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MOSCOW
With its plethora of historic sites and rich cultural offering, there’s no bad time to visit Russia’s cosmopolitan capital Moscow. Do it now or wait for the first flurries of winter when, at Christmas time, it all looks that bit more magical under snow.
THE PLACE TO STAY Book into the Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy, not least because its location gives you the perfect excuse to check out the world-famous Moscow Metro (something of an underground art gallery). At the hotel you can park any stereotypical notions of cold Russian manners or sparse comfort; here it’s all superlatively helpful staff, cosy fluffy robes and gigantic beds to sink into. Oh, and a lovely gift or two left on your pillow every evening (the Alenka chocolates featuring the face of a little girl are a national obsession).
THE VIBE From the historic Tsarist icon St Basil’s Cathedral and the Communist Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow is full of beauty and history to explore. Do also take in a show at the opulent Bolshoi Theatre ( bolshoi.ru/en), go shopping in the world-famous GUM mall opposite Red Square, and in winter, ice-skate in Gorky Park. EAT Definitely head to City Space Bar ( cityspacebar.com; £15pp) for Russian afternoon tea: caviar (served atop blinis with a dollop of sour cream), finger sandwiches on rye (including generous helpings of smoked salmon, sans cucumber) and traditional orange tea (flavoured by the shrub sea buckthorn). For dinner, book a seat at the chef’s table of the hotel’s Acapella Restaurant and tuck in to a seven-course tasting menu using local ingredients. Our highlights include the khachapuri, a kind of inside-out pizza from Georgia oozing with bubbles of cheese, and the octopus and houmous, seared in front of you on a slab of Himalayan pink salt. Afterwards, head up to the buzzy Soho Rooms nightclub where you can have a vodka cocktail or two at the bar or dance till dawn ( sohorooms.com/en).
PACK Serious partywear – the Russians absolutely do dress up for a night on the town. If you’re there in winter, you’ll need snowboots and thermals too.
THE LOWDOWN Swiss Advantage Rooms at Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy start from £150 per night on a room-only basis ( swissotel.com/moscow). British Airways flflies from London Heathrow to Moscow Domodedovo from £ 273 return ( britishairways.com).