travel random places

The 7 Best Sites to Pick Random Travel Destinations for Trips

When you can't decide where to travel, let fate pick the destination—or use these sites to randomly tell you where to go.

A good vacation can completely change your life. Whether it's through new exciting experiences or well-deserved rest and recuperation, everyone loves a holiday. But do you know what everyone hates? Planning a vacation.

With all the driving, flights, planning, and organizing, sometimes it feels like you need a vacation from planning your vacation. One of the most difficult aspects is actually just selecting where to go. To help speed up your planning and remove some unnecessary stress, you can use random holiday generators. Here are seven random vacation destination generators for you to use.

1. Earth Roulette

Earth Roulette is for the confused wanderer who doesn't want to think. Click a button, and you'll get a suggestion for a country to visit, along with all the research you would need for it.

The website will give you a sentence breakdown of the main reason to travel to the proposed location. If you're interested, you can scroll down on the page to discover everything you'll need to book your holiday. You can read about places to see, the type of food locals eat, photos of the scenery, and even hotel and flight options currently available.

In case you don't like the recommended country, click Spin it to find a new random destination. If you have certain preferences, the Filters button allows you to only show results that match a certain budget, temperature, continent, activities, and more.

You can also select a country under the website's Top travel destinations section, and it will suggest different places you can visit in that country.

2. The Vacation Hunt

The Vacation Hunt is a travel agency that offers surprise vacations. All you need to do is fill out a survey that asks for information about your ideal vacation. You have to fill out details like when you plan to travel, the length of your vacation, and everything else related to the vacation experience, like what you'd like to do, places to avoid, and more.

If you don't like the feeling of booking with classic travel websites like Expedia and Hotwire, you'll love picking your next destination using The Vacation Hunt. After completing the survey, you must select a surprise vacation package. The Vacation Hunt caters to everyone through its packages.

The website has an All-American Adventure package if you'd like an American-exclusive destination. Want to travel to European destinations? Select the European Escape package. There's also an exclusive package if you love hot places like the Caribbean, Mexico, or Latin America. Lastly, the International Intrigue package offers a wide array of travel destinations.

The website lists prices during the selection process, so you know what to expect when booking. If you need help with language translation on your international travels, check out the best online translators you can use in the real world .

3. Pack Up + Go

Looking to do some exclusive travel in the US? Pack Up + Go is one of the best options available. Unlike The Vacation Hunt, Pack Up + Go only offers US-only surprise travel packages.

The trip focuses on surprise as the main aspect. You can pick holidays focused around road trips, outdoors, staycations, or planes/trains. The website will also ask you questions regarding your previous holidays and your goals for this upcoming adventure.

After you answer the questions and select a budget, Pack Up + Go will plan a complete holiday for you to enjoy. With this travel site, you really can just pack up and go because everything else is already prepared!

You will need to create an account to use Pack Up + Go, unlike some of the other listed travel sites.

4. Atlas Obscura's Unusual Trips

Cliché travel destinations often sound boring, which is why you skip them. Atlas Obscura specializes in finding offbeat travel ideas in popular cities or countries.

Unique Trips are paid tours, so you are free to buy them from them and go with other people. Otherwise, if the dates or cost isn't working out for you, you can check out the entire itinerary of each Unique Trip to plan your own trip there.

Browse through both upcoming trips and tours already concluded. There are enough travel ideas here to satisfy the desires of every wandering soul.

5. LuckyTrip

Although this app is primarily for European residents, the great design layout and easy-to-use features meant that it was an absolute must-add to this list.

LuckyTrip is an extremely budget-conscious random travel generator. The first step is your budget. After that, simply press the Lucky button, and LuckyTrip will automatically plan out the location, the hotel, and the experience and give you the associated cost per person.

You can change your settings to adjust the number of people, dates, accommodation style, and even destination entertainment. This app is a truly all-encompassing travel generator. Since the website might be somewhat confusing to use, you can download the LuckyTrip app for a streamlined experience.

Download: LuckyTrip for Android | iOS (Free)

6. Travel Republic

If you aren't as concerned about your budget, Travel Republic generates random destinations based on your perfect holiday.

The website starts by asking what type of holiday you want. Then it asks if you're traveling with friends, family, or a partner—which is a bit disappointing if you're planning a solo escape. After, it asks you to pick from a list of options which two activities you are most interested in while on holiday. It will then provide you with a suggested location.

This is where Travel Republic gets interesting. The website displays your travel suggestions in navigable bubbles. Looking for something a bit cooler, navigate to the suggested travel bubble. Interested in more theme parks? There's a travel bubble for that too. This site gives less general information but great comparison options.

If you find somewhere you like, press Book Now , and you'll be taken to the main travel website for reservations.

7. Random City Generator

Random City Generator isn't a fully-fledged random travel destination picker. Instead, it only suggests cities around the world that you can visit. There's no filter here, tap the Next Random City button, and it'll suggest a city.

After generating a random city, the website gives you background details about it, like what the city is best known for and the major tourist attractions and popular activities. It also provides popular foods that you should purpose to eat while visiting the city.

Once you've finalized the travel destination, these travel planning apps can help you find tourist attractions . If you don't like the suggestion, just hit the Next Random City button again to view a different city.

Solo Escape or Friendly Voyage?

It can be nearly impossible to pick a vacation spot. With so many places to see in the world and so little holiday time for most, it can be anxiety-inducing trying to pick the perfect place. This anxiety is often only increased by the addition of planning with friends.

Avoid the stress next time by using one of the sites above to pick your vacation destination randomly. And make sure you check out some tips to take great vacation photos on your travels.

Destination Roulette

The Fun Way to Find Your Next Vacation

DestinationRoulette.com is designed for entertainment and informational purposes only. You do not win a trip to the destination displayed. There is no charge to spin the wheel and you may spin as many times as you want.

Whether you call it travel spin, vacation roulette, travel roulette, country roulette wheel, holiday roulette, or destination roulette we’re here to help you find the perfect destination for your next trip.

DestinationRoulette.com is designed to help you locate the perfect place to take your next vacation or holiday.

When you spin the Destination Roulette travel wheel you’ll get a suggestion for where to travel. Don’t like the location that you get? Just spin the wheel again and find another destination.

You can spin the Destination Roulette vacation wheel as many times as you want. There is no charge to spin the wheel.

Even if you don’t plan to travel to the holiday destination it’s always fun to read about the different locations and look at the photos.

Privacy Overview

Explore a random city with the touch of a button

Random city generator

The best random city generator on the internet find you next travel destination, with every random city you will find.

Info about the city

This could be size of the city, best known things, geography etc.

Top tourist attraction

This is the one thing that you just can't miss when visiting your random city

Must taste food

One special food or drink that is a must taste for the city you are visiting

This weeks featured random cities

The Chinese capital also called Peking is home to amazing history and delicious food. The forbidden city is a must see for all tourists. Get inspired for your next travel or learn something new about the city.

The capital of Norway may be one the most expensive places to live but the beautiful city is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Europe due to its combination of stunning nature, modern architecture and great food.

Where should i go on vacation in 2024?

Where to travel in january.

Straight into the new year and you are already starting to wonder where to go on holiday. Maybe your new years resolution is to travel more and you want to get started instantly? Click the button below to view our featured January travel destination.

Where to travel in February?

The last month of the season and you want to finish it with an amazing experince. What better than exploring a new city. Don't you know where to go on holiday we are here to help! Click the button below to view our featured February travel destination.

Where to travel in March?

March is one of the best places of the year to go on holiday because of less tourists and great weather. Asking yourself where to go on holiday in March we might just have the answer. Click the button below to view our featured March travel destination.

Random City Generator FAQ:

How does the random city generator work.

Random City Generator is simple. By clicking the button on top of this page a new random city is generated. On the page you will see the best tourist attraction, best food and the beautiful travel destinations.

Which places and where to go?

Hopefully you will get the answer to that question when you use the Random City Generator. After exploring random travel destinations we hope you have found your new favorite places and where to go.

Can i write about my city and my vacation?

Is it possible to sponsor a featured location or attraction, explore the best travel accesories, privacy overview.

• Introduction
• Heating & Air Conditioning
• Sleeping & Safety
• Showers & Toilets
• Working & Money
• Pets & Kids
• What Van to Get
• Packing List Essentials
• Ceiling & Walls
• Electrical & Solar Panels
• TIPS & HOW-TOS
• Random City Generator
• Random State Generator
• Random Country Generator
• Random Vacation Generator
• Random Location Generator
• Random Dinner Generator
• Random Breakfast Generator
• Random Job Generator
• Car Name Generator

Random Vacation Generator Random Vacation Generator Random Vacation Generator body { align-items: center; justify-content: center; height: 100vh; margin: 0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; } @media only screen and (min-width: 760px) { .name-container { text-align: center; margin: 20px 150px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 10px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 45px; border-radius: 10px; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 759px) { .name-container { text-align: center; margin: 10px 5px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 10px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 45px; border-radius: 7px; } } .button { background-color: #f58c14; border: none; border-radius: 5px; color: white; padding: 20px 20px; margin-top: 20px; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; } .button:hover { background-color: #f58c14; } .mini-head { font-weight: bold; color: #f58c14; font-size: 18px; } .name-h1 { font-weight: bold; } RANDOM VACATION PICKER Random Vacation Generator

Not sure where to vacation? We will pick your next travel destination with our random vacation generator.

There’s a good chance you either don’t know where to go on vacation, or you just like to live on the wild side and leave things up to chance. If this sounds like you, you’re in the right place. Roll the dice and use our random vacation generator by clicking the “generate vacation” button to see where your next trip will be. We’ve searched to find 100 of the best vacation destinations to include in our database. Our random vacation picker will tell you exactly where you’ll be spending your precious PTO this year. The first result that you get, you have to go there. No cheating! Enjoy your trip!

