Moscow is not only one of the ancient and beautiful cities of our country, it is in the capital that many interesting theme parks are concentrated, from landscape-reserved to entertaining. Let's try to figure out which of the Moscow parks are the largest, and what you should definitely see in each of them.
What are the parks
It is generally believed that the territory of the park is intended for recreation and leisure of citizens. However, you can spend your free time in different ways: someone likes to get a book on a bench, while someone conquers a new climbing wall. Let's try to figure out what parks are generally.
- The landscape park is specially organized for walks in a relaxed atmosphere. When creating such a park, they try to preserve natural zones and landscapes.
- Natural and historical recreational park. Such places are created to protect complexes of monasteries, estates, places of historical value.
- Sports parks are designed for outdoor activities for adults and children. Equipped with running and bike paths, sports fields and complexes.
- Amusement park usually with a lot of attractions for children and adults. Often these places of rest are thematic.
- Water parks are open or located indoors. Designed for family vacations and children's parties.
- Botanical parks and arboretums. On their territory, not only research is being conducted on the study and cultivation of living plants, but often tours and other activities are conducted.
- Zoological Park, where diverse representatives of the animal world live in the vast.
- Sculpture Park, where you can admire the works of talented artists.
Moscow has the largest botanical garden in Europe, and the PandaPark Fili tracks are considered to be the longest for nothing. And all the beautiful and large parks of Moscow are simply impossible to list in one article, so we will choose the very best.
Park with the largest territory
Izmailovsky Park covers an area of more than 1,500 hectares and is considered to be the largest park in the capital. Actually, this recreation center consists of two parts: one of them, with attractions, is intended for a family vacation. The other part is a real forest park, in which pine plantations and light birch groves alternate with cozy glades for a picnic.
Izmailovsky Park is one of the oldest in Moscow. As far back as the 17th century, there was a conservation area with the largest menagerie in Europe. And the park became a place of leisure and recreation for citizens in 1931, and since then its gates are open to visitors at any time of the year.
This park is the most interesting in the capital in terms of entertainment and is constantly updated. On its territory there are two ferris wheels, many attractions for kids and for adult visitors.
Around the center of this largest park in Moscow, there is a lake with clear water. In warm time, it’s good to ride on a boat or catamaran. Here on a small island preserved Pokrovsky Cathedral and a small building of the almshouse.
For lovers of outdoor activities in the park there are several tennis courts, sports grounds, an equestrian club. Throughout the territory there is a network of bike paths, and sports equipment can be rented directly on the territory. In summer it is very pleasant to ride a bicycle along the shady paths of the forest park with a breeze, and in winter you can ski here.
Due to the huge area in this one of the largest parks in Moscow, it is never crowded.
Museum-Reserve "Tsaritsyno"
Without exaggeration, Tsaritsyno can be called one of the most unusual estates in the whole country. Her story begins in 1776, when Empress Catherine wished to build a worthy palace residence here. The grandiose construction of several palaces, a romantic park with cascades of fountains and a luxurious greenhouse was not completed during the life of the empress. Since then, the estate gradually fell into decay, until in 2004 a large-scale reconstruction began.
Today, the revived architectural ensemble of this one of the beautiful and large parks in Moscow attracts visitors every day. At the entrance, visitors are greeted by the "Singing Light Fountain", located on a separate island. Two openwork bridges lead to it. Despite the fact that the fountain and bridges appeared recently and have no relation to the history of the estate, it has already become a tradition to throw a coin in the water for good fortune.
On the territory of the Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve excursions for children and adults are held, there are many permanent exhibits dedicated to the history of Russia. The restored Opera House hosts concerts of classical and jazz music. You can walk around the palaces and manicured alleys of the park for hours, time passes unnoticed here.
Interestingly, exotic fruits are still successfully grown in the greenhouse located in this one of the largest parks in Moscow.
Entrance to the park and greenhouse is paid, but every third Sunday of the month admission is free. It must be remembered that in the historical part of the park you can’t ride bicycles and roller skates (the ban does not apply to preschool kids) and take pets with you. But on the Pokrovskaya side you can ride a boat or play futsal. In winter, you can often meet skiers here, and this year they plan to organize reindeer skiing.
