moscow times

Enjoy golden autumn

This year Moscow seems to have missed its usual “old woman’s summer,” those few days of warm weather that suddenly appear and as suddenly disappear amidst the cool days of fall. Instead we went from summer to gloomy autumn in the blink of an eye in early September. But after a month of rain and cloudy skies, Moscow has given us sunshine (if not warmth) and the brilliant bright yellows of a Moscow “golden autumn.” Next week we’ll be back to rain and gloom, so definitely get out this weekend and enjoy. In the city, some of the best places for strolling (and photographing golden leaves) are around Chistiye Prudy (nice cafes there, too); the overlooked Yekaterinsky park near Durov’s Corner, which has a lovely pond and gazebo (and plenty of golden-leaved maples); Neskuchny sad in Gorky Park (bring treats for the ducks and, if possible, a romantic partner); and the Hermitage Garden, with its 19th century vibe.