Random Place Generator

Embark on a virtual journey like never before with our Random Place Generator. This remarkable tool allows you to discover new and intriguing locations from around the globe with a simple click. Whether you're an adventurous traveler seeking inspiration, a writer in need of unique settings, or just curious about the world's hidden gems, our tool is your passport to exciting, random places.

How to Use the Random Place Generator Tool

Unlock the world's wonders and explore exciting destinations from the comfort of your screen using our user-friendly Random Place Generator. Whether you're planning a trip, seeking writing inspiration, or just curious about the world, here's how to make the most of this tool:

Step 1: Generate a Random Place

1.1. On this page, you'll find a "Generate 4 Random Places" button. Click it to start your virtual adventure and instantly reveal a randomly selected place from around the world.

Step 2: Discover Your Random Place

2.1. Watch as the tool presents you with a unique place name and captivating images. Each click opens the door to 4 new and exciting locations, waiting to be explored.

Step 3: Explore the Place

3.1. Take your time to admire the images of the place. You can also use the “Google It” button to learn about its geography, culture, history, and unique features.

Step 4: Use the Place as Desired

4.1. Depending on your interests, you can use the randomly generated place in various ways:

• Travel Planning: If you're an avid traveler, consider adding the place to your bucket list or itinerary. Research more about it and start planning your next adventure.
• Writing Inspiration: Writers and storytellers can use the place as a setting for their narratives. Incorporate the location's unique characteristics into your stories to create a vivid backdrop.
• Educational Exploration: Educators can engage students by discussing the place's geography, culture, and history, turning the tool into a fun and educational resource.
• Discussion Starter: Share the randomly generated places with friends, family, or colleagues to spark conversations about travel dreams, cultural insights, or future travel plans.

Step 5: Generate More Places (Optional)

5.1. If you're hungry for more travel inspiration or seeking the perfect setting for your story, feel free to click the "Generate 4 Random Places" button again. The tool will whisk you away to a different destination with each click.

Whether you're an armchair traveler, a creative writer, an educator, or someone simply curious about the world, the Random Place Generator is your gateway to an array of captivating locations. Click the button and embark on your virtual journey today!

Diverse Applications

• The Random Place Generator Tool is a versatile resource with a wide range of applications for individuals and professionals from various backgrounds and interests. Here are some diverse ways you can use this tool:
• Travel Inspiration: For travelers and adventure-seekers, the tool provides a constant source of travel inspiration. Discover new and unexpected destinations to add to your travel bucket list.
• Writers and Storytellers: Writers can use the generated places as unique settings for their stories, novels, or screenplays. It's a valuable tool for adding depth and authenticity to narratives.
• Educational Resource: Educators can incorporate the tool into geography, cultural studies, or language arts classes. Use the generated places to teach students about different regions, cultures, and writing descriptive essays.
• Geography Enthusiasts: Geography enthusiasts and students can explore and learn about various places, enhancing their knowledge of world geography and cultural diversity.
• Creative Prompts: Artists, photographers, and content creators can use the generated places as creative prompts for their work, sparking new ideas and visual storytelling.
• Travel Planners: Travel planners and agents can use the tool to introduce clients to unique and off-the-beaten-path destinations, tailoring travel experiences to individual preferences.
• Virtual Tours: Virtual reality and 360-degree content creators can use the tool to find interesting locations for immersive experiences and tours.
• Cultural Exchange: Individuals interested in cultural exchange can use the generated places as starting points for learning about and connecting with people from different backgrounds.
• Social Gatherings: Event planners and hosts can use the tool to theme parties or gatherings around a specific place, creating immersive cultural experiences for guests.
• Decision Making: When faced with a choice for your next vacation or outing, let the tool make the decision for you, adding an element of surprise and adventure to your plans.
• Personal Enrichment: Use the tool for personal enrichment by expanding your knowledge of the world, discovering hidden gems, and embracing a spirit of exploration and discovery.

The Random Place Generator Tool is more than just a travel tool; it's a versatile resource that can enrich your creativity, education, and cultural understanding. Embrace its diversity and use it to explore the world in unique and exciting ways.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content

Destinations.ai

We make it easy to find the perfect travel destination

Find Your Destination

If you’re tired of dreaming about your next vacation and want to book something without having to research every destination in the world, then this is the perfect tool for you. We’ll do all the work for you.

Tired of searching for a new vacation getaway? Destinations.ai was created to make the process fun, easy and informative. We want to help you find the ideal travel destination by matching your preferences with our recommendations and helping you create an unforgettable adventure that’s perfect for your next trip.

Want to travel but don’t know where to go?

Are you looking for a fun new way to plan your next vacation? Do you want to travel but don’t know where to go? You came to the right place!

Destinations.ai is a travel generator for the United States that finds the best travel destination for you. The app will generate a destination list to choose from to start building the most ideal holiday destination for you, then give its description and estimated travel time from your current location. It also provides information about hotels, restaurants, and activities nearby. You can even use it with friends or family members if they too have access to their own devices!

How to Use the Vacation Generator

Enter your preferences and we’ll select a travel destination for you to travel to based on your response.

You can use our activity filters to find where to go on your next trip and what activities are available. Click the “activity” button and select one of the options from this dropdown list:

• Adventure : You’re looking for an activity that will test your limits physically or mentally.
• Family-Friendly : You’re traveling with kids and want a place where they can play safely in nature, but still have some fun!
• Foodie : You love eating local food, unique dishes, fine dining experiences – anything that’s out of the ordinary (but still tasty).
• Nature Lover : You enjoy hikes through forests or mountains; camping trips in national parks; exploring hidden waterfalls; canoeing down rivers.
• Party Animal : You’re looking forward to partying it up with people from all over the world! Whether you prefer loud music at clubs or quiet conversations at bars – we’ve got you covered!

Select an option below if this best describes what type of vacationer/traveler you are so we can show recommendations tailored specifically for YOU.

Use our activity filters to find the perfect place

There are plenty of filters to help you find the perfect travel destination. You can filter by activity, the city you want to visit, and even the type of weather you’d like.

You can also use our special feature: “Continue exploring this region” with ours. The more you explore, the more likely you’ll find a place that suits your tastes!

Use this random vacation generator to find somewhere new and interesting in the US.

Imagine you’re on a road trip, and your GPS goes haywire. You’re lost in the middle of nowhere. What do you do? Turn back around? No way! It’s time to get creative and find a cool place to stay, no matter what it takes (and even if you don’t have cell service).

This is where we come in: We’ve got a nifty little tool called our random vacation generator that can help you find all kinds of awesome places to go when you’re traveling around the US. Just enter your starting point, how long you want to stay at each stop, and whether or not there should be an option for kids or pets (just remember: dogs love going on vacation too!), then click “Generate” to see what we recommend for your trip! Now let’s get out there!

We’ll also suggest some fun stuff like nearby restaurants and attractions so that before long, everyone will be talking about how much fun their family had together on vacation.

If you’re looking for a fun, adventurous, friendly place to spend your next vacation, then look no further. The United States is filled with exciting and unique destinations that will make any trip unforgettable. Whether you want a relaxing getaway or an adventurous excursion, there are plenty of options available—and they’re all right here in this infographic!

Take a minute to enjoy some of the best parts of the country: its scenery, food culture (and beer!), history as well as its many attractions for kids and adults alike. There are so many things to see and do; so much life waiting out there beyond our borders!

What is travel roulette?

Travel roulette is a tool to help you find your next trip. It’s a random generator that will help you find a place to go based on your preferences. The best part? You can control how much randomness there is in your results!

If you want to be surprised by every single result, turn the roulette wheel all the way over to “Full Roulette”. On the other hand, if you want very specific results (i.e., somewhere tropical with zero chance of rain), move it all the way down towards “Specific.”

The results are generated by an AI system that uses machine learning algorithms to learn more about what kind of places people like and dislike based on their choices and then presents them with similar options made from that data set.

What is a vacation generator?

A vacation generator is a tool that helps you find a random place to go. It’s not a travel agent, it’s not a travel site, it’s just a way to discover new places to visit.

I’ve always loved road trips and vacations where we can explore new places, so I built this generator after learning about the concept from friends who have used it. This website is intended for people who want to learn about the world around them and are looking for some inspiration!

How does Destinations.ai work?

The generator is powered by artificial intelligence that selects a random destination for you to visit. The AI uses your preferences to filter the results and then uses a random number generator to select your perfect vacation spot.

But what if you want something more specific? You can always choose from one of our pre-selected destinations, or visit our online store to see all of our products.

Related Posts

• 10 Most Amazing Destinations in Northern Spain
• Can You Bring Cigarettes On A Plane? TSA Rules and Restrictions
• Can You Bring Food Into Disney World? What to Know Before Packing Snacks
• Naples vs Florence: Which Italian City Should You Visit?
• The Problems with LAX: Why It’s Considered Bad and How to Improve It
• Do Disposable Cameras Get Ruined in Airport Security? Tips for Travel Photography

Random Cities:

The most populated cities in the world at random. Great for daring vacation destinations. That is as long as you like big, over populated, stinky cities.

Random Generators

These random generators let you pick random vacation destinations, random trips, and much more.

Finding a page called “Random Generators” on a sustainable travel blog can feel a bit, well, random. However, I have a long history with random travel.

During my first Interrail trip way back in 2012, I chose my destinations by throwing darts on the map of Europe. I’ve let my blog followers choose my destination . I’ve gotten off the train in a random city in India . I even traveled to a random destination anywhere in the world. And those are just the random travels I’ve written about.

See also: How to Choose a Random Destination?

We travel to experience new things. Very few of us want to know everything about our journeys beforehand – we want to be surprised. Adding some randomness to your life and travels can refresh your mind in many ways.

