Moscow is a city that has been constructed as a series of concentric circles, beginning with the Kremlin itself and spreading over the centuries to the modern Moscow Ring Road and beyond. The Boulevard Ring dates back to the end of the 16th century, when Tsar Fyodor I ordered the construction of white defensive walls around the city of the day. Two centuries later, these walls were demolished and replaced by a series of leafy boulevards that have survived to the present.
The area within this incomplete circle, truncated by the Moskva River, is known historically as the Beliy Gorod ("White City"), and it contains the majority of Moscow's essential sights and attractions, as well as the city's most fashionable shopping area, the most famous Moscow theatres, and much of the best dining and entertainment in the city. Moreover, the area has remained relatively untouched by the 20th century, with low-rise 18th century buildings and scores of narrow side streets that invite exploration. For guests who want to be in the very centre of the city - and to see Moscow's more human, intimate side - your best bet is to book a hotel within the confines of the Boulevard Ring.
