7 Days in Moscow: One-Week Itinerary: Day-by-Day Plan

7 Days in Moscow: One-Week Itinerary is for a first visit with time to go beyond the central square. The first days cover the historic core, the river and the west and north of the city, the middle of the week goes south and then to the old districts and the river, and the last two days reach the eastern parks and the western river bank.

It assumes six to eight hours of sightseeing a day, one long lunch and several short Metro rides, with the lighter days placed so that you can rest. By the end you will have seen the Kremlin and Red Square, a large cathedral, Russian art, a convent, five parks, the VDNH grounds, three old districts and the city from the water.

At a glance: Day 1 is the historic core, day 2 the river, the cathedral and the gallery, day 3 the west and north. Day 4 is the southern parks, day 5 the old districts and a cruise, day 6 the eastern parks and day 7 a boat from Fili Park.

Day 1: The Kremlin, Red Square and Zaryadye

A compact first day within a few hundred meters of Red Square, mostly on foot*. The Kremlin takes the morning, since it has timed entry and the longest visit, and the afternoon is lighter, with the square, the cathedral and the park by the river. Finish in the old merchant quarter.

1. Alexander Garden – Start at Aleksandrovsky Sad (Line 4, light blue); walk along the Kremlin wall to the Kutafya Tower, the visitor entrance (20 minutes)
2. Moscow Kremlin – Cathedral Square and the grounds have one ticket and the Armoury another; the Kremlin is closed on Thursdays and the hours change by season, so check them (2 to 3 hours)
3. Red Square – Walk through the Resurrection Gate for the view of the Kremlin wall, GUM and the colored domes; the Kazan Cathedral on the corner is a free working church (30 minutes)
4. St. Basil's Cathedral – Look at the domes from every side; the inside has its own ticket and the opening hours change by season (20 minutes outside, 45 to 60 minutes inside)
5. Zaryadye Park – Walk down behind the cathedral to the floating bridge over the Moskva River for the view of the Kremlin (1 hour)
6. Kitay-Gorod – Walk back through the old merchant quarter and Varvarka Street to Kitay-Gorod Metro (Lines 6 and 7) (30 minutes)

Tip: Buy the Kremlin ticket in advance for the first morning slot and keep everything else on foot, so that you reach Zaryadye when the light is best.

Day 2: The Cathedral, the Gallery and the River

The second day moves south along the river, with one large church, one major art collection and one big park, with Metro rides between them. The pace is slower, with a long gallery visit in the middle of the day and an open afternoon on the riverside.

1. Cathedral of Christ the Saviour – Start at Kropotkinskaya (Line 1, red); the large church is free to enter and the Patriarshy Bridge outside gives a view of the river (45 to 60 minutes)
2. Tretyakov Gallery – The main collection of Russian art in Lavrushinsky Lane, with its own ticket; check the closing day (2 to 3 hours)
3. Krymsky Val – Walk or ride to this embankment street on the way to the park, past the Muzeon sculpture park (30 minutes)
4. Gorky Park – The park is free to enter, with a riverside promenade, a beach zone in summer and a free skating rink in winter (1.5 to 2 hours)
5. Moscow Metro – End with a ride through a few of the decorated stations; see the How to see the most beautiful Moscow Metro stations in one route guide (45 to 60 minutes)

Tip: Swap the gallery and the park if it rains: the Tretyakov Gallery is an indoor visit and Gorky Park is better in dry weather.

Day 3: Novodevichy, Sparrow Hills, Arbat and VDNH

The third day covers the west and north of the city. The morning is spent at a convent and on a viewing hill, the middle of the day on a pedestrian street, and the evening on the old exhibition grounds, which are open around the clock. It involves the most Metro time of the first three days.

1. Novodevichy – Start at Sportivnaya (Line 1, red); the convent has a ticket for its grounds and some churches, and its hours and closing day should be checked (1.5 to 2 hours)
2. Sparrow Hills – Ride to Vorobyovy Gory (Line 1, red) for the viewing terrace over the river bend and the university tower (1 hour)
3. Arbat – Ride to Arbatskaya (Line 3, dark blue) for the pedestrian street and a late lunch; the side streets are quieter (1 to 1.5 hours)
4. VDNH and Ostankino – Ride to VDNKh (Line 6, orange) for the grounds, which are free, with fountains and pavilions that have their own tickets; see the How to visit VDNKh guide (2 hours)

Tip: Leave Novodevichy by early afternoon, because the Metro ride to VDNKh crosses the city and the grounds are best seen before dark.

Day 4: Tsaritsyno, Kolomenskoye and Patriarch's Ponds

The fourth day uses the green Line 2 from the far south back to the center, so you ride in one direction without changes. It is an outdoor day at a slow pace: two large parks with former royal estates, then a quiet pond in the center for the evening. Check the weather the evening before.

1. Tsaritsyno – Start at Tsaritsyno (Line 2, green); the park is free, with ponds and an unfinished Gothic-style palace complex, and the palace and museum have separate tickets (2 hours)
2. Kolomenskoye – Ride north on Line 2 to Kolomenskaya for the former royal estate on the river bank, with the white Church of the Ascension; the park is free and some buildings are paid (2 to 3 hours)
3. Patriarch's Ponds – Ride on to Mayakovskaya (Line 2, green) for the quiet pond, the benches and the streets around it, and dinner nearby (1 to 2 hours)

Tip: Begin at Tsaritsyno rather than Kolomenskoye so that you finish at the river bank in the late afternoon light and ride back toward the center.

Day 5: Zamoskvorechye, Taganka and a River Cruise

The fifth day is a slower walk through the old districts south and east of the Kremlin, ending on the water. It passes one of the Stalin-era high-rises and finishes at a pier where central cruises leave. There are few fixed times, so this day can absorb anything left over from the earlier days.

1. Zamoskvorechye – Start at Novokuznetskaya (Line 2, green) for a walk through the quiet streets and old merchant houses of the district south of the Kremlin (1.5 to 2 hours)
2. Kotelnicheskaya Embankment – Walk or ride toward Taganskaya (Line 5, brown) to see the Stalin-era apartment high-rise on the river bank; it is a residential building, so look at it from outside (30 to 45 minutes)
3. Taganka – Walk through the streets around Taganskaya for the old theater square and the quiet lanes, and have a late lunch (1 hour)
4. Novospassky River Pier – Ride to Proletarskaya (Line 7, purple) and walk about ten minutes to the pier by Novospassky Bridge, where central cruises leave; the monastery across the park is a short walk; see the How to take a Moskva River cruise guide (1 to 2.5 hours)

Tip: Book the cruise for the late afternoon so that you see the city in the evening light, and check which pier your boat leaves from.

Day 6: Izmailovo, Sokolniki and the Old East

The sixth day goes east: two big parks in the morning and early afternoon, then the old military and river districts around the Yauza. It is the quietest, most local day of the week and it is mostly outdoors. Walking times are longer than on the other days, so keep the pace easy.

1. Izmailovo – Start at Partizanskaya (Line 3, dark blue); the large park has woods, ponds and old estate buildings and is free to walk; the market and museums near it charge separately (2 hours)
2. Sokolniki – Ride to Sokolniki (Line 1, red) for the park with its long avenues and ponds, which is free to enter (1.5 hours)
3. Lefortovo – Take a short ride or walk to this old quarter on the Yauza River for its quiet streets and the old military buildings; check the route on the map (1 hour)
4. Zayauzye – Walk along the river to this old district for the 18th- and 19th-century streets and the river views, and have dinner nearby (1 hour)

Tip: Start at Izmailovo in the morning, since the park is quiet then, and leave the old districts for the end of the day when the light on the river is softer.

Day 7: Fili, an Electric Boat and a Last Walk

The last day is a slow one on the western edge of the city and the river. It starts with a historic church and a large park, continues with a ride on the regular electric river boat past Moscow City, and ends with a quiet walk near the Kievsky Railway Terminal. It is the easiest day to move or shorten.

1. Fili – Start at Filyovsky Park (Line 4, light blue) for the Church of the Intercession at Fili and the park around it; see the 10 Most Beautiful Churches and Cathedrals in Moscow list (1 to 1.5 hours)
2. Fili Park River Pier – Walk through the park to the pier, about 15 minutes, and board the regular electric river boat; check the schedule (30 minutes)
3. Kievsky River Pier – Ride the boat route toward the center, about an hour and a half, passing Moscow City, and get off at the Kievsky pier (1.5 hours)
4. Kievsky Railway Terminal – Walk inland to the station square and the building, the only Moscow terminal on the river (20 minutes)
5. Dorogomilovo – Walk through the streets of the district for a last dinner before you leave (1 to 1.5 hours)

Tip: Check the boat schedule and the route map the evening before, since the regular river service has changed from year to year, and keep a Metro ride from Filyovsky Park as a backup.

Moscow Vibes Tips

• Put the Kremlin on the first or second day and not on a Thursday, when it is closed; the rest of the plan has no fixed closing day, so it can move around that.
• Treat days 4 to 7 as flexible: they are mostly outdoors, so swap them freely with the weather forecast.
• Ride Line 2 on day four and the Circle Line on the days with more Metro time in the middle of the day, not at rush hours, when the central stations are crowded.
• Eat the main meal at an unusual hour on day two, since the cafes near the Tretyakov Gallery fill up at midday.
• Carry a power bank* and some rubles on the longer days, since the distances are larger and foreign cards are reported not to work.
• Keep one evening free for the Bolshoi Theatre only if you have booked tickets in advance; see the How to buy tickets for the Bolshoi Theatre guide.

Explore Nearby 7 Days in Moscow: One-Week Itinerary

Train stations and river piers near 7 Days in Moscow: One-Week Itinerary

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  Fili Park River Pier

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FAQ

Is a week too long for Moscow?

A week allows a relaxed pace, the main sights, five parks and the old districts. You can also use a spare day for a train trip out of the city.

Which day should I do the Kremlin?

Day one, or any day except Thursday. Buy the ticket in advance; see the How to buy tickets for the Moscow Kremlin guide.

Is the Armoury included?

No. The Armoury Chamber and the Diamond Fund are separate visits; see the How to visit the Armoury Chamber and the Diamond Fund guide if you want to add them.

Can I replace a day with a trip out of Moscow?

Yes. Day six or seven can be used for a train trip to a nearby town; see the Moscow railway terminals on this site, such as the Yaroslavsky Railway Terminal, for the departure stations.

Do I need tickets in advance?

For the Kremlin and the Bolshoi Theatre, yes; for the Tretyakov Gallery on busy days. The parks, Red Square and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour are free to enter.

How much walking is there each day?

About six to nine kilometers a day, with Metro rides between the later stops; days five and seven are the lightest.

Can I do this with children?

Yes for older children; the floating bridge, Gorky Park, the large parks and the boat are easy highlights. You can shorten the gallery and the convent.

Can I pay with a foreign card?

Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and your country's sanctions rules may restrict some services, so carry some rubles and check this yourself.

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