<p>OK, H got home from work and reminded me to post about a thing related to safety (we also found it to be very true in St Pertersburg a few years ago): cars in Russia seem to have the right of way, and everyone speeds and drives like crazy ignoring traffic signs when it is convenient for them. So be very careful when crossing the street even if the light is green! </p>
<p>Thanks - I am getting a guide for Moscow but will wing it by myself in Rome. No Dolce & Gabbana, BB – but I am planning a travel palette of plum, gray and black and a super warm coat and boots. Thanks to all!</p>
<p>We were in Moscow for four days a few years ago. We did not find English speakers all that common. Agree with the one-day itinerary from Frommer’s that Bunsen Burner posted. Stick to Red Square and the Kremlin (the Armory will knock your socks off). Go inside GUM. See a ballet at the Bolshoi, a short walk from Red Square. (One theater is the traditional classical ballet, and the other side is more modern.) We had arranged, through our English-speaking guide, for the driver from our hotel to pick us up after the ballet. We thought. Only he wasn’t there when the ballet got out. No taxis and the area was quickly deserted. At night. Few public telephones. It was scary. Can’t remember where we finally found a phone and were able to call the hotel (had the hotel card with us) to get a driver. We heard stories about taxis charging usurious rates to tourists. Bribery is rampant all over Russia. (Our tour bus was stopped to pay a bribe to police outside of St. Petersburg.) Hire a guide. Carry your passport and Euros at all times. Try to steer clear of political demonstrations (we gave a wide berth to a small Communist rally going on outside Red Square.) Take the subway if you can; it’s easy to navigate and many of the stations are gorgeous (we traveled it entirely on our own). Agree that Moscovites are extremely well dressed and fashionable. We loved Russia, and I would go back in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>The young Russian women I saw were very fashionably dressed–high heeled boots, fur coats and very large designer bags were common. My son-in-law was born in Russia–he came here when he was six. His mother says ones of the things she loves about living here is that she doesn’t have to dress up to go out the way that she did when she lived in St. Petersburg.</p>
<p>Euro and $ are very popular in Russia. So do have some in your purse just in case. I believe you can easily exchange them to rubbles if needed. I hate to say it, but bribes are very common and often expected, so or $ could become very handy.</p>
<p>Majority of Russian people are quite nice and friendly, but they’ve been constantly brainwashed and many country’s economic problems are been blamed on the USA. So the feelings towards Americans could be mixed.</p>
<p>Older subway stations are in fact beautiful, I can guarantee you that its nothing like NYC subway LOL. Stalin had plenty of cheap labor to built them (all prisoners).</p>
<p>And armory in Kremlin is a must. It WILL knock your socks off.</p>
<p>When we traveled to St Petersburg we brought a bunch of $ because we were told they were preferred and accepted in most places, but that turned out to be not exactly true. Even street vendors asked for rubles. Exchanging money in Moscow should not be a problem, there are ATMs everywhere, and most hotels and stores accept major credit cards. H used his American-style Visa (mag. stiripe, not RFID chip) wihout any problems. Of course, cash is needed to pay for cabs and for food/souvenirs at small shops. I do not recall that we had to bribe anyone; however, we left generous tips and gave a monetary gift to our tour guide.</p>
<p>We also found that people preferred rubles in St. Petersburg. Some of the touristy gift shops would take euros and dollars but everywhere else they wanted rubles. I clearly remember sitting in a restaurant with our Russian tour guide and hoping we had enough rubles because they wouldn’t take credit cards (it was a place where locals ate).</p>
<p>If you get the chance I really recommend you visit one of the ‘Golden Ring’ towns near Moscow. These are the some of the oldest towns in Russia with many beautiful buildings and churches. Sergiev Posad is the closest to Moscow I think (the train takes 30 mins), it’s worth visiting if only to see the stunning monastery.</p>