Where to Stay in Moscow

Historic central districts stretching from Old Arbat pedestrian street down to the Moskva River bends and Luzhniki. Mix of pre-revolutionary buildings, embassies and leafy boulevards, with some of the city's most expensive residential streets on the so-called Golden Mile. Plenty of cafes, galleries and riverfront walks, plus quick metro connections to the Kremlin and business areas.

Busy central district along Tverskaya Street combined with the quieter residential pocket around Patriarch Ponds. Here you get a dense concentration of restaurants, bars and theatres, plus pretty courtyards and renovated pre-revolutionary houses. It is one of the most fashionable areas for young professionals and has a strong cafe and nightlife scene.

Historic quarters just east and south of the Kremlin, with narrow streets, churches and a growing number of renovated loft-style offices and apartments. Zaryadye Park and the new river embankments create pleasant places to walk or work outside in summer. Mix of tourists during the day and a more local, residential feel on side streets.

Creative eastern inner districts with a mix of old industrial buildings, universities and residential blocks. Streets around Pokrovka and Chistye Prudy are filled with cafes, small bars and coworking spaces, attracting students, freelancers and the local tech scene. More affordable than the very centre while still being only a few metro stops from major sights.