About the Random Generators

To help others choose random destinations, I’ve created multiple random destination pickers and random trip generators on this website. Some of them let you choose random countries and cities in different parts of the world. Others offer random road trips, random vacations, and so on.

Besides the random travel generators, I’ve used the same formula for other randomizers. These include generators for random things to see and do. As I create new generators, I want to focus on transparency and quality. The generators are tailored to feature interesting and diverse results.

Below is a full list of my random generators. If you don’t like choices and lists, you can also use this Random Random Generator Generator to pick a randomizer!

Your random random generator is…

Pick a Randomizer

Random City Generators

Random country generators, other travel and trip generators, other randomizers, full list of randomizers.

In total, there are 46 random generators on this site. Here’s a list of all of them.

• Latin America and the Caribbean
• Latin America and The Caribbean

Language/Type

• Arabic Speaking
• English Speaking
• French Speaking
• Spanish Speaking
• Island Countries

Other Travel Generators

Places in USA

• US Counties
• Travel Facts
• UNESCO Sites

Random Things and Experiences

• Things to Do
• Things to Draw
• Vegan Recipes
• Writing Prompts

Entertainment

• Board Games
• Video Games

Traveling to Random Destinations

As a sustainable travel blogger, I suggest you reach your destination by traveling as sustainably as possible. You can get some ideas for that on my Flightless Travel page. If you wish to fly, please consider donating 10% of your ticket cost to a high-impact climate charity. Carbon offsetting isn’t very effective , so it’s better to support organisations suggested by Giving Green instead.

But of course, you are free to travel any way you like, and you can use these generators for any purposes you have. Instead of choosing a random vacation destination, you might need to pick a country for something else. The random destination generators are here to serve you with any goals that you have.

If you have an idea for another generator you’d like to see here, please share your suggestion in the comments below!

This subpage is a pet project of mine. The main focus of Arimo Travels is sustainable travel , but creating new generators is just too much fun.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Random travel destination wheel

Use the picker wheel below to generate random destinations for your next travel plans! Choose from 1000 vacation destinations worldwide!

• Wheel settings
• Copy & edit wheel

Similar wheels

If you like this wheel, maybe you also like some of our similar random suggestions!

• Random USA State generator
• Pick a random country in the world
• Choose random countries in Asia
• Random North America country generator
• Random South America country generator
• Pick random countries in Africa

How to use this random decision wheel?

Before spinning, you can change the appearance, sound, and other settings of the wheel to match your style.

Click the Spin button (or the center of the wheel) and the wheel will start turning before landing on a random segment.

Create your own

Do you want to create your own wheel based on this? Click the copy icon to copy the wheel. After that, you can add or edit slices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the spinner wheel truly random.

In practice: yes. In theory: no. That sounds confusing, but let us explain! In computer programs, nothing is truly random , but it is pseudo-random because a number generated by a program (algorithm) is by definition not random. That said, for 99% of use cases, pseudo-random numbers are considered random enough.

In short: yes the random spinning wheel is truly random and unbiased. Moreover, it can't be rigged! There is no way you can influence the chances of landing on a segment sooner. Changing the timing settings on the wheel will not influence the randomness in any way.

Is it possible to cheat

No! The wheel result is completely randomized. We do not run any pre-processing steps or other decision-making algorithms. The result the wheel lands on is chosen completely random and can not be rigged.

Explore Discover Live Dare to Travel

Adventures off the beaten path

Adventure awaits, discovery inspires, live each moment fully.  Join me as I explore random places and share your own.

Join My Mailing List

Copyright © 2020 Random Places - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by GoDaddy Website Builder

No products in the basket.

The best things to do and places to visit in Moscow, Russia

Updated On 14th October, 2021

While Moscow isn’t always at the top of everyone’s Europe bucket list , it’s certainly one of the best places to visit in Europe if you’re looking for a more alternative adventure! In this blog post I plan on sharing some of the free things to do in Moscow, as well as the best places to visit in Moscow, so that you can enjoy some of the best things to do in Russia! 

Moscow, the capital of Russia, sits in the European part of the country. It’s an incredibly beautiful city, which I personally found to be more beautiful than Saint Petersburg (which is often people’s preference). The capital is certainly a lot busier, and less laid back than Saint Petersburg , but it’s a much more colourful and vibrant city, full of stunning and unique architecture.

Visiting famous landmarks such as The Kremlin and St Basil’s Cathedral, enjoying some of the green space in Gorky Park, watching a ballet in the Bolshoi Theatre… these are just a few reasons that you should visit Moscow! On top of that, because of visa restrictions (we’ll get onto that later), it’s also one of the most unique destinations in Europe. 

There is a common misconception that Moscow is a dangerous city, but now that I’ve visited, I don’t believe this to be true. I would say the same rules apply here as to other large cities: avoid walking in dark areas alone at night, keep an eye on your belongings on public transport, and be streetwise. There’s no reason to avoid visiting this energetic city and miss out on these amazing things to do in Moscow! 

It would take months if you wanted to truly explore Moscow because it’s a huge city, but I’m going to share some of my favourite things to do in Moscow and places to visit in Moscow so that you can prepare for your upcoming adventure! Even if you’re only there for a few days, you should be able to fit in these highlights from my trip. 

Other blog posts you might be interested in...

• The best things to do in St Petersburg
• A 2-week Norway road trip
• A complete guide to Helsinki
• A complete guide to Tallinn
• Europe: the ultimate travel guide
• The best capital cities to visit in Europe
• The best things to do in Europe: the ultimate Europe bucket list

Where is Moscow?

If you’re wondering ‘Where is Moscow, Russia?’ then you’ve come to the right place! Moscow in in west Russia, the European part, and it’s the capital city. 

How do you get to Moscow?

Getting a visa for moscow:.

To get into Russia, you need to get a visa. The processing time is approximately 20 days, and you’ll need to have your fingerprints taken at a visa centre in London , Edinburgh or Manchester. You can find out more about getting a visa for Russia here.  

Getting to Moscow:

Once you’ve got your visa, the easiest way to get to Moscow from the UK is by flying. Direct flights between London and Moscow take just under four hours, and with an airport layover you’re looking at a 6-7 hour trip. You can also fly in from many other major European and international cities. 

Top tip: Check out flights to and from Copenhagen on  Skyscanner here.

Check out how to pack a weekend away in a carry-on suitcase here.

16 best places to visit in Moscow...

1. st basil’s cathedral.

The most iconic building in Russia and one of the most iconic buildings in the world. St Basil’s Cathedral is one of the best places to visit in Moscow, if not the best! 

St Basil’s is situated on Red Square, where you’ll also find many other popular places to visit in Moscow. In my opinion this still stands out against them all. There’s something about the multi coloured domes against the Moscow skyline that I found quite spectacular. 

Although I’d already been in Russia for several days, it wasn’t until I was at this amazing piece of architecture that I really felt I was in Russia.

The cathedral was built by order of Ivan the Terrible, and apparently after the architect completed it, Ivan blinded him so that he could never build anything more beautiful. Whether or not this story is true, it certainly adds a bittersweet feeling as you stand admiring the beauty of St Basil’s Cathedral.

Inside is a museum displaying many historic items once used at the cathedral, which costs 700 rubles to enter. In my opinion it’s worth the entry fee, as simply seeing the ornate interior walls is a spectacle in itself.

2. The Kremlin

This historic fortress that sits on Red Square is probably the largest landmark and one of the most popular places to visit in Moscow. It’s the official residence of the President, although he doesn’t actually live there. It’s been rebuilt many times since it was first constructed in 1147 out of wood, before Ivan III the Great ordered it to be made from stone, which is the Kremlin you’ll recognise today. 

This place is huge, and there’s quite a lot to see. The first problem I had was finding where the entrance was. Even though I had a pre-booked ticket, I was then told I still had to visit the ticket office to exchange it for another ticket. I also needed my passport, so make sure you have yours if you plan to visit the Kremlin. After a lengthy queue I finally had a ticket I could use to enter the Kremlin, and had to go through security. The security here is thorough, so make sure you don’t take too much in with you. I had my pockets full, and it was a nightmare emptying them and explaining each item, before I was finally allowed in. Once inside you can pay for extra tickets to visit the various museums, however there’s also quite a lot to see simply on the grounds if you don’t want to spend too much. 

See more tips for travelling on a budget here. 

There’s so much to see here, including The Assumption Cathedral, Ivan the Great Bell Tower Complex, the Grand Kremlin Palace, the Armoury Chamber and Diamond Fund. There is also the Tsar Cannon (a huge artillery cannon), and the Tsar Bell. The Tsar Bell is the largest bell in the world. An incident with a fire and water being poured over the bell caused it to crack and for a slab to break off from it, which can now be seen propped up next to it.

As you walk around the grounds you’ll hear the sound of whistles. The guards patrolling the area will blow a whistle at anyone walking where they shouldn’t. Even if it’s just on the grass, or towards more restricted areas. This can sometimes be funny to watch, as often the tourists will be in a world of their own whilst a guard is blowing a whistle at them. Sometimes a guard will be stood face to face with a tourist angrily blowing their whistle before the tourist realises they need to get back onto the main path.

This is perhaps one of the more unusual places to visit in Moscow! Gum is a huge department store situated on Red Square. It’s an interesting department store to walk around, with several levels, although the shops inside are certainly quite pricey. It’s a beautiful building when it’s lit up at night, and it seems to fit in nicely amongst the other famous sights on Red Square. Even if you don’t plan to buy anything here, one of the best things to do in Moscow is to take a quick look inside, although bear in mind there are usually security checks before entering.

4. State Historical Museum

The large crimson building on Red Square is now the State Historical Museum. It was originally the first pharmacy in Russia, and later a University before finally becoming the museum it is today.

