Russian winter anyone? Most tourists don’t risk visiting Russia in cold time of year and settle for less. Meanwhile, Moscow and St Petersburg are one of the best cities for winter fun! Get List of the Things to do in Moscow in Winter!
Russian vacations are always off the beaten path, but if you aim for authentic experience and something extraordinary, Moscow winter will make your holiday a lifetime experience.
So pack your bags, dress up warm and come enjoy winter in Russia! On our Moscow private tours we make it a point to include some of these cool activities in the tour.
1. Ice-skating
The main thing to do in winter when in Russia is to visit open-air skating rink. It will give you so much fun and energy. You can find lots of skating rinks in capital’s parks like Sokolniki, Fili, Victory park, Hermitage garden and of course, Gorky Park, the largest in Europe. This rink occupies territory of 18000 sq. meters.
And the main skating rink is situated on the Red square, next to Kremlin. This year it will open on 29th of November and will be decorated in 60-s style.
By the way, if you are into skating, you’ll love St Petersburg with its kilometers of ice. Explore the best ice rinks of the city on our St Petersburg day tours.
2. Wallow in the snow
Go to Kolomenskoe or Tzaritsino and give yourself freedom to behave like a kid. It is so funny to fall on the soft pillow of glowing snow or suddenly push your friend into the snowdrift. Russians wait for winter to have such fun with their friends. Scream and laughter are welcomed!
3. Snow fight
Traditional winter fun in Russia is snow fights, where snowballs are used as a weapon. Be nimble and careful. You should immediately sculpt hard snowball and hit it in the “enemy”, but avoid the strike back. And don’t aim the face.
Surely you will have great fun. Usually teams sculpt snow fortresses before the battle and prepare armory of snowballs. In the end you can make a snowman out of all the snow mess you’ve created around.
Our Moscow guide Dasha
4. Sledging
Actually you don’t surely need sledges, you need a hill. And the steeper it is the more fun you are guaranteed. You can find sledging places in Gorky park, Poklonnaya hill and other parks of Moscow city.
Free and unique experience that you will remember for the rest of your life. Strongly recommended for kids and their parents.
5. Romantic dinner
Moscow has a great number of nice and very cozy cafes and restaurants. You can hardly find something more romantic than snuggling on the sofa, drinking warm tea in the beautiful place with chillout music and watching snowfall outside.
Don’t forget about Russian bliny )crepes) with honey or strawberry jam Try it. Those little things will make you happy.
6. Ice show
Russia is known for figure skating. So don’t miss the opportunity to visit one of those amazing fairy ice shows with participation of worldwide known figure skating stars, that are very popular in winter season. You’ll be impressed and entertained!
7. Festive Moscow
Moscow start to prepare for the New Year celebration in the beginning of December and festive events go on till the middle of January. Oh, don’t miss this period, because our city turns into the fabulous and magical place. Visit holiday fairs, located on the central streets and squares, immerse yourself in miraculous atmosphere and don’t forget to make a wish to the grandpa Frost and his granddaughter Snegurochka. They are symbols of Russian winter.
skating in winter
8. Happy New Year’s Eve in the heart of Russia
Celebration of the New Year has very long and interesting history in Russia. You should know that we consider it a major holiday of the year. It is because of Soviet regime that had forbidden people to celebrate Christmas for 70 years. Modern traditions of celebrating NY were introduced by Stalin.
Moreover, because of late adoption of Gregorian calendar in our country, we have absolutely unique festive, the so-called the “Old New Year”, very charming and lovely. We celebrate it on 13th of January, because our calendar moved on 13 days ahead. But official celebrations are held in the night of January,1st as everywhere else in the world.
We invite you to greet New Year on the Red Square under the Kremlin chiming clock with thousands of smiling happy people around and watch great fireworks.
9. Christmas traditions
Unlike New Year, Christmas wasn’t moved back to the 25th of December. So we celebrate it on the 7th of January. In one of the greatest festivals of Orthodox Christians you have a unique opportunity to reach the depths of our faith. Visit all-night solemn service in the Christ the Savior cathedral, see the magnificence and feel the atmosphere of unity in the largest Orthodox temple in the world.
Or else walk your way through the Golden era of Renaissance on the St Petersburg City tour.
10. Russian “banya”
If you love extreme, try Russian banya. After you properly warm up and steam with a broom, you shall run outside and dive into the snow for a second, and then immediately return to the steam room. Banya is extremely useful for health and give you so much fun and adrenaline that you won’t experience on roller coaster. And because of that make sure to consult a doctor before visiting banya.
We wish you happy winter and welcome you to our magic snow world of winter fun in Moscow!
snowboardint in moscow
