SOMETIMES YOU CAN’T TAKE THE TIME FOR A LEISURELY CITY STAY OVER MULTIPLE DAYS. HERE’S HOW TO HAVE ONE GREAT DAY IN...

MOSCOW

8am Head to Cook’kareku for a quirky, but still delicious, take on breakfast and order one of the global-inspired choices. The Kamchatkan breakfast (scrambled eggs, salmon, crab, beetroot and sour cream) is a tasty choice.

9.30am There are almost 900 churches in Moscow, of which the Church of All Saints in Kulishki is one of the most remarkable. The current building is from the 17th century, with the original dating back to the 14th century. Interestingly, in the ’50s and ’60s it housed KGB offices, but in 1991 ownership was returned to the Orthodox Church.

10.30am Stroll around Red Square and soak up the atmosphere. St Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow’s pride and joy, is located here. Built under the rule of Tsar Ivan IV, it’s a stunning and colourful nine-dome marvel which today houses a museum.

11.30am Built in 1893, GUM is Moscow’s historic department store and is home to the city’s most expensive brands. Most tourists visit to simply admire the architecture and buy an ice cream. (Be prepared to line up in summer.)

12.30pm Overlooking the Moskva River, the Moscow Kremlin is a historic complex with everything from gold collections and armoury to religious icons and jewellery on display.

2pm At Cafe Pushkin you can try beautifully presented traditional Russian dishes like pelemeni and borsch in a space fitted out like a Russian aristocrat’s home circa 1825.

3.30pm Some of Moscow’s metro stops are striking works of art so spend some time underground. Mayakovskaya is one of the most stunning, with 34 elaborate mosaics displayed on the ceiling.

4.30pm Catch the metro to Kropotkinskaya to visit the lavish Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the world’s tallest Russian Orthodox cathedral. Although the cathedral concept dates back to the early 19th century, it was completed only in 2000.

6pm Grab a cheeky cocktail at Mendeleev Bar. You’ll need to enter via the Chinese takeaway shop Lucky Noodles and head for a discrete black curtain to enter this chic space.

7pm The Bolshoi Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world and Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre is an attraction in its own right. Watching a performance here (be sure to book ahead) is a must-do.

10pm Finish your Moscow experience at Varvary, the first Russian restaurant to make the World’s 50 Best Restaurants cut. Anatoly Komm’s inventive approach elevates traditional Russian cuisine to new heights.