If you have a free hour

Bargain for trash and treasures at Izmailovo Market. Vendors sell arts and crafts, antiques, Soviet paraphernalia and limitless souvenirs. It’s open daily, but many vendors set up only on weekends. Feel free to negotiate, but don’t expect too much flexibility in prices.

If you have a free day

See what Moscow is famous for: Red Square. Pay your respects at Lenin’s mausoleum (9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., closed Monday and Friday), where curiosity-seekers still gawk at the waxy figure. Visit St. Basil’s Cathedral, an amazing amalgam of colors and shapes that most symbolizes Russia (closed Tuesday).

Dedicate the afternoon to touring the Kremlin (+7 495 202 3776, closed Thursday), the ancient fortress where Moscow was founded and remains the apex of political power. Allow several hours to admire the mind-numbing array of treasures in the Armory (last entry 4:30 p.m.), including the famous collection of Fabergé eggs.

If you have a free weekend

Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius

Escape the big-city bustle and immerse yourself in the age-old allure of the Golden Ring, the towns northeast of Moscow where ancient Russia was born. The whitewashed walls of these once fortified cities still stand. The golden spires and onion domes of their monasteries still mark the horizon. Bells ring out from towering belfries; robed holy men scurry about; historic tales recall mysterious, magical times.

The Golden Ring’s most visited destination is Sergiev Posad, for its accessibility from Moscow and its atmosphere of history and holiness. Explore the grounds of the Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius and marvel at the riches in its Vestry. Spend the night at Russky Dvorik (ulitsa Mitkina 14/2, +7 496 547 5392), a delightful hotel with views of the monastery’s spangled domes.

The following day, continue north to Rostov-Veliky, a charming village with its own rich history and impressive kremlin (+7 485 366 2871). A daily express train runs from Yaroslavl Station in Moscow to Rostov-Veliky via Sergiev Posad.