Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
156
Intourist
(11 Stoleshnikov Pereulok;
&
495/234-9509
) is still around and improving
its service slowly to keep up with competition. It offers Kremlin and city tours, cruises
along the Moscow River, and weekend trips to Sergiev Posad and Vladimir and Suzdal
(all described in chapter 10). Most tours must be booked 2 days in advance. Intourist
also has offices in the
Cosmos
hotel (p. 111).
11
OUTDOOR PURSUITS
Moscow's climate means its chief outdoor pursuits involve snow and ice. Most Russians
aren't particularly into casual sports; rarely will you see anyone out for a jog. City streets
are unwelcoming to bikers and in-line skaters, though the vastness of Moscow's parks
makes them great places for just about any physical activity. Check out the “Parks &
Gardens” section earlier in this chapter for specific suggestions.
BOATING
There are very few places where you can row your own boat in Moscow, other than the
small ponds at Chistiye Prudy (see the “Walking Tour” at the end of this chapter) and
Patriarch's Ponds
(p. 151). Several companies offer trips up and down the Moscow River
on small ferries from May to September. Most leave across from the Kremlin or across
from Kievsky Station. The
Moscow Shipping Company
(
&
495/242-0407
) is the chief
operator, with a boat that takes a 90-minute trip from Kievsky Station to the Novo-
spassky Monastery and makes several stops along the way. It costs 400 rubles one-way
(half-price for children 7 and under).
7
FISHING
In deepest winter, you'll often glimpse men in fur hats perched on the frozen-over Mos-
cow River waiting for something to bite. This is not recommended because of the risk of
the ice cracking and the questionable quality of the catch.
You can however cast your own line at the
All-Russian Exhibition Center
(p. 152),
cook and eat your catch for 2,000 rubles.
GYMS
Gym culture has only recently hit Moscow, and is still limited to a few chains. If your
hotel doesn't have a health club, try
Planeta Fitness
's several branches for a day pass
(
&
495/933-7100;
www.fitness.ru), or World Class (
&
495/788-0000;
www.world
class.ru).
HIKING
The city's bigger parks are good for a few hours of hiking, as are several forested areas
outside town.
Bitsevsky Park
is a long rectangle of green space south of the center,
crisscrossed with streams and ravines, hilly enough to hold one of the city's two downhill
ski slopes, and dense enough to muffle the sounds and smells of this enormous city.
Losiny Ostrov
occupies a huge swath of evergreen forest in the northeast corner of the
city, and is a few minutes by taxi from metro Shcholkovskaya, or a good 15-minute walk.
Beyond the Moscow city limits, organized trails are rare, but forests and streams are
ubiquitous. To avoid getting lost, you should go with a group or a reliable Russian guide.
The most popular and pristine spots are along the Moscow River upstream (northwest)
of the city, such as around Usovo, Tryokhgorka, and Zvenigorod. All three can be reached
