A short metro ride from Moscow’s city centre (stop at Kolomenskaya and walk about 10 minutes), Kolomenskoye makes for a pleasant detour in fine weather, boasting a rather eclectic collection of buildings on its grounds.

The highlight is the striking whitewashed Church of the Ascension, built in 1532 and unusual for the time as its tent-shaped roof represented a breakaway from the dominant Byzantine sensibilities. Meticulously preserved and restored over the centuries, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1994.

Also worth a look is the replica of a fantastical 250-room wooden palace built by Tsar Alexis I – the original was demolished in 1768, but the Moscow government managed to rebuild it in 2010, thanks to detailed plans of the palace that survived. The other old wooden buildings and artifacts dotting the grounds date from a Soviet-era initiative to transport buildings of varying styles from all over the Soviet Union to Russia for preservation. If you’re looking to just indulge yourself in the Kolomenskoye’s environment, feel free to take a stroll along the park’s many lanes and paths while enjoying the scenic views it has to offer.