Travel to Christmas musical forest. Cozy Time site on Pushkinskaya Square

In Moscow, from December 16, 2016 to January 15, 2017, the IV Travel to Christmas Festival is taking place. 42 colorful festival venues have opened throughout the city. Guests from 15 countries and 40 regions of Russia are participating in their work. Let's take a walk through the central venues of the festival and start from Manezhnaya Square.

This year, new commercial chalets are presented, they are now not wooden, but completely glass

You can buy New Year and Christmas souvenirs, sweets and other gifts

Large New Year's cards were installed on the square

A Journey to Christmas opens the next cycle of Moscow Seasons - public street events for citizens and tourists. These include City Day, nine major city festivals, and dozens of other events. In 2016, the sites were visited by over 50 million people.

An ice plastic slide was installed for children

Carved ice figures adorn the facade of the slide, and it is also decorated with a huge clock made of ice

Alley of Christmas trees along ice slide

There will be a free skating rink on Revolution Square every day.

And at certain hours there will be screenings of the performances "The Nutcracker", "Swan Lake", "Cipollino" and "Snow White".

Ice theater poster on Revolution Square

Let's take a look at Nikolskaya Street. There are just installed luminous arches, they looked more beautiful that year. Shopping chalets, no street this year

Luminous arches are also installed near the Vitali fountain on Revolution Square

There are no trade chalets here either this year, except for luminous arches and trees, there is nothing here.

Arch near the Bolshoi Theater

No shopping chalets, master classes ... just a light arch and that's it

A fairy-tale forest appeared in Kamergersky lane

There is a fair dedicated to the Christmas and New Year traditions of different countries. At culinary master classes, guests will be taught how to cook dishes national cuisines... You can also buy authentic souvenirs here.

Very beautiful lanterns "champagne glasses"

New Year trees and glasses-lanterns adorn the building of the Moscow City Hall

All new lighting poles on both sides of Tverskaya from Manezhnaya Square to Pushkin Square are decorated with glowing structures. The height of the glasses is up to seven meters.

Trading chalets and houses with master classes were placed behind the monument to Yuri Dolgoruky

Can be done beautiful photo with santa claus

Children can ride the carousel

Christmas living room where master classes for children are held

You can have a snack with sausages, the price is 250-300 rubles

Shopping chalets

Light arches were installed at all festival venues

Walking along Tverskaya Street we came to Pushkinskaya

The light-dynamic installation "Musical Forest" is located on Pushkinskaya Square

On it with sound - with the help of an equalizer - light pictures replacing each other will be formed. The duration of each performance is eight - 10 minutes.

The Musical Forest consists of 50 trees and 50,000 LED pixels. They are programmed so that the backlight changes depending on the music. Each pixel responds to a specific note.

Where there was a fountain in the summer, now there is a pedestrian zone and everyone can come here and take pictures of glowing animals

There is not enough space here and therefore the crush is complete ... everyone should take a picture with a hare in the background :) :) :) :)

Fairy tale characters walk right there and delight visitors

Novopushkinsky square is also decorated with a light arch

A fantastic installation was installed on Tverskoy Boulevard - a hundred-meter light tunnel

Perhaps one of the best installations of this festival is the Light Tunnel

Everyone enters the tunnel and takes pictures :)

True, and there are a lot of people who want to

And in front of the light tunnels are the numbers 2017

Here is such a festival "Travel to Christmas 2016-2017". It seemed to me that last year there were more installations, figures and finally it was somehow better, but it's definitely worth a walk

Every year Moscow is transformed before the New Year - the central squares are filled with New Year's paraphernalia, Christmas fairs and other entertainments appear. This year, the annual Journey to Christmas festival will run from December 16 to January 19, 2017. We decided to walk around the main venues on the opening day and celebrate the most interesting ones. Hot on the heels of sharing a review.

If earlier we looked with interest at photographs of European Christmas markets and dreamed of seeing it with our own eyes, now Muscovites and guests of the city do not need to go anywhere, because in Moscow every year there are many New Year fairs, sites with giant New Year decorations and installations, and how many winter entertainment! Winter 2017 was no exception, the "Journey to Christmas" festival, parks, shopping centers and the skating rinks prepared so many surprises that it is not easy to choose what to see in New Year's Moscow, where to take a walk, where to arrange a photo session, where to go with children. We have selected the most interesting places and the events of New Year's Moscow, went out into the street with a camera and prepared for you a guide around the New Year's center of the capital.

