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Free Moscow: an itinerary for the day

Pedestrian Old Arbat in Moscow: street lamps, café terraces and colourful old façadesThe white Cathedral of Christ the Saviour with golden domes against a blue skyThe dark red granite Lenin Mausoleum by the Kremlin wall on Red Square

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
all 6 free
Duration
6 h 30 min · 09:30–15:57
Start and finish
Arbat Street → Zaryadye Park
On foot
≈ 38 min in total
Transport
1 ride, ≈ 19 min
Lunch
around 12:08
With kids
fine: short walks
Best time
Any day; in summer Zaryadye is best at sunset.

The plan, stop by stop

Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.

Moscow09:30–15:57 · 6 places · 6 h 30 min

  1. Arbat Street

    · 1 h · Free

  2. 19 min on foot

  3. Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

    · 40 min · Free

  4. 19 min · transport or taxi

  5. Lenin's Mausoleum

    · 20 min · Free

  6. Lunch · 1 h
  7. 3 min on foot

  8. Red Square

    · 30 min · Free

  9. 5 min on foot

  10. Kitay-gorod

    · 1 h · Free

  11. 11 min on foot

  12. Zaryadye Park

    · 1 h · Free

Go · start

Add nearby

Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.

Gorky Park

Moscow, Russia

↝ 19 min1 h 30 minfree

What the route costs

All 6 stops are free — you pay only for museums inside, if you go in, and for lunch.

1Arbat Street501 hFree
2Cathedral of Christ the Saviour7240 minFree
3Lenin's Mausoleum7220 minFree
4Red Square7930 minFree
5Kitay-gorod581 hFree
6Zaryadye Park481 hFree
Total4 h 30 min6 of 6 free

Tips for each stop

  1. 1

    Arbat Street. Start on Old Arbat: a pedestrian street, Pushkin's flat from outside and the Tsoi wall. An hour at an easy pace.

  2. 2

    Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Russia's largest church, free, from 10:00 (Mondays from 13:00). The viewpoint is only with a paid tour.

  3. 3

    Lenin's Mausoleum. Free, open until 13:00 and closed on Mondays and Fridays, so it comes before lunch. The walk-through takes 5–10 minutes.

  4. 4

    Red Square. The square, GUM, Lobnoye Mesto and the Spasskaya Tower — no tickets.

  5. 5

    Kitay-gorod. Nikolskaya, Ilyinka and Varvarka: old trading streets and 16th–17th-century churches — free.

  6. 6

    Zaryadye Park. The floating bridge, hills with tundra and steppe, a view of the Kremlin — free, at any hour. Only the pavilions charge.

Who this route is for

Good for
  • On a small budget
  • You would rather walk than queue for museums
  • On foot in the centre
Not for
  • The Kremlin and the cathedral museums charge — they are not in the plan
  • You want the inside of things — see the 1-day itinerary
Best time

Any day; in summer Zaryadye is best at sunset.

Free things to do in Moscow

Every stop is ticket-free: streets, squares, a church and a park. The morning is the Arbat and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, then a short ride to Red Square. After lunch — Kitay-gorod and Zaryadye.

If you want to go inside, the paid Kremlin (1,100 ₽) and St Basil's (700 ₽) are right there — add them from the cards next to the plan.

Free museums and days

GES-2 on Bolotnaya embankment lets you into the building for free with registration; exhibitions are free for under-18s and on the first Wednesday of the month.

Free viewpoints

The floating bridge in Zaryadye is in the plan. Another free viewpoint is Sparrow Hills by the university, open around the clock. In Moscow City walking between the towers and along the embankment is free.

Free parks

Gorky Park, VDNKh, Sokolniki and Kolomenskoye park all have free entry — good days outside the centre if you have more time.

How to do it right

  • The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour asks for modest dress; on Mondays the upper church opens at 13:00.
  • Red Square closes for major events — check before you go.
  • GES-2 is free but requires registration on its website.
  • The metro is not free — 75 ₽ on a Troika card — but the whole plan except one ride can be walked.
  • Russia uses the rouble (₽). Bank cards issued abroad usually do not work in Russia — plan how you will pay before the trip; for the metro, buy a Troika card at the ticket office.

Questions

What are the best free things to do in Moscow?

Old Arbat, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Red Square, Kitay-gorod and Zaryadye Park.

Is Red Square free?

Yes, except when it is closed for major events.

Is the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour free?

Yes, from 10:00 (Mondays from 13:00); the viewpoint is only with a paid tour.

Is Zaryadye Park free?

Yes, at any hour; only the pavilions charge.

Are there free museums in Moscow?

GES-2 is free to enter with registration.

Where are the free viewpoints?

The floating bridge in Zaryadye and Sparrow Hills.

Are Moscow's parks free?

Yes: Gorky Park, VDNKh, Sokolniki and Kolomenskoye.

Can I walk the whole route?

Yes, except one short metro ride, which you can also walk.

Is it good with kids?

Yes: parks, the bridge and the square are fine for children.

How do I pay in Moscow?

Russia uses the rouble (₽). Bank cards issued abroad usually do not work in Russia — plan how you will pay before the trip; for the metro, buy a Troika card at the ticket office.

Sources and fact-check

  • Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
  • Moscow Kremlin Museums: tickets, Armoury sessions, visitor rules
  • Moscow Metro: fares, hours, Troika card
  • mos.ru: Zaryadye, Gorky Park, Sparrow Hills, VDNKh
  • Wikipedia: Red Square, Moscow Kremlin, Kitay-gorod
YesGo editorial team ·
How we checkedOnly places without an entry ticket are included; the YesGo planner works out the order with the least walking and lunch. Hours come from the place pages.

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