If you have some free time during your stay in Moscow, take the opportunity to explore the parks of Russia's capital. Some are renowned worldwide and have become synonymous with the city. It's the perfect chance to unwind, visit some historic monuments, and discover authentic Moscow life.

The sprawling city of Moscow boasts numerous green spaces, ranging from wild forests to beautifully landscaped parks — and without exception, all the parks in the metropolis offer a wonderfully peaceful escape! You'll notice that locals flock to these spaces on weekends.

The parks continue to be improved, with new attractions being built, benches and hammocks installed, and other novel features added. Most offer a wide range of sports activities (jogging, rollerblading, ice skating, football, cycling...) and cultural events (exhibitions, concerts, festivals, open-air films...). Here's our guide to discovering Moscow's parks:

Zaryadye Park

A newcomer to Moscow's park scene, Zaryadye Park sits just a stone's throw from the Kremlin and Red Square, so there's no excuse for missing a quick hour-long visit. Built in the heart of the capital on the ruins of an abandoned hotel that had left a sprawling, derelict void in Moscow's center for years, the park emerged from a contentious debate. The mayor's initial proposal to construct another government building was met with fierce criticism from residents eager to reclaim the city's heart. Enter this charming park, inaugurated in 2017 by President Vladimir Putin himself. Zaryadye Park showcases four Russian ecosystems: tundra, wetland, forest, and steppe. It's best known for its floating platform over the Moskva River and breathtaking views of the capital's finest monuments, including Saint Basil's Cathedral, the Kremlin, and Christ the Savior Cathedral. In fact, it earned a spot on Time magazine's list of the 100 most beautiful places in the world in 2018!

Gorky Park

The most popular park in Moscow, Gorky Park hosts a massive ice skating rink in winter and countless cultural activities in summer, including some of the city's largest festivals. Located along the Moskva River in the heart of Moscow, Gorky Park has something for everyone: from leisurely strolls to dance and yoga classes, skateboard and catamaran rentals to volleyball courts. It's the perfect spot for a fantastic weekend with family or friends!

Muzeon Park

Just next door to Gorky Park, Muzeon is well worth a visit. A genuine open-air museum, it houses the toppled statues of Soviet leaders from across the former Soviet Union. You'll find busts of Lenin and modern sculptures that have been added recently. For children, there are characters from Soviet cartoons like Cheburashka. Perfect for a stroll through the past!

VDNKh or the Exhibition Park

A remarkable park in the capital, VDNKh is an immense territory developed by the Soviets to represent all the republics under Soviet control. Today, you can enjoy the park for cycling, as it's truly sprawling in size. The central area is landscaped and paved, but you'll also find a vast forest and a lake, much quieter than Moscow's central parks. Moreover, visiting VDNKh is an opportunity to revisit Soviet Russia. Don't miss the central fountain surrounded by sixteen women representing the friendship of peoples. It's flanked by 16 pavilions, each once dedicated to one of the Soviet republics. Today, they house shops, cafés, and exhibitions. VDNKh is also known for displaying a rocket and a spacecraft, the latter housing a photo exhibition inside. You could easily spend a full day here without seeing everything!

Kolomenskoye Park

Though it's a bit of a distance from central Moscow, Kolomenskoye Park makes for a perfect day trip near Russia's capital. This vast green expanse, where gardens and forests intertwine, is an open-air museum. This time, venture into the Russia of the tsars. The park is ideal for strolling, with its idyllic setting, gentle slopes, and sheer vastness. But it's also a chance for a historical journey. An ancient residence of the tsars, it houses 17 monuments (originals or replicas) from the tsar era, including an enormous wooden palace and several churches. Some are open to visitors. The estate has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1994. Walk in the footsteps of Peter the Great...

Izmailovsky Park

The Izmailovsky Park is a sprawling territory located just outside Russia's capital. Here you'll find a gigantic forest for strolling, a lake for boating or pedal boats, and an amusement park with a Ferris wheel and other attractions for young and old alike. It's an ideal spot for a family weekend in nature, to unwind and have fun without venturing too far from the city. Plus, Izmailovsky Park sits right next to the famous souvenir market of the same name, near Partizanskaya metro station. This massive market is the ideal place to pick up Russian souvenirs, like a fur hat or a chess set. It's everything you'll find there, and it's set up in a charming, colorful Kremlin.

Moscow State University Botanical Garden

Also known as the "Aptekarsky Sad" (the Pharmacist's Garden), this Moscow State University park is home to thousands of plants and trees. Some of the trees are over 300 years old. It's a true paradise of colors and fragrances, very peaceful since park entry is paid (300 rubles) and there are no attractions. It hosts an ice sculpture festival in winter and a flower festival in spring. The park was founded near the Kremlin in 1706 by Peter the Great, originally intended to cultivate medicinal plants for the tsar's family, but was later expanded and relocated near the state university.

Tsaritsino Park

The Tsaritsino Park is one of Moscow's most romantic parks. With its musical fountain illuminated in the evening, there's nothing quite like it for a romantic stroll! It's actually a state open-air museum where Gothic-style monuments built on the orders of Empress Catherine II are on display. Beyond this historical aspect, this lovely park is the city's largest nature reserve. It also features three ponds, the largest of which is equipped with slides and ropes for fun. You'll find numerous sports facilities: basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts, rentals, and outdoor gym equipment...

Filiovsky Park

Much less well-known than the other parks on this list, Filiovsky Park is nonetheless one of our favorites. It's a genuine oasis for nature lovers: the park contains a vast wild forest, largely undeveloped, allowing you to briefly forget you're in one of the world's largest cities during a short hike! In summer, you can enjoy shade beneath the park's tall trees, listen to birdsong, and jog in complete solitude with nature. A promenade has been developed along the Moskva River, just as you exit the forest, and it's equally delightful. The park installs a few pools directly in the river in summer for swimming, truly delightful! In winter, Filiovsky Park transforms into a fairy tale, and you might almost believe you're deep in Siberia, so enchanting is the snow-laden forest!