Moscow, Russia

ORIENTATION: the main airport from Moscow is at best an hour outside of town. It is best to arrange for transportation ahead of time, likely through your hotel. The center of town is around the Kremlin/Red Square area. The city works in a ring system, with this as the center point. The farther you get outside the circle, the more affordable things become. However, as you drift from high traffic tourist areas, you will also miss your opportunity to read English signs. The Metro is well lit and safe, just make sure you have an exact idea of what your stop is called (in Cyrillic).

HOTELS:

• Kempinski Hotel - ideal location for tourism or business, however very expensive. This sits just across the river from Red Square, about a 15 minute walk.
• Ararat Park Hyatt (very expensive, some consider it the best hotel in Moscow)
• Radisson - (more reasonably priced)

ATTRACTIONS:

• Red Square - usually open and gives the best views in Moscow.
  
• Kremlin (10-17, closed Th) - there are many different exhibits/buildings here: Armoury (admission staggered 10, 12, 14:30, 16:30), Assumption Cathedral, Annunciation Cathedral, Archangel's Cathedral, Patriarch's Palace with the 12 Apostle's Church, Church of Laying Our Lady's Robe, Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Tsar Cannon, Tsar Bell
  
• Lenin's Mausoleum (10-13) - free, but you'll have to line up and check all bags and photo equipment near the State Museum.
  
• St. Basil's Cathedral (10-16:30)
  
• State History Museum (10-18) - you can buy a joint admission ticket with St. Basil's
  
• Pushkin Fine Arts Museum (10-18)
  
• Tretyakov (10-19:30) - 2 buildings 20th century/modern and 19th Cent-before. If you have a choice between the 2, go see the older stuff!
• KGB Museum - recently closed for remodeling
• Bolshoi Theatre - famous ballet
• Metro Stations - known for unique designs: Mayakovskaya, Ploschad Revolutsii, Komsomilskaya
  

RESTAURANTS: note it is strongly suggested to get a reservation in Moscow at all restaurants.

• Dorian Gray - a great, relatively affordable Italian restaurant. Phone 238 64 01
• Vogue Cafe - trendy new restaurant, with seating also at the lounge bar. Phone 623 17 01
• Other recs: Pushkin, Galleria, GQ, Korchma

SHOPPING:

• G.U.M. - large, high end shopping mall off Red Square