Modern Moscow may be described as a Disneyland for adults.

Imagine a European capital, proud Muscovites like to say, think of the architectural monuments, museums, restaurants and bars in the city centre, and now multiply that by ten: now you’re close to imagining what Moscow is like.

The Arseny Morozov building on Vozdvizhenka Street and, behind it, the MosSelProm building in the classic Consructivist style

At the heart of Moscow lies the Kremlin, a fortified complex that has been continuously inhabited for over 2,000 years.

Overlooking Red Square and the Moskva River, the Kremlin is home to five palaces, four cathedrals and the ornate building that used to be home to many of Russia’s tsars.

Step back from Moscow’s crowded main streets and you can still find some well-preserved old quarters, like the small alleys, ancient churches and houses built in the 18th and 19th centuries between Kitai Gorod and Taganskaya metro stations.

The area around Kitai Gorod metro station

Zamoskvorechye, which translates as ‘across the Moskva River’, is a leafy area now bustling with open-air street cafes that was once settled by the Russian merchant class. The district still consists mainly of low-rise pre-revolutionary buildings and luxurious houses built at the beginning of the 20th century.

It’s also home to the Tretyakov Gallery, one of the largest collections of Russian fine art in the world.

Chernigovsky Lane in Zamoskvorechye

Beside Kropotkinskaya metro station you will find Ostozhenka and Prechistenka streets, often dubbed Moscow’s ‘golden mile’. Still a prestigious area today, it used to house the capital’s wealthy elite before the revolution in 1917.

Serviced apartments on 2nd Obydensky Lane near Kropotkinskaya metro

A stone’s throw from the metro stands the imposing Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Built in the 19th century, the cathedral was the scene of the world premiere of Tchaikovsky’s ‘1812 Overture’ in 1882.

But in 1931 it was destroyed under the orders of Josef Stalin and for years served as an open-air swimming pool. It was rebuilt in the 1990s.

You have probably heard of the Arbat, a central Moscow street that is a prime tourist draw.

In our opinion, however, the Arbat is best avoided, since its main aim is to empty the wallets of visitors to the capital.

The alleys adjacent to the Arbat, however, are far more authentic Moscow – both beautiful and well-suited to a leisurely walk.