But the real flavour of this city is in its small nooks and crannies, each of them unique. East from the city, then south, flows the Volga River, one of Russia's historic highways. Red Square lies along its east side, the Moscow River flows past its south side. From here, Moscow spreads out in four distinctive rings of development, each area having its own collection of monasteries, museums and elegant buildings. Most of the city's sights are within the first circle - an area which can easily be covered on foot.
Summer days are long and can be wet.
By the end of November Moscow is frozen most of the time and serious snow arrives in December and stays until April. Spring arrives fast and with a great thaw, a month or so long, and people go a touch crazy. A great many festivals are derived from Orthodox church tradition. Orthodox Christmas begins with midnight mass on 7 January. In odd-numbered years, the Moscow Film Festival hits the city's screens in Autumn.