Friendly Local Guides

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Where to meet locals in Moscow

Fact 12.

There are three original places to meet locals and make friends with them in Moscow.
1. Parks. Thousands of people go to Gorky Park every day, 20 000 to be precise. Only subway can compete with this number, but then you probably would prefer a relaxed stroll then being squeezed at a rush hour

2. Embankments and Bridges. They are picturesque especially at sunset, and we love taking pictures on them

3. Restaurant terraces, which are an essential part of Moscow, and are a concentration of most modern, beautiful and cheerful crowd in one place

Photo: Yamoskva

Get local with us on our Going Out in Moscow Tour
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Friday, June 1, 2012

Russian Architecture

Walking along the streets I often find extremely nice and atmospheric buildings of Soviet Moscow.

Fact 11.
There has always been an eye-catching contrast between modern & old architecture and day by day it's noticed more often. Old houses are forbidden to destroy, new ones are appearing every day (not in the center itself though). This contrast reflects the Russian mentality too, by the way. Contrastive, surprising and unpredictable...

I'm happy such cute houses still exist and exactly in the center. I love such isles of romantic walking and eating a vanilla ice-cream. Mmm...

Apart from 7 Stalin skyscrapers and modern Moscow city ones there are just beautiful buildings, historical, of course. Almost everything in Moscow has its history

And everything has its price. Appartments in the center of Moscow can cost as much as $ 11 million...

I don't know what impresses me more: architecture of such buildings or people who built these houses. This one in particular was built in 90-ies.

Explore the architecture. art and culture of Moscow with us on our 3 Days in Moscow Tour
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Sunday, May 20, 2012

Gorky Park

Fact 10
Gorky Park is a Central Park of Moscow, with a monthly attendance of more than 20,000 people a week day, and 100, 000 a day on the weekend. Since 2011 the park sets new standards for social events, so it has earned a reputation as one of the main urban areas of leisure for Moscovites. This space is designed for a new audience, focused on the European way of life.

The first recreational park in Russia was opened August 12, 1928. The main objective of the park was to conduct a broad political and educational, cultural and educational work among workers during Soviet times.

In 1932, in connection with the 40th anniversary of the social and literary activities of Maxim Gorky, the park was named after a Soviet writer, and since then this place is called "Gorky Park"

Gorky covers an area of 109 hectares and is divided into two parts - a parterre garden, and "Not Boring Garden" (Neskuchny Sad).
Nowadays, the park is popular among locals for its dance classes, yoga classes, lectures, festivals and all kinds of cultural and modern events.

Photos: Gorky Park

Gorky Park is opened to public 24/7

Free Wi-Fi

Sockets for charging mobile and PC

Bicycle velomobile, rollers for rent

Boats for rent

Mother and Child Room (in green toilet on the main avenue)

Medical center in the building of a sports center

Bicycle path

Ping-pong tables

Football

Playgrounds

Isn't she cute?? :)

Explore the best spots of Moscow with us on our 2 Days in Moscow Tour
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Monday, April 23, 2012

Fashion Style of U.S.S.R.

"Showing Fashion, Style of U.S.S.R." Exhibition.
The exhibit, which runs until June 12 presents more than 1000 costumes. They belonged to the icons of style throughout the Soviet era, from 20s to 90s.

Photo: USSR

The main interest is, of course, costumes of Soviet idols - Maya Plisetskaya, Olga Lepeshinskaya, Lidia Smirnova, Clare Luchko, Fateeva Natalia, Tatiana Shmyga, Lyudmila Gurchenko and many other stars, beloved by many generations in Russia.

In a separate room is housed a collection of museum-apartment of Galina Ulanova. She was a famous fashionista - all her clothes were brought from overseas. She always carefully picked accessories for each costume.

Photo: PoliHistory

The exhibition organizers sought to identify the originality of the history of women's fashion in the Soviet Union, and also to show the inextricable link with the trend of fashion in the West, despite the "iron curtain".
The main part of the collection is provided by a well-known fashion historian Aleksandr Vasiliev. Among contributors are Bakhrushin Theatre Museum, Association "Museum of Moscow", Moscow Art Theater School.

Photo: Итоги

Explore the best spots of Moscow with us on our Going Out in Moscow Tour
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Monday, April 2, 2012

Myasnitskaya Street

Here is my one of favourite streets, Myasnitskaya street, or the Butcher's. I like it because it has presered the atmosphere of the old times.

Fact 9.
It all started in 15 century when Ivan the Great built the Church of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Maria behind Nikolskie Gates of Kitay Gorod.

Already in the XVI century the street was built up with houses, shops and butchers and their settlement was called the Butcher's.

Under Peter I Myasnitskaya became the road between the Kremlin and the German settlement, which was constantly visited by the king. Since then Myasnitskaya street has been considered the street of nobles and the new aristocracy.

Nowadays it's one of the most popular streets for tourists and Moscovites and it's fully packed with cars. :)

And all kinds of stores with picturesque shop-windows.

And yummy desserts for every taste that will make your mouth water. Moscow is changing and there are so many sweet things coming out every day!

On our 10 Hours in Moscow Tour, you will get the real feel of Moscow

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Sunday, March 18, 2012

How to explore Moscow

Fact 8

The best way to explore Moscow is to get lost in it! Seriously. You will learn a lot not only yourself and about Moscow, including couple of phrases in Russian, how to read Russian alphabet, the mentality of Russian people :)
Just don't do it at night. At least, not alone

One little tip on getting lost in Moscow: as long as you see the dome of Christ the Savior Cathedral or any of Stalin skyscrapers - you are still in the city centre

Here's our Moscow at Night Tour if you want our company :)

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Saturday, March 17, 2012

#1 Hotel in Moscow

Fact 7

The premier Soviet hotel «Moskva» is coming back!
This time as a luxurious 5 star hotel "Four Seasons" with a commercial center consisting of 70 shops, a department store, a hotel and an underground parking. "Four Seasons" will be the closest hotel to the Kremlin, beating The National, Metropol and Balchug Kempisnki.
Opening late 2014, now accepting reservations for arrivals from October 30, 2014.
This will definitely be a bomb!
Well, as for now, Starbucks coffee is really good there. :)

Photos: Four Seasons

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