Unfortunately I didn’t go inside as my time was limited and there was so much else I wanted to see, but if you have the time I think it would be one of the best things to do in Moscow. There are items dating back to the 6th century, and maybe even further. There’s also a library inside storing many ancient manuscripts and the largest coin collection in Russia. 

5. Bolshoi Theatre

Bolshoi means big in Russian, so it roughly translates to large theatre. The Bolshoi Theatre is one of the foremost ballet companies in the world. The exterior of the building is an impressive sight, one of the most beautiful places to visit in Moscow, and it’s certainly worth admiring from the outside. There are guided tours of the interior, but if you really want to experience the theatre, one of the best things to do in Moscow is to watch a ballet here.

I was torn between booking a seat, but the ballets were very expensive. I’d have liked to have seen “Swan Lake”, (as at least I may have recognised some of the music). Unfortunately there were no performances on the days I was in Moscow, so I decided to pass. But if I return to Russia, then watching a ballet will be on my list of things to do.

6. Sparrow Hills

If you want a good view of the city, then Sparrow Hills is one of the best places to visit in Moscow. It’s a bit of a trek outside of the centre, but if you have the time then it offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of the busy city. There’s a viewing platform here which gives you fantastic panoramic views of Moscow.

Nearby you’ll see the magnificent Moscow State University building, which is one of the seven sisters of Moscow.

7. Seven Sisters

Whilst in Moscow, you’ll no doubt notice these magnificent soviet skyscrapers dotted around the city. At the time of construction they were the tallest buildings in Europe, Moscow State University being so until 1997. There are, as the name suggests, seven in total, which are: Hotel Ukraina, Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Apartments, the Kudrinskaya Square Building, the Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya Hotel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Moscow State University, and the Red Gates Administrative Building.

If you visit Sparrow Hills, then you’ll come across Moscow State University, but I’m certain as you explore the city, you’ll see more of these giants against the Moscow skyline. One of the best things to do in Moscow is to see if you can locate all seven as you wander round the city! 

8. Nikolskaya Street

The start of this street is found by Red Square. It’s one of the most prominent pedestrianised streets in Moscow, filled with shops, restaurants and bars, so one of the best places to visit in Moscow if you’re looking for a bite to eat or some souvenirs!

What makes this street extra special are the thousands of bright lights in the sky above. After dark it looks simply magical with the many colourful lights overhead as you walk beneath them. One of the best things to do in Moscow is to visit Nikolskaya Street after dark and see them for yourself. It almost feels like Christmas in London!

There is another street nearby which also features similar lights, “Kuznetskiy Most”, which is also quite beautiful, but I thought “Nikolskaya Street” was ever slightly more impressive.

9. Izmailovo Kremlin and Izmaylovskiy Bazar

Did you know that The Kremlin in Red Square is not the only Kremlin in Moscow? Kremlin actually means a type of fortress, so there are many in Russia.

The Izmailovo Kremlin is a fairly new addition to the city, having been built in 2007 as a cultural centre. With its multitude of colours and historic style, it has a real fairytale feel to it. There are several small museums here for you to explore, devoted to subjects such as Russian folk art, vodka and bread (yes, bread). Visiting these is definitely one of the more unique things to do in Moscow! 

It’s a little way out of the centre, but it’s an interesting place to visit in Moscow to see something a little bit different, and it won’t be as overcrowded with tourists. 

Next to the Izmailovo Kremlin is the best market in Moscow for souvenirs. You’ll find good and poor quality items, but you’ll certainly pick up a bargain if you take your time and haggle for a good price. Many of the items here you’ll get for half the price you would in souvenir shops in the city centre. It’s here that I picked up several Matryoshka dolls for a very good price. I think I’d have paid more than double, or possibly even triple if I’d have bought them elsewhere.

10. Izmailovsky Park

Not too far from Izmailovo Kremlin you’ll find this huge park, one of the prettiest places to visit in Moscow. It’s easy to get lost here, so try to make sure you keep track of where you entered if you plan to go back the same way. There’s a lot to see in this park, a round pond, ferris wheel, playgrounds and sports grounds, shooting galleries, cinemas and a skate park.

There are often festivals, concerts and exhibitions at the park, on top of firework displays and dance parties.

The main reason I chose to visit the park was to find the painted trees. A local artist “Yevgenia Khlynina” has been painting on trees in this park, and one of the best things to do in Moscow is to explore the park looking for them. One of the most famous pieces of hers is the “Hedgehog in the Fog” from a famous soviet cartoon.

11. Gorky Park

The most famous park in Moscow is named after the writer “Maxim Gorky”. Although it’s likely you’ve heard it mentioned in the song “Wind of Change” by “The Scorpions”. 

There’s lots to do and see in the park with sports facilities and exhibitions. During the summer months this is one of the best places to visit if you’re looking for things to do in Moscow; there are often open air concerts and an open air cinema. There are many statues and sculptures in the park, including a small sculpture park area which features many interesting pieces.

One piece of advice: don’t visit Gorky Park or any other parks on 2nd August if you’re in Russia. 2nd August is Paratrooper day, which usually encourages a lot of drinking in the park, which is not always very welcoming.

12. Arbat Street

One of the oldest and busiest streets in Moscow, and the most famous pedestrian street in the city. Arbat is one of the most popular places to visit in Moscow. There are several shops including many dedicated to souvenirs, but although these will have a good range of goods, they will be quite expensive . You may see street performers and buskers, and there are often poets reciting famous works, if not their own works.

It’s within walking distance from the Kremlin, which should only take around 10 minutes.

There are actually two streets with this name, Old Arbat Street and New Arbat Street. Old Arbat Street is where you’ll find the pedestrianised area. New Arbat Street is a separate street which runs alongside a main road, filled with many bars and restaurants.

13. Metro station art

The best way to get around Moscow is by using the metro, and the metro is a tourist attraction in itself.

Although I obviously didn’t visit every metro station, I believe that every single station is unique in its own beautiful way. Many of the stations I passed through were impressive, quirky or simply jaw dropping. You’ll more than likely pass through many of them on the way to other sights, but I’d recommend the following:  Komsomolskaya, Novoslobodskaya, Mayakovskaya, Teatralnaya, Arbatskaya, Prospekt Mira and Ploschad Revolutsii (be sure to pet the dog statue for good luck).

There are of course many others for you to explore, but these are the ones I considered to be some of the most impressive places to visit in Moscow (even if they’re only metro stations!).

VDNKh is an exhibition centre with many monuments and museums. Now that it’s combined with the Botanical Garden and Ostankino Park, one of the best things to do in Moscow is to spend the day at this recreational centre enjoying a mix of nature and culture. The most popular museum in the complex which you shouldn’t miss on your trip to Moscow is the Museum of Cosmonautics.

15. Lenin's Mausoleum

Despite requesting to be buried with his mum in St Petersburg, it is at the foot of the Kremlin on Red Sqaure that you will find Lenin’s Mausoleum, where Vladimir Ilych Lenin has been frozen in time since 1924. It’s only open for a few hours a few times per week. Photography is not allowed, and you should line up on the western corner of the square (near Alexander Garden) to wait you turn to see the embalmed body. 

16. Novodevichy Convent

Novodevichy Convent, on the UNESCO World Heritage List, is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Moscow. Located south west of the centre you’ll find this stunning monastery. Inside you’ll find a cathedral and several churches, surrounded by high walls and 12 towers.

Where are your favourite places to visit in Moscow?

What about the best things to do in Moscow? Anything you’d add?

Love as always and happy adventuring…

I’m Spike! Solo traveller, cultural explorer and world adventurer! With 57 countries under my belt, I live and breathe travel. I never plan to stop exploring new destinations and experiencing new cultures.

Did you find this post helpful? I’d love you to share it for me.

Pin and save this blog post for later…

IT’S LOVELY TO MEET YOU

I’M MOLLIE AND I STARTED THIS BLOG BACK IN 2013 WHEN I HEADED OUT ON MY FIRST BACKPACKING ADVENTURE. 

I’D LOVE TO SHARE THE JOURNEY WITH YOU, WE’VE GROWN A LOT SINCE THEN!

Shop the google map legends

Search by adventure type, active travel, backpacking, budget travel, love and relationships, once in a lifetime, packing tips, solo travel, weekend getaways, where's mollie newsletter, travel shop, search by destination, other posts that you may like....

Things I learned after I graduated from uni

Outdoor travel gift ideas: the ultimate gift guide

What do ‘bloggers’ actually do? (Travel focused)

A 7-day itinerary for Madeira, Portugal

An Epic North San Francisco Bike Route, California

A guide to exploring Ubud, Bali

Should you do a SkyDive? Lake Tahoe, California

A day trip itinerary for Bruges & Ghent, Belgium

The best things to do in Berlin, Germany

Privacy overview.

• Privacy Policy
• Work with us

• Who are we?
• Personal Blog
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Western Australia
• Philippines
• The Netherlands
• Accommodation
• Budget Travel
• Couples Travel
• Ethical Travel
• Solo Travel
• Travel Books
• Travel Gift Guides
• Travel Gadgets and Packing Tips

27 Popular and unique places to visit in Moscow

This post is also available in: Dutch

Moscow was the starting point of our trip to Russia and wow – what a great start! There are so many amazing places to visit in Moscow, with world famous highlights such as the Kremlin and the Saint Basil cathedral. Besides the touristic spots in Moscow, there are also plenty of unique places to visit. Russia’s capital is undoubtedly a very cool city, with many unique things to do. 

In this article you can find popular sights to visit, but also more unique places to visit in Moscow. From Instagrammable bars, cafés and restaurants to photogenic supermarkets, huge flea markets, interesting malls and beautiful metro stations. And from the most beautiful cathedrals to the famous Moscow kremlin. You’ll definitely have a blast if you visit these 27 amazing spots in Moscow!

