Moscow through the eyes of a local: an author's excursion for a foreigner that reveals the heart of the city

Today we had another wonderful personal sightseeing tour in English! The guest initially planned to travel by car, but eventually decided that it would be best to explore the city on foot. The weather was fine, and together with the guide Maria they set off from the Balchug Hotel to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

The guest was actively asking questions, interested in the history of Moscow and state events, including how and why the Kremlin was built. They discussed what was inside the monumental "house on the embankment", how the building developed. When they passed by it, the guide Maria had not yet had time to tell about the sad pages of the history of this house, associated with the repressions.

The guest expressed bewilderment at how such a "terrible" building could be built in the midst of beautiful architecture, including the Kremlin and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The guide Maria explained that every architectural style has its own poetry, and he joked about this, emphasizing his point about certain styles, such as constructivism and its later manifestations.

The excursionist was interested in learning about the boulevards and their history, and he himself drew attention to the ring structure of Moscow, which made it easier to explain the fortification systems of the Kremlin and other historical sites.

We walked from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior along Gogolevsky Boulevard to Novy Arbat, where the guest wanted to look into the metro, although his original plan did not include using the underground. He really wanted to see this unique place, as he had seen photos and thought it would be a wonderful experience.

With a private guide they went down to the Arbatskaya metro station, and the guest was delighted by the beauty of the architecture. He noted that in other countries there is usually just an entrance to the metro, but here there are entire vestibules, for example, Arbatskaya in the shape of a star or Kropotkinskaya. 

They rode one station to Revolution Square, and the guest was delighted by the sculptures. He was especially touched by the memories of his mother-in-law from Bulgaria, who visited Moscow in her youth. He sent her photos of those places that created special emotions for him.

From Revolution Square, they headed to the Metropol and the Bolshoi Theater, as planned. Despite the fact that the guys did not use a car, they visited all the planned points. At the Bolshoi Theater, a guest wanted to buy a ticket for the opera, and the guide Maria helped him with this, establishing contact with the cashier. He chose Rigoletto and later made it clear that he was delighted with his first visit to the opera, which allowed him to immerse himself in the cultural life of Moscow.

Afterwards, they passed by Red Square, but didn't linger long, as the guest had already visited the place the day before. Next, they headed to Kitay-Gorod, where the man inquired about non-touristy places to enjoy. He wanted to see something only a local could show him, that is, follow the author's route.

They walked along Bolshoy Spasoglinischevsky Lane, where the excursionist's attention was drawn to a restaurant that delighted the man of Turkish origin, who loved his national cuisine. He asked questions about unusual places, and the guide Maria told him about the Black Swan bar, located in the famous salt cellars.

The guest was delighted with the unique interior of the bar! Masha took a photo to preserve this moment. The man was happy that he found exactly what he was looking for. Then Maria recommended him a restaurant, and they visited this establishment together, after which Maria walked the guest to the theater, for which he was very grateful.

The foreign companion took many photos and was happy to see non-tourist places, to immerse himself in the city's culture. He noted that he was interested in communicating and learning more about Moscow's cultural life, and expressed a desire to continue cooperation in the future. As a result, the excursion became a full-fledged immersion in the city, and, as the guide Maria promised at the beginning, she happily shared her love for Moscow with him, showing him not only tourist places, but also the emotions he was looking for from his trip.