My Experience in Moscow, Russia - by Svetlana

What's it like living in Moscow?

I naturally think Moscow's a great place to live. Like with other cities however, it has its advantages and disadvantages. I would say that the advantages of this beautiful city are its architecture, culture, customs, parks, cafés, museums, etc. The public transport system is very well-developed (there are buses, trollybuses, trams, bikes, and a metro). Moscow's disadvantages are its climate (it gets quite cold there in the wintertime) and accommodation prices. Despite these downsides, I still definitely recommend you visit, as I'm sure you'll love this magnificent city full of cathedrals, marvellous churches and cute cafés. Moscow never sleeps!

What's the student life like in Moscow?

There are lots of different universities in Moscow, so there are students everywhere. Students have a lot of opportunities and entertainment available to them in Moscow. Most students spend their free time in the parks (the most famous of which being Gorki Park) or in cafés (most of which offer student discounts). There are also clubs in Moscow which stay open until daybreak.

How expensive is living in Moscow?

This is a difficult question to answer. I don't rent here, but the average price of a one bedroom flat is about 600 euros per month, so a room in a flat would cost around 250-300 euros per month. I don't think the prices in shops are high in comparison to in other European cities. Public transport isn's expensive (a journey on the metro costs 40 roubles, which is less than 1 euro! ).

Did you find it hard to find somewhere to live in Moscow? Do you have any advice for flat-hunting?

No, I didn't, since I already live here and have an apartment, but it's not hard to find somewhere to live here. If you want to find a place in Moscow, use the internet, and try one of these sites:

www.airbnb.com

www.irr.ru

www.incom.ru

What's the food like in Russia? What are your favourite dishes?

Russian food is rich, greasy and very tasty. I think our food could seem strange to foreigners, because a lot of our dishes combine things which don't seem to fit together at all. Typical Russian dishes are crepes, caviar, kvas (a drink), okroshka (cold soup made from kvas, fish or spiced meat with vegetables) and pelmeni (a type of ravioli). If you come to Moscow, you have to try all of these.

What are the best places to visit in Moscow?

The Kremlin, of course. It's the heart of Moscow and the most visited and famous place in Moscow, together with St. Basil's Cathedral. I'd also recommend Gorki Park, Sokolniki Park, Tsarítsino, Kolómenskoye, Cathedral of Christ Our Saviour, Museon Park, Tretiakov Gallery, and Bolshói Theatre.

Cathedral of Christ Our Saviour, Moscow

Red Square

St. Basil's Cathedral

Gorki Park

My friends in Tsaritsino

The International Business Centre in Moscow

What about eating out in Moscow? What are your favourite places?

I'm a student and prefer eating in cafés which aren't too expensive. My favourites are Lavka Batiyev Karavaivij (Karavaevi Brothers Café in English), Busnika, and Mu-Mu. There's something called the 'menu of the day' (which is like a business lunch menu).

Almost all restaurants and cafés offer a menu of the day (which costs between 250 and 400 roubles, so 5 to 8 euros, and includes soup, salad, a main meal and a drink). I like cafés such as TGI Fridays, Pesto Café, Oki Doki, Sisters, and Akademia. Some terraced bars are Bar Strelka, Chips, and Timeout Bar.

Café 'Conversation'

Timeout Bar

¿Qué sitios recomiendas para salir de fiesta en Moscú?

You can go to any of the places in Moscow city centre. There is always loads happening the city centre. The parks in Moscow, such as Gorki, Sokolniki, Izmailovo, Kolómenskoye and Tsarítsino, are brilliant for having a picnic or just chilling out in.

Museon Park

Red Square

Do you have any advice for future students coming to Moscow?

Moscow is a city full of ancient customs and culture. I can't say that the people in Moscow are particularly friendly (probably because of the harsh winter), but the students at our universities are always there to help you. I hope you enjoy my home city.