27 Places to visit in Moscow

1. café pushkin.

Café Pushkin is probably a dream come true for book lovers from all around the world. In this incredible restaurant you basically eat in a library. The restaurant is located in am impressive Baroque mansion with three levels. You can choose to eat in the Library Hall and the Mezzanine, the Fireplace Hall or the Pharmacy Hall – the library is up the stairs – and I definitely recommend the library. It’s just more of an experience! Here bookcases rise to the beautiful high ceilings.

Café Pushkin opened its doors in 1999 and is based on the famous French song about Moscow by Gilbert Bécaud called “Natalie”. The location of the Café is also very significant, as you can find Pushkin Café on the Tverskoy Boulevard, where Alexander Pushkin could be found on a regular basis.

We went to Café Pushkin for lunch, as we thought dinner might be a bit above our budget. Café Pushkin is also more expensive than most restaurants in Moscow, but if you can afford it, it’s definitely worth a visit. The restaurant is very fancy and the dresscode is smart elegant. We had a great time here and it was such a unique experience to have lunch here between all the old books!

2. White Rabbit

White Rabbit in Moscow is considered to be one of the best restaurant in the world . At this famous restaurant you can enjoy a world-class European menu with Russian influences. Next to the food, the view is the biggest reason that many people visit White Rabbit. The restaurant is completely located under a glass dome on the 16th floor of Smolenskiy Passage. Go here during the sunset and your mind will be blown by the beautiful view.

The name White Rabbit (based on the famous Alice in Wonderland) is very fitting, as it was quite a hassle to actually find the restaurant. We went into Smolenskiy Passage and asked a lady at the information desk where we can find it. She brought us to a “secret” elevator that brought us to the 16th floor. So if you can’t find it on your own, ask someone!

3. Strelka Bar

We wanted to visit the beautiful Cathedral Of Christ The Saviour, and found Bar Strelka, an amazing hotspot in Moscow. Bar Strelka has a terrace that offers a great view over the Moskva river and the Cathedral. We went here quite spontaneously during sunset and there wasn’t a table left for dinner, but luckily it was possible to have a drink here. Actually, when you go for a drink, you can get one of the best seats available, as you can just take a seat on one of the barstools at the far end of the terrace (see the picture above!).

We ordered white wine (sauvignon blanc) for about 6 euros per glass. Bar Strelka also offers all day breakfast, lunch, dinner and tapas. It’s the perfect spot to watch the sunset in Moscow!

4. Varenichnaya №1

One day my boyfriend and I were walking back from the Kremlin, hungry and a bit tired after all the sightseeing, and we just wanted to sit down and order food and drinks. Varenichnaya №1 was the first place we stumbled into, and even though it didn’t look like much from the outside, I was pleasantly surprised once we took place at our table. And I was even happier when the food came, because it was delicious. Especially the Russian dumplings!

I soon learned that Varenichnaya №1 is actually a chain restaurant with 15 locations around Moscow. After our initial visit we also went to another location. Each location has a different interior, but all in the theme of a typical Soviet flat. The restaurants are decorated with colours and cool items from the Soviet era, such as old televisions, camera’s, pictures and books. Even the waiters and waitresses wear old school uniforms from that era. 

On their very extensive menu you can find authentic Soviet cuisine such as pelmeni and vareniki dumplings, which I can highly recommend. It might be a chain restaurant, but it’s a great and accessible place to try Soviet dishes. 

5. Eliseevsky Store

If you need to get some groceries in Moscow, be sure to pick the right supermarket with the best produce. Eliseevsky Store isn’t an ordinary supermarket, no. It looks and feels more as if you’re standing in a grand palace, with beautiful neo-baroque details, big chandeliers and even painted portraits.

Eliseevsky Store is located in a historic mansion, right in the historic center of Moscow on Tverskaya street. Even though it may feel as if you’re in a grand palace, it really is a supermarket where locals do their daily shopping.

Another impressive place to go shopping is the famous GUM department store. This mall can be found in many Russian cities and is known as the State Department Store. The most famous GUM department store is pictured above and can be found in Moscow near the Red Square in the Kitai Gorod area.

The impressive building with three parallel arcades was built at the end of the 19th century by architect Alexander Nikanorovich Pomerantsev. After a renovation in 1953, GUM in Moscow became the biggest and fanciest department store in the Soviet Union.

At GUM you can find many expensive luxury stores with famous brands. I wasn’t able to afford anything here, but it’s definitely still worth a visit. Just walk around and admire the impressive architecture. Also, be sure to visit Gastronom No. 1. Here you can buy all sorts of Russian delicacies of high quality.

7. Izmailovsky Kremlin

Izmailovsky market is a fantastic large, outdoor shopping market to get Russian souvenirs, paintings, old camera’s, propaganda posters from the Soviet Union, second hand clothing and more. It’s located a bit out of the city center of Moscow, but definitely worth a visit. I would even say that it’s one of the top spots to visit in Moscow.

You can find a flea market and the Izmailovsky Vernisazh at the Izmailovsky Kremlin. The latter offers lots of souvenirs and all sorts of (handmade) items from all over Russia. At the flea market you can buy all sorts of antiques, camera’s, old books, furniture and more.

It was definitely one of the most interesting flea markets I’ve ever been, mostly because its located inside the Izmailovsky Kremlin (kremlin is the Russian word for fort) . With the Izmailovsky Kremlin they wanted to imitate the Russian architecture of the 18th century. While you walk around the stalls and browse through the Russian handcrafts, your attention will also be drawn to all the beautiful architecture and details of the kremlin.

Next to shopping, you can buy some popular Caucasian food at one of the stalls. Perfect if you’re hungry after all the souvenir shopping!

TIP: The best time to visit the Izmailovsky market is during the weekends, as there are a lot more stalls. Also, if you’re planning on buying a matroesjka doll, make sure to check how many dolls it contains. Some matroesjka dolls only have three inside them, which isn’t really what you want of course.

8. Cathedral Of Christ The Saviour

Cathedral Of Christ The Saviour is a popular sight in Moscow. It’s a beautiful piece of Russian Byzantine architecture, with golden domes, statues and intricate details. This Russian Orthodox church is the seat of the Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow, making it the most important cathedral in Moscow.

You can find the cathedral (the official name is Cathedral Temple of the Christ the Saviour (the Redeemer) of the Patriarch of Moscow) in the center of Moscow next to the Moskva River. The cathedral is easily located close to the Kremlin and the Peter the Great Statue.

9. Peter the Great Statue

This photo of Peter the Great Statue was taken from the bridge that takes you to the Cathedral Of Christ The Saviour.

The Peter the Great Statue is a 98 meter high monument of Peter the Great located next to the Moskva River. Peter the Great was a Russian czar in the late 17th century and one of the tallest rulers in Russian history.

The statue has actually gotten quite a bit of controversy when it was built, as it’s considered to be one of the ugliest statues in the world. It has even been named the Moscow Monster and it’s hated by most Muscovites.

I must confess that it isn’t one of the most beautiful statues I’ve seen, but a quick glance from the bridge opposite the statue doesn’t hurt. The fact that many find it so ugly made it even more interesting to me.

10. Saint Basil’s Cathedral

The world famous Saint Basil’s Cathedral is a true landmark of Russia and can be found on the Red Square in Moscow. It was originally built between 1555 and 1561 to celebrate conquering the city of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible.

The design of the Saint Basil’s Cathedral is based on Russian old wooden churches. The colourful cathedral is certainly an eye-catcher and one of the most touristic spots we’ve encountered in Moscow.

11. Kremlin and the Red Square

At the center of Moscow you can find the famous Kremlin and the Red Square. The Red Square can be visited day and night. During our visit a part of the Red Square was closed to the public for a few days, as there was a military event. I’ve read that there are often all sorts of events held at the Red Square so be sure to check beforehand.

The most popular sight in Moscow is definitely the Kremlin. Inside the walls you can find a beautiful collection of churches, palaces and more. Every tourist in Moscow has the Kremlin high on its list, that’s why it’s a great idea to buy a ticket beforehand, so you can skip the line .

If you’re planning on buying your tickets on the spot, be in for a bit of a hassle. The tickets can be bough at the official ticket office at the Alexandrovsky Sad (Alexander Garden) right of the entrance. Here you can buy not just one, but all sorts of tickets, so be sure to know what you want to visit before you buy your ticket.

The four next spots can all be found in the Kremlin of Moscow.

12. Cathedral of the Annunciation

This beautiful Russian Orthodox church can be found in the Kremlin of Moscow. It’s dedicated to the Annunciation of the Theotokos. It once used to be the personal chapel for the Muscovite tsars, nowadays it serves as a part of the Moscow Kremlin Museums.

13. Cathedral of the Dormition

Another beautiful piece of architecture that can be found in the Kremlin of Moscow. The Cathedral of the Dormition is also known as the Assumption Cathedral or Cathedral of the Assumption. This Russian Orthodox church is dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos.

14. Ivan the Great Bell Tower

The Ivan the Great Bell Tower is a church tower inside of the Kremlin in Moscow. As the three Russian Orthodox cathedrals don’t have their own bells, it was built for in 1508 with the purpose to be their belfries. The tower is actually the tallest building inside the Moscow Kremlin.

15. Tsar Bell

The famous Tsar Bell is the biggest bell in the world. It has never been used. Back in 1737, while the bell was still in the workshop, a large fire raged in the Kremlin. Firefighters, who meant well, put the bell under water, which is how a big chunk of the bell broke off.

