Moscow and St Petersburg top tips for eating and sightseeing

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We're going this Saturday to Moscow for 3 nights then train to St Petersburg for 4 nights. Staying fairly centrally in both. 2 hr city tours booked for 1st morning in each city but nothing else booked. If anyone's been, what were your favourite bits? (Bearing in mind we don't speak Russian so will be favouring places that have English audio guides or dual signage). I'm thinking for Moscow - Kremlin, St Basil's, Lenin's tomb, Gulag museum, Danilovsky market and possibly underground tour (or is it just as good to see it just by using it?) St Petersburg - Hermitage, Peterhof, haven't got much beyond that yet. Any suggestions would be great.

Queue for Lenins tomb can be horrendous. I would give it a miss as it could take a disproportionate amount of your time.

I would stick to Kremlin, Red Square & St Basils. Go see the diamonds and jewels when at the Kremlin too.

All Russia Exhibition (VDNkh) is worth a visit and if you like space then the space museum is nearby.

I would go to Izmailovsky Market for Souvenirs and ephemera over visiting Danilovsky on a short trip.

It's been a while since I lived there but If you are near Smolenskaya my favourites were Khachupuri Georgian Restaurant near Kievskaya. Chaihona No.1 Uzbek on New Arbat (always used to be cash only) and Taras Bulba Ukrainian on Smolensky Boulevard.

I would just stick to seeing the metro as you use it. It is very easy to navigate as the lines are colour coded and cheap too. Just take a map with the names in Russian Cyrillic and English. It used to be that the station signage was mostly cyrillic only but I know they added English signage for the World Cup but I don't know how extensive it is.

Only been to SP once and can add the Church on the Spilled Blood and tea and cake at Elyseyevs Emporium.

Both cities are excellent for wandering around just taking in the sights and architecture.

Thank you very much, that's really helpful. We're staying at Arbat House hotel so hopefully near the restaurant to mentioned.

Following we're staying at arbat house too!

It's a small Mumsnet world Paradigmgiraffe! When are you going?

August.

Just seconding the suggestion of Georgian food. Come hungry.

Arbat House is walkable to all the restaurants I mentioned (ask for menu angliski) many cope with pointing and effusive thanks In Russian! Russians are generally very kind and friendly and willing to help.

It's a good central location so I encourage you to walk lots as you see a different view instead of just attraction to attraction, you can even walk to the Novodevichy Cemetary from where you are.

Dont buy souvenirs on Arbat though, go to Izmailovsky for that. Lovely to visit and have Shashlik for lunch.

Hope you have an amazing time. I love Moscow.

@EssentialHummus Georgian food is just amazing! We did a holiday to Tblisi based purely on loving the food, it's so so good. We have a small Russian supermarket not far away from where I live now and they stock Tkemali, Tarragon Lemonade and Georgian Spices, it helps scratch the itch a little.

Moscow - I recommend you do a tour of the metro system which is amasing and like an art gallery. For eating out I recommend Mari Vanna and Cafe Pushkin. Cafe Pushkin is quite expensive. Cocktails at the metropol hotel afterwards?

In St Petersburg we had dinner twice at The Idiot which I recommend.

All quite touristy I guess. I also loved the national gallery in Moscow. Cannot remember the name of it but near Gorky park.

I love Russia. Hope you enjoy it.

I second making sure you see the jewels in the Kremlin. The Gumm Department Store in Red Square is interesting. We also visited Sergiev Posad which has an amazing collection of churches. The Treyakov Gallery is also great if you like Russian Art. The Kremlin is huge so allow plenty of time.

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton and their roof terrace has amazing views of Red Square at night. Stunning but expensive.
The Bolshoi Ballet are on tour right now - coming to London! The Underground stations are sensational! We had a guided tour because there are some unmissable ones. A decent guide book should also help with this.

In St Petersburg there is a lot to see. Must sees are Peter and Paul Fortress where the Tzars are buried, Church of the Spilled Blood and the fabulous Faberge Museum in the Shuvalov Palace. When we went there was a deposit required for headphone guides. Russians always think you will nick them! You must also see The Hermitage. It’s overwhelming so try and do highlights. The Yusupov Palace where Rasputin was murdered is also fantastic. The other thing you should do is a canal tour. You can see the Peter the Great house and numerous other buildings from the water.

I did DIY there around 10 years ago. It wasn’t easy! However when I went back fairly recently it’s really changed. The taxis now appear reliable and there are lots of decent restaurants. You still get the cold looks from the babushkas but the young want to speak English to you.

Research as much as possible before you go. Work out itineraries (they close buildings for cleaning days) and take good waking shoes. Every building is Big! Nevsky Prospect is very long!

That should read Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

I agree with CondeNasty Khachapuri restaurant is amazing, and not to be missed.

In St Petersburg, we enjoyed eating at Kvartika, a Soviet era themed restaurant. It’s fascinatingly retro, but the food is top quality.

The Museum of Cosmonautics in Moscow is absolutely fascinating, and tells the story (in Russian) of the space race from the Russian perspective. Highly recommend, if you’re interested in that sort of thing.

Thanks for all the fantastic responses. I've found khachapuri on the map. Unfortunately we're too late to get tickets for the Armoury (Might be worth doing now Paradigmgiraffe). Any thoughts on the best way to see Peterhof? Have seen that queues are very long but tours seem to be very expensive and perhaps longer than we'd want. Would aim to arrive by water and wondered if just seeing the grounds and fountains would be enough or if we'd be really missing out if we don't go into the palace. Or if anyone's done a tour that they thought was really worth while what was the company.

Wish I could offer advice but I last lived there in 1999 and last went to Moscow in 2008. My favourite place in the world is St Petersburg. Just magical. And thanks to @BeardedMum (I think!) I now know that The Idiot is still going! How many fun nights I had there.

Please update when you get back so I can live vicariously through you!

We're in St Petersburg just after you! We've booked a two-day tour with Alla Tours. Our friends have just come home and they highly recommended them. The tour we picked includes the Hermitage, Peter and Paul Fortress, Church of the Spilled Blood, etc plus a canal ride and a visit to the metro. We're only seeing the gardens at Peterhof.

You must get to Peterhof in time to see the fountains come on. I think arriving by boat is a good idea although the train goes there. Many people don’t go in this palace which is a shame but do go in the Catherine Palace and visit the gardens there. There are other palaces in the Tzars Village in this area. Few tours visit them which is a shame.

I would do a tour. These are sensational
palaces. You can afford a day doing them.

I second the Cosmonaut Museum in Moscow - really interesting. And I think Gorky Park is nearby so you could have a wander round while you're there. We also did a dinner cruise on the river which was a really lovely way to spend an evening.