Because few cities match it for sheer scale and history — Red Square and the Kremlin, St Basil's, the palace-like metro, world-class art in the Tretyakov and Pushkin, and the Bolshoi for ballet. Beyond the monuments, Moscow has crooked old quarters, a fast-grown café and design culture, and a grandeur quite unlike any other European capital.

What is there to see in Moscow?

The Kremlin and Red Square with St Basil's and GUM; the Tretyakov Gallery for Russian art and the Pushkin Museum for European masters; the Armoury's tsarist treasures; the ornate central metro stations; the Bolshoi Theatre; Gorky Park; and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The quieter merchant lanes around Chistye Prudy reward wandering between the big sights.

When is the best time to visit Moscow?

Summer (June to August) for warmth, long days and the parks at their best, and late spring or early autumn for milder, quieter weather. Winter is long and bitterly cold but is the classic snow-and-ballet Moscow, spectacular for those prepared for the temperatures. The shoulder seasons balance comfort and crowds best.

How do you get around Moscow?

On the metro, which is fast, cheap, extensive and an attraction in itself, with ornate central stations worth seeing in their own right. The centre is walkable between sights, and taxis and ride-hailing fill the gaps. The system is efficient, though signage in the Latin alphabet is patchy, so it helps to note station names in Cyrillic.

Boutique Hotels in Moscow, Russia

Q: Is it currently difficult to travel to Moscow?

Yes, for travellers from much of Europe, the UK and North America. Direct flights from those regions are largely suspended, so routes run via third countries; visas are required and can be involved; and Western credit and debit cards do not work in Russia, meaning payment must be arranged in advance. Check your government's current travel advice and entry rules before making any plans.

The monumental centre

Everything in Moscow orients around the Kremlin and Red Square. The Kremlin is not one building but a walled citadel of cathedrals, palaces and towers, the seat of Russian power for centuries; beside it, Red Square opens out between the fairy-tale domes of St Basil's, the long red facade of the GUM arcade and the walls of the fortress itself. Within easy reach are the great collections: the Tretyakov Gallery for Russian art, the Pushkin Museum for European masters, the Armoury for the tsars' treasures.

The other unmissable sight is underground. The Moscow Metro was built as a showcase, and its older central stations are an art form in themselves — marble, mosaics, chandeliers and bronze beneath the city, and the simplest way to get around. Above ground, the Bolshoi Theatre for ballet and opera, the riverside expanse of Gorky Park, and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour round out the set-piece Moscow that every first visit takes in.

The quieter quarters, and where to stay

The more rewarding Moscow is often the small-scale one. The lanes east of the centre — the old merchant and Bohemian quarters between Myasnitskaya and Pokrovka, around Chistye Prudy — are full of courtyards, independent cafés, design shops and quiet galleries, a world away from the monumental core a few minutes' walk off. Kitay-Gorod, the oldest district beside the Kremlin, repays aimless wandering; the Zamoskvorechye area across the river holds the Tretyakov and a slower, older feel.

It is in these central-but-quiet quarters that the city's design-led hotels have appeared, MOSS among them — a small, nature-themed hotel on one of the crooked old lanes between Myasnitskaya and Pokrovka, a short walk from Red Square yet tucked into the Bohemian centre. Staying in this part of the old city, close to the sights but off the main thoroughfares, is the way to feel Moscow as a place to live in rather than only a place to tour.

When to go, and getting there

Moscow's seasons are extreme. Summer, June to August, is warm, long-lit and at its most relaxed, the parks and river terraces in full use; late spring and early autumn are mild and pleasant. Winter is long, dark and very cold, but it is also the classic Moscow of snow-covered domes, the ballet season and warm interiors — spectacular if you are prepared for the temperatures. May and the winter holidays carry major public celebrations.

A frank practical note: reaching Moscow has become considerably harder for travellers from much of Europe, the UK and North America. Direct flights from those regions are largely suspended, routings now run via third countries, visas are required and can be involved, and Western credit and debit cards do not currently work in Russia, so payment must be planned for in advance. Anyone considering a trip should check their own government's current travel advice and entry requirements before booking. None of this changes what Moscow is; it does change how much planning a visit takes.