Refreshed: September 2026
When I first wrote this post in 2018, my trip to Russia was still fresh in my mind. I had taken what felt like a leap into the unknown and visited Moscow and St Petersburg.
Russia wasn’t an obvious tourist destination for me. I wasn’t sure what to expect and, if I’m being fair, some of my expectations weren’t particularly flattering. I imagined somewhere grey, gloomy, unfriendly and unwelcoming.
Some of my friends didn’t exactly help either. They joked about whether I would make it back safely!
But I love adventure and an experience, and Russia promised me both.
Eight years later, I can still remember the apprehension I felt before that trip and how quickly some of my preconceptions changed once I arrived.
Arriving in Russia
Getting a visa was pretty straightforward. Before leaving the UK, I arranged my hotels, transfers and sightseeing tours in Moscow and St Petersburg. I couldn’t speak Russian and didn’t know what to expect, so I wasn’t taking any chances.
Everything went according to plan and, once I was there, I began to wonder why I had been so anxious in the first place.
I used a local guide for many of the famous sights, but I also explored independently. I found Moscow’s transport system easy to navigate and particularly loved the underground Metro stations with their beautiful architecture.
And, of course, I tried the vodka!
I sampled both shop-bought and locally made varieties. I enjoyed both and I didn’t get drunk!
Russian food generally wasn’t really to my taste, although I loved the Russian salad and dumplings. I also ate some very good meals in the hotels, which served plenty of international dishes.
During my visit, I felt safe travelling around Moscow and St Petersburg, including when I went out on my own. The language barrier could sometimes be challenging, but I found that younger people often spoke English and were willing to help.
I even discovered that if I needed Wi-Fi to arrange a taxi, I could pop into a four or five-star hotel and ask for help. I was treated as though I were one of the guests. No fuss whatsoever.
The Russia I was experiencing was turning out to be very different from the one I had imagined.
And yes, I discovered that Russians do have a sense of humour!
Red Square, Moscow
I couldn’t believe I was actually in the Red Square in Moscow – it was surreal!
Red Square is at the heart of Moscow and is surrounded by some of the city’s best-known historic buildings, including the State Historical Museum, St Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin and the famous GUM department store.
One of the landmarks I noticed was the Spasskaya Tower with its enormous clock. It immediately reminded me of Big Ben in London.
Close by, in Alexander Garden, is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where I watched the changing of the guard.
The guards are very carefully selected and are very handsome young men!
I was there to observe the sights. I was simply being thorough.
Another thing I learned was that the name Red Square has nothing to do with communism or even the colour of the surrounding buildings. Its name comes from an old Russian word that could mean both “red” and “beautiful”.
Saint Basil’s Cathedral
St Basil’s Cathedral sits at one end of Red Square and you really can’t miss it. With its colourful onion-shaped domes, it is one of the most recognisable buildings in Moscow.
The cathedral was built in the 16th century during the reign of Ivan the Terrible and is now part of the Kremlin and Red Square UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There is a famous story that Ivan the Terrible had the architects blinded afterwards so that they could never design anything as beautiful again. It makes a good story, although there is no reliable evidence that it actually happened.
We didn’t go inside the cathedral, but I enjoyed seeing it from different angles around the square.
In one of my photographs, I somehow managed to position myself in front of a television crew, which made me look as though I was reporting some terribly important international news. I wasn’t.
Other famous sights around Red Square include Lenin’s Mausoleum and GUM department store. I also came across the so-called Zero Kilometre marker, where tourists throw coins over their shoulders for good luck. Our guide told us that it isn’t actually Moscow’s official zero kilometre point, but that didn’t stop anybody throwing their coins.
And there was a man nearby collecting them afterwards. Genius!
Inside the Kremlin – on my own!
One of my most memorable experiences in Moscow was visiting the Kremlin. And I did this one by myself. I took the Metro, bought my ticket at the entrance and walked in.
Once inside, I stood there for a while in amazement. Part of me was half expecting something to happen. Nothing did.
I was free to walk around, explore and take photographs, so that is exactly what I did.
The Kremlin is a huge historic complex containing cathedrals, palaces and museums. Among the buildings I saw were the Assumption Cathedral, where Russian tsars were once crowned; the Annunciation Cathedral; and the Archangel Cathedral, which was used as a burial place for Russian princes and tsars.
I was able to go inside and see some of the tombs, although photography wasn’t allowed.
There was so much history packed into one place that I couldn’t possibly take it all in.
Then there were two objects that were rather difficult to overlook: the enormous Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell.
The Tsar Bell weighs around 200 tonnes and has a huge piece broken from its side.
Naturally, I had to have my photograph taken beside it.
Looking back at Russia
Eight years later, Russia is a very different place in world affairs, but this post is about the country I visited and my experience there in 2018.
What stays with me is how apprehensive I was beforehand and how different the reality of my trip turned out to be.
I went expecting somewhere grey, gloomy and unwelcoming. Instead, I found extraordinary architecture and history, people who helped me when I needed it and enough confidence to take the Moscow Metro and wander into the Kremlin by myself.
I’m glad I went.
Travel has taught me many things over the years, but one lesson has come up again and again: what we imagine about a place before we visit isn’t necessarily what we find when we get there.
My Russian journey continued to St Petersburg, where I visited the magnificent Hermitage Museum. I later wrote about some of the extraordinary masterpieces I saw there.
And what about the next Moscow post I promised at the end of my original 2018 article -The Gum, Manege Square, Nikolskaya Street, Zaryadye Park, Samara Arena, The Seven Sisters, and Hotel Metropol?
Well… eight years later, I think we can safely say that one isn’t coming!
Have you ever travelled somewhere you were apprehensive about visiting, only to find that the experience was completely different from what you expected?
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Interesting to read about Russia..looking forward to read more.