The artwork in Moscow’s metro stations is stunning, and each one has a different theme. The Kievskaya station is especially interesting, as it depicts Ukrainian agriculture and pride. In light of last year's Orange Revolution and Ukraine's desire to join the EU, the station's murals and mosaics are particularly poignant.

You can explore the station and then head up the street to Yolki Polki, one of a chain of restaurants serving decent Russian food at cheap prices (not an easy thing to find in Moscow). Their generous portion of borsht is delicious.

Kievskaya metro station

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This modern sculpture to the ship-loving Tsar provokes astonishment and horror in equal measure from locals and visitors alike. It’s huge and is situated on the tip of an island in the Moskva River, near the Sculptures Park. It’s best viewed from the southern embankment though you can go onto the island if you so wish.

It depicts Peter steering a sailing vessel and has all manner of strange adornments right down to its considerable base. It’s worth seeing just for its hugeness and at the very least for having your photo taken in front of. Possibly the largest piece of kitsch in the world.

Bolotnaya Nab; nearest Metro: Polyanka

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Tretyakovskaya is a magnificent gallery of Russian art (both in artists and subject matter). There are some fantastic paintings and sculptures dealing with several different parts of Russian, Ukrainian and Tatar cultures. A great way to spend an afternoon and enlighten yourself.

Metro to Tretyakovskaya and walk down Bolshiy Tolmachevskiy Per. Take your first right (towards the river) and you'll walk past the entrance

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Tolstoy spent his winters here in the later part of his life, and the feel of the house is less like a museum, more like you're having a look round while the family have popped out.

It's quite a large wooden house in the suburbs and there's plenty to see if you're an admirer of Russia's most famous novelist. My favourite is his bicycle, which he only learned to ride in his 80s, and there's also a photo of him riding it down the street outside. A must visit for me.

Ulitsa Lva Tolstovo; nearest metro: Park Kultury

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Tucked away among swathes of the bizarre Stalinist zoo, the NCCA is the hub of contemporary art in Moscow. It has an exhibition hall showcasing Russian and international art. Talks and recitals take place in the auditorium space upstairs and there is a nice bookshop.

There’s a resource centre too, so you can find out what's going on in the busy contemporary art scene across the city.

13 Zoologicheskaya Street, 123242; www.english.ncca.ru/;
nearest metro: Barraakadnaya and Krsnopresmenskaya

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This is the main gallery of international art in Moscow and, while not quite on the scale of the Hermitage in St Petersburg, it still possesses an impressive collection. The surprise here is that there is so much Impressionist art. The main players are all present – there’s an entire gallery of Gaugins – and you begin to wonder how they all ended up here. The official line is that Impressionism became popular in Russia before anywhere else, but one can’t help recalling speculation of where WW2 plunder may have ended up. Whatever the truth, you could while away many an hour in here.

Ulitsa Volkhonka. Nearest Metro: Kropotkinskaya

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A gallery of national art which is just that - you'll find only Russian art here. It ranges from religious icon painting over the centuries to Russian artists reflecting their own attempts at some of the genres that are familiar to European art. It's a major gallery that holds something of interest for most tastes in painting and sculpture, but don't expect any Tate Modern style installations.

Lavrushinsky pereulok. Nearest Metro: Tretyakovskaya

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Twentieth-century Russian art. You will need several hours to marvel at the avant-garde and socialist realist masterpieces that bring to life what was happening on the other side of the Iron Curtain.

10 Krymsky Val; Tel: 095 951 1362; nearest metro: Park Kultury; www.tretyakovgallery.ru/english

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