Getting into the "Tale"
When choosing where in the capital the whole family has fun, it is worth visiting the "Tale" - the largest children's amusement park in Moscow. It is not difficult to get to it, the park is conveniently located in the Krylatskoye area, next to the Picturesque Bridge.
Here in the open air extreme attractions are gathered, a large Ferris wheel with cabins closed from the wind, a dino park with interactive ancient dinosaurs. More than twenty life-size dinosaur mockups come to life, growl and beat their tails to the delight of the kids. On the way to the dino park there is an archaeological site where the whole family can assemble the skeleton of an ancient giant.
Very young guests of the park can ride on bumper cars, a mini-train or a variety of bright carousels.
An older visitor will find the exciting “Big Russian hill” 26 meters high and with a speed of up to 67 km / h. And a bright yellow “Fall Tower” 40 meters high, the impression of a flight with which participants equate to a parachute jump.
And in this largest amusement park in Moscow there is a unique "Husky Land". Here, without leaving the capital, you can learn about the life of the peoples of the Far North and, of course, play with friendly blue-eyed dogs. And in winter it’s worth a ride with a breeze on a dog sled. Impressions guaranteed!
Dream island
The opening of a grandiose indoor amusement park in the Nagatinsky floodplain of the Moscow River is expected soon . According to the architects, this project will not be inferior to the Paris Disneyland.
The largest amusement park in Moscow is being built on a grand scale: there will be a landscape park, an artificial reservoir with fountains, sports and dance floors. There is even a children's yacht school in the project. And, of course, a covered area with Dracula's castle, the village of Smurfikov and many modern attractions.
While the Island of Dreams park is just under construction, the largest children's park in Moscow is the thematic HAPPYLON Pirates Park, which occupies a huge platform in the Vegas shopping center. Here, every child will feel like a real formidable pirate. The park has a large number of attractions and slot machines, designed for different ages, a Ferris wheel 20 meters high, a rope park and a large trampoline zone. The highlight of this haven of pirates was Jack's mast and the Star Wars laser tag. Children's birthday spent in such a park will be an unforgettable holiday!
Amusement Park "Immersion"
The futuristic interior of this newly opened entertainment center sets visitors to an unusual experience. And indeed it is!
In this large amusement park in Moscow, many separate playgrounds with children's or adult themes are collected. There are even entertainment strictly 18 + ...
Those who like to shoot like the Star Wars laser tag, on the site of which there can be 24 participants at a time. It turns out real space battles.
And quests and performances with different themes will help you travel to other countries and eras, get out of complex alterations and feel like a hero. You can plunge into the era of Ivan the Terrible, fight a werewolf in the castle of Count Dracula, or try to arrange an escape from the Vladimir Central.
Young guests will have a trip with Alice to Wonderland or alien Space Golf. Then the whole family will be interested in visiting the interactive Guinness World Records Museum. In it, you can not only learn about the records, but also try to beat them!
Drive at PandaPark
The largest rope park in Moscow is located in Filevsky Park. Getting lost is simply impossible; there are signs everywhere.
Eight rope routes of various difficulty categories have been laid here. Each route is designed for a different age. The total length of the routes is more than 600 meters. And there is also a climbing wall at a height of 16 meters, so this is not only the largest Panda Park in Moscow, but also the highest.
Arriving for a vacation at Fili, you need to consider that for babies whose height is less than 110 cm, there is only one simple route. Therefore, younger family members can become a little bored. It takes about an hour to complete more difficult routes, sometimes more to a climbing wall.
According to customer reviews, the safety equipment in the park is very reliable. Experienced instructors will help you choose the right helmet size and properly adjust your insurance. Instructors closely monitor how guests go along the route and can help in an unforeseen situation (sometimes clients overestimate their skills and physical fitness).
Before you visit PandaPark Fili, and any other, it’s worth specifying what the weather will be like. On rainy days, for safety reasons, all routes, even children's ones, are closed. By the way, the park also does not work in the cold season.
Waterpark "Moreon"
It is not always possible to fly away for the weekend and splash around in the warm gentle sea, so a visit to the water park can be a substitute. The largest indoor water park in Moscow is located in Yasenevo. This is a modern complex, the construction of which was completed in 2013, consists not only of a water park. For a good rest, there is a SPA center, a large bath complex, a fitness center and a bowling alley. Each family member will find something to their liking.
