Vorobyevy Gory (Sparrow Hills)

Stand and survey over 1000 years of history. It might be hard to imagine the footprints of Napoleon when you are surrounded by kiosks and fast food vendors, not to mention the souvenir touts. Still, you can get an idea of the length and breadth of the capital from here, as well as seeing which of Stalin’s Seven Sisters skyscrapers you can make out or play at counting the golden onion globes. Turn around for a glimpse of the great promise of education for the people; Moscow State University (MGU) directly behind you. This building is grand, the rest behind it are frightfully unspectacular.

The parks on the way up from Vorobyevy Gory provide an excursion into treachery come winter (ice on wooden steps is always going to be tricky) but there’s also a chairlift which is occasionally running.