Perhaps the most anticipated New Year's surprises are as follows.

1. Designer Christmas trees: Kuznetsky Most street, possession 6-3 (near the Bolshoi restaurant)
2. Christmas tree 3D-toys and magic animation on Pushkinskaya square
3. Tverskoy Boulevard: light tunnel on
4. Hundred-meter ice slide: Revolution Square (transition to Manezhnaya Square)
5. Skating rink and Christmas market on Red Square
6. Magic Theater on Revolution Square: free ice performances
7. Fairs
8. Christmas tree-carousel, 160-meter light tunnel and starry sky at VDNKh

The long-awaited illumination in Moscow came on on Friday evening, December 16. We, forgetting about the cold, set off on a journey through the center of Moscow. In order to spend the time most efficiently, we preliminarily drew up a route: they decided to start from the Teatralnaya metro station (from the Bolshoi Theater), then walk to the Central Department Store, along Stoleshnikov to reach the fair, which is located opposite the Moscow City Hall. From there it was planned to walk to Pushkin Square. Well, it was decided to end our first New Year's walk at Revolution Square. Although it is best to start the journey with the latter - but first things first.

New Year's Bolshoi Theater

At about 19-30 we met near the Teatralnaya metro station, went to the Bolshoi Theater. The first thing we saw was a light composition similar to the crown from the Nutcracker play. Imagine our surprise that the Bolshoi Theater did not have any fair this year, but in the previous years it did. Well, let's go further.

View from the Bolshoi Theater.

The Central Department Store (TSUM), shimmers like a precious diamond before the New Year.

TSUM showcases, as always, surprise - the fruit of the inflamed imagination of the designers, but it is very funny to look at them.

Fair on Kuznetsky Most

With a quick step we reached the first fair on our way - the fair on Kuznetsky Most. This year, the shape of the houses in which the fair was located surprised me a little. The outlets are glass pavilions decorated with LEDs. Modern, but does not create a holiday feeling.
We went into one of these houses and bought mulled wine - the frost was raging in earnest.

According to my companion, the most beautiful Christmas trees in Moscow are located near the Cartier store on Kuznetsky Most. Perhaps I agree.

The Petrovsky Passage shopping complex is very beautifully decorated - we also dropped in to warm up there - silence, beauty, no one there.

Then we went to Stoleshnikov lane in the direction of the City Hall. Almost all pedestrian streets are decorated in the same way - the ubiquitous LED trees. It is beautiful, but since they are in Moscow all year round, they did not cause much surprise in us.

There were truths and such interesting compositions - a symbol of the holiday. Either a watch, or a carriage.

Fair near the monument to Yuri Dolgoruky (Moscow City Hall)

A fair was set up near the City Hall, aimed at showing on television - everything is very beautiful, in a European way.

There are retail outlets along the perimeter of the square, where you can buy Christmas goods from different European countries.

Further, we leave on Tverskaya street. The main feature of Tverskaya is the special design of the lighting poles - if you look closely, you can recognize glasses of champagne in these lights.
In short dashes we ran to Pushkin Square. Here, as it were, not to burst: near the monument to Pushkin, the Musical Forest composition is located, and on Tersky Boulevard there is a light tunnel. What to do? We decided to examine everything in order and started with a cheerful, oh, with a musical forest.

Musical forest on Pushkin Square

Every 10 minutes, music plays and this whole white composition is filled with different bright colors. The sight is very beautiful! In addition, you can get into the very heart of this composition.

In the center there is a kind of fabulous white tree, decorated with balls and icicles. There are so many people that it is very difficult to even take a picture. Everyone wants to plunge into a fairy tale!

There are also glass pavilions on Pushkinskaya Square, where they sell balls, Christmas trees and all kinds of New Year's rubbish.

Pretty much by this moment freezing, we decided on Pushkinskaya Square to go to warm up in the famous self-service restaurant with the letter "M". I was a little surprised that at all these fairs there were practically no places to eat. And so I wanted to eat a hot sausage in the cold!

