Richard Burgunder from U.S.: 'I visited Moscow in winter 2024 and this is what happened'
Our reader Richard Burgunder flew to Moscow from Pittsburgh in early January 2024 and spent 10 days there. He shared his experience.
My first impression was – COLD! When I landed, it was about -27°C/-16°F, yet the city was stunningly decorated with Christmas trees, New Year decorations and cheerful people everywhere.
Cold day at the Red Square.
The following day, I met my Russian friend who’s originally from St. Petersburg and we went to the Christmas market on the Red Square. Then, we toured a recently declassified Soviet underground bunker, which was impressive!
At the bunker.
Despite the frost, I really enjoyed Moscow’s many parks! For instance, Zaryadye, Kolomenskoe… but Gorky Park was my favorite. I visited it three times. It’s so iconic!
The Tsar's wooden palace in Kolomenskoe Park.
Briefly on how I got to Moscow: I left the U.S. on January 2 and arrived in Moscow on January 4. There were long layovers in Canada, Germany, and Turkey. As our (credit and debit) cards do not work in Russia, I took U.S. Dollars, which I then exchanged for rubles. I paid for the hotel in person on-site. In total, I spent around $1,000.
I'd love to visit Moscow again, preferably in warmer weather! Also, exploring the Urals would be exciting.
