These are the top 10 must-see attractions in Moscow: the landmarks, museums and viewpoints that most visits are built around. The list moves from the historic center, with Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin, through the Armoury Chamber and the Diamond Fund, to the Tretyakov Gallery, the Bolshoi Theatre, the Metro, VDNKh, Novodevichy and the Sparrow Hills viewpoint.
It is meant as a shortlist of sights to see, ranked by how central they are to the city, not a day-by-day plan. Each entry gives the nearest Metro station, whether the place is free or paid, and a practical tip. Opening hours and closing days change, so check each official site, which the linked guides name.
At a Glance
| # | Place | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | How to visit Red Square | The city's central stage | Okhotny Ryad, Ploshchad Revolyutsii or Kitay-Gorod Metro stations; free; closed to the public on some event days. |
| 2 | How to visit St. Basil's Cathedral | The iconic domes | Kitay-Gorod Metro station; paid; check the official site for the regular closing day and hours. |
| 3 | How to buy tickets for the Moscow Kremlin | Cathedral Square and walls | Aleksandrovsky Sad Metro station; paid, separate tickets for Cathedral Square and the Armoury; closed Thursdays. |
| 4 | How to visit the Armoury Chamber and the Diamond Fund | Imperial treasures | Borovitskaya or Aleksandrovsky Sad Metro stations; paid, separate tickets; both reported closed Thursdays. |
| 5 | How to visit the Tretyakov Gallery | The Russian art collection | Tretyakovskaya Metro station for the Lavrushinsky building; paid; closed Mondays. |
| 6 | How to buy tickets for the Bolshoi Theatre | Ballet and opera | Teatralnaya Metro station; paid; tickets by performance, check the official site for the season. |
| 7 | How to see the most beautiful Moscow Metro stations in one route | Stations as sights | Citywide; the standard Metro fare applies; avoid rush hours. |
| 8 | How to visit VDNKh | Soviet exhibition park | VDNKh Metro station; free grounds, paid museums; the Cosmonautics Museum is closed on Mondays. |
| 9 | Novodevichy | UNESCO convent and cemetery | Sportivnaya Metro station; the convent is paid, check the official sites for hours. |
| 10 | Sparrow Hills | Free skyline view | Vorobyovy Gory Metro station; free; the platform is reported open at all hours. |
How We Chose
The entries were chosen from the official information of the museums and parks and from reliable general references, and no personal visits are claimed.
- Each place is open to visitors as far as the sources show, and is a well-known sight rather than a niche stop.
- The list balances history, art, architecture, performing arts and views.
- Where the sight is split between institutions or needs a separate ticket, the entry says so.
- Opening days and hours were checked against official pages where available, and anything taken only from secondary sources is flagged for the editor.
1. How to visit Red Square – The city's central stage
Red Square is the long cobbled square at the foot of the Kremlin wall, framed by St. Basil's Cathedral, the red brick State Historical Museum and the GUM department store. It is the setting for parades and concerts, and for most visitors the first thing they walk to. Entry is free when it is open, and the lighting at night changes its look completely.
Good to know: Okhotny Ryad, Ploshchad Revolyutsii or Kitay-Gorod Metro stations; free; closed to the public on some event days.
Tip: Check for closures on public holidays and around big events before you go.
2. How to visit St. Basil's Cathedral – The iconic domes
St. Basil's Cathedral, at the southern end of Red Square, is a cluster of brightly patterned domes around a central tower. Inside it is a warren of small chapels linked by narrow passages, run as a museum with its own ticket, and a visit usually takes under an hour.
Good to know: Kitay-Gorod Metro station; paid; check the official site for the regular closing day and hours.
Tip: Look up at the painted ceilings of the narrow galleries as well as at the domes.
3. How to buy tickets for the Moscow Kremlin – Cathedral Square and walls
The Moscow Kremlin is a walled complex above the Moskva River. Visitors usually enter Cathedral Square, with the Assumption, Archangel and Annunciation cathedrals, the Patriarch's Palace and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, on a ticket separate from the Armoury Chamber. The museums are closed on Thursdays, and the opening hours change between the summer and winter seasons.
Good to know: Aleksandrovsky Sad Metro station; paid, separate tickets for Cathedral Square and the Armoury; closed Thursdays.
Tip: Allow at least two hours for Cathedral Square alone.
4. How to visit the Armoury Chamber and the Diamond Fund – Imperial treasures
The Armoury Chamber, part of the Kremlin museums, shows state regalia, carriages, silver and Faberge items, with entry in timed sessions at 10:00, 12:00, 14:30 and 16:30 and a ban on photography. The Diamond Fund, in the same building, is a separate institution with its own ticket and shows the crown jewels. Neither is included in the Cathedral Square ticket.
Good to know: Borovitskaya or Aleksandrovsky Sad Metro stations; paid, separate tickets; both reported closed Thursdays.
Tip: Book the Armoury session ahead, since the number of daily visitors is limited.
5. How to visit the Tretyakov Gallery – The Russian art collection
The State Tretyakov Gallery holds the main collection of Russian art, split between the historic Lavrushinsky building, with icons and painting up to the early twentieth century, and the New Tretyakov on Krymsky Val, with Soviet and avant-garde art. The gallery is closed on Mondays and opens late on some evenings, and temporary exhibitions have separate tickets.
Good to know: Tretyakovskaya Metro station for the Lavrushinsky building; paid; closed Mondays.
Tip: Pick the building that matches your interest rather than trying both in one visit.
6. How to buy tickets for the Bolshoi Theatre – Ballet and opera
The Bolshoi Theatre, on Teatralnaya Square, is Russia's most famous ballet and opera house, with a gilded main hall that is itself a sight. The only way to see the inside is with a ticket for a performance, which are sold on the theatre's official website and at its box offices. The season has a summer break.
Good to know: Teatralnaya Metro station; paid; tickets by performance, check the official site for the season.
Tip: Book as soon as sales open, and avoid unofficial resellers.
7. How to see the most beautiful Moscow Metro stations in one route – Stations as sights
Many stations of the Moscow Metro are public monuments, with marble, mosaics, bronze statues and chandeliers, especially on the Circle Line and the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line. A sightseeing route of several stations needs only a normal fare and takes about two hours, and the best photographs are possible between the rush hours.
Good to know: Citywide; the standard Metro fare applies; avoid rush hours.
Tip: Walk to the middle of the platform to see the whole hall, not just the entrance.
8. How to visit VDNKh – Soviet exhibition park
VDNKh is a large park of Soviet-era pavilions, fountains and monuments in the north of the city, now used for museums, exhibitions and events. Look for the Friendship of Peoples fountain, the main arch and the nearby Cosmonautics Museum. Entering the grounds is free, and individual museums charge.
Good to know: VDNKh Metro station; free grounds, paid museums; the Cosmonautics Museum is closed on Mondays.
Tip: Allow half a day, since the pavilions are spread over a large area.
9. Novodevichy – UNESCO convent and cemetery
The Novodevichy Convent, founded in 1524 beside a bend of the Moskva River, is a walled complex of churches and towers, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a pond in front that gives the classic view. The cemetery next to it holds the graves of many writers, composers and statesmen and has its own entry rules.
Good to know: Sportivnaya Metro station; the convent is paid, check the official sites for hours.
Tip: Take a map to the cemetery, since the best-known graves are scattered.
10. Sparrow Hills – Free skyline view
Sparrow Hills is a high bank of the Moskva River with an observation platform that looks across the river to the Luzhniki stadium and the center, with the Stalin-era main building of Moscow State University behind you. It is free, easy to reach and good at any hour. The Trinity Church and the cableway are nearby.
Good to know: Vorobyovy Gory Metro station; free; the platform is reported open at all hours.
Tip: Go at sunset for the light over the river and the city.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Group the first four entries into one day, since Red Square, St. Basil's, the Kremlin and the Armoury are all in the same area.
- Plan around closing days: the Kremlin museums and the Diamond Fund close on Thursdays, the Tretyakov Gallery on Mondays.
- Combine Novodevichy with Sparrow Hills in one trip, since both are on the south-west side of the river.
- Save the Metro route for the middle of the day, when platforms are less crowded.
- See the Moscow's observation decks guide on this site if you want a higher view than Sparrow Hills.
- Book the Armoury, the Diamond Fund and the Bolshoi as early as possible, since they have limited places.
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FAQ
Is the Diamond Fund part of the Kremlin ticket?
No, it is a separate institution in the Armoury building with its own ticket.
Which attractions are free?
Red Square, the Sparrow Hills viewpoint and the VDNKh grounds are free; museums charge.
How many days do I need for these ten?
About three days at an easy pace.
Which sights close on Thursdays?
The Kremlin museums and the Diamond Fund; check each site.
Can I enter the Bolshoi without a performance ticket?
No, the inside is seen on a performance ticket.
Is photography allowed in the Armoury Chamber?
No, it is forbidden there.
Do I need cash?
Foreign cards are reported not to work, so bring rubles and check your country's sanctions rules.
Is there a first-timer shortlist?
Yes, see the Top 10 Things to Do in Moscow for First-Time Visitors list on this site.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026.
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