16. Kitaj Gorod

On the east of the Kremlin you can find Kitaj Gorod neighbourhood. If you take a stroll around this neighbourhood, you will find lots of churches, shops and government buildings. Kitaj Gorod is actually one of the oldest areas of Moscow. Because of all the narrow little streets, it feels a bit different than the rest of the big city.

17. VDNCH Park

VDNCh park is a huge permanent exhibition and amusement park in the North of Moscow. If you translate the abbreviation the name means: Exhibition of Achievements of Nationa Economy. Here you can find all sorts of buildings, fountains, botanical gardens, restaurants, museums and more.

TIP: Be sure to take your time (start early!) and plan your visit wisely. Especially if you’re planning on doing some activities or eating at one of the restaurants. During our visit to VDNCh park, we tried to get a table at two different restaurants for lunch and we eventually had to wait about one hour before we actually had our food.

18. Museum of Cosmonautics

If you’re looking for a fun and interesting museum, then be sure to go to the Museum of Cosmonautics. The museum is located close to the VDNCh park, so you can make a whole day out of it! Once you get out of the VDNKh subway station, you can easily spot this 107 meter high structure with a rocket on top of it.

Underneath this impressive structure you can find the Museum of Cosmonautics. Here you can get a glimpse of the glorious years of the Soviet Union space program. There are lots of space objects to admire, such as space suits, old satellites and more. I though it was really interesting and worthwhile.

19. Gorky Park

The famous Gorky Park, or its full name: Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure, is a big central park in Moscow. This eco-friendly park has had a complete transformation since the Communist times in the Soviet Union, and there are no longer funfairs or stalls with junkfood.

Now when you visit Gorky Park you can enjoy the beautiful rose gardens, trees, fountains, cafés and lots of areas where you can really chill out. There’s even a beach with a beach bar, skate park, beach volley bar field, ice rink and you can play table tennis.

But it’s simply also the perfect area for a stroll in nature. Because Gorky Park is so big, you can really take a breath here and distance yourself from the busy city of Moscow.

20. Children Are the Victims of Adult Vices on Bolotny Island

On Bolotny Island you can find a special group of bronze statues with a special message. These sculptures are made by Russian artist Mihail Chemiakin. The 13 statues portray the defects of adults, such as prostitution, drug addiction, alcoholism, indifference, sadism, war, theft and more. In the middle of these statues stand two children, a girl and a boy, who are unaware of all that is surrounding them. The centrepiece is the sculpture that depicts indifference. It’s an interesting work of art that definitely makes you think.

21. Bolshoi Theatre

If you want to experience more of the Russian culture, why not visit the Bolshoi Theatre ? Here you can enjoy ballet and opera performances in one of the most historic buildings of Moscow. Watching a ballet or opera here is definitely a bucket list activity, as the Bolshoi ballet and Opera are amongst the most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world.

This historic building was opened on Tsar Alexander II’s coronation day, which as on 20 October 1856. Throughout time the building was rebuilt and renovated several time. Also, did you know that this landmark is printed on the Russian ruble banknote?

22. Komsomolskaya Station

One of the things that I found so interesting about Moscow were the gorgeous metro stations. Instead of just being plain and functional, lots of the metro stations have beautiful chandeliers, Soviet mosaic decorations, classical paintings, large statues and beautiful details. The last few places to visit in Moscow in this list are all beautiful metro stations. Buy a metro card and start exploring!

Komsomolskaya Station is pictured above and is definitely one of the most famous metro stations in Moscow. The yellow ceiling and impressive chandeliers bright up the station hall. Lots of gold and beautiful details adorn the walls, pillars and ceilings.

23. Novoslobodskaya Station

Another impressive metro station in Moscow is Novoslobodskaya Station. The pillars of the station are decorated with illuminated colourful stained glass. In total you can find 32 of these pillars with impressive glass decorations and at the end of the station you can admire a mosaic with the name Peace Throughout the World.

24. Kiyevskaya Station

At the Kiyevskaya station you can find beautiful paintings on the ceilings. The chandeliers illuminate the station hall beautifully. The most impressive part of the station is the huge mural at the end of the central hall.

25. Ploschad Revolutsii Station

Ploschad Revolutsii Station is one of the most famous metro stations in Moscow. It’s named after the Revolution square, which is right above the station. In this hall you can find 76 bronze sculptures, depicting the people of the Soviet Union, such as soldiers, writers, athletes, industrial workers and schoolchildren.

One thing you’ll notice here is that people rub the nose of the dog statue, which is why the bronze colour has faded. The same is the case for the rooster sculptures in the Ploschad Revolutsii Station. The belief is that patting the dogs nose and the rooster brings you good fortune, so it’s worth a try. Right?

26. Prospekt Mira Station

The impressive chandeliers and gorgeous off white ceiling is what makes Prospekt Mira so beautiful. The marble pillars are beautifully decorated. Because the station is located near the Botanical Garden the decoration is depicting harvest and agriculture in the Soviet Union.

27. Belorusskaya Station

And the last metro station in this list is the Belorusskaya Station, filled with gorgeous mosaics and incredible details. The main theme in this station is Life and Culture of Belorussia, the biggest ally of Russia. In this station you can also find an impressive statue that depicts Belorussian guerrillas.

Enjoy Moscow! Hopefully these 27 popular and unique places to visit in Moscow will make your stay even more memorable. 

Amazing captures! Loved it. Thanks for sharing.

WOW! These pictures are stunning!

Thank you for your blog post I found it really useful, and I have been in Moscow. I really love the architecture of the train station there

Russia would be such a fascinating place to visit. Your recommendations all look really interesting.

I can’t get over how beautiful Moscow looks. I’ve always been fascinated by the architecture in Russia. Your photos are stunning, especially the sunset ones! It looks like there are endless things to do and visit there, thanks for all the info!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Follow our adventures!

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

TravelAwaits

Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list.

19 Unique And Fabulous Experiences In Moscow

• Destinations

Thinking of visiting Russia? When visiting such a famous city, one must, of course, visit the iconic landmarks first. Moscow has plenty of those, most of them in the center of the city, which is very well-planned for tourists. Once you’ve seen the sights that are on most travelers’ lists, it’s time to branch out and visit some of the lesser-known sites, and there are some fascinating places to see and things to do.

I know this list is long, but I just couldn’t help myself. You probably won’t have the time to see them all. But that’s okay. Just scroll through the list and choose what sounds the most interesting to you. Where possible, make sure to book in advance, as things can get crowded, especially during high season.

1. The Red Square, Kremlin, And Surroundings

Red Square (Krasnya Ploshad) is the heart and soul of Russia, and where much of the country’s history has unfolded. This is the most famous landmark in Moscow and indeed the whole country, it’s an absolute must-do! The square is always full of people and has a rather festive atmosphere!

Saint Basil’s Cathedral

This is the famous church with the rainbow-colored, onion-domed roof. The cathedral was commissioned in the 1500s by Ivan the Terrible and according to legend, the Tsar thought it was so beautiful, that he ordered that the architect’s eyes be cut out afterward, so he could never build anything more beautiful! He wasn’t called Ivan the Terrible for no reason!

Lenin’s Mausoleum

The “love-it-or-hate-it” of tourist attractions in Russia. A glass sarcophagus containing the embalmed body of Russian revolutionary, Vladimir Lenin. It may seem a bit bizarre to display the mummy of a person, but it has been there for almost half a century and the 2.5 million visitors who come each year, clearly feel the queuing and thorough body search are worth it, to be in Lenin’s presence.

Pro Tip: no photos and no loud talking are allowed inside the Mausoleum.

Eternal Flame

There is an Eternal Flame in honor of an unknown soldier on the left side of Red Square. The hourly changing of the guards is worth seeing.

The Kremlin is the official residence of the Russian president. You can see it from the outside, or you can take an excursion to one of the museums located inside. This is the biggest active fortress in Europe, and holds a week’s worth of attractions! Once behind the 7,332-feet of walls, there are five squares, four cathedrals, 20 towers, various museums, and the world’s largest bell and cannon to see. Worth a special mention is the Armory Chamber that houses a collection of the famous Faberge Eggs.

Pro Tip: You can only go inside the Kremlin if you are part of a tourist group.

2. Bolshoi Theatre

Bolshoi Theatre translates to “The Big Theatre” in Russian, and the building is home to both the Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera — among the oldest and most famous ballet and opera companies in the world.

Pro Tip: It’s hard to get an inexpensive ticket, so if you’re reading well in advance of going to Moscow then try buying tickets on the official website . Last-minute tickets cost around $250 per person. If this is out of your budget, about an hour before a performance, you can try buying a ticket at the entrance from a reseller. Most can speak enough English to negotiate the price.

Tour the Bolshoi Theatre: You can take a group guided tour of the Bolshoi Theatre which focuses on the history and architecture of the theatre and behind the scenes. There’s an English language tour that lasts 2 hours and costs around $300 for a group of up to six.

3. Luxury Shopping At GUM And TSUM

Russia’s main department store, GUM, has a stunning interior that is home to over 100 high-end boutiques, selling a variety of brands: from luxurious Dior to the more affordable Zara. Even if shopping is not on your Moscow to-do list GUM is still worth a visit; the glass-roofed arcade faces Red Square and offers a variety of classy eateries. TSUM, one of the biggest luxury malls in town, is right behind the Bolshoi and GUM. It’s an imposing building with lots of history, and worth a visit just for its design and its glass roof.

4. Christ The Savior Cathedral

This is one of Russia’s most visited cathedrals and is a newer addition to the gorgeous array of Muscovite cathedrals, but don’t let its young age fool you. After perestroika, in the early 90s, the revived Russian Orthodox Church was given permission to build a cathedral on this site. It did the location honors and built the largest temple of the Christian Orthodox Church. The façade is as grand as you’d expect, but it’s the inside that will mesmerize you, with its domes, gold, gorgeous paintings, and decor!

