If St Petersburg was Russia's Paris, then Moscow would be its London. A bustling metropolis with a grumpy man in a woolly hat for every one of St Petersburg's fur clad fashionistas, it has a grandeur expressed more through its metro system and towering Seven Sisters skyscrapers than palaces or cathedrals. The Soviet legacy is most keenly felt in the bold Constructionist architecture than anything else, with the Russian State Library opposite the Kremlin a neat juxtaposition of Moscow's twin capital heritage as the centre of the Evil Empire and the seat of Muscovite power. Indeed, Ivan IV and Lenin are interred not far apart, albeit on different sides of The Kremlin's robust walls. And as it turned out, we were unable to see either of them; Ivan's tomb was behind an ornate iconostasis and Lenin's mausoleum was under renovation.

As with all of Russia, living is expensive in Moscow and service for foreigners lousy. However, those in search of cheap thrills are well served by a trip on the Metro, for just 28 rubles a go, from a self service machine. Perfect. Use it wisely to experience the "underground Sun" of Moscow's extraordinaryly vertical and well lit stations, it was the pride of Stalin, and not without good reason. Take a trip to Kultury Park and visit the Park of Fallen Statues, or Muzeon Park of Arts as it is officially known for a hidden gem. Contemporary art and outrageous yarnbombing (thermal knits for trees!) jostle for space with Soviet heroes and graffiti'd busts of Stalin. Not to mention the magnificent Peter the Great standing proud in the river.

Across the highway awaits Gorky Park, mainly closed for the winter but still home to a personal indulgence: a prototype of the Buran space shuttle.