Red Sq. - Kremlin area/Manezhnaya Sq., Moscow

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The Cathedral of the Kazan Icons of the Mother of God (Sobor Kazanskikh Ikoney Bozhiey Materi) is a second church in Red Square, decided smaller but no less impressive than St. Basil's. It is tucked away next to GUM and on the opposite side of the Square from Lenin's Tomb, and has a spectacular combination of a gold dome and innumerable (probably something like 16) arched vaults that pile on top of the entrance to the Church. The interior is equally awe-inspiring, as it contains many, many icons, both new and old, that highlight the beauty and intricacy of Russian iconography. The Church is in fact quite small, and can get a bit crowded at time (not because of tourists, but because of the faithful). I have particularly vivid memories of the Church during Mass. It was packed out the door and the incense was quite thick. The small interior helps to ensure that the mass sung reverberates and fills your ears (as do the many speakers that broadcast mass to the Square and surrounding streets). Remember that Orthodox churches have fairly strict dress rules, as men should have at least short sleeves and slacks and women should be in skirts and have their heads covered.

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Alexandrovsky Garden is just off of Manezhnaya Ploshchad, but it really is a delightful green spot in central Moscow that really shouldn't be missed. Of course, it's only green spring through fall, which probably means half of the year. More than just the ability to stroll and escape the traffic, noise and pollution of central Moscow, the garden also allows you to reflect on the enormous sacrifices made by the Russian nation during the Second World War. The entrance to the Garden from Manezhnaya is actually a memorial to the soldiers and civilians killed, with an eternal flame, and the names of the cities that came under seige and either successfully resisted the Nazi onslaught or heroically survived Nazi occupation. Don't be surprised if you find lots of Russians taking snapshots of themselves or their friends in front of a city's name.

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St. Basil's Cathedral, or Khram Velikogo Vasiliy, is perhaps the icon of Moscow. It's onion-shaped, multicoloured domes are recognizable to anyone and everyone who has ever played Tetris. Thanks to a reprieve from Stalin, who originally contemplated leveling the beautiful building when he was making room for the Victory Day parade ground after the Second World War, this is one of the few massive Christian monuments to have survived the Soviet period in all its splendour.

We didn't actually enter the Cathedral, as we couldn't quite figure out if it was open to the public, but we did get plenty of shots in front of and behind it. One of the best ways of getting a picture of the Cathedral is to come from below, on the street that goes past Gostinniy Dvor and the English Court (ulitsa Varvarka). This will allow you to get great perspectives of the domes and the structure. You have to be a bit farther back to get something similar when in Red Square, but you can take a few nice snapshots of the memorial in front of the Cathedral from close up.

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No visit to Moscow is complete without a visit to Lenin's Tomb, where visitors can file past the long-deceased founder of the Soviet Union and contemplate his embalmed body for a few moments. The procedure for getting into the tomb is slightly complicated, as you must first drop off your bags and any photographic equipment at a coat check in the National Historical Museum and then pass through metal detectors on your way onto the path into the Mausoleum. You are not allowed to talk when inside the actual building, and the soldiers, despite being young and baby-faced, make no bones about telling you to shut-up. Lenin's Tomb is much more, however, than just filing past his body. It is also a chance to walk through a small garden than houses the busts and plaques dedicated to the soldiers, generals and politicians who were featured prominently throughout Soviet history. It is also a chance to understand just how much the entire Soviet military apparatus is still revered in Russia, almost twenty years since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Please, do curry a valid passport with registration in it with you, when you walk around Red Sq./ Kremlin.
Do not put hands in your pockets when visiting Lenin's mausoleum. The security might think that you have a gun there.
Go to GUM, the huge shopping centre next to Kremlin/ there is a lot to buy and to eat.
More shopping could be found under Manezhnaya Square (there is another big shopping centre.)

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Following the Kremlin wall away from the Moskwa River one can observe the changing of the Russian guards. It is situated next to the monument of the fallen soldiers and has a permanent guard honouring the monument.

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The Alexandrvskij Garden runs alongside the Western wall of the Kremlin and was the first public park in Moscow. It's not really large, but still a very nice place for a stroll.
Inside the park you'll find the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with the eternal flame. The changing of the guards here takes place every hour.

Situated at the north end of Alexandrovsky Garden on the western wall of the Kremlin is where you'll find the tomb. It's a national pilgrimage spot, I saw newlyweds there laying flowers & having their pictures taken. The tomb contains the remains of one soldier who died in December 1941. There is an eternal flame here & other inscriptions listing the Soviet hero cities of WWII. The changing of the guard happens every hour.