The cathedral is located just a few hundred feet away from the Kremlin and was the site of the infamous Pussy Riot protest against Putin back in 2012.

Pro Tip: Bring a shawl to cover your hair as is the local custom.

5. Gorky Park

Moscow’s premier green space, Gorky Park (Park Gor’kogo) is the city’s biggest and most famous park. There is entertainment on offer here for every taste, from outdoor dancing sessions to yoga classes, volleyball, ping-pong, rollerblading, and bike and boat rental in summer. In winter, half the park turns into a huge ice skating rink. Gorky Park is also home to an open-air movie theater and the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art. There is also Muzeon Art Park, a dynamic contemporary space with a unique collection of 700 sculptures. It is located right in front of Gorky Park.

6. Sparrow Hills Park

If you take a walk from Gorky Park, along the Moscow River embankment, you’ll end up in the city’s other legendary park, Sparrow Hills. Although the park doesn’t offer as many activities as its hip neighbor, it has a great panoramic view of the city

Pro Tip: You can take a free walking tour to all of the above attractions with an English-speaking guide.

7. River Cruising

One of the best ways to experience Moscow, and see all the famous landmarks, but from a different angle, is from the Moscow River. Take a river cruise. Avoid the tourist crowds. There are little nameless old boats that do the cruise, but if you are looking for a more luxurious experience take the Radisson Blu cruise and enjoy the sights with some good food and a glass of wine.

8. Metro Hopping

Inaugurated in the 1930s, the Moscow Metro system is one of the oldest and most beautiful in the world. Started in Stalinist times, each station is a work of art in its own right. I’d recommend touring the stations between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. This way, you’ll be able to properly see it without the crowds. Ideally, I’d recommend taking a tour with a knowledgeable guide with GuruWalk, who will tell you stories of forgotten stations and how the history of the country is interconnected with the metro development. If going by yourself, then I definitely recommend checking out: Mayakovskaya, Ploschad Revolutsii, Kievskaya, Kropotkinskaya, Kurskaya, and Novoslobodskaya stations.

Visit the free Moscow Metro Museum: For real train enthusiasts, located in the southern vestibule of Sportivnaya station is a small free museum. Here you can take a peek into the driver’s cabin, see a collection of metro tokens from different cities, and see different models of a turnstile, traffic lights, escalator, and more.

9. Moscow State University View

In his effort to create a grander Moscow, Stalin had seven skyscrapers built in different parts of town; they’re called the Seven Sisters. The largest of these buildings and the one with the best view is the main building of the Moscow State University. Although this is a little outside the city center, the view is more than worth it.

10. Izmailovsky Market

Mostly known for the city’s largest flea market, the district of Izmaylovo is home to a maze of shops where you can get just about anything, from artisan crafts to traditional fur hats, handcrafted jewelry, fascinating Soviet memorabilia, and antiquities. It’s also one of Moscow’s largest green spaces. There are often no price tags, so be prepared to haggle a bit. Head to one of the market cafes for a warming mulled wine before continuing your shopping spree.

The History of Vodka Museum is found here, and the museum’s restaurant is the perfect place to sample various brands of the national drink.

Once you’ve covered the more touristy spots, Moscow still has plenty to offer, and the places below will also be full of locals! So for some local vibes, I would strongly recommend the spots below!

11. Moscow City

With a completely different vibe, Moscow City (also referred to as Moscow International Business Center) is like a mini Dubai, with lots of impressive tall glass buildings. Here is where you’ll find the best rooftops in towns, like Ruski Restaurant, the highest restaurant both in Moscow City and in Europe. Moscow City is great for crowd-free shopping and the best panoramic views of the city.

12. Tretyakov Gallery

Tretyakov Gallery started as the private collection of the Tretyakov brothers, who were 19th-century philanthropists. They gave their private collection to the government after their deaths. If there is just one museum you visit in Moscow, I recommend this one!

13. Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve

Tsaritsyno was a residence of Catherine the Great more than two centuries ago. It became derelict during the Soviet era but has now been fully renovated. With its opulently decorated buildings, gardens, meadows, and forests, Tsaritsyno Park is the perfect place for a green respite in Moscow.

14. Kolomenskoye

A 10-minute metro ride from the city center is Kolomenskoe Museum-Reserve, where you can get an idea of what Russia looked like 200 years ago. You’ll find ancient churches (one dating back to the 16th century), the oldest garden in Moscow, and the wonderful fairytale wooden palace of Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich, father of Peter the Great.

15. Ostankino TV Tower

Built in 1967, Ostankino TV Tower was the tallest free-standing construction in the world at the time, it’s still the 8th tallest building in the world and the highest in Europe. It’s also the best observation deck, with a glass floor and 360-degree views. The speedy elevators take you 1,105 feet in next to no time.

Pro Tip: You need to book in advance; entrance is based on specific ticket times and the capacity is limited and only a certain number of tourists are allowed per day. Don’t forget your passport, you’ll need it to get through security.

16. Zaryadye Park

Zaryadye is a newly opened, landscaped urban park so new you won’t find it in a lot of tour guides. The park is near Red Square and is divided into four climatic zones: forest, steppe, tundra, and floodplains, depicting the variety of climatic zones in Russia.

These last three suggestions are a little quirky, but all are really worth checking out.

17. Museum Of Soviet Arcade Games

Release your inner child playing on 66 arcade machines from the Soviet era! What a great way to spend a couple of hours when tired of visiting museums and palaces. The staff speaks excellent English and are happy to explain how the games work.

18. Moscow Rooftop Tour

Take a 1-hour private Moscow rooftop tour with an experienced roofer. I can just about guarantee none of your friends will be able to say they’ve done it! For your comfort, I recommend wearing comfortable shoes. Take your camera, there are some amazing photo opportunities out there!

19. Sanduny Banya

This classical Russian bathhouse opened its doors in 1808 and is famous for combining traditional Russian banya services with luxurious interiors and service. If you enjoy spas and saunas, then you should experience a Russian bathhouse at least once in your life! Go with an open mind and hire a specialist to steam you as it’s meant to be done — by being beaten repeatedly with a besom (a leafy branch)! This is said to improve circulation, but is best done by a professional!

So there you have my list of things to do in Moscow. I could have gone on and on and on, but I didn’t want to try your patience! There are so many things to do in this vibrant city that you’ll definitely need to allocate several days for exploring.

Here are some other reasons to visit Moscow and Russia:

• 7 Reasons To Put Moscow On Your Travel Bucket List
• Russia 30 Years (And 30 Pounds) Ago
• Massive Mysterious Craters Appearing Again In Siberia

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, before moving to Africa at the age of 21, Sarah Kingdom is a mountain climber and guide, traveler, yoga teacher, trail runner, and mother of two. When she is not climbing or traveling she lives on a cattle ranch in central Zambia. She guides and runs trips regularly in India, Nepal, Tibet, Russia, and Ethiopia, taking climbers up Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro numerous times a year.

GOBankingRates

The 7 Best New and Affordable Places To Travel in 2024

Posted: March 16, 2024 | Last updated: March 16, 2024

Planning your 2024 vacation? If your wanderlust has you eager to go where you've never been, consider one of these new and affordable destinations for 2024.

Find Out: 8 Tips to Fly Business Class for the Price of Economy Read More: 5 Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money

Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Most safari vacations offer rustic accommodations, and a stay at Angama Amboseli does mean you'll be sleeping in a tent. But you'll also be able to gaze on the majesty of African elephants in the shadows of Mount Kilimanjaro. The resort celebrates the local indigenous community in its architecture and its culinary offerings.

For You: Dave Ramsey: 7 Vacation Splurges That are a Waste of Money Try This: 11 Expensive Vacation Destinations That Will Be Cheaper in 2024

Sponsored: Owe the IRS $10K or more? Schedule a FREE consultation to see if you qualify for tax relief.

Busan, South Korea

While the K-pop stars BTS may have put Busan on the map, an influx of new resorts keeps it there. A new Windham property joins many beachfront resorts on the Sea of Japan. Foodies will want to consider Busan as it will welcome a new Michelin guide this year.

Check Out: I'm a Luxury Travel Agent: 10 Destinations My Wealthy Clients Are Booking for 2024

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Ocean views and a thriving maritime economy have long been associated with Nova Scotia, but this seaport now boasts an emerging technology industry. The newly redeveloped waterfront area features the Queen's Marque, with restaurants, art galleries and a five-star hotel.

Kangaroo Island, Australia

This Australian destination has rebuilt much of its lost in bushfires in 2020, and several new resorts will open this year. Cabn X is an affordable option, with small homes with a modern feel, and Southern Ocean Lodge, destroyed in the fires, has been rebuilt and is now open.

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

The DR has long been known as an affordable Caribbean destination, but it is now being recognized for luxury as well. Several new resorts in Punta Cana will open this year, including the St. Regis Cap Cana, the Sanctuary Cap Cana, and a new W hotel. Many resorts are all-inclusive, and some only welcome adults.

Find Out: 7 Cheap, Beautiful Places for a Winter Vacation

Quito, Ecuador

Most travelers visit Quito on their way to the Galapagos Islands, but the Ecuadorian capital has undergone a recent renaissance that makes it a destination in and of itself. An expanded subway has reduced traffic congestion and made it easier for non-locals to get around. New shops, galleries and restaurants have much to offer visitors, and its weather is mild year-round.

Transylvania, Romania

Beautiful castles and a rich history will prove that Transylvania is known for more than just vampires. Try Bethlen Estates near many historical sites, including Dracula's Bran Castle, for luxury. For a retreat experience, Matca offers walking safaris and praying with monks, all with views of the Carpathian Mountains.

