[Photo from moscow.info]

Get a breath of fresh air in Europe's biggest city.

Moscow is famous as one of the greenest capitals in the world, with over 100 parks within the city limits, not to mention countless gardens, boulevards and squares. And it's not just the number of green areas in the city, it's their incredible variety that makes Moscow parklife so interesting. From the extraordinary Soviet pomposity of the All-Russian Exhibition Centre to the breath-taking beauty of the old Tsarist village of Kolomenskoe, Moscow's parks have something for everyone, and if you're planning to spend more than a few days in the city you'll almost certainly welcome the chance to get some fresh air and exercise in one or more of them.

Some of Moscow's most beautiful sights can be found in the suburban estates of the 19th century aristocracy, like Uzkoe and Kuskovo, which have since been subsumed by the ever-expanding city and are now easily accessible by public transport from the centre. There are a number of options for children, including skating and ice sculptures in Gorky Park and the perennially popular Moscow Zoo. Nature lovers will no doubt find it worth their while to inspect the vast array of rare and exotic plants on display at the Botanical Gardens, and the more active will be glad to hear that Moscow's parks offer a full range of outward-bound activities from yachting to paintball. In short, no matter what your tastes are, finding something to suit them in Moscow really is a walk in the park.