Light tunnel on Tverskoy Boulevard

The main attraction of Tverskoy Boulevard is, of course, the light tunnel, which this year was moved closer to the people, closer to the metro.

We went through the tunnel and expected to see the fairgrounds, but we saw only one, and in it ... a guard lives. A little further along Tverskoy Boulevard, we made out an ice town, apparently intended for playing snowballs.

The second part of Tverskoy Boulevard seemed to us somewhat dark and not comfortable - so we decided to turn around and head towards Okhotny Ryad and Manezhnaya Square.

On Tverskaya Street, in addition to the aforementioned "glasses of champagne" opposite Kamergersky Lane, one can note a chess composition, where the royal throne is located in the center.

We lingered here a little - to admire the Kamergersky lane.

Okhotny Ryad is ready for the New Year

The end of the evening, and we are just getting close to the "Heart" Christmas festivities. On Okhotny Ryad we see a New Year's carousel and numerous Glass boxes-stalls. By 10 o'clock they were all closed.

Traditional carousel.

Large postcards based on Soviet motives.

Against Historical Museum an unusual ice town is located.

After seeing the fair on Okhotny Ryad, we go to the Revolution Square.

Revolution Square before Christmas

The Ice Theater is located not far from the metro. He looks pretty impressive and beautiful from all sides. To get here for the performance, you need to carefully study the program. It even became interesting how it will accommodate all comers? Ice ballet starts at 19-00.

To finish our visit to the first day of the festival with dignity, we decided to look at Nikolskaya Street. Nikolskaya is decorated in the same way as last year - with Italian LED arches.

This is how our almost four-hour walk through New Year's Moscow flew by unnoticed.

So, the most interesting sites in my opinion are:

1. Ice Theater on Revolution Square
2. Ice slide on Revolution Square
3. Musical forest on Pushkin Square
4. Light tunnel on Tverskoy Boulevard
In general, when walking around New Year's Eve, you get a strong feeling that you have already seen all this last year. Glass pavilion houses are probably more comfortable for sellers, but they do not create a New Year's mood.

Traditional light tunnel on Tverskoy Boulevard. This year it was located at the very beginning of the boulevard, next to the metro. It's so long that you can't even see the end of it! There is plenty of room for everyone to take photos. #tverskoy boulevard # travelChristmas #Christmaslight #MoscowNew Year # newyear2017 #newyear2017 #skoronovyyear #merrychristmas # travel of Russia

Posted by Nina and Natasha, travelers (@shagauru) Dec 17 2016 at 2:11 PST

Addresses of Christmas markets in the center:

1. European Christmas market on Tverskaya Square
2. Manezhnaya Square, possession 1
3. Pushkin Square

5. Novopushkinsky square - gingerbread cookies, pastries, kurabye
6. Sweet Christmas trees and mulled wine: Arbat Street, 19
7. Handmade decor items on Kutuzovsky prospect
8. Tea and coffee traditions in Stoleshnikov lane
9. Christmas toys and masks at Rozhdestvenka
10. New Year book fair "Buk-market" on Novy Arbat
11. Square in front of the Sokolniki park
12.There will be a Sweet Fair at 62 Leningradsky Prospekt
13. Fair near the Raikin Plaza shopping center on Sheremetyevskaya street
14. VDNKh

All this is my subjective opinion, but otherwise - everything is fine, everyone with the coming!
The next post will be about the festival grounds on Novy Arbat.

Being a purely Christian holiday, Christmas, nevertheless, does not leave indifferent either ardent atheists or followers of other confessions around the world. This is a triumph of kindness, love and mercy, which unites people, regardless of what day the celebration takes place and what traditions it accompanies. Christmas in Russia will be one of the brightest moments winter break, when, among a series of noisy holidays, there is a place for a spiritual component.

A holiday that unites

The tradition of celebrating Christmas carries the deepest meaning - believers glorify on this day Christ, who was born in the glorious city of Bethlehem. Bright joy and gratitude - these are the feelings that should accompany the Orthodox on this day. Attending festive services, spending this time with family, we comprehend the most important meaning of existence, trying to get closer to God.

This holiday belongs to the twelve by the Orthodox Church, and therefore the question of what date is Christmas in 2017, as at any other time, must be answered - January 7, since this date is fixed and does not change from year to year. For Catholics, the celebration of Christmas falls on December 25 according to the Gregorian calendar. This is the reason that the Orthodox, celebrated according to the Julian calendar, and the Catholic Christmas in 2017 do not coincide in numbers. But the essence of the holiday still does not change from this.

Indeed, in fact, it is absolutely unimportant on what date this celebration falls, be it Catholic or some other, the main thing is that it exists, and brings great joy to all people. In European countries, this Catholic celebration is more important than the New Year. Christmas preparations there begin 2 weeks before the holiday itself, trying to foresee everything, buy gifts for the whole family, decorate the house, take care of the festive dinner.

Christmas Eve and its customs

Christmas is preceded by Christmas Eve, the day on which the Christmas fast ends. For Catholics, it falls on December 24, for Orthodox - on January 6. In Russia, on Christmas Eve, a two-week fasting ends, and only when the first star lights up in the sky is it allowed to eat the meal. Dinner traditionally consists of 12 lean treats, among which must necessarily contain:

• kutia with nuts, poppy seeds and honey,
• vareniki,
• pancakes,
• porridge,
• boiled peas,
• mushroom borscht,
• uzvar (a kind of dried fruit compote).

And only the next day, meat, fish and dairy dishes appear on the table, from which they abstained during the fast. Roast meat, homemade sausages, porridge with cracklings, kutia with meat - what the hostesses did not cook before for Christmas dinner. However, their example can be followed now.

Christmas traditions

How different were the customs in different countries on the occasion of the meeting of Christmas, they all have one thing in common - this holiday traditionally presupposes a manifestation of mercy to absolutely all people. In Russia, it was believed that a stranger who accidentally looked into a house these days, even a beggar, could turn out to be the Savior himself. Therefore, such guests were willingly greeted and given various honors. And among Europeans, charity events timed to coincide with Christmas have become a kind of symbol of this holiday. One way or another, these days the church calls on us to show mercy not only to those close and familiar to us, but also to everyone, without exception, to whom our help will come in handy. Even the remnants of the festive dinner were carried out over the fence, leaving them to the forest animals, trying to appease them.

Also, this time requires not only mental purity. In Russia, before Christmas, they arranged a general cleaning, polishing the whole house to a shine. Having put the house in order, we tried to take care of our appearance - we went to the bathhouse, if possible, put on new smart clothes.

Nativity of Christ is the first day of Christmas festivities, which last exactly 12 days before the Baptism of the Lord. All young people were looking forward to this time. After all, now you can carol, arrange noisy celebrations, do Christmas fortune-telling. The latter is not welcomed by the church, but it has always been practiced everywhere. In this Christmas tradition, pagan rituals resonate in a bizarre way. This is a magical time in which the sky approaches a person, and it is quite possible to lift the veil of secrecy over your future.

Christmas signs

Our ancestors looked especially closely at nature and the phenomena occurring in it, trying to predict what awaits them in the coming year. You can also take advantage of the ancient experience in the coming 2017:

• any dream for this holiday is prophetic;
• blizzard and blizzard means early spring;
• you can not do household chores;
• doing sewing on this day, you doom one of your relatives to blindness;
• while preparing a festive dinner, do you notice that everything literally falls out of hand? This is for a good harvest;
• many stars and frost - a lot of peas will be born;
• warm weather for a holiday by late and cold spring;
• during a festive dinner, do not wash down food with water, this is prohibited;
• from the day of Christmas to Epiphany, hunters should not hunt game, otherwise - be in trouble;
• the loss of a comb by a young unmarried girl these days means that her betrothed is already in a hurry to her.

Preparing for Christmas in 2017 and devoting yourself to pleasant chores, do not forget about the main thing - that this is a holiday of the soul, family unity, peace and tranquility. In search of gifts and preparation of a festive dinner, take time and prayer by visiting the temple, help the deprived people, do good not out of self-interest, but at the behest of your heart, and then you can say with full confidence that the holiday was a success!

As part of the 4th annual grandiose citywide, from December 16, 2016, the main streets, boulevards, avenues, squares and Moscow will shine with millions of colored lights.

At the most popular venues of the capital, Muscovites and city guests will find an unforgettable mix of all kinds of winter entertainment - from bright ice performances and cheerful folk winter fun to fairs, exhibitions, contests and all kinds of master classes!

Skating rink and fair on Red Square

Will become the main festival site in the 2016/2017 season. It will be decorated in the style of abstract works by M. Chagall and V. Kandinsky. The atmosphere of a different reality will be complemented by bright multi-colored lights, fairgrounds, festively decorated Christmas tree and so on. Here everyone can meet and take pictures with Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden, watch street theater performances, buy a souvenir, go ice skating, and more. dr.

Fair on Manezhnaya Square

A huge fair will unfold, where citizens will be able to purchase a wide variety of goods, including carnival masks and even antiques. Young visitors will be offered to master the profession of a reporter by writing a congratulatory message on New Year and Christmas, create magical cities and other images of the most anticipated holiday of the year.

European Christmas market

It will temporarily turn into a fabulous Christmas town with cozy shops, restaurants and, of course, a decorated Christmas tree. Here Muscovites will find a daily festive program, where they will learn a lot of new and interesting things about New Year and Christmas festivities in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and other European countries.

The site "Time of Winter Games" on Tverskoy Boulevard

During the festival, Tverskoy Boulevard will be covered with a fabulous canopy consisting of numerous snowflakes - a unique 100-meter light tunnel will be installed here! The guests of the playground will be able to ride a sleigh, skis, play curling, hockey, and even make an unforgettable journey into the unknown world in a specially equipped house with the help of a virtual reality helmet!

Cozy Time site on Pushkinskaya Square

Pushkin Square will also be transformed by the New Year and Christmas. Here the organizers are going to revive the "sleeping" fountain and make a fabulous "Musical Forest" out of it - a light and music installation that will delight guests with bright lights and pleasant festive melodies. There will also be a fair with souvenirs, gifts, etc.

Site "Time for the Sweet Tooth"

Address: Leningradsky Prospect, 62

The site will primarily be of interest to those with a sweet tooth, because it is here that adults and young lovers of all kinds of delicacies and desserts will find themselves in a real paradise! Visitors will get acquainted with the culinary traditions of equatorial and tropical countries, master classes on making hot chocolate with chili peppers, sweet bread with candied fruits, fried bananas and many others. dr.

The "Candle Courtyard" site in Kuzminki

St. Marshal Chuikova, ow. 3

Another culinary and entertainment program awaits visitors in Kuzminki. Here, children and their parents will be told about the secrets of making New Year's and Christmas delicacies: Italian sweet pizza, Laurent pie with beans, Lithuanian poppy milk, etc. After gastronomic experiences, everyone can taste their own and taste other people's festive masterpieces!

Site "Christmas Book-Market" on Novy Arbat

If you doubt that a book is the best gift, then by all means visit the Christmas book-market, because it is here that the latest novelties of large domestic publishing houses will be presented, as well as designer notebooks, notepads, pens and other nice little things for practicing this or that type of creativity. Famous writers, actors and musicians will perform on this site every day.

The site "Time of Fairy Tales" on the Arbat

At the "Time of Fairy Tales" site, Muscovites and guests of the capital will plunge headlong into an unusual culinary fairy tale. Here everyone will be able to cook Belgian waffles, French pancakes, gingerbread men, mulled wine and other treats with their own hands, and then taste and treat “colleagues in the culinary workshop”. And at the fair working here, you can buy Christmas tree decorations, souvenirs, dishes, tablecloths, napkins, various delicacies, etc.

The site "Magic Time" on the Kuznetsky Most

On this site, visitors will be able to update their wardrobe. Here, both young and well-known domestic designers will present their clothes and jewelry to the attention of the townspeople. Various master classes will be organized for children.

"Happy Minute" site

St. Skhodnenskaya, ow. 56

If you want to arrange an unforgettable holiday for your family, for example, in the Russian style, then be sure to visit this site. It is here that the townspeople will be told about how the New Year's balls were held in the 19th century, what was traditionally treated to guests while Christmas was celebrated in