The water park itself consists of six slides of varying difficulty, geysers, waterfalls and a huge wave pool with a sandy beach. The illusion of relaxation at sea is created by incident waves in the pool and growing around palm trees. For those who want to relax, a slow river with a reversing current flows, and the smallest ones will gladly splash around in a complex made in the form of a pirate ship.
The length of one of the most interesting slides of this large park in Moscow exceeds 130 meters. Steep turns, turns, a fast set of speed - even adult visitors are delighted. And the unusual slides "Wing" and "Space Plate" are especially loved by visitors. The water temperature is maintained between 29-35 degrees, so you can enjoy here even in the cold winter.
Botanical Garden Walks
The area occupied by the Botanical Garden of the Academy of Sciences in Moscow is truly enormous - more than 330 hectares. Here, not only research is being conducted on the conservation of species and the cultivation of new varieties of flower-decorative plants. The arboretum has more than two thousand species of trees and shrubs from all over the planet, and from the abundance and bright colors of greenhouse plants literally dizzy. There are also many thematic gardens, such as the Rosary or Continuous Flowering Garden, where you can walk for hours. A beautiful Japanese garden is best visited in spring, during sakura blossom. They were planted back in 1987 and have already turned into huge trees.
After in 2014 the territory of the botanical garden was combined with the parks of Ostankino and VDNH, it became one of the favorite vacation spots of citizens. Rather, it is a well-groomed forest park with an abundance of trees and shrubs. Sometimes it seems that this is a wild, untouched forest, but then comes the realization that such “untouched” is achieved by the attentive, painstaking work of employees.
There are no nameplates for plants; on soft grass, you can sit and even have a picnic, of course, without making a fire. Special tracks for cyclists and skaters are equipped here, so there are always a lot of outdoor enthusiasts. But the territory is spacious, no one interferes with each other.
Entrance to the territory is free, but you can pay for an excursion and learn a lot of interesting facts from an enthusiastic guide. For example, the Stock Greenhouse, where more than 6,000 species of plants, is more interesting to inspect with a guide. By the way, for a visit to the greenhouse, rose garden and other theme gardens you will have to pay a symbolic amount.
For a quiet walk in nature, this large park in Moscow is an ideal place. There is always clean air, and if you are lucky, you can feed local squirrels.
Wildlife in the center of the metropolis
Back in 1864, one of the first zoos in Europe opened in Moscow. True, then it was called a zoo, and its first inhabitants were typical representatives of animals of Russia - hares, bears, foxes. Since then, much has changed.
Nowadays, representatives of the fauna of all continents live in spacious enclosures, there is a large dolphinarium and an exhibition of exotic reptiles. This is really one of the most interesting and largest children's parks in Moscow. And adults will not be bored here.
The zoo awaits visitors both in summer and in winter, only in the cold the working hours end at 17-00. It is better to come in the morning, because in a few hours you will not be able to see all the many inhabitants.
Near lazy strolling big cats there are always crowds of people, even more visitors near the aviary with elephants. And the rest of the many inhabitants, people do not ignore.
A separate children's corner of the zoo was allocated for the youngest visitors. Familiar chickens, ducks, rabbits and guinea pigs live there. Good-natured animals can be touched and fed.
For animal lovers there is an interesting suggestion: look at feeding animals. The official website of the Moscow Zoo has a feeding schedule, you can calculate the time and see how polar bears or a Bengal tiger are fed.
Art Park "Museon"
Talking about large parks in Moscow, it is difficult to ignore Russia's largest open-air sculpture museum. The exposition of Museon, accessible to all comers, has more than a thousand exhibits.
Time was bizarrely mixed here: next to the traditional monuments of the Soviet era are the works of talented modern avant-garde artists. The exhibits are right on the paths and lawns, everyone can take a photo or relax on the grass next to them.
Here, both aspiring musicians and recognized stars often perform. And movie fans should visit the large summer open-air cinema. Having settled down in a soft armchair and covered with a blanket, you can watch the current film premiere or tape, which has long become a classic.
It is impossible to unambiguously determine which park is the largest in Moscow, or the most beautiful, or the most popular among citizens. A walk in each park can give positive emotions, an adrenaline rush or a romantic mood. And I want to go back there.