More for You

Judge upholds disqualification of challenger to judge in Trump’s Georgia election interference case

Megan Fox Signs With UTA

Dodgers star pitcher avoids serious injury after miraculously catching 105-mph frozen rope

The 16 worst-paying college majors, five years after graduation

Best Movies Now on Netflix

The most expensive state to live in isn't California or New York, based on data. Here are the top 10.

We Ordered 7 Fast-Food Breakfast Sandwiches to Find the Best One

Do I have to pay off my spouse's debts when they die? Here's what you're responsible for and what you aren't after a loved one's death

Young Sheldon star criticises decision to end series: ‘Such a stupid business move’

7 Ways People Destroy the Value of Their Homes, According to a Real Estate Agent

Meta's median pay for employees is $379,000 a year

I Am Doing a PhD at 16—My Mother's Death Is the Reason

15 Ground Beef and Potato Dinners Your Family Will Love

What happens if you don't use airplane mode on your flight? Here's the answer to that, and more common travel questions.

Planning for potential presidential transition underway as Biden administration kicks it off

Elliot Page Laments 'Overwhelming Tactics' of Anti-Trans Attacks: 'Just Pushing People Out of Life'

Martin Lewis issues warning to people choosing air fryer over oven

How Much Beer You'd Have To Drink To Equal A Single Shot Of Liquor

Scientists have discovered the maximum age a human can live to

How Much You Take Home from the Average Salary in Each State

Skamania Lodge offers first look at its fancy new glamping tents

• Updated: Apr. 27, 2024, 7:10 a.m. |
• Published: Apr. 27, 2024, 7:00 a.m.

A private soaking tub is found inside the new glamping tents at Skamania Lodge on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

• Jamie Hale | The Oregonian/OregonLive

This May, visitors to the Columbia River Gorge will have a new, luxurious glamping experience to try.

Skamania Lodge , the 175-acre Washington resort near Stevenson, offered a sneak peak this week into its new glamping tents, which will open to the public May 1 and are available to book now through the end of the season.

The wood-framed safari-style tents, which come with king beds and private bathrooms, are built on a hillside surrounded by trees, giving visitors the chance to sleep, relax and even bathe in the comfort of nature. While perhaps a step down from the lodge’s luxury treehouses or cabins, the glamping tents are certainly a step up from your basic hotel room, while barely resembling camping at all.

Jack Hansen, director of sales and marketing for Skamania Lodge, said the glamping tents are expected to be available from May through October, though the full extent of the season won’t be clear until after this first year.

“I do think that it’s a bit of an experiment,” Hansen said. “We’re going to see what the appetite for them is.”

The new glamping tents are perched in the trees at Skamania Lodge on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A fire pit on the deck of one of the new glamping tents at Skamania Lodge on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Inside the new glamping tents at Skamania Lodge on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A forested view from the deck of one of the new glamping tents at Skamania Lodge on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Glamping at Skamania Lodge starts at $519 per night on offseason weekdays, rising through the summer and peaking at $1,069 per night over the Fourth of July weekend. Visitors can find slightly discounted prices in October, when the nightly rate dips down to $499 for a stay in what could be colder and wetter conditions.

“We’ll probably test them a bit this fall and see how it is to stay in there in October,” Hansen said of the new tents. “You don’t know until you know.”

Unlike traditional camping, the glamping tents all come with running water and electricity. Each comes with a small space heater and fan, though that is the extent of the climate control. The front flaps zip up and down, allowing guests to seal themselves in or be open to the fresh air. There is furniture inside, as well as an outdoor couch and chairs by a gas fire feature.

Guests can still enjoy the many amenities at the main lodge nearby, including yoga classes, a golf course and putting course, disc golf, an adventure park, ziplining and axe throwing, as well as meals at one of two dining rooms – a necessary amenity for glamping guests, who will only find a microwave and mini fridge in their tents.

Hansen said the new glamping experience will be part of “Treehouse Village,” where the new tents join the luxury treehouses, cabins and a villa. More of each type of accommodation may be built there in the future, depending on popularity, he said.

The new glamping tents have already been booked up through most of May, but a lot of availability remains through the summer . Hansen said the lodge has been excited about the new offerings, and is looking forward to seeing how popular they become.

“There’s a lot of buzz about them,” he said. “Glamping over the last decade has really come into more peoples’ vocabularies, everybody knows what it is, so it’s really nice to see our owners put their spin on it – you know, glamping Skamania style.”

-- Jamie Hale covers travel and the outdoors and co-hosts the Peak Northwest podcast . Reach him at 503-294-4077, [email protected] or @HaleJamesB .

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Sweepstakes

This Quaint Town in Portugal Was Just Named the Best Place to Invest in Europe — and It Has Stunning Beaches

Lush pine forests, cobblestone streets, endless ocean views, and low real estate prices await in this quaint community in northern Portugal.

Xurxo Lobato/Getty Images

Portugal is on everyone's mind these days. The country's sunny weather , many beaches , and affordable cost of living have made it a popular choice for retirees and digital nomads. However, as is often the case, real estate prices in some of its most sought-after regions, like the capital, Lisbon and Algarve , have soared. But that doesn't mean you should give up on your dream of owning property in Portugal.

A new report by International Living ranked the small, under-the-radar- town of Caminha the best place to invest in real estate in Europe for its value and growth potential. 

The community is located in the northwest along the mouth of the Minho River, which separates Portugal from Spain, and is home to about 16,000 residents. International Living gave Caminha a perfect score of 10 in the relative value category and nine for quality of life and stability.

"Caminha, which is only separated from Spain by a river, completely charmed me," Ronan McMahon, founder of Real Estate Trend Alert and author of International Living's Global Real Estate Index, told Travel + Leisure . "It has a beautiful Old Town surrounded by a verdant and bucolic countryside, with mountains, rivers, forests, and fields overflowing with brightly colored flowers and fruit trees heavy with their bounty. And then there are the stunning Atlantic beaches."

The ancient town has plenty of character, with fountains, churches, and other buildings dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. And it's easily accessible from Porto, which is just an hour and 15 minutes south, providing access to an international airport. 

Jeff Opdyke, International Living's personal finance editor, called Caminha a "holdover of Portugal before tourism and modernity swept over Lisbon, the Algarve, and Porto," where affordable real estate is still the norm. 

Potential buyers can find apartments downtown for as low as $150,000 and stand-alone houses for $280,000 .

And while Caminha is the best place to invest in Europe, another destination took the top prize for global real estate value: Mexico's Los Cabos. International Living ranked first with almost perfect scores in categories such as income potential, climate, and international appeal. Riviera Maya and Estepona in Spain, a town in the country's famous Costa del Sol region, are tied for the third place.

You can see the full ranking at internationaliving.com .

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Automatic Refunds and No More Hidden Fees: D.O.T. Sets New Rules for Airlines

The Transportation Department issued new requirements on refunds when flights are canceled or delayed and on revealing “junk” fees before booking. Here’s what passengers can expect.

By Christine Chung

The Transportation Department on Wednesday announced new rules taking aim at two of the most difficult and annoying issues in air travel: obtaining refunds and encountering surprise fees late in the booking process.

“Passengers deserve to know upfront what costs they are facing and should get their money back when an airline owes them — without having to ask,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement, adding that the changes would not only save passengers “time and money,” but also prevent headaches.

The department’s new rules, Mr. Buttigieg said, will hold airlines to clear and consistent standards when they cancel, delay or substantially change flights, and require automatic refunds to be issued within weeks. They will also require them to reveal all fees before a ticket is purchased.

Airlines for America , a trade group representing the country’s largest air carriers, said in a statement that its airlines “abide by and frequently exceed” D.O.T. consumer protection regulations.

Passenger advocates welcomed the new steps.

Tomasz Pawliszyn, the chief executive of AirHelp, a Berlin-based company that assists passengers with airline claims, called it a “massive step forward and huge improvement in consumer rights and protection” that brings the United States closer to global standards in passenger rights.

Here’s what we know about the D.O.T.’s new rules, which will begin to go into effect in October.

There’s now one definition for a “significant” delay.

Until now, airlines have been allowed to set their own definition for a “significant” delay and compensation has varied by carrier . Now, according to the D.O.T., there will be one standard: when departure or arrival is delayed by three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international flights.

Passengers will get prompt refunds for cancellations or significant changes for flights and delayed bags, for any reason.

When things go wrong, getting compensation from an airline has often required establishing a cumbersome paper trail or spending untold hours on the phone. Under the new rules, refunds will be automatic, without passengers having to request them. Refunds will be made in full, excepting the value of any transportation already used. Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in the original form of payment, whether by cash, credit card or airline miles. Refunds are due within seven days for credit card purchases and within 20 days for other payments.

Passengers with other flight disruptions, such as being downgraded to a lower service class, are also entitled to refunds.

The list of significant changes for which passengers can get their money back also includes: departure or arrival from an airport different from the one booked; connections at different airports or flights on planes that are less accessible to a person with a disability; an increase in the number of scheduled connections. Also, passengers who pay for services like Wi-Fi or seat selection that are then unavailable will be refunded any fees.

Airlines must give travel vouchers or credits to ticketed passengers unable to fly because of government restrictions or a doctor’s orders.

The vouchers or credits will be transferable and can be used for at least five years after the date they were issued.

Fees for checked baggage and modifying a reservation must be disclosed upfront.

Airlines and ticket agents are now required to display any extra fees for things like checking bags or seat selection clearly and individually before a ticket purchase. They will also need to outline the airline’s policies on baggage, cancellations and changing flights before a customer purchases a ticket.

The rules, which apply to all flights on domestic airlines and flights to and from the United States operated by foreign airlines, have varying start dates.

For example, automatic refunds must be instituted by the airlines within six months. But carriers have a year before they’re required to issue travel vouchers and credits for passengers advised by a medical professional not to fly.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .