy Monastery Novodevichy proezd 1,

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Russia’s fascinating history The red colonnaded building just beyond the statue of Pushkin on Tverskaya ul. is now known as the State Museum of Contemporary Russian History. On display are many of the objects from when it was called the Revolu tion Museum, including some unique original artifacts from this turbulent period. In a fascinating twist, the building was not originally built for this edifying purpose, but between 1831 and 1917 was home to the English Club, one of Russia’s first gentlemen’s clubs- proof that the expatriate life in Moscow is not the historical novelty we often assume it to be.

The beauty of the original interiors has been restored in a series of rooms which show the Club’s intention to be a Temple of the Enlightenment, as images of the muses decorate the chandeliered ceilings. The Club was a place for members to dine, play cards and discuss the events of the day in an atmosphere of free-thinking not readily found elsewhere. The Club’s library held a number of foreign books and newspapers, whose distribution was often strictly controlled by the tsars. Card games were played in the ‘Infernal Room’, so named because the fates of many of the serfs owned by these powerful aristocrats were often decided here as they placed bets on their estates.

The club was known by many literary giants of the day, including Tolstoy who described it in War and Peace: “The majority of those present were old, honored people with deep, self-assured faces, fat fingers, hard movements and voices.”

Another regular visitor was the famous poet Pushkin, who was more than once banned from the club for non-payment! An exhibition of memorabilia related to the club in a second room displays pictures of its members, some of whom took part in the Decembrist uprising in 1825. The club suffered from financial difficulties towards the end of the century, and had to lend out parts of its premises to other businesses. During World War One, the rooms looking out over Tverskaya Street became a military hospital. The club was finally disbanded in 1917 to make way for the ‘Red Moscow’ exhibition, whose loud red and black poster is also on display here. These rooms, which for a century had been an aristocratic haunt, were now visited by the Muscovite proletariat for a revolutionary education. Today the museum is open to all who are interested in Russia’s fascinating history.

State Central Museum of Contemporary Russian

History B-2, Ul. Tverskaya 21, MTverskaya, tel. (+7) 495 699 67 24, www.sovr.ru. Start early in the day with this one. There’s a whole century of the most turbulent, convoluted, well documented history to be seen and absorbed.

Housed in a 1780s mansion and former premises of the Moscow English Club, this grand dame was also the former Museum of Revolution. Now that history has moved on, so has the museum, covering all aspects of Russia’s recent history. English texts are sporadically situated in the rooms to make more of the experience. Don’t linger too much in the Revolutionary phase or you’ll be too tired by the time the Space Race starts, and Perestroika and the great music section dedicated to Russia’s answer to the Beatles. Q Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 21.00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 19:00.

Closed Mon. Admission 70 - 250Rbl.

Dva bileta, pazhalusta – Two tickets, please moscow.inyourpocket.com

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Sightseeing Radisson Royal River Cruise

A cruise along the Moscow-River is one of the best ways to see the city from its very centre, with unparalleled views of the sites on both banks. Casting off, we leave behind the Moscow International Business centre.

Beside the pier is the Ukraina Hotel, the second tallest of Stalin’s ‘Seven Sisters’. Across the river is the ‘other White House’, the house of the Russian government. A few minutes’ sailing takes us to the Novodevichy Convent. Under its walls, Tolstoy’s Kitty and Levin of Anna Karenina met whilst skating, in reality, its cemetery houses the graves of Chekhov and Yeltsin and many others. Its pink and white baroque walls are faced by the thickening forest of the opposite bank, leading into Sparrow Hills park.

The silhouette of a hammer and sickle peeks out above the treetops, a glimpse of the gargantuan structure of Moscow State University, the world’s tallest educational building and the ‘big sister’ of the seven. Passing Luzhniki Stadium, we reach the green banks of fashionable Gorky Park. Beyond this is the Central House of Artists, home to a branch of the Tretyakov gallery.

At the diversion of the river into the Vodootvodny Canal stands the controversial statue to Peter the Great marking three hundred years of the Russian navy. Its creator, Georgian sculptor Zurab Tsereteli, also headed the reconstruction of the Church of Christ the Saviour opposite.

Looking at its imposing domes, it’s hard to believe that this was once a gigantic outdoor pool.

On Bolotny Island, towering over the rainbow-coloured arches and golden domes of the St Nicholas church, is the House on the Embankment, built to house the Soviet elite. During the Purges nearly three hundred of its inhabitants were executed; it gained the nickname ‘Stalin’s Smile’.

From the river we’ve got perfect views of the Kremlin and the churches huddled inside it as we arrive at the heart of Moscow and perhaps Russia itself. Even after half a millennia St Basil’s idiosyncratic domes are still breathtaking; legend has it that its architects were blinded to stop them making something so beautiful ever again.

Atop the Stalinist House on the Kotelnichesky Embankment, two windswept larger-than-life figures look out into the glorious Soviet future. We’ve come a long way from the shining towers of the Business Centre, almost all the way to Novospassky Monastery’s blue star-studded domes as we make our way back upriver.

Sightseeing Fyodor Shalyapin’s Memorial Estate B-2, Novinsky

Museums All-Russia Decorative Art Museum C-1, Ul. Del-

egatskaya 3, MTsvetnoy Bulvar, tel. (+7) 495 609 01 46, www.vmdpni.ru. Hidden in a courtyard, this museum maintains more than 200 000 pieces of decorative and folk art from all over the Russia. There are several beautifully decorated tea sets, plates and figurines - the porcelain from the post-revolutionary Soviet period is especially interesting.

Also featured are some traditional Russian clothes, toys, intricate wood baskets, embroidery and linens. The wood figurine carvings are diverse and mind-blowingly detailed. The museum also displays interiors and antique furniture taken from the apartments of the old Russian nobility in the 18th to 20th centuries. Various workshops for children and excursions in English are also available. The museum’s frequent temporary exhibitions are also worth checking out. Q Open 10.00 - 18.00, Thu 10:00 - 21:00 Sat 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Tue and last Mon of the month. Admission 200Rbl.Guided tours at to 15 people 1,500Rbl.

Calligraphy Museum Park Sokolniki, 5y Luchevoy Pr.

2, bldg. 1, MSokolniki, tel: (+7) 495 728 77 58, www. calligraphy-museum.com. This small museum in Sokolniki Park takes visitors on a global journey of this little-publicised art and shows that it is still alive and well in the days of Times New Roman and Comic Sans. Words in themselves have long held an almost sacred place in cultures throughout the world, and there’s something very mesmerising about watching calligraphy masters at work in the museum’s video display. In this exhibition we see better-known examples of calligraphy from the bold brush strokes of Chinese characters to the ornate golden free-flowing threads of Arabic, as well as Old Church Slavonic icons and modern interpretations and more obscure scripts such as the curvy forms of Georgian and the neat rounded hills of Armenian letters. Commentaries from modern calligraphers accompany their works and give an insight into why the art of writing beautifully still holds such a fascination for them. QOpen 12:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon. Admission 100 - 150Rbl.

Cosmonautics Museum C-1, Pr. Mira 111, MVDNKh, tel. (+7) 495 682 57 60, www.space-museum.ru. Tucked under the huge monument to the Soviet Union’s race to the stars is this museum (sadly only in Russian) of all things cosmos. There are models of satellites, original space suits from both side of the Atlantic, the interior of part of the Mir space station to explore, photos and documents from famous cosmonauts such as Yuri Gagarin and plenty of artworks relating to man’s obsession with conquering space. The stuffed bodies of the first dogs in space, Belka and Strelka, sit proudly next to the tiny pods that they flew around the earth in.

There’s also a café serving space food and some 3-D shows (for which you have to pay extra). QOpen 11:00 - 19:00, Thu 11:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon. Admission 200 - 350Rbl.

Flotilla Radisson Royal Moscow A-3, Tarasa Shevchenko nab., Hotel Ukraina pier, MKievskaya, tel. (+7) 495 228 55 55, www.radisson-cruise.ru. Q It is advisable to book tickets well in advance (tickets can also be bought online). Boats leave 13:00 - 21:00. Boats are sometimes hired out for private parties so check the departure times in advance.Tickets for adults 900Rbl, children 650Rbl, first class 2,000Rbl. AUKW Moscow In Your Pocket

bul. 25, MBarrikadnaya, tel. (+7) 495 605 62 36/(+7) 499 255 98 64, www.shalyapin-museum.org. Fyodor Shalyapin’s name and voice rings out over Russian theatrical cultural history like no other - he is essentially the Anna Pavlova of the opera world. Finding fame in roles such as Boris Godunov and Don Quixote, he performed to immense acclaim across Europe, thanks partly to his participation in Diaghilev’s 1909 Russian Seasons. This 18th Century house which he had restored and made his Moscow home, is full of relics from the famous friends such as Rachmaninov and Levitan who met him here and stands as a beautiful example of early 20th Century style, full of exquisite bureaus, chaise lounges, silk wallpaper and even an old gramophone. QOpen 11:00 - 19:00, Thu 11:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 19:00.

Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 150Rbl. UW

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GULAG History Museum D-1, Ul. Petrovka 16,

MKuznetsky Most, tel. (+7) 495 621 73 46, www.gmig. ru. The full comprehension of the GULAG is a discomforting experience to say the least and the lack of English will do little to prevent you from being thoroughly chilled by the tragic story this museum has to tell. There are three parts; a documentary part showing the repression of different groups such as the church and the kulak peasants. Artistic responses to the GULAG from ex-prisoners adorn the walls, entrance and staircase and there is a reproduction of a GULAG barracks, punishment cell and officers rooms downstairs. The fact that this part is sealed off and the guide has to escort you here adds sobriety and realism to the exhibit. QOpen 11:00 - 19:00, Thu 11:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon, last Fri of the month. Admission 150Rbl. Guided tours for up to 20 people 300 - 600Rbl per person plus admission, should be booked in advance by phone (+7) 495 621 73 46.

Pushkin Fine Arts Museum C-3, Ul. Volkhonka 12,

MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 697 95 78, www. artsmuseum.ru. Opened to the public in 1912, this museum was primarily intended as an educational facility. Coming from the fashion of that time, it houses a lot of the world’s art in the form of plaster casts. It also has works by the Old Masters and representatives of various European schools of painting. 1924 saw the first addition of a picture gallery, to be followed in 1948 by the addition of many works from the 19th century. It’s a manageable museum, but be sure to know which section you are heading. Two buildings sit side by side - the first grandiose structure houses the old plastery cast bit, the impressionists are held in a separate wing for which there is a separate admission charge. QOpen 10:00 19:00. Closed Mon. Admission 300 - 400Rbl. Admission may vary according to the exhibition.

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Your Passport to Moscow

Tourism in Moscow is getting more and more userfriendly with every passing year, and the newly-unveiled Moscow Pass scheme is the latest step towards making Russia’s capital easier to explore. Borrowing a model familiar from many European capitals, the Moscow Pass offers free entry to 13 museums and two city tours, making it the perfect passport to get to know the place for first-time visitors.

From the Red Square show-stoppers of St. Basil’s Cathedral and the State Historical Museum to the intriguing contemporary exhibitions at the Multimedia Art Museum, via on obligatory tipple at the Museum of the History of Vodka, there’s something for everyone. And the special pass – which is available for one, three or five days – also enables visitors to fast-track to the front of Moscow’s infamous lines to get into the top attractions.

For an introduction to Moscow, visitors can explore by road or river: the card includes free trips on the Moscow City Sightseeing Bus Tour and the Flotilla Radisson Royal River Cruise (three- and five-day cards only). Both trips make it easy to get a feel for the city’s highlights and history while someone else does the navigation.

Art lovers can gain enjoy a rare chance to explore the subtleties of Socialist Realist art, so beloved of Soviet commissars and finally getting a long-overdue reassessment at the Institute of Russian Realist Art, while the Schushev State Museum of Architecture – long one of In Your Pocket’s favorites – mixes exhibitions of the grand designs of the 20th century with photo displays from around the world, all housed in a pre-revolutionary mansion with an atmospheric ruined attic extension.

Older art is also represented by the Museum of Russian Icons, featuring examples of some of the earliest religious paintings of the Orthodox Church.

Meanwhile, if all that history and culture is getting a bit heavy, there’s plenty of hands-on relief to be found at the Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines where gamers can check out where it all began and try their hand at veterans of the USSR’s video gaming scene such as ‘Morskoi Boi’ (Sea Battle) or the unique ‘Gorodki’, a computerized take on an ancient form of Slavic skittles.

It’s a retro treat.

As well as sightseeing, the pass also offers discounts at several restaurants around town and cut price places on an assortment of walking tours adapted to match the interests of any visitor. These include exploring the palatial Moscow metro and learning about the history and symbolism of the subterranean cathedrals of the city center, a night-life tour with a difference or even a chance to commission your own guide to tailor a trip for your personal passions.

Cards can be ordered online at www.moscowpass. com, and delivered anywhere in the city. They are also on sale at Sheremetyevo Airport, the “I Love Moscow” outlet in GUM and at dozens of hotels and hostels around the city. A one-day pass is 999 rubles, three days costs 1499 rubles and five days is 2499 rubles. Full details of offers and availability can be found at the website.

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Sightseeing Tours Around Moscow Free Moscow Bus Tours C-2, main bus stop

near Metropol Hotel, MTeatralnaya, +7 916 564 4274, freemoscowbus.com Moscow Free Tours offer a great way to see the city on a budget whilst finding out interesting facts and anecdotes about Moscow and its history. The tour guides are passionate and personal and are really good at engaging with those doing the tours.

They really want you to have a good time because then you’re more likely to tip! The website is clearly set up and the booking process simple. The tours cover many of the main attractions Moscow, and did I mention it’s absolutely free?! Just don’t forget to book beforehand.

Walking tours are also available.

City Sightseeing Moscow Buses leave from 32

(Route 1) and 18 (Route 2) different stops in the city centre, tel. (+7) 495 227 79 96, www.hoponhopoff. ru. Bright red double-decker tour buses are prowling Moscow’s streets, giving visitors a great view of the city center. The Hop On-Hop Off tour offers excursions around town in eight languages, and guests can buy a 24-hour ticket and jump on and off the buses as often as they like, in theory using any stop on either of the two routes. In practice, it’s usually easiest to gather at the main stops near the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum, the Tretyakov Gallery or the Bolshoi Theatre – this is where buses tend to wait longest. The shorter ‘red route’ takes just over an hour and circles the city center, staying close to the Kremlin walls and taking in a stretch of the leafy Boulevard Ring while the longer ‘green route’ also goes over the river for views of two of the Stalin-era Seven Sister skyscrapers. Both tours include the ‘greatest hits’ of Moscow’s unique and unforgettable city center, with its distinctive architecture, intriguing museums and exciting cultural life.

Buses usually run at 20-minute intervals, depending on the traffic situation. QOpen 10:00 - 19:30, Sat, Sun and holidays 10:00 - 20:30. Tickets cost 600Rbl for adults, 500Rbl for children (those under 5 years old travel for free), senior citizens and students. Tickets are valid for 24hrs.

Moscow In Your Pocket

Sightseeing USSR Museum All Russia Exhibition Centre (VVTs), pavilion No2, Pr. Mira 119, MVDNKh, tel. (+7) 495 765 51 44, w w w.museumussr. ru. Simple yet cheer ful, a child-friendly museum for all about Soviet material culture. Short on floor space and drawn-out explanations (in Russian and E n glish), th e USSR Mu seum manages to pack in a strong collection of Soviet memorabilia: from arcade game machines to domestic electronics, household items, toys and games and movie posters. A reconstructed communal apartment puts the museum’s talent for arranging its collection in perspective. The real gems are for Soviet car and motorcycle enthusiasts: Pobeda (Victory), ZAZ-965, Muravey scooter trike and the “Ural” motorcycle, where you can watch an old car chase on film in the sidecar. For those too squeamish to visit the real thing, there’s a reconstruction of Lenin’s mausoleum. A great museum for children given the absence of security guards and glaring eyes.

Be prepared for musical accompaniment. Photography permitted. QOpen 10:00 – 19:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 – 20:00.

Admission 250Rbl. Tchaikovsky and Moscow A-2, Kudrinskaya pl.

46/54, MBarrikadnaya, tel. (+7) 495 690 25 88/ (+7) 495 691 15 14, www. glinka.museum. Dedicated to the life, times and music of the man who brought the world Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and the Nutcracker, the operas Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades and of course the 1812 Overture. It‘s kind of an endless list once you get going. This Moscow apartment where he lived briefly in the late nineteenth century is now home to a collection of photos and musical memorabilia, family photos, and Tchaikovsky’s devoted guides. The guide and the tour are provided free of charge but in Russian so if you don’t understand Russian, take along a translator. They do know more than you can read about not only about Tchaikovsky but the musical scene of Moscow at that time. Tchaikovsky’s various friendships are also enumerated here. QOpen 11:00 - 19:00.

Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 100Rbl. UW

Modern Art Centres Garage Centre for Contemporary Culture B-5, Gorky Park, ul. Krymsky Val 9, MOktyabrskaya, tel. (+7) 495 645 05 20, www.garageccc.com. Founded by Russian socialite Daria Zhukova, Garage is one of the most successful contemporary art spaces in Moscow. Currently in a temporary premises in the fashionable Gorky Park, the gallery now focuses on smaller yet cutting edge exhibitions from both home and abroad while work is underway on a permanent building also in the park. There are also regular lectures, film screenings and art performances, master classes in their new education centre and an excellent cheap café and bookshop.

Q Open 11:00 - 21:00, Fri - Sun 11:00 - 22:00. Admission 100 - 200Rbl. Excursions in English, French, German by prior arrangement. moscow.inyourpocket.com

Take note that most museum ticket offices close one hour before the official closing time MMOMA (Moscow Museum of Modern Art) C-2, Ul. Petrovka 25, MChekhovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 694 28 90, www.mmoma.ru. Based in three locations, this building is the main hub of the MMOMA and its great garden of witty sculptures by Tsereteli (Moscow’s contemporary art guardian and self-promoter) offers an impressive introduction to the contemporary Moscow art scene on the way in. The museum’s aim is to preserve Russia’s avant-garde tradition and they are constantly adding to their collection of Malevichs, Filonovs and the like. Moving closer to the present day the permanent collection also carries much non-conformist art from the late Soviet period, as well as new stars of the Russian art scene.

Other exhibition halls at Ermolaevsky per 11 (metro Mayakovskaya), Tverskoy bul. 9 (Pushkinskaya), Gogolevsky bul. 10 (Kropotkinskaya). Q Open 12:00 - 20:00. Thu 13:00 - 21:00.

Closed third Mon of the month. Admission 150Rbl. Entrance may cost more for special exhibitions.

MMAM (Moscow Multimedia Art Museum) B-4,

Ul. Ostozhenka 16, MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 637 11 22, www.mdf.ru. This new contemporary space focuses exclusively on photography and video art and regularly hosts great exhibitions many of which make particularly good use of the cleverly designed video exhibition rooms. The central hallway and stairwell is one of a kind for Moscow with its clean white lines and staircases, vaguely reminiscent of New York’s Guggenheim or the MOMA. A great addition to Moscow’s burgeoning contemporary art scene. QOpen 12:00 - 21:00. Admission 150-300Rbl.

Adults (16 - 59) Chidren (5 - 15) Seniors (60+) Students

600 RUB

Chekhov Museum B-2, Ul. Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya

6, MBarrikadnaya, tel. (+7) 495 691 61 54, www. goslitmuz.ru. Chekhov never went out of favour even during the Soviet years. His museum opened here for the first time in 1953, and underwent a spring clean in 2003. The objects remain authentic, a little too authentic when you see the tiny metal bed he slept on. It was from this red castle-like house that he left to go on his epic jaunt to Sakhalin, at that time the journey took around three months. It was also here that the music lover, who lived with his mother, brother Mikhail and sister Maria, received patients, continuing his work as a doctor.

Tchaikovsky came to thank him for the personal dedication in his book Gloomy People. Also upstairs there are exhibitions following the life of the great writer, a surprising number of photos and a display showing different dramatic productions of his plays around the world. Q Open 11:00 - 18:00, Thu 13:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon. Admission 70 - 100Rbl.

Dostoevsky Memorial Museum Ul. Dostoevskogo

2, MMendeleevskaya, tel. (+7) 495 681 10 85, www. goslitmuz.ru. Dostoevsky is usually associated with St. Petersburg but in fact he grew up in Moscow. His father was posted to the city’s hospital for the poor and this small apartment, attached to the hospital, was given to him and his family.

The austere rooms are demonstrative of Dostoevsky’s lower middle class upbringing and are carefully tended to by the Dostoevsky-loving museum staff. The second undecorated wing of the flat houses a collection of banned illustrations made for his books in the 1930s as well as the desk (filled with his notes), where he wrote the novel Brothers Karamazov.

Q Open 11:00 - 18:00. Wed, Thu 13:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon. Admission 70 - 100Rbl.

WINTER SCHEDULE OF BUS TOURS (October-April)

500 RUB

www.city-sightseeing.ru moscow.inyourpocket.com

Writer’s museums

"Golden Domes of Moscow" city tour 10:00-19:30 weekdays 10:00-20:30 weekends and holidays

Tel.: +7(495) 22-77-996 October - November 2013

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Shopping

Sightseeing Bulgakov’s Moscow I n M i k h ai l B u l ga kov’s most celebrated masterpiece the Master and Margarita, Moscow and its streets and buildings feature prominently and fans of the writer and h i s e p o n y m o u s n ove l can still find many of the locations described in the book have survived to this day.

Patriarch’s Ponds

“At the hour of the hot spring sunset two citizens appeared at the Patriarch’s Ponds”. Thus opens the book’s first chapter titled ‘Don’t talk to strangers’. The pleasant Patriarch’s Ponds area (B-1, MPushkinskaya) remains to this day the number one pilgrimage destination for Bulgakov fans and recently a street sign picturing the devil’s evil entourage has appeared in homage with the warning ‘Don’t talk to strangers’ written on it in Russian.

The Mikhail Bulgakov Museum

B-1 Bolshaya Sadovaya 10, flat 50, MMayakovskaya, www.bulgakovmuseum.ru. Bulgakov’s Moscow flat where he wrote most of his works became one of the unofficial alternative artistic centres of Moscow during the perestroika era and the stairwell and the flat itself was constantly plastered in graffiti and unusual drawings. Nowadays ‘the odd flat’ has been cleaned up and turned into a small museum where you can catch occasional concerts and discussion groups as well as see some of Bulgakov’s original belongings. What would have been the Variety Theatre (where Satan stages his magic show) can be found nearby in the garden at Bolshaya Sadovaya 16. Note that the original theatre building underwent a complete remodeling since the novel was written.

Bulgakov’s grave

Luzhnetsky proezd 2, MSportivnaya, novodevichye. com. Bulgakov died in 1940 shortly after completing the Master and Margarita which despite his best efforts he failed to get past the oppressive Soviet publishers. He was buried in Moscow’s Novodevichy cemetery and to this day his fans regularly tend to his grave and leave fresh flowers in his memory. Be sure to ask someone for directions to his grave as it is not obviously sign posted - if in doubt Chekov’s gravestone is also in the same area of the cemetery.

Moscow In Your Pocket

Gorky Memorial Muse-

um B-2, Ul. Mal. Nikitskaya 6/2, MArbatskaya, tel. (+7) 495 690 05 35, www.imli.ru. Designed by one of Russia’s most celebrated art nouveau architects - Fyodor Schechtel - in 1900, the R yabushinsk y Mansion is most famous as the former home of writer Maxim Gorky. This magical building is full of beautiful stained glass windows, a spectacular marble ‘wave’ staircase and exquisite carved oak paneling and is worth visiting just for aesthetic reasons. There is extensive written material available in each room giving insight into Gorky’s life in the house, his tastes in décor and ornaments and there are some stories about the famous contemporaries who sat and talked about the Russian soul there. Considering Gorky was the head of the Writer’s Union, that list includes everyone from Mayakovsky to Tolstoy. Q Open 11.00 - 17.30. Closed Mon, Tue, last Thu of the month. Admission free.

Lev Tolstoy Memorial Estate in Khamovniki Ul. Lva Tolstogo 21,

MPark Kultury, tel. (+7) 499 246 94 44, www.tolstoymuseum.ru. The house where Tolstoy and his family lived after leaving his family estate and moving to Moscow in the 1881 has been kept in pristine condition. You almost expect them to come inside and sit down to dinner or Sofia Tolstoya to serve tea from the samovar or to see Leo stomping up the staircase to his study to write a few more pages of War and Peace. This place makes clear how the family spent their time, including displays and exhibits of the shoes that Tolstoy made himself. Q Open 10:00 - 18:00.

Thu 12:00 - 20:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, last Fri of the month. Admission foreigners 60 - 200Rbl.

Pushkin Memorial flat

B-3, Ul. Arbat 53, MSmolenskaya, tel: (+7) 499 241 22 46, w w w. pushkinmuseum.ru. Given Pushkin’s unfortunate demise in a duel fighting for his wife’s honour, it seems fitting that the house where he spent his honeymoon is now a memorial museum.

Moving into the Arbat street house at the beginning of February, he even held his stag night here. In a bid to engender some of the atmosphere of the time, the rooms are filled with portraits of his contemporaries and letters although not a lot of Pushkin’s belongings remain in situ apart from his writing desk. The desk with his ink stand with a negro boy standing between two gold cotton bails is the star feature.

English texts are provided to give a little extra clarity. Q Open 10:00 - 18:00. Thu 12:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon, last Fri of the month. Admission 20 - 120Rbl.

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Gifts and Souvenirs Chainy Dom Perlova D-2, Ul. Myasnitskaya 19,

Russian Souvenirs

MChistye Prudy, Turgenevskaya, tel. (+7) 495 625 46 56/(+7) 495 624 71 02. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 20:00. A

There are dozens of traditional souvenirs you can bring back with you from Russia. Top everyone’s list is usually a Russian doll, but there are a lot more other things worth spending your money on too.

Prosto Tak D-3, Ul. Zabelina 3/7, MKitay Gorod, tel. +7 499 755 75 29, www.vot-tak.com. QOpen 11:00 -

Matryoshka’s

21:00. AKW

Shopping Centres GUM С-3, Red Square, MPl. Revolutsy, tel. +7 495 788 43 43, www.gum.ru. A trip here is essential - this elaborate three arcade structure with three tiers is constructed from limestone, marble and granite and was first built in the 1890s.

QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. AK Lotte Plaza A-3, Novinsky bul. 8, MSmolenskaya, tel.

(+7) 495 641 25 00, www.lotteplaza.ru. Korean group Lotte made a strategic move when choosing this spot for this ‘deluxe class’ (in their words) shopping centre, a short walk to both the New and Old Arbat. Its seven floors offer all the expensive handbags and shoes you could dream up, whilst in the basement is high-end, highly priced supermarket Azbuka Vkusa selling a large range of tasty goods and all the food items it can still be a struggle to find in Russia. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. LKW

Metropolis shopping center Leningradskoye shosse 16/4, MVoykovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 660 88 88, www. metropolis-center.ru. The western style mall to beat all other western style malls that are dotted around across Moscow. What makes this one so great? It’s filled with high street brands, a massive supermarket, has a bowling alley, pool hall and cinema on the top floor and, best of all, it is right next to the metro. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. AULKW Okhotny Ryad С-3, Manezhnaya pl.1/2, MOkhotny

Ryad, tel. (+7) 495 737 84 49, www.ox-r.ru. If you can find your way around in here, you’ve made it in this town. Confusion central, this is a spawling place that has everything you need - it just takes a long time to find it! Maybe that is part of the plan so that all customers stay and shop longer. There is a food court on the ground floor with a range of ready food options from sushi to fried chicken to sandwiches, perfect for when you’ve done the Kremlin and want a snack. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. AULKW

Tsum С-2, Ul. Petrovka 2, MOkhotny Ryad, tel. (+7)

Russian dolls are the quintessential Russian souvenir.

Usually painted with the cute faces of a Russian girl or stylised family, you can also get them painted with dictators of the world, former US presidents or even just left plain to paint yourself. Prices will usually depend on the number of dolls and the intricacy and range of colours of the design.

Lacquer Boxes

Russian lacquer boxes are some of the finest Russian handicrafts still produced in Russia. Creating the distinctive shiny black layer using many coats of lacquer and then painting on the front minute scenes from Russian fairytales and folklore, requires very skilled masters.

Usually the real ones feel a lot heavy than regular painted wooden boxes and should have the signature of the artist both sides of the lid.

Birch wood crafts

The silver birch is the national tree of Russia, the further in to the countryside you get, the more you notice that the world’s largest country is covered in them. It then comes as no surprise that Russians have been experts at producing items carved out of the bark of their favourite tree. Birch wood combs are particularly popular as they are said to be very good for your hair.

Biblio-Globus Bookshop Torgovy Dom Biblio - Globus С-2, Ul. Myasnits-

kaya 6/3, bldg. 1, MLubyanka, tel. (+7) 495 781 19 00, www.biblio-globus.ru. This famous bookstore has one of the best foreign language selections in the city. On the second floor most European languages are covered, with French, English and German books making a particularly strong presence, and there’s also a limited selection of Chinese and Japanese literature.

They also stock a lot of maps, Russian textbooks and Russian fairytales for kids. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 21:00. AW

495 933 73 00, www.tsum.ru. Spritely, designer loving Tsum has all the labels you’ve ever seen and then some more you’ve never heard of. It’s also a good place to hunt down designer fur. Women’s fashion is on the third floor; men’s on the second; and children’s and youth fashion on the fourth.

The cafe on the top level also has a sushi menu as Russian fashionistas can’t get enough of it! QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 11:00 - 22:00. AK

Yeliseevsky С-2, Ul. Tverskaya 14, MPushkinskaya,

tel. (+7) 495 650 46 43, www.eliseevskiy.ru. The flagship store of the nineteenth century gourmet merchandiser and importer Grigory Yeliseevsky is now home to a wonderful shop.

The grand interior has been restored to its pre-revolutionary glamour with gold bolsters, mirrors and sculptured mouldings.

The ceilings are as high as at theatre. Stocked here at reasonable prices are a variety of imported chocolates, biscuits and other foodie gifts and there are also well-stocked seafood and cheese deli counters. QOpen 24hrs. A

moscow.inyourpocket.com

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BUSINESS directory

EXPAT AND lifestyle

Moscow is Russia’s business and financial capital and countless businessmen have lost and made millions in this town.

Tax and Legal Services

Accountants and Consultants

Bol. Yakimanka 31/18, off. 203B, MPolyanka, tel. (+7) 495 935 76 21, www.bvdmeer.nl. Tax and Legal Services specialisists. Deals with all aspects of reporting, accounting, tax compliance and company registration, full cycle legislations and legal translations, expat and family paperworks and fiduciary services. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A

Deloitte A-1, Ul. Lesnaya 5b, MBelorusskaya, tel. (+7) 495 787 06 00, www.deloitte.com.

Ernst and Young D-3, Sadovnicheskaya nab. 77, bld. 1,

MPaveletskaya, tel. (+7) 495 705 97 00, www.ey.com.

QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. KPMG Presnenskaya nab. 10, complex Bashnya na naberejnoy, block C, MMezhdunarodnaya, tel. (+7) 495 937 44 77, www.kpmg.ru.

Business Clubs and assosiations Association of European Businesses A-1, Ul. Krasnoproletarskaya 16, bldg. 3, entr. 8, tel. (+7) 495 234 27 64, www.aebrus.ru.

Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce E-3, Pokrovsky bul. 4/17, bldg.4b, MChistie Prudy, tel. (+7) 495 917 90 37, www.finruscc.fi.

Russian-German Chamber of Commerce (DeutschRussische Auslandshandelskammer ) C-5, 1-y Ka-

zachy per.5, MPolyanka, tel. (+7) 495 234 49 50, www. vdw.ru. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00.

The American Chamber of Commerce B-1, Ul. Dolgorukovskaya 7, 14th floor, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 961 21 41, www.amcham.ru.

The Moscow Irish Business Club , www.moscowirishclub.ru.

The Russo-British Chamber of Commerce C-1, Ul. Tverskaya 16/2, MTverskaya, tel. (+7) 495 961 21 60, www.rbcc.com.

Bauke van der Meer Tax & Legal Services C-5, Ul.

Recruitment Antal Russia B-2, Tryokhprudny per. 9, bldg. 1B, off. 104, MTverskaya, tel. (+7) 962 367 68 55, www.antalrussia. com. Antal Russia is a British discipline-focused search and selection recruitment firm based in Moscow. In March 2008 Antal Russia was acquired by FiveTen Group - a truly global recruiter covering key sectors and disciplines of professional staffing. The Group operates across 23 cities, 13 countries and four continents. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

International Schools/Preschools The English International School (NEI Magister)

Zeleny pr. 66A, MNovogireevo, tel. (+7) 495 301 21 04, www.englishedmoscow.com. English day school for kids aged 3 all the way up to 18. They follow the English curriculum and offer IGCSEs and A-levels and preparation for studying in the UK. The main focus of the school is on languages, art, music, IT and sport. The school works hard towards organising engaging after-school activities too like drama clubs and school trips. There is also a second primary school (ages 3-11) located in west Moscow at Molodogvardeyskaya ul. 9, metro Kuntsevskaya. QOpen 08:30 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A

The Expat Experience I n ter vi ew wit h m e d ia/ marketing specialist and f o u n d e r o f o u r I n Yo u r Pocket visitor guides in Russia: Charles Hoedt.

Tell us something about yourself?

About my business or private life? Both? Well, the two get mixed together in Russia anyway. I have been working in Russia for more than 15 years.

I met my wife at a party in St. Petersburg where I lived for almost 10 years. She is Dutch too! So we had to travel all the way to Russia to find love.

And love is mixed with business in Russia?

Yes, you can say that! With Bonnie, my wife, I started the In Your Pocket in St. Petersburg ten years ago. There was no good English-language magazine about culture, events, restaurants, clubbing and expat life in Russia. There wasn’t even any information for tourists. We wanted to share all the nice places we liked. Bonnie has a background in tourism and I in media, so during a pub-crawl one night we looked each other in the eyes and said: why aren’t we going to start it? We first published St. Petersburg In Your Pocket in 2003 and in 2008 we began making inroads into the Moscow market.

Is doing business in Russia difficult?

You have to know the ways. You need to have a good Russian network here. There is a big difference between what is written and what actual practice is. The first draft for our publishing company we made around the kitchen table with Russian lawyer friends advising us. And be prepared for surprises every day! I still feel extremely happy when I see people using In Your Pocket, reading it in restaurants

In your current job as director of NufficNeso you promote the Netherlands amongst Russians. What do you think about promoting Russia?

Promoting Russia… I wish I could do that. It is such an easy job but every time they fail. While the country has so many opportunities. For some reason the country is often negative in the press. For a successful country or city marketing campaign there should be the same awareness on all levels. And you should do what you preach. Russia can make big step by abolishing visas for tourists. This would be good for its image, good for the economy and the service sectors. Nowadays people want to decide today where they are travelling to tomorrow. Due to the visa regime Russia is missing this large, ever growing target group with lots of money in their pocket.

St. Petersburg or Moscow?

That’s a nasty question… I feel home in St. Pete, but also in Moscow. Russians say you can’t love both, but I do. My favourite region is Siberia, especially Lake Baikal which I dived into for the first time in 1996. And I enjoy being on Sochi’s Black Sea coast, a region with such a rich history.

The Russian honey and wines there are really great!

Medical and Dental Clinics

Expats Clubs American Women’s Organisation, awomoscow@

US Dental Care C-2,

Ul. Bol. Dmitrovka 7/5, bld. 2, MTeatralnaya, Okhotny Ryad, tel. (+7) 495 933 86 86, www.usdentalcare.com. Well-established and long-respected American Board-certified dentists and hygienists. They speak English and Russian, have a full range of general, specialised and children’s services and extensive cosmetic services and emergency care. The clinic itself is spotless, high-tech and very centrally located.

Direct billing and Corporate membership available. Q Open 08:00 - 20:00, Sat, Sun 09:00-18:00. PAW

moscow.inyourpocket.com

How do you spend your free time in Moscow?

Working and eating! I love going out for dinner and Moscow has much to offer. For Russian food Dacha na Pokrovke is one of my favourite places. I like biking along the Moskva River, the parks and the city centre. Gorky and Sokolniki parks are my favourite. And no, it is not dangerous to bike in Russia. Hey, I’m Dutch, I was born on a bike.

American Medical Centres D-1, Prospekt Mira, 26,

bldg. 6, entr. from Grokholsky per., MProspekt Mira, tel. (+7) 495 933 77 00, www.amcenter.ru. Q Open 24hrs. A European Medical Center В-2, Spiridonievsky per. 5, bldg. 1, MPushkinskaya, tel: (+7) 495 933 66 55, www. emcmos.ru. QOpen 24hrs. A GMS Clinic Ul. 2-ya Yamskaya 9, MMaryina Roshcha, tel. (+7) 495 781 55 77, www.gmsclinic.ru/envers. Q Open 24 hrs. PTALW

Moscow In Your Pocket

or using it to find their way round the city. Last year I was sitting in a waiting room in one of the international clinics and started to talk with an expat who was director of a multinational company in Russia. When I told him I worked for In Your Pocket he said: “Are you kidding? Your magazine helped my wife and me survive in Moscow the first year, we could not do it without you.”

moscow.inyourpocket.com

gmail.com, www.awomoscow.org.

Australian and New Zealand Social Group (AUSKI)

tel. (+7) 916 825 3352, auskirussia@gmail.com, www. gdaymoscow.com.

British Women’s Club, info@bwcmoscow.co.uk, www.bwcmoscow.co.uk.

Dutch Community, nvm.russia@gmail.com, www. nederlandse-vereniging-moskou.ru.

International Women’s Club, iwcmembership@gmail. com, www.iwcmoscow.ru.

InterNations, www.internations.org/expats/home/ russia/moscow.

Moscow Hash House Harriers, tel. (+7) 985 364 99 36, moscowharriers.itgo.com.

Moscow International Choir, moscow.international. choir@gmail.com.

MosKultInfo (German-Language Community Newsletter) www.moskultinfo.de.

Moskva Accueil (French Women’s Club), www.

site-moskva-accueil.org.

Nigerian Community Russia, nigeriancommunity@ yahoo.com, www.nigeriancommunity.ru.

SWEA (Swedish Women’s Educational Association), moskva@swea.org, www.swea.org.

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Getting Around

EXPAT AND Lifestyle Buying Train Tickets

For the full blooded Russian experience, line up to buy a train ticket at one of the kassi (Ticket offices) at any train station. If you don‘t speak Russian, it is a good idea to find out the number of the train you want. This is where the Russian Railways website www.rzd.ru can come in handy. If you can read Russian or get a friend to help, you can view timetables, buy tickets online and then just print them out at the ticket machines in the station. Their English version doesn’t allow purchases yet. Other options are to buy through a ticket or travel agency in Moscow. Remember that if you are buying a ticket for anything other than a local train you will need to show your passport details, so that they can be printed on the ticket.

Train Stations

Moscow Expat Lifestyle Club A new expat club appeared in the capital! With the main purpose to give you and your family round-the-clock assistance with all your needs. Membership of the club provides you the benefit of savings in services like real estate, concierge services, insurance assistance, a premium access to VIP events and much more. You can join the lifestyle club for free and purchase the expat card for extra services on what Moscow has to offer! For more information go to www.expatinrussia.com

Russian for Expats

30.11 Saturday

10:00 – 16:00, Winter Bazaar

A-4, Radisson Slavyanskaya Hotel, Pl. Evropy 2, MKievskaya, www.iwcmoscow.ru. The International Women’s Club Moscow is turning 35 and starts this special anniversary season with their annual event, the IWC Winter Bazaar! Explore the diverse stands and discover some exotic holiday gifts as well as nostalgic goodies from home. Experience the diversity of different cultures. Enjoy the atmosphere of classy, multinational surroundings. Take a stroll through the warm and fragrant lanes of the winter bazaar and let yourself get carried away by the awaiting program. The IWC Winter Bazaar is definitely worth a visit! Q Entrance fee 200Rbl.

Fryday in Moscow

Na vore i shapka gorit – The thief’s hat is burning

This expression means that someone always gives himself away through guilty behaviour or appearance. This phrase can also be found in Hebrew, which may mean it entered the Russian language through the Jewish community. The legend goes that there was a thief on the loose but no one could catch him. Then one day at some kind of celebration, where all the locals were gathered, a wise elder yelled out – ‘the thief’s hat is burning’ and the man who quickly removed his hat was of course the culprit.

Liden & Denz A-1, Gruzinsky per. 3 bldg.1, entr.

6, office 181, MBelorusskaya, tel. (+7) 499 254 49 91, www.lidenz.ru. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A

Moscow In Your Pocket

Railway information hotline, www.rzd.ru, (+7) 800 775 00 00. (Russian only) Belorussky Station A-1, MBelorusskaya, www.belorusskiy.railclient.ru. Trains go from here to Berlin, Warsaw, Minsk, Vilnius and Kaliningrad. This station sends trains to Sheremetyevo Airport via the Aeroexpress train.

Kazansky Station E-1, MKomsomolskaya, kazanskiy. railclient.ru. Gateway to the East, trains run to Kazan, Tashkent, Samara, Ulan-Ude and beyond.

Kievsky Station A-4, MKievskaya, kievskiy.railclient. ru. As well as to Kiev, trains leave to Odessa, Budapest, Bucharest and Kishenev. This station sends trains to Vnukovo Airport via the Aeroexpress train.

Kursky Station E-3, MKurskaya, kursky-vokzal.ru Local trains depart from the right hand side of the station (first floor).

Leningradsky Station E-1, MKomsomolskaya, leningradskiy.railclient.ru Hub for trains going north to Helsinki, Tallinn and St. Petersburg.

Paveletsky Station D-5, M Paveletskaya, paveleckiy. railclient.ru. This station sends trains to Domodedovo Airport via the Aeroexpress train.

Rizhsky Station MRizhskaya, rijskiy.railclient.ru. You’ll come here if you are heading to Riga or elsewhere in Latvia.

Yaroslavsky Station E-1 M Komsomolskaya, yaroslavskiy.railclient.ru. To the Golden Ring and beyond - all the way to Vladivostok.

Car Rental Avis Russia Car Rental, tel. (+7) 495 988 62 16, www.avisrussia.ru. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00.

Hertz A-1, 1-ya Brestskaya ul., 34, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 232 08 89, www.hertz.ru. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00.

Getting around

Looking for a chance to unwind and kick off the weekend with some like-minded company? Sure, Moscow is full of great bars, but it’s not always easy to dive into the city’s nightlife on your own – which is where FryDays comes in. The idea is simple: those interested in an informal gathering over a drink or two, make arrangements via the group’s Facebook page and pick out a different bar every few weeks. The Moscow edition is one of several all over Europe, and the original FryDays founders – a pair of expat Swedes in Kiev. For more details, see www.facebook. com/fryday.moscow/info.

moscow.inyourpocket.com

Where is the…?

Is it far?

Right/left Straight ahead Ticket office Open/closed Entrance/exit Push/pull Ticket Return (ticket) Entrance forbidden No smoking

Gdye…?

Eta daleko?

Napravo/nalyevo Pryamo Kassa Otkryto/zakryto

Где…? Это далеко? Направо/налево Прямо Касса Открыто/ закрыто Vkhod/Vykhod Вход/выход Ot sebya/k sebe От себя/к себе Bilyet Билет Tuda i obratno Туда и обратно Vkhod Вход запрещен zapreshchon Ne kurit Не курить

Public Transport Moscow’s system of buses, trams and trolleybuses, as well as its world-famous metro, can now all be used with just one united ticket that is valid for all forms of transport and which can be bought in the metro ticket offices. It’s definitely worth getting a multi-journey ticket (you can get 11 journeys for 300Rbl) as it both saves money and is simple and convenient. If you need to buy single journeys you can get them once on the bus or tram and it costs 30Rbl. Make sure you get on the bus/tram/ trolleybus from the front so you can pass the ticket-operated turnstile. The metro is fast and efficient and is the second busiest in the world after Tokyo - you’ll rarely have to wait long for a train. Operating hours are from 05:30/06:00 until 01:00.

To enter, swipe the metro card then go through (the barriers will hit you if you don’t swipe the card first!) Plan your trip in advance on www.metroway.ru (interactive) or www.mosmetro.ru.

Taxis The powers that be are now hard at work trying to better regulate the taxi industry and make the service better for you the passenger. However, as can be true anywhere in the world, taxi drivers can sometimes be unscrupulous and over charge you so to avoid conflicts over taxi meters etc try to agree on a price before hand. It is also a good idea to book a taxi in advance to ensure you get a reasonable price.

‘Taxi’ is a term to be used loosely in Russia, with many locals still preferring to flag down ordinary cars as part of an unofficial informal taxi service. Since 2011 the unofficial taxi service has been made illegal and drivers can be fined for ferrying people around the city for cash, although due to a continuing lack of official taxis in the city the practice still thrives. To foreigners travelling in an unmarked car may seem unsafe and you certainly should exercise caution if you decide to opt for the Lada experience.

Stand by the road and stick out your arm - not your thumb.

Be cautious, trust your instincts and always agree a price in advance. Such drivers are notorious for overcharging foreigners - a journey within the city centre should usually cost anything between 250 and 500Rbl. Try to avoid using very large denominations and asking for change.

If you are looking to pick up a taxi at the train station, head to the RZD taxi booth. If travelling to the airport 1,500Rbl is a perfectly reasonable fare. For shorter trips around the city centre expect to pay 300 - 500Rbl.

Taxi Shanson tel. (+7) 495 925 75 13, www.tshanson.ru.

Formula Taxi tel. (+7) 495 777 57 77 moscow.inyourpocket.com

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Getting Around

Getting Around Street Register 1905 Goda ul.

A-1/2 A Akademika Sakharova pr. D-1/2 Alexandra Nevskogo ul. Đ?/B-1 Alexandra Solzhenitsina ul. E-4 Apakova pr.

C-4 Arbat ul.

B-3 Armyansky per.

D-2 B Bakhrushina ul.

D-5 Balchug ul.

D-3/4 Bernikovskaya nab.

E-3 Bersenevskaya nab.

C-4 Bobrov per.

D-2 Bogoyavlensky per.

C/D-3 Bol. Afanasyevsky per.

B-3/4 Bol. Balkansky per.

D-1 Bol. Bronnaya ul.

B-2 Bol. Dmitrovka ul.

C-2 Bol. Dorogomilovskaya ul.

A-4 Bol. Gruzinskaya ul.

A-1/2 Bol. Karetny per.

C-1 Bol. Kazenny per.

E-2 Bol. Kharitonyevsky per.

E-2 Bol. Kiselny per.

C/D-2 Bol. Kislovsky per.

C-3 Bol. Kozikhinsky per.

B-2 Bol. Kozlovsky per.

E-2 Bol. Levshinsky per.

B-4 Bol. Lubyanka ul.

D-2 Bol. Molchanovka ul.

B-3 Bol. Nikitskaya ul.

B/C-3 Bol. Ordynka ul.

D-4/5 Bol. Palashevsky per.

B-2 Bol. Patriarshy per.

B-2 Bol. Polyanka ul.

C-4/5 Bol. Sadovaya ul.

B-1/2 Bol. Serpukhovskaya ul. C/D-5 Bol. Spasskaya ul.

E-1 Bol. Staromonetny per.

C-4 Bol. Strochenovsky per.

D-5 Bol. Sukharevkaya pl.

D-1 Bol. Sukharevsky per.

D-1 Bol. Tatarskaya ul.

D-4/5 Bol. Tatarsky per.

D-5 Bol. Tishinsky per.

A-1 Bol. Vlasyevsky per.

B-4 Bol. Yakimanka ul.

C-5 Bol. Znamensky per.

B-3/4 Bolotnaya nab.

C-4 Bolotnaya pl.

C-4 Borodinskaya ul. (1ya) A-3/4 Borodinskaya ul. (2ya) A-3 Brestskaya ul. (1ya) A/B-1 Brestskaya ul. (2ya) A/B-1 Brodnikov per.

C-4/5 Butikovsky per.

B-4 C Chayanova ul.

B-1 Chistoprudny bul.

D/E-2 Chisty per.

B-4 D Delegatskaya ul.

C-1 Dobryninsky per. (1y) C-5 Dokuchaev per.

D-1 Dolgorukovskaya ul.

B-1 Dubininskaya ul.

D-5 Durasovsky per.

E-3 Durova ul.

C-1 E Ermolaevsky per.

B-2 Eropkinsky per.

B-4 F Fadeeva ul.

B-1 Filippovsky per.

B-3 Furmanny per.

E-2 G Gagarinsky per.

B-4 Gazetny per.

C-2/3 Gilyarovskogo ul.

D-1 Glazovsky per.

A/B-4 Gogolevsky bul.

B-3/4 Golikovsky per.

D-4

Moscow In Your Pocket

moscow.inyourpocket.com

moscow.inyourpocket.com

Golutvinsky per. (1y) C-4 Goncharnaya nab.

E-4 Goncharnaya ul.

E-4 Goncharny per. (2y) E-4 Gorokhovsky per.

E-2 Granatny per.

B-2 Grokholsky per.

D-1 Gusyatnikov per.

D-2 I Ilinka ul.

C-3 Ipatyevsky per.

D-3 K Kadashevskaya nab.

C-4 Kadashevsky per. (1y) C-4 Kalanchevskaya ul.

E-1 Kalashny per.

B-3 Kazachy per. (1y) C-5 Kazachy per. (2y) C-5 Kazakova ul.

E-2 Kazansky per.

C-5 Kazarmeny per.

E-3 Khilkov per.

B-4 Khlebny per.

B-3 Khokhlovsky per.

D/E-3 Khvostov per. (1y) C-5 Kievskaya ul.

A-4 Klimentovsky per.

D-4 Kolpachny per.

D-2/3 Kompozitorskaya ul.

A/B-3 Komsomolskaya pl.

E-1 Komsomolsky pr.

F-6 Konyushkovskaya ul.

A-2/3 Koptelsky per. (1y) D-1 Korobeynikov per.

B-4 Korovy Val ul.

C-5 Kosmodamianskaya nab. D/E-4 Kostyansky per.

D-1 Kotelnicheskaya nab.

D/E-4 Kotelnichesky per. (1y) D-4 Kozitsky per.

C-2 Krasina ul.

A/B-1, B-2 Krasnaya pl. (Red Square) C-3 Krasnaya presnya ul.

A-2 Krasnopresnenskaya nab. A-3 Krasnoproletarskaya ul.

B-1 Krasnoprudnaya ul.

E-1 Kremlevskaya nab.

C-3 Krivokolenny per.

D-2 Kropotkinsky per.

B-4 Krutitsky per. (3y) E-5 Krutitskaya nab.

E-5 Krymskay nab.

B-5 Krymsky proezd B-5 Krymsky Val. B/C-5 Kursovoy per.

B/C-4 Kutuzovsky pr.

A-3 Kuznetsky most ul.

C/D-2 L Lavrsky per.

C-1 Lavrushinsky per.

C-4 Leninsky pr.

F-6 Leontievsky per.

B-2 Lesnaya ul.

A-1 Lubyansky proezd D-2 Lyalin per.

E-2/3 M Mal. Bronnaya ul.

B-2 Mal. Dmitrovka ul.

B-1/2 Mal. Gruzinskaya ul.

A-2 Mal. Karetny per.

C-1 Mal. Kozikhinsky per.

B-2 Mal. Nikitskaya ul.

B-2 Mal. Ordynka ul.

D-4/5 Mal. Polyanka ul.

C-5 Mal. Sukharevskaya pl.

D-1 Mal. Yakimanka ul.

C-4 Mal. Znamensky per.

B/C-3 Manezhnaya pl.

C-3 Manezhnaya ul.

C-3 Marksistskaya ul.

E-4 Maronovsky per.

C-5 Maroseyka ul.

D-2/3 Mashkova ul.

E-2

Merzlyakovsky per.

B-3 Milyutinsky per.

D-2 Miusskaya pl.

B-1 Mohovaya ul.

C-3 Molochny per.

B-4 Monetchikovsky per. (2y) D-5 Monetchikovsky per. (3y) D-5 Monetchikovsky per. (5y) D-5 Monetchikovsky per. (6y) D-5 Moskvoretskaya nab.

D-3 Myasnitskaya ul.

D-2 Mytnaya ul.

C-5 N Neglinnaya ul.

C-2 Nikitsky bul.

B-3 Nikitsky per.

C-2/3 Nikoloyamskaya ul.

E-3/4 Nikolskaya ul.

C-2/3 Nikolsky per.

D-3 Nizhnyaya Krasnokholmskaya ul.

E-4/5 Nizhnyaya Krasnoselskaya ul. E-1 Novaya Basmannaya ul.

E-1 Novaya pl.

D-2 Novinsky bul.

A-2/3 Novokrymsky pr.

B-5 Novokuznetskaya ul.

D-4/5 Novokuznetsky per. (1y) D-5 Novokuznetsky per. (2y) D-5 Novoryazanskaya ul.

E-1 Novy Arbat ul.

A/B-3 O Obydensky per. (2y) B-4 Okhotny ryad ul.

C-2/3 Olimpiysky pr.

C-1 Ostozhenka ul.

B-4/5 Ovchinnikovskaya nab.

D-4 Ozerkovskaya nab.

D-4 Ozerkovsky per.

D-4 P Paveletskaya pl.

D-5 Petrovka ul.

C-2 Petrovsky bul.

C-1/2 Petrovsky per.

C-2 Pyzhevsky per.

C-4 Pl. Nikitskie Vorota B-2 Plotnikov per.

B-3 Plyushchikha ul.

A-4 Podkolokolny per.

E-3 Podsosensky per.

E-3 Pogorelsky per.

C-5 Pokrovka ul.

D/E-2 Pokrovsky bul.

E-3 Pomerantsev per.

B-4 Posledny per.

D-1 Potapovsky per.

D-2 Povarskaya ul.

B-2/3 Pozharsky per.

B-4 Prechistenskaya nab.

C-4 Prechistensky per.

B-4 Presnensky val ul.

A-1/2 Prospekt Mira D-1 Pushechnaya ul.

C/D-2 Pushkinskaya nab.

B-5 Pushkinskaya pl.

C-2 Pyatnitskaya ul.

D-4 Pevchesky per.

D-3 R Raushskaya nab.

D-3 Romanov per.

C-3 Rozhdestvenka ul.

C-2 Rozhdestvensky bul.

C/D-2 Runovsky per.

D-4 Rybny per.

C-3 S Sadovaya-Karetnaya ul. B/C-1 Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya ul. A/B-2 Sadovaya-Spasskaya ul. E-1/2 Sadovaya-Triumfalnaya ul.

B-1 Sadovnicheskaya ul.

D-3/4 Sadovnichesky proezd D-3 Samotyochnaya ul.

C-1 Serebryanicheskaya nab.

E-3

Shchepkina ul.

D-1 Sivtsev Vrazhek per.

B-3 Skatertny per.

B-2/3 Smolensky bul.

A-4 Smolenskaya ul.

A-4 Sofiyskaya nab.

C-3 Soymonovsky proezd B-4 Solyanka ul.

D-3 Spasonalivkovsky per. (1y) C-5 Spiridonovka ul.

B-2 Spiridonyevsky per.

B-2 Sretenka ul.

D-1 Sretensky bul.

C-1 Stanislavskogo ul.

C-2 Staraya pl.

C-3 Starokonyushenny per.

B-3/4 Staromonetny per.

C-4 Starosadsky per.

D-2/3 Stary Tolmachevsky per.

D-4 Stoleshnikov per.

C-2 Stolyarny per.

A-2 Strastnoy bul.

C-1/2 Sushchevskaya ul.

B-1 Sytinsky per.

B-2 T Tarasa Shevchenko nab.

A-3 Tatarskaya ul.

D-5 Teatralny proezd C-2 Teterinsky per.

E-4 Triumfalnaya pl.

B-1 Trubnaya ul.

C-1 Trubnikovsky per.

A/B-3 Tryokhprudny per.

B-2 Tsvetnoy bul.

C-1 Tverskaya ul.

B-1/2 Tverskaya-Yamskaya ul. (1ya)

A/B-1 Tverskaya-Yamskaya ul. (2ya)

A/B-1 Tverskaya-Yamskaya ul. (3ya)

A/B-1 Tverskoy bul.

B -2 U Usacheva ul.

F-6 Ustyinsky pr.

D-3/4 V Valovaya ul.

D-5 Varsonofyevsky per.

C/D-2 Varvarka ul.

C-3 Vasilyevsky spusk pl.

D-3 Vasilyevskaya ul.

A/B-1 Vasnetsova per.

C-1 Verkhnyaya Radishchevskaya ul.

E-4 Verkhnyaya Syromyatnicheskaya ul.

E-3 Volhonka ul.

C-3/4 Vorontsovo pole E-3 Vorontsovskaya ul.

E-4/5 Vozdvizhenka ul.

B/C-3 Voznesensky per.

B-2 Vspolny per.

B-2 Y Yakimanskaya nab.

C-4 Yakimansky proezd C-4 Yauzsky bul.

E-3 Z Zemlyanoy Val ul.

E-2/3/4 Zhitnaya ul.

C-5 Zhukovskogo ul.

E-2 Znamenka ul.

B/C-3 Zoologicheskaya ul.

A-1/2

Abbreviations Ul. - Ulitsa Per. - Pereulok Pr. - Prospekt Pl. - Ploschad Bul. - Bulvar Nab. - Naberezhnaya Bol. - Bolshaya Mal. - Malaya

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Getting Around

Moscow In Your Pocket

Getting Around

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Getting Around

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Russia

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History 9th Century: Slavic people from Ukraine and Belarus migrate into Russia, founding Veliky Novgorod, converting to Christianity, and adopting the Cyrillic alphabet.

10th – 15th Centuries: Golden Age of Kievan Rus continues until the Mongol descendants of Ghenghis Khan invade. Ivan the Great comes to power in 1462.

17th Century: Times of Troubles 1603-1613: the Swedes and Poles invade. Russia acquires new Siberian territory. First Romanov is elected Tsar.

1703: Peter the Great founds St. Petersburg, which becomes the new Russian capital in 1712 1762 – 1796: German princess Catherine the Great marries her way into the Russian royal family and launches a program of legislative and educational reform.

1812: Alexander I defeats Napoleon on Russian soil.

1861: Alexander II emancipates Russia’s serfs.

1914: WWI begins; there are enormous losses, food shortages and widespread unrest. St. Petersburg is quickly renamed Petrograd to sound less German.

1917 – 1924: Following the February and October Revolutions of 1917, Lenin’s Bolshevik Party takes control of Russia. Tsar Nicholas II and his family are murdered in 1918.

Moscow becomes the capital again. Russia is plunged into a bloody civil war. St. Petersburg is renamed Petrograd and after Lenin dies in 1924, Leningrad.

1934: The worst period of Stalin’s terror begins; it lasts until 1941.

1941 – 1945: Germany attacks Russia on June 22 and the Great Patriotic War begins. After sustaining heavy losses, Russia begins to push German-forces back in 1943. Germany surrenders in 1945.

1953: Stalin dies. It’s estimated that 20 million people died as a result of his purges, camps and forced famines.

In 1954, Krushchev succeeds him.

1961: Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space.

1979: The Soviets invade Afghanistan, and in opposition, 64 countries boycott the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics.

1985: Gorbachev becomes General Secretary of the Communist Party and calls for reforms including perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness).

1991 – 1999: Yeltsin becomes the first elected president of the Russian Federation in June. Economic crisis and instability ensues with rampant inflation and privatization shaking the country.

1999 – 2008: Native Petersburger, Vladimir Putin becomes President in March 2000. Russia becomes more stable and prosperous, thanks to gas and oil exports.

2008 – present: Medevdev becomes the third President of the Russian Federation in May, but after 4 years Vladimir Putin once more takes the Presidential seat.

Moscow In Your Pocket

Introduction Russia is undisputedly the world’s biggest country. Its sheer size guarantees that no other country even comes in at a close second. While most visitors primarily make visits to the two capitals – Moscow and St. Petersburg – the country has much more to offer.

Bordering 16 countries, it is 17,075,400 square kilometres large with a population of 143 million and a territory that encompasses nine time zones and 83 regions, so one naturally can sometimes feel overwhelmed by the sheer choice of sites on offer in such an enormous country. But, it goes without saying that while many of the most exciting events in any given country occur in their capital cities, its soul often lies elsewhere. This is especially true in Russia.

Russia features ancient towns filled with architectural ensembles and churches completing visually fantastic landscapes, quaint and calm towns located on the banks of enormous rivers, and enough natural beauty – forests, lakes, and mountains – to satisfy anyone looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.

While much of the major investment – and attention – in the last decade has poured into Moscow and St. Petersburg, capital has trickled into the provinces as well at a considerable clip. Although the level of development in provincial towns is still not on pace with the largest cities, but that is also part of the adventure. It is here that one can experience how average Russians live and imagine the past, present, and future of their country. Autumn is a magical time of year as the trees change colour before your eyes and you can enjoy the last of the sunshine before ice and snow enclose the landscape. Culturally, the new theatrical season has started and the cities are full of new shows, exhibitions and concerts.

In each subsequent issue we will select a few destinations within striking distance of the city’s capitals that make excellent detours into the beauty and wonder of provincial Russia. Some can be enjoyed as one-day getaways, while others are full weekend trips. We would argue that no trip to Russia is fully complete without a visit to a provincial city, whether it be one of the wonders of the Golden Ring cities, or one of the ancient Russian settlements, such as Pskov or Veliky Novgorod. It was in these towns that the idea of Russia was first enunciated and enacted. Of course, a wider selection of cities can be found on our website.

In this issue we have selected many interesting cities. St. Petersburg, of course, needs no introduction as the cultural capital of Russia. The other cities are: Veliky Novgorod, one of Russia’s early trading settlements and Nizhny Novgorod, Russia’s fifth largest city located on the banks of the Volga River. We include Sochi, the host city for the 2014 Winter Olympics and one of our latest online additions, Petrozavodsk, a quiet city located in the beauty of Karelia’s wilderness about 500km north of St. Petersburg.

In St. Petersburg please look for our print guide in hotels or check us out online and download our free iPhone app. at: www.inyourpocket.com/russia/st-petersburg

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Russia’s capital city Moscow may be buzzing with business and pleasure, but sometimes it’s worth escaping for a few days and a visit to St. Petersburg, Peter the Great’s Window on the West, is an ideal place to go if you are looking for a city easily navigated on foot and filled with history and beauty.

Bursting with world class museums, stunning waterside panoramas, tranquil canals, beautiful neo-classical architecture and brimming with culture, there’s more than enough to enjoy at any time of year.

For a more comprehensive guide look out for our St. Petersburg In Your Pocket print guide or check out the online version at st_petersburg.inyourpocket.com

The State Hermitage Museum With over three million works of art and treasures housed in five connected buildings along the Neva river, the Hermitage is quite simply one of the greatest museums in the world.

Give yourself plenty of time to take it all in as you wind your way through the opulent state rooms of the Winter Palace.

The museum’s vast art collection covers all of the greatest European movements. Lovers of the renaissance shouldn’t miss the Da Vincis, Canalettos, Michaelangelos and Raphaels of the Italian rooms. The Rembrandt room filled with works by the old master is another must as are the nearby El Grecos. The great impressionists like Gaugin, Van Gogh, Degas, Matisse and the gang are all up on the top floor while the ‘small Hermitage’ wing contains a priceless collection of Greek, Roman, Persian and Egyptian artefacts.

Hermitage Dvor tsovaya nab. 34 (entrance from Dvortsovaya pl.), MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 710 90 79, www.hermitagemuseum.org. QOpen 10:30 - 18:00, Sun 10:30 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Admission 400Rbl. Audioguide 350Rbl.

Ballet and Opera St. Petersburg has a very strong ballet and opera tradition and is home to one of the world’s most celebrated theatres, the Mariinsky Theatre, headed by superstar maestro Valery Gergiev. If you can’t get a ticket for the Mariinsky then head instead for one of the performances at the highly respected Mikhailovsky Theatre.

Churches and Cathedrals Peter and Paul Fortress (State Museum of history of St. Petersburg) Petropavlovskaya krepost 3,

MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 230 64 31, www.spbmuseum.ru. Q The fortress is open 06:00 - 22:00. Museums open 11:00 - 18:00, Tue 11:00 - 17:00, closed Wed. Entrance to fortress is free. ULK Church of the Saviour on the Spilt Blood Nab. kan.

Griboedova 2b, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 315 16 36, www.cathedral.ru. Q Open 10:00 - 19:00 Closed Wed. Admission 50-250Rbl. Kazan Cathedral Kazanskaya pl. 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 314 46 63, www.kazansky-spb.ru. QOpen 08:30 - 20:00. Daily services 07:00, 10:00 and 18:00. Admission to the church is free. Guided tours should be booked in advance by phone (+7) 812 570 45 28.

St. Isaac’s Cathedral Isaakievskaya pl. 4, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 315 97 32, www.cathedral.ru. Q Open 10:00 - 22:30. Closed Wed. Colonnade open 10:00 - 18:00. Tickets for the cathedral and the colonnade are sold separately. Admission Cathedral 250-350Rbl. Colonnade 150-300Rbl.

Luxury Train to St. Petersburg If you are looking for a comfortable night train to the Northern Capital it is worth considering taking a private train. The cheerful Megapolis train leaves for St. Petersburg every night and offers a more hotel-like travel experience. After being shown to your cabin you will find your beds have already been made up with real duvets rather than blankets, and all round the carriages are spotless. Hungry? Lucky you! Every cabin has a pile of complimentary snacks such as bread, pate and cheese, fruits, yoghurts and waffles for when you get the midnight munchies. Hot breakfast and coffee is brought to your room in the morning and if at any moment during the trip you experience some problems you can call the train attendant from the comfort of your bed and they will come to you! If you want to wake up in Moscow truly fresh in the morning, it’s worth the money.

Trains leave Leningradsky vokzal (metro Komsomolskaya) at 00:54 and arrive in St. Petersburg at 09:00. For reservations call (+7) 495 35 44 11 or book online at www.megapolis-te.ru

Mariinsky Theatre Teatralnaya pl. 1, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 326 41 41, www.mariinsky.ru. Q Admission 300-6,000Rbl.

Mikhailovsky Theatre Pl. Iskusstv 1, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 595 43 19, www.mikhailovsky.ru. Q Ticket office: daily 11:00 - 19:00, break 15:00 - 16:00.

Grand Philharmonic Hall Ul. Mikhailovskaya 2,

MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 710 42 57, www.philharmonia.spb.ru.

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st. petersburg

st. petersburg Getting to St. Petersburg

Hotels

There are dozens of night trains travelling every day between Moscow and St. Petersburg, some of them modern and upscale like the Megapolis, and others more suitable for those on a small budget. In addition there are also many super-fast trains (called the ‘Sapsan’) which make the journey in just over 4 hours and travel daily during the morning, afternoon and early evening.

There are also of course frequent flight connections between Moscow’s main airports and St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport.

pr. 43/1, MBaltiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 740 26 40, www.azimuthotels.com. This hotel is right on the banks of the Fontanka river, with many of the rooms overlooking the impressive Troitsky Cathedral. More than 1000 rooms are available over 18 floors with 318 of them having been recently fully renovated into SMART Deluxe rooms. This is the tallest building in this part of the city and shortly the new Sky Bar will be re-opened with the most amazing panoramic views of St. Petersburg. Q1037 rooms (Room prices start at 2,400Rbl). HALGKW hhhh

Blockade History During World War II when the city was known as Leningrad its people suffered the worst siege in modern history. In the Leningrad Blockade Museum you can learn about how the blokadniki struggled against the desperate cold and starvation while at the Rumyantsev house you can see the original heart-breaking diary of the young siege victim Tanya Savicheva. At the Piskaryevskoye cemetery you can pay your respects to the millions who died as a result of the siege, 489,000 of whom are buried here.

Blockade Museum D-2, Solyanoy per. 9, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 275 75 47, blokadamus.ru.

Piskaryevskoye Memorial Cemetery Pr. Nepokorennykh 72, MPl. Muzhestva, tel. (+7) 812 297 57 16, pmemorial.ru.

Rumyantsev Mansion C-2, Angliskaya nab. 44, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 571 75 44, www.spbmuseum.ru.

Further Afield

AZIMUT Hotel St. Petersburg C-4, Lermontovsky

Courtyard by Marriott St. Petersburg Center West Pushkin Hotel Nab. kan. Griboedova 166 (entrance

via Kanonerskaya ul. 33), MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 610 5000, www.courtyardstpetersburgpushkin.ru. This business-focused hotel has a whole floor of conference space and excellent facilities for business travellers. The 273 rooms, including five suites and one wedding suite, are comfortable and well-equipped. There is a large lobby, a bar and two restaurants; one of them, the reasonably priced Bierstube, brews four sorts of beer. There‘s also a small gym on the third floor.

Ten minutes walk from the Mariinsky Theatre. Q273 rooms (Room prices start at 3,800Rbl). Breakfast (850 Rbl) and VAT are not included. PTHAUFLGKW hhhh

Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg - Ligovsky Ligovsky pr. 61, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 244 00 01, www. crowneplaza.com/ligovsky. Done up in warm beige and brown tones the small lobby contains a round the clock concierge desk, a lounge with art deco accents and the reception desk which is conveniently headed by flat screen

televisions listing information for any conference groups in attendance. Each of the standard rooms have everything the modern businessperson or tourist could need or want, while the beds and linens make getting out of bed a real challenge. Amenities include a brightly hued 24 hour fitness centre, underground parking and a Mediterranean restaurant with a view of bustling Ligovsky. Q195 rooms (Room prices start at 6,000Rbl). Extra bed 1,000Rbl. Breakfast 900Rbl. PHAUFLGKW hhhh

Grand Hotel Europe D-3, Mikhailovskaya ul. 1/7, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 329 60 00, www.grandhoteleurope.com. Occupying the full length of Mikhailovskaya Street, this palatial historical hotel has it all. Suites themed around personages, places and institutions dear to the heart of St. Petersburg are gorgeously designed down to the last detail. There are also five top-notch restaurants including the popular Caviar Bar (the only one in the city). Three royals visited in 2011 – Queen Sofia of Spain, Queen Margrethe II and Queen Paola of Belgium. Q276 rooms (Room prices start at 11,200Rbl). VAT and Breakfast (2,000Rbl) are not included.

PTHA6UFLGKDW hhhhh

Novotel St. Petersburg Centre Ul. Mayakovskogo 3A, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 11 88, www. accorhotels.com/5679. Centrally located just off Nevsky pr, Novotel belongs to the Accor chain of hotels and offers a breath of fresh air in both style and manner to the St. Petersburg hotel market. There is a stylish cafe and restaurant adjacent to the lobby. The rooms are modern, and comfortable. The hotel is equipped with a number of state-of-the-art conference rooms and a fitness centre. Q233 rooms (Room prices start at 3,900Rbl). Extra bed 800Rbl. Breakfast 850Rbl. PTHA6UFLGKDW hhhh

There is no time like autumn to catch the best of St. Petersburg and the surrounding parks and estates. The trees offer a spectacular range of colours as their leaves turn red and golden with the last heat of summer. Enjoy the last weeks of sun before winter sets in by visiting the parks and palaces around St. Petersburg.

Oranienbaum (+7) 812 450 52 87 www.oranienbaum.org. Q Park open daily 09:00 - 20:00. Palaces open

10:30 - 18:00, closed Mon. Admission to park and palaces 70 - 140Rbl.

Pavlovsk (+7) 812 452 21 55, www.pavlovskmuseum. ru. Q Palace open 10:00 - 18:00, closed first Mon of the month. Admission 200 - 450Rbl. Park open daily 10:00 18:00. Admission to park 80 - 150Rbl.

Peterhof (+7) 812 450 52 87, www.peterhofmuseum. ru. Q Park open daily 09:00 - 20:00. Admission to park 50 - 450Rbl. Visiting of palaces: 10:30 - 12:00, 14:30 - 16:15, closed Mon and last Tue of the month. Admission to palaces 300 - 550Rbl. Find more information online.

Pushkin (+7) 812 466 66 69, www.tzar.ru. Q Catherine

park open 07:00 - 23:00. Admission to park 50 - 100Rbl. Catherine palace open 10:00 - 18:00, Mon 10:00 - 21:00, closed Tue. Admission 100 - 320Rbl. Visiting of the palace: 10:00 - 12:00, 16:00 - 19:00 for guided groups, 12:00 - 16:00 for individual tourists.

Strelna (+7) 812 438 53 60, www.konstantinpalace. ru. Q You can book tickets and guided tours online or by phone. Tickets from 170Rbl. Palace open 10:00 - 17:00, closed Wed. Moscow In Your Pocket

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The offer is valid for stays from 28th December 2013 till 9th January 2014.

Bookings start on the 1st of November 2013. Offer is valid for individual bookings only.

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Veliky Novgorod Restaurants Buddha-Bar Sinopskaya nab. 78, MPl. Aleksandra

Nevskogo, tel. (+7) 812 318 07 07, www.buddha-bar. ru. Q Open 12:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 05:00. €€€.

PAESW Idiot Nab. reky Moiky 82, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 16 75, www.idiot-spb.com. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. €€. PTASW Levin Mal. Morskaya ul. 21, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 612 19 66, www.levins.me. QOpen 12:00 24:00. €€. PTAGSW Marcelli’s Ul. Vosstaniya 15, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 702 80 10, www.marcellis.ru.Q Open 11:00 - 24:00, Fri - Sat 11:00 - 01:00. €. PTABSW NEP Nab. reky Moiky 37, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 571 75 91, www.neprestoran.ru. QOpen 12:00 01:00, Mon, Tue 12:00 - 23:00. €€. PAEBSW Palkin Nevsky pr. 47, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 703 53 71, www.palkin.ru. Q Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€€€.

PTAEBW Romeo‘s Bar and Kitchen Pr. Rimskogo-Korsakova 43, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 572 54 48, www.romeosbarandkitchen.ru. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. €€. PTALSW Tandoor Admiralteisky pr. 10, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 312 38 86, www.tandoor-spb.ru. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. €€. PTALEGSW

Cocktail bars Bar 812 E-3, Ul. Zhukovskogo 11, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 956 81 29, www.bar812.ru. QOpen 18:00 -

02:00, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon. PEW Daiquiri Bar D-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 1, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 943 81 14, www.dbar.ru. Q Open 16:00 - 04:00. Fri, Sat 16:00 - 06:00. PASW Graf-in C-3, Konnogvardeisky bul. 4, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 601 01 60, www.graf-in.com. QOpen 10:00 24:00, Fri 10:00 - 06:00, Sat 11:00 - 06:00, Sun 11:00 - 24:00.

PTAESW

Galeria Galeria Ligovsky pr. 30A, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel.

(+7) 812 643 31 72, www.galeria-spb.ru. The largest shopping mall in the centre of the city and a stone’s throw away from the Moscow Railway Station, Galeria cannot be missed. The huge beautiful new building fits remarkably well here. Inside, it’s everything you would expect from your modern shopping mall and more. It boasts the largest selection of brands in St. Petersburg, from high street brands like Topshop, Levis, Mexx and French Connection to some Russian designer clothes as well.

It also features a huge supermarket, food court, movie theatre, bowling alley and some very good restaurants.

When with children, head to the top floor where there is a huge entertainment area for the young and young-atheart.QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. PTALK

Veliky Novgorod Founded in 859, Veliky or Great Novgorod is generally touted as ‘the birthplace of Russia’. It is by modern standards a very small town. After its heyday in the Middle Ages, Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kyiv took over as the leading cities in Russian culture and Novgorod became somewhat a backwater. This is no bad thing however as it has meant that much of the town and surrounding countryside has been saved from the blight of industrialisation and communist construction. Veliky Novgorod is now a world heritage listed site and alongside its famous Kremlin there are also more than 50 churches and monasteries in the region to be explored.

Sightseeing Veliky Novgorod Kremlin

The heart of Novgorod has always been the Kremlin, which is known locally by its ancient name ‘Detinets’. The first records of fortifications on this site date back to 1044, although back then most of the Kremlin was probably made of wood. The current walls and towers of the Kremlin were completed between 1484 and 1490, after the previous ones had collapsed into the river. In recent years, the whole of the fortifications, as well as most of the buildings inside the Kremlin walls, have been completely restored. Inside the Kremlin the most noteworthy sights include the impressive St. Sophia Cathedral, the Novgorod history museum and the huge Millennium of Russia monument. If you are not afraid of heights it’s also worth climbing up the Kukui tower for a view over the town and surrounding countryside. QEntrance to the Kremlin is free as is entrance to the Cathedral. Entrance to the museum and tower costs extra.

Ilmen lake

It is well worth making the short journey out of town to visit the open-air Vitoslavitsy wooden architecture museum and the neighbouring Yurievsky monastery which has an enviable position right on the banks of the Ilmen lake. QTo get there take bus number 7 or 7a and get off at the monastery.

The journey should take about 20 minutes. Entrance to the monastery is free.

Getting There There is just one daily long distance train to Veliky Novgorod from Moscow. It leaves from Leningradsky station at 21:50 arriving in Veliky Novgorod at 06:10.

Trains return to Moscow at 21:20 arriving at 05:30.

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Krasnaya Izba Tourist Information Office

The lovely girls at Krasnaya Izba can provide you with advice on just about everything to do in Novgorod. They have a 24hrs. hotline that you can call if you still find that you are constantly lost. Tel. (+7) 8162 998 686. Central office at Sennaya pl. 5. www.visitnovgorod.ru

Hotels Park Inn Veliky Novgorod Ul. Studencheskaya 2, tel. (+7) 816 294 09 10, www.parkinn.com/hotelvelikynovgorod. Novgorod‘s only four star hotel is run by the Park Inn brand and it‘s a definite step above the rest. Rooms are spacious, staff meet the professional Park Inn standard and the Beer restaurant down in the basement is one of the only good places to eat in this sleepy town and there‘s also an ‚art nightclub‘. To get there from the city centre take bus No4, 8a or 20. Q225 rooms (Prices start at 4,200Rbl). Extra bed 1,000Rbl. PTHA6FLGKDCW hhhh Volkhov Hotel Ul. Predtechenskaya 24, tel. (+7) 8162

225 505, www.hotel-volkhov.ru. A great option for a short sightseeing trip or longer business trip as it’s one of the most central hotels in town and just 5 minutes walk from the Kremlin. The rooms, although a little frilly, look far more cared for than many other hotels in Novgorod and the whole place has a lot more of an international feel than you’d expect in a small Russian town. Q129 rooms (Room prices start at 2,200Rbl). Extra bed 850Rbl. HALGKDCW hhh

Restaurants and Cafes Khoroshye Lyudi Ul. Meretskova-Volosova 1/1, tel. (+7) 8162 73 08 79, www.gonicepeople.ru. Once you’ve been to this place you won’t want to eat anywhere else - it’s just streets ahead of the other more pedestrian dining options in sleepy Novgorod. You can see the Kremlin from wherever you choose. The menu is a pick and mix European selection of salads and grilled meats and fish. Staff are lovely. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. €. PAW Yurievskoe Podvorie Yurievskoe shosse 6a, tel. (+7)

8162 946 066, www.tk-podvorie.ru. Seated inside what looks like a fairytale Russian wooden hut, you’ll be served excellent blini, pelmeni and borsch by angelic looking wait staff in traditional costume. They do offer a lot of Novgorodian specialities such as local soup recipes and sbiten (a hot drink with herbs) which are definitely worth making the effort for.

QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €. PTAULEGBSW

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Petrozavodsk

Petrozavodsk Strannoe Mesto Pr. Karla Marxa 14. “Strange Place” is an eccentric little café we heard about by word of mouth. If you speak Russian, every menu has its own small short story, and ordering takes a long time while everyone at the table reads each one! The interior is an eclectic collection of sewing machines and black and white photographs of the town.

The menu is in English and in Russian, with Russian meat dishes, pasta, and pizza. The tea and coffee options are for the specialist palate-try the Taiga tea, made of forest berries and blackberry leaves, or Rooibos with bilberry and heather.

Sightseeing Embankment. A stroll on the embankmentis a must. Lined

with sculptures donated from Petrozavodsk‘s twinned towns, promenade along here to watch the boats and gaze at the misty hills on the other side of Lake Onega. On the eastern side, asculpture of Peter the Great eternally points towards the town, ordering it to be built. When we visited segways were available to rent.

Museum of Fine Art of the Republic of Karelia Pr.

Petrozavodsk

Hotels

Known Known in Finnish as “Petroskoi”, Petrozavodsk is the capital of the independent Republic of Karelia, a region with a unique Finno-Russian culture. It’s location on Lake Onega, the second-largest lake in Europe, makes it the ideal stopping-off point for visits to Kizhi Island, a unique open-air museum, displaying the wonders of Northern Russian wooden architecture. The iconic wooden Transfiguration Church and other period log buildings are protected by UNESCO as objects of cultural importance. Lake Ladoga nearby is home to the Valaam Monastery, and the Solovetskie Islands in the White Sea, home to a tragic history as a monastery and then labour camp, are also accessible from Petrozavodsk. The city’s name derives from Petrovsky Zavod (Peter’s Factory), as it was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great as a location for his iron foundry at the time of the Great Northern War with Sweden. During the Occupation War (1941-44), the city was occupied by Finnish troops for three years before being won back by the Red Army. The neo-classical architecture and sculpture-lined embankment mean that the town is more than provincial, with plentiful opportunities to take advantage of the Karelian forests for real wilderness experiences, such as walking, hunting, fishing, cross country skiing and sledging with real huskies. You can also hire a helicopter and visit some of the more remote islands and become absorbed in this rare and beautiful world of ice and snow. Make sure you take a good camera with you. If you are really lucky you might even see an aurora borealis.

Park Inn by Radisson Petrozavodsk Pl. Gagarina

Getting There By train: You can reach Petrozavodsk by train from both Moscow and St. Petersburg. There are four everyday trains from the Moscow Lenigradsky railway station (Metro Komsomolskaya.)

The overnight trains are at 20:30, arriving 09:45, and 21:20, arriving at 12:18. Prices vary from 1,500 (third class) to 2,500Rbl (second class). From St. Petersburg here are three trains daily, with the best overnight option being 22:02 - 06:40 unless you want to arrive in the middle of the night or travel all day.

By plane: Petrozavodsk has an airport, although be warned that there have been recent fatal accidents in the Russian North.

Petrozavodsk Tourist Information

Tourist Information Centre, Ul. Kuibysheva 5.

Moscow In Your Pocket

1, tel. (+7) 814 271 70 70, www.parkinn.com/hotelpetrozavodsk. This hotel complex blends Park Inn‘s “live well, sleep well” motto with the luxury knowledge of the Radisson group. Situated right next to the railway station, the hotel is perfect for business clientele, with six meeting rooms, including a large conference hall that seats 200, whose glass windows offer natural daylight and splendid views down to the lake. Rooms are ultra modern, with Swedish design to match the northern location. Munich‘s celebrated Paulaner brewers are opening a two-floor restaurant downstairs, with four types of beer brewed on site and live entertainment from local jazz and folk groups. The hotel‘s 24 hour gym and free high-speed WiFi ensure the high quality of this international brand. Q180 rooms (Room prices start at 4,050Rbl).

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Karla Marxa 8, tel. (+7) 814 278 37 13, artmuseum. karelia.ru. This wonderful art museum on Kirova Square has an outstanding collection, from icons displaying the Northern russian tradition of painting, to their unique collection of twentieth-century local paintings, with some exquisite landscapes depicting the beauty of Karelian nature.Q Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 12:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon. 750Rbl for adults, 100Rbl for special exhibitions. Audioguides (100Rbl) are available in Russian, English, and Finnish.

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Kizhi Open-Air Museum The highlight of any visit to Karelia, Kizhi open-air museum is a magical mix of architectural and ethnographic wonder. Kizhi island is the place where the varied marvels of Northern Russian wooden architecture have come to rest from villages and hamlets in the Onega Lake area, which numbers over 1650 islands. The iconic Transfiguration Church is famous for being built ‘without a single nail‘, that is to say, the structure is entirely made from wood. The magnificent structure rises from the island like a lofty tree, its twenty-two onion domes seeming to crown it like pine cones. The remote beauty of the lakes and forests which surround the visitor here are undoubtably the inspiration for the churches, and the whole of Karelian traditional life. Q Admission for foreign citizens is 625Rbl, with another 100 for the excursion, which is professional and informative. Audioguides are available from the ticket office in English, Finnish, Russian for 150Rbl. www.kizhi.karelia.ru

Getting there:

By hydrofoil: The journey to the island takes an hour and a half. The main office at the boat terminal is open 08.00 - 21.00 daily. www.kareliaflot.ru By helicopter: In winter you can get a helicopter to the island. Contact Peski Airport, Borovaya ul. 4, tel. (+7) 814 274 74 66 or a Petrozavodsk travel agency.

Restaurants and Cafes Fregat Restaurant-Club Pr. Karla Marxa 1, tel. (+7)

814 279 64 98. This café is an ideal spot for breakfasting if you have an early boat trip to Kizhi, as from the veranda you can watch the terminal to make sure you don‘t miss your lime-green Kometa.A range of essentially French cuisine, they also have a range of local dishes, including deer with forest berries from 390Rbl.

Karelskaya Gornitsa Ul. Engelsa 13, tel. (+7) (814) 278 53 00, www.gornica.ru. The creation of Finnish head chef Tarmo Vasenius, this restaurant is unique in serving Karelian cuisine. The great Karelian lakes provide the menu with a lot of fish, as well as wild animal meat, such as bear and deer, mushrooms from the forest, and drinks made from cowberry (brusnika) and cloudberry (moroshka). Gornitsa is an attraction in itself, designed to look like a Karelian peasant izba (house) with wood, samovars, and the red and white embroidered cloth that is traditional in the area.

Parizhanka Pr. Lenina 31, tel. (+7) 814 279 56 72,

paris.ptz-group.ru. “The Parisienne” is ubiquitous in Petrozavodsk, with nince outlets (see the web for all addresses) of this popular café in the city. With a 24 hour opening, the café is perfect for a hot chocolate in plush surroundings, with tempting patisserie on offer. Very popular with wedding parties popping in in the midst of taking photographs at the local sights of interest, as is the custom.

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SOCHI

SOCHI Teremki Landyshevaya ul. 19, tel. (+7) 918 915 38 02, www.teremki-sochi.ru. Staying in these wooden houses, which can accommodate either 4 or 6 people, is a pleasure.

The owners are friendly and know what hospitality is (they speak English!). Located in the northern Mamayka district, it’s a 15 minute bus drive from Sochi’s train station (when there are no traffic jams). Q House for rent from 5,000Rbl depending on house type andf the amount of guests. 5 days minimum. PTLDCW

Ski Resort Krasnaya Polyana

Tulip Inn Rosa Khutor Hotel Krasnaya Polyana, Esto-

Sochi Covered with palm trees and blessed with a subtropical climate, Sochi is one of the best places to stay in Russia especially if you like warm climates. Furthermore, the Black Sea city is the host of the Winter Olympics in 2014.

However, foreigners should be aware that Sochi is still not used to flocks of foreign tourists. It is mainly Russians, and citizens of former Soviet republics, who populate the beaches and explore the Caucasus Mountains. With ten thousand residents, a small expat community is working hard to prepare Sochi for the Olympics.

During summer temperatures in Sochi vary between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius. For example, in the first week of May this year, the In Your Pocket staff enjoyed a temperature of 23 degrees.

The winters are mild: by the coast the temperatures are around 5-10 degrees, or even higher. In the mountains, where the ski resorts are located, temperatures are much lower in winter, and there you can enjoy a good ski holiday. Often there is snow and ice until May. However, mild winters, with a huge shortage of snow, can also happen.

Getting There Train or plane? A quick or slow journey? If you choose the Russian railway, make sure your train will travel along the 145km long Black Sea coast during the day, preferably in the morning. It is then that you will almost certainly spot dolphins swimming in the sea, whilst you have breakfast in your carriage. This is an amazing sight, as we can say from experience.

By train: At least 3 trains per day travel from Moscow to Sochi. In summer the number increases to 10 per day. The trains leave from different train stations (al though most leave from Kazansk y station) so check carefully. The fastest train – which is also the most expensive and luxurious - is the Sochi Premium which brings you to Sochi in exactly 24 hours. Other trains will take up to 38 hours. From St. Petersburg there are 3 direct trains to Sochi during summer, and one in winter. They leave from Mosvkovsky station or Ladozhsky station. The journey from St. Petersburg takes between 37 and 57 hours.

By plane: Russian airlines, such as Aeroflot, S7 and Transaero offer daily flights to Sochi. Flights from Moscow take around 2 hours 20 minutes, and flights from St. Petersburg take approximately 3 hours 30 minutes.

Moscow In Your Pocket

45km away from the Black Sea lies Krasnaya Polyana, a famous ski resort located at a height of 560 meters above sea level. The mountain tops have modern ski-facilities which reach heights of more than 2300 meters. Krasnaya Polyana will host the Olympic skiing, snowboarding and ski-jumping.

Sochi and its surrounding region finally became part of Russia 150 years ago, in 1864, after decades of war with the Turkish (Ottoman) empire and tribes living in the Caucasus highlands. The royal nobility loved the region, with its healthy water springs, and the first Russian sanatoriums were built along the coast.

After the Russian revolution in 1917, the working class received rights for holidays, promoted by Lenin. Sochi became the favourite holiday destination of Stalin and he visited the Black Sea for a few weeks every year. You can visit his dacha in Sochi, which is located near many other Soviet sightseeing spots, such as the Lenin mosaic.

In the 1960s, Sochi, and the whole Black Sea coast, was developed in to one big holiday resort. Forbidden to travel abroad, 50 million Russians went to Sochi every year, and the region was known by then as the Russian Riviera. With the fall of the Soviet Union, and the possibility of cheap holidays to Egypt or Spain, Sochi decayed in the 1990’s and the region’s economy suffered hard.

When Putin, a sport enthusiast and big fan of skiing at Sochi’s Krasnaya Polyana, became the president of Russia in 2000, the resurrection and face-lift of Sochi began. In 2007 the city won the bid to stage the Winter Olympics in 2014, and so far 50 billion Euros has been invested in new facilities, sport stadiums and high-speed railways.

Hotels Sochi has plenty of hotels, although many are under construction, especially in the city centre. The city and its region have a long tradition of locals offering private rooms, complete apartments and B&Bs for low prices. This was even allowed during Soviet times, and many Sochi citizens made a living out of it. However, if you don’t understand Russian, it will be hard to find them on the internet.

Grand hotel & SPA Rodina Vinogradnaya ul. 33, tel. (+7) (862) 253 90 00, www.grandhotelrodina.ru.

At around 1000 Euros per night, this former sanatorium is the most expensive place to stay in Sochi. Complete with a great spa, it is bad for your wallet, but good for relaxation!

Here you will meet Moscow’s upper class. Indeed, it is very luxurious, and you will even have your own private Black Sea beach. Q40 rooms (Room prices start at 37,000Rbl).

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sadok, Rosa Khutor Alpine Ski Resort, tel. (+7) 862 243 00 00, www.tulipinnrosakhutor.com. Tulip Inn, unusually in Russia, manages to bat above its official ranking; for a three-star hotel it delivers service closer to four-star, and the helpful, obliging and multi-lingual staff do an excellent job in keeping guests happy. Part of an international chain, the hotel wears its Dutch influences lightly, with the Amsterdam restaurant offering a mixture of local and European cuisine.

The company is planning to open a second hotel on-site under its Golden Tulip (4*) branding in time for the Winter Olympics. Q148 rooms (Room prices start st 3,800Rbl).

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Zhemchuzhina Hotel Complex Chernomorskaya ul. 3,

tel. (+7) 862 266 11 88, www.zhem.ru. Its name means pearl, and this giant one was inherited from the Soviet Union, but its appearance doesn’t live up to its name. The plus side is that the beach is within walking distance. Q956 rooms (Room prices start at 5,300Rbl). PTA6UFLGKDCwW

Restaurants Brigantina Neserbskaya ul. 3, tel. (+7) 918 608 71 11,

www.sochicatering.com. This is the best place for food, according to foreigners who frequently visit or live in Sochi. This French-owned restaurant overlooks the harbour, has outdoor tables, and the menu of seafood and grilled meats are irresistible.QOpen 08:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 24hrs.. €€. PTASW

Chaika Ul. Voikova 1, tel. (+7) 862 241 81 64. The old port is going through a renovation and you can now dine and sip cappuccino in the former classic-style Sea Terminal. The Moscow prices are worth paying to experience the splendid view over the Black Sea and its port from the outdoor terrace.

Don’t forget to visit Chaika’s toilet to get an inside look at the port building.QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PTALSW Tinkoff Primorskaya ul. 19, tel. (+7) 862 225 52 02,

www.tinkof.ru. This Russian famous brewery restaurant has opened a three-storey hang-out at the beach - with excellent views over the Black Sea. Here you can watch sports or listen to live music on the top floor terrace, while enjoying food and drinks. This is an excellent place to pass days and nights.

QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. €€. PALVESW

Vostochny Kvartal Primorskaya ul. 7, tel. (+7) 862

266 10 99, www.vkvartal-sochi.ru. According to locals, this is the best place in town to tuck in to Caucasian food, and we were not disappointed. This huge place offers all the wellknown dishes; the ones unknown to the Caucasian kitchen, as well as the more addictive ones: khachapuri (cheese bread), shashliks (kebabs), lobio (kidney beans with onions and spices) and much more. There is also live music!QOpen 10:00 - 01:00. €€. PTAESW

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Sochi’s summer charms have been the stuff of legend for generations of Soviet holidaymakers – but the challenge for 2014 has been to transform those beaches and sanatoriums into a year-round resort with top notch ski facilities. That process has put the name of Krasnaya Polyana (Red Meadow) firmly on the world’s sporting map.

The once unassuming town lies on the slower slopes of the Caucasus mountains, about 60km from Sochi’s airport, set amid magnificent scenery.

It’s a long way south, so the ski runs are high up on those slopes – a network of cable cars stretches its tentacles out of the Rosa Khutor resort complex and whisks skiers through a 20-minute botany class, starting in damp deciduous woodland before emerging into sparkling, snowy coniferous forest. During the ski season (relatively brief, from late December to April, but staff say the last two years have seen snow well into April) it can be a breathtaking transformation; in summer the whole region is home to walkers, hikers and other lovers of the great outdoors.

In the valley of the Mzymta river, Rosa Khutor is establishing itself as a resort with an alpine accent. Its cluster of hotels has a European look to it, while the town square’s slightly Dutch architecture perhaps reflects the role of the Golden Tulip chain in developing the site.

Off-piste entertainment is mostly confined to hotel bars, although there is a small ice-rink and a scattering of bars and restaurants available. A regular bus route (N o105) connects the resort with Krasnaya Polyana proper, the Aeroexpress terminal for trains to the airport, and downtown Sochi back on the coast. This autumn, the high-speed train will have daily services from Adler train station directly to the Krasnaya Polyana ski resort. The new railway is a fabulous route through the mountains.

Pomegranate Explosive!

Try this freshly squeezed juice upon arrival in Sochi to boost your energy.

You will see it being sold everywhere, at the local markets, and even along the beaches. Special juicing machines have been made to crush the pomegranates (you can buy one of these machines for 8000rbl or 200 Euros). Full of antioxidants, the fruit’s red blood is a blessing for tongue and soul. At the main market they even sell a version with alcohol, a kind of pomegranate wine.

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NiZHNY NOVGOROD

It may not have Moscow’s Red Square or St. Petersburg’s Winter Palace, but Nizhny Novgorod still has some pretty fascinating places to visit. Nizhny’s small but ecclectic collection of museums and art galleries has something for everyone, and if you find yourself wanting more, there are plenty of interesting places to visit outside the city too. Check out more online at nizhny-novgorod.inyourpocket.com.

Sightseeing The Kremlin, tel. (+7) 831 422 10 80, www.ngiamz.ru.

Like any good Kremlin, Nizhny’s red brick edifice overlooking the winding Volga would once have struck fear into the hearts of the baddies du jour. Even today, as it appears around the river bend to travellers arriving by boat, it is an impressive structure.

Unlike Moscow’s famous Kremlin it’s no fortress and the public can wander at will through its territories. It currently houses municipal government centres, two galleries, a church and a war memorial, as well as small museums in some of the towers. But once, when cities were built on a different scale, it encircled the whole of Nizhny Novgorod and (on the whole) kept them safe from the scary world of medieval Russia. The original structure was made from wood, but the ill-advised combination of open fires and a wooden city came to a somewhat inevitable conclusion when it burnt down in 1513.

It was then sensibly decided to make a stone version which when it was completed looked much as it does today. And that means: a two kilometre wall, four metres thick, thirteen towers and chock full of artillery points - not something you want to get on the wrong side of.

The wrong side, in fact, was the Khanate of Kazan, nowadays just the next city along the Volga, back then locked in a bloody and prolonged argument with Moscow. Nizhny’s convenient position halfway between the two meant that it became Moscow’s ‘watch-city’, a title that came with no small risk. It suffered its fair share of attacks and sieges over the years, but proved pretty much invincible. This could be thanks to the Kremlin, or it could be thanks to its fearsome inhabitants, as legend has it.

With the fall of Kazan, the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin lost its strategic importance and fell gradually into disrepair. A number of facelifts over the present decade have helped return it to something like its former glory. Nowadays you can stroll around on its grass, or take a walk inside its towering walls and enjoy the view. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00. Admission from 60Rbl.

Hotels and Hostels Grand Hotel Oka Premium (+7) 831 425 94 23, www.en.hoteloka.ru. Q Room prices start at 4,800Rbl. PW hhhh Ibis Nizhny Novgorod (+7) 831 233 11 20, www.ibis. com. Modern and comfortable, as one would expect from the Ibis chain, and only a short walk to the centre. Q Room prices start at 2,900Rbl. PW hhh Moscow In Your Pocket

Gorky Hostel Bol. Pokrovskaya ul. 5/6, tel. (+7) 831 439 09 00, www.gorkiy-hostel.ru/en. Q (Room prices start at 490Rbl). PW Hostel Bugrov Ul. Sovetskaya 20, MMoskovskaya, tel. (+7) 831 416 14 68, www.bugrovhostel.ru/en/.

Q (Room prices start at 400Rbl). PW Hostel Naberezhny Nizhne-Volzhskaya nab. 7/2, tel. (+7) 831 230 13 15, www.bereg-hostel.ru/en/. Q (Room prices start at 350Rbl).

Eating and drinking Bocconcino Alekseevskaya ul. 10/16 (in Lobachevsky Plaza shopping centre), tel. (+7) 831 296 55 75, www. bocconcino.ru. Not the place to eat with your hands, although the pizza tastes so good, you may really want to - the dough is magic: thin crispy and light. This classy pizzeria’s decor screams Russia, e.g. the bone and cream coloured faux Tuscan interior, but the cuisine is pure Italy. The toppings are fresh and full of flavour. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€. PAW Tiffani Verkhnevolzhskaya nab. 8, tel. (+7) 831 419

41 01, www.tiffanibar.ru. You can’t say ‘Nizhny Novgorod’ without ‘Volga’ and this is one of the best places from which to enjoy Nizhny’s enviable views of Russia’s national river.

The restaurant itself makes the most of this, with a plush crescent of seating offering a panorama of the Volga and countryside beyond. Fresh seafood, simply prepared, continues the aquatic theme, though be reassured, it’s not actually sourced from the Volga’s murky waters; in fact it’s fresh from their aquarium. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00. €€. PTASW

Getting There

By Plane: There are several flights every day leaving

from all three of Moscow’s airports; they take just over an hour and prices start from around 3,000Rbl. From St. Petersburg there are typically two flights per day that take up to two hours and cost upwards of 3,500Rbl.

By Train: Trains typically take between four and eight hours and usually leave from Kursksky Vokzal in Moscow.

The Sapsan train that connects Moscow and St. Petersburg at high speed also extends to Nizhny Novgorod, stopping at Vladimir along the way, and takes just under four hours to make the journey (from 1,082Rbl). It’ll set you back a bit but is the fastest and most convenient way to make it to Nizhny. One more new option is the Lastochka (Swallow) train which runs once a day in each direction, leaving Moscow at 14:15 and reaching the Volga city four hours later (850Rbl). Next fastest is the Burevestnik (from 330Rbl) train which is a little cheaper and takes 4h40mins. moscow.inyourpocket.com