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As the sun sets over Russia’s World Cup, the planet’s attention moves away from all things Moscow. I thought I would post a blog reflecting on the variety and beauty of the city to tempt our focus back to this magnificent place.

Focusing on the historical silhouettes of the city’s architecture, these photos (all of which I took during this year’s World Cup) emphasise the dramatic and beautiful array of traditional buildings that so dominate Moscow’s horizon.

Offering an exciting mix of steeples, spires, stars, murals, bells-towers, ramparts, domes, statues and snazzy skylines: from the Russian Baroque and the Kremlin’s gold onion domes, to Stalinist Skyscrapers and Soviet space obelisks.

Equally, the fairy-light street canopies and distant military tower-block-murals give an insight into how Moscow’s skyline sways between the vibrant and modern-day buzz of a mega-city, to the more traditional Soviet propaganda-style creations. The feeling of being at the heart of the world’s largest country is never far away.  Moscow’s sights and sounds endorse the fact that the city is the nation’s political, economic and cultural capital.

Furthermore, Moscow is home to over 13 million people and is one of the world’s fastest growing tourist cities. No doubt heightened by the warm, friendly and welcoming images that have been beamed around the world over the past month.

Although we, at Nomadic Thoughts, have always evangelised the fabulous assortment of thrilling Russian tourism opportunities, there is no doubt that recent return to Cold War political issues have hugely impacted on visitor numbers to Moscow and the wider Russian Federation destinations.

As world’s focus moves from such a memorable 2018 Mockba summer, perhaps our view of Russia has changed? Certainly, the feeling in the tourist industry is that Russia is ready to come in from the cold.

We will continue to urge people to seize this opportunity to visit, embrace and enjoy Moscow as much as the surrounding areas. From Europe’s tallest free-standing structure (Federation Tower) to the iconic domes of the Kremlin, you are in for a treat. Whether visiting during the summer of winter.

“To Moscow, to Moscow, to Moscow ..” – Anton Chekov (1860-1904)