Traveling is a passion that unfortunately is quite expensive. With accommodation, transportation, food and sightseeing, the price of a trip often climbs very quickly
Moscow is a culturally rich city with many galleries and monuments to visit. It is touristically attractive and offers many activities for travelers
Whether your trip is a cultural immersion or a family expedition, you will find something to do
Although many monuments and attractions are subject to a fee, it is possible to enjoy the city entirely free of charge
The city will reveal itself to you thanks to its particular architecture, its parks and atypical streets, its museums and galleries rich in treasures
Here are 15 things to do and see for free in Moscow.
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Visit churches for free in Moscow
Moscow is the guardian of the Orthodox religion and its churches and cathedrals are magnificent.
The city has 8 cathedrals and countless churches that contain artistic and cultural wonders. Visiting them is free of charge
Visit for example the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the largest Orthodox temple in the world. Its grandiose facade and its large frescoes and gilding are very impressive.
Discover Lenin’s Mausoleum
This monument, one of the main tourist attractions of Moscow, houses the body of Lenin, embalmed and exposed since 1973
There is a small museum that traces Russian history from the October Revolution of 1917 to the death of Stalin – Stalin’s body was also stored here before, but was removed during the de-Stalinization
The monument is next to the Kremlin and even if the queue to enter is often very long, it is open to the public for free every day, except Mondays and Fridays.
Top free museums in Moscow
Moscow is a city full of museums to visit for free. Discover our selection of the best museums to visit during your trip to Moscow.
Visit the Gorky museum for free in Moscow
Moscow’s cultural heritage is very rich and unfortunately most of the museums are not free
However, I can recommend you several museums that are free of charge. In this paragraph I will tell you about the Gorky museum, home of the writer Maxim Gorky
It is a literary museum dedicated to the work of the author, located in an Art Nouveau villa in the historical center of the capital
The fascinating tour analyzes the history and work of the author and the furniture and architecture are in the Art Nouveau style.
The Museum of the Russian Icon
It is a large and rather peculiar collection of ecclesiastical art objects retracing a parallel history of Christianity from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, in Greece, Russia, Abyssinia, … I was able to admire Orthodox crosses from the XVIII and XIX centuries, prayer books, and many wooden religious objects
The museum exhibits more than 4000 objects including 600 icons. This museum is a private collection, offered to the fans of ecclesiastical art by Mikhail Yuryevich Abramov, a Moscow businessman.
The free museum of Sakharov
The last gallery of my selection, the Sakharov museum traces the life of scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov
This nuclear physicist is known for having militated for human rights, civil liberties, and reform in Russia during the Soviet era
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975. Following criticism of his country, he was removed from office and exiled to the city of Gorky
Numerous free art and political exhibitions are regularly held at the Sakharov Center
Many exhibitions have been debated and the museum has often been fined and sometimes vandalized.
A walk in Gorky Park, in winter and summer
Gorky Park is a large park in Moscow along the Moscow River. You can go for long walks in summer and skate in winter. There are playgrounds for children. It is a very popular place for relaxation for Muscovites and is open all year round. A glass footbridge over the Moscow River allows you to admire the river from the park. This large space of 1.2 km2 is a witness of Moscow life.
Window shopping in the GUM galleries
Moscow’s first shopping mall is hidden in a large majestic building on Red Square, near the Kremlin and Lenin’s Mausoleum. You will find about 200 stores in a monument with elaborate architecture dating from the end of the 19th century. You can go shopping here, or you can take a free walk and admire the sights. The mall is open every day from 10 am to 10 pm.
Visit Zariadié Park and its floating bridge
The Zaryadia Park, located in the city center next to the Kremlin, is one of the most pleasant attractions of the city. It is a 13-hectare public garden located on the left bank of the Moscow River. This park reproduces different Russian landscapes and ecosystems, forest, steppe, tundra and floodplain. It ends on an impressive floating bridge offering a view on the Moscova that I find incomparable. A concert hall and several Orthodox churches are located in the park. Even if many concerts and exhibitions taking place in this park are not free, the access to the park and the floating bridge is free.
What to do for free in Moscow? Stroll along Arbat Street
Located west of the Kremlin, Arbat Street is undoubtedly the emblem of the old artistic and literary Moscow. It is a very popular and touristy street that stretches for one kilometer where you can find all kinds of street attractions. It stretches for one kilometer and is lined with Soviet skyscrapers and colorful buildings. Although you will come across cafes, restaurants, and theaters, the scenery will be enough to make your eyes water!
UNESCO protected metro stations
If the Moscow metro is complex, you should know that some stations in Moscow are protected by UNESCO because of their exceptional architecture. I personally had the opportunity to visit the forty-four Moscow metro stations that are classified as cultural heritage. The exceptional and lush decoration of these stations includes gilding, chandeliers and moldings that make them places far from the image of a metro station.
Take advantage of free city tours in Moscow
There are free guided tours of the city. These tours show you a little bit of Moscow every day, with a tour guide who will explain the atmosphere and history of the capital. This is the ideal option for an efficient and enriching visit of the city, 2h30 per day that will help you discover the most beautiful sites of the capital.
Take a walk in the Zamoskvorietchie district
This district is the old commercial district of Moscow and a very interesting historical area. Zamoskvorietchie translates as “beyond the Moscow River”. I felt a different atmosphere from the Kremlin. There are many sites and monuments to explore in this district: beautiful gardens, wooden pavilions, many churches, … You can feel a provincial atmosphere very different from the city center. A walk in this district is a pleasant and interesting step to understand the capital.
Recollect yourself in the Novodevichy cemetery
In this Moscow cemetery you will be able to visit the graves of many personalities of Russian history such as Andrei Bely and Khrushchev. This visit, although a bit funereal, is very rewarding. If you are interested in the personalities of Russian history buried in this cemetery, you may learn more about Russian history and culture than anyone else!
Visit the Russian Exhibition Center (VDNKh)
The All-Russian Exhibition Center, formerly VDNKh, is a large exhibition center located in the north of the capital. The exhibitions are not free of charge, but the visit of the park is worth it. This large park is lined with large alleys populated with beautiful pavilions. While walking freely in the park, you can also admire the statue of the Worker and the Kolkhoz woman, sculpted by Vera Moukhina for the World Fair of 1937. This remarkable ensemble is a poignant symbol of the workers’ and farmers’ worlds.
Go skating for free
If you have a pair of skates, then there are many places where you can do this popular activity in Moscow in winter. In winter the Chistye and Patriarch ponds freeze over and become illuminated, public and free skating rinks. You can also count on the Gum ice rink in the morning for free. Of course, you can also find other more remote places to skate in Moscow. Skating will also give you an opportunity to do some sport during your trip.
A tight budget should not be an excuse for not visiting Moscow. First of all, Moscow is a visually rich city and to see it is already a beautiful experience. There are many museums and parks to visit and browse for free. You can even get a free tour of the main sights of Moscow. Getting to know the capital through its folklore and history will make you enjoy your discovery even more. Enjoy your visit!
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