Of course you cannot visit Moscow without visiting Red Square. I was especially excited to see St. Basil’s Cathedral in person! Long, long ago when my family first had internet my icon was the St. Basil’s Cathedral. I didn’t know then that it was in Russia, but I was drawn to the tulip shaped domes and bright colors! If you’re visiting Red Square, I definitely recommend you have lunch or dinner at Grand-Café Dr. Zhivago for a Soviet-style meal.

We started first by walking through Alexander Gardens, one of the first urban public parks in Moscow. Alexander Gardens stretch along the entire westside of the Kremlin and lead you directly to Red Square. So we thought why not take the scenic route?

 

 

 

 

You’d think Red Square (Krásnaya plóshchaď) comes from the buildings being red, or even because the color red is linked with communism, but really Red Square came about because the Russian word krásnaya means both “red” and “beautiful” – and what a beautiful square it is!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For dinner we decided on Grand-Café Dr. Zhivago. Russian cuisine has a complex history, and we wanted to try the luxurious version of Soviet-Russian cuisine. Be sure to book a table in advance – the café is popular with tourists and locals alike. Definitely worth a visit for the experience! Plus you can’t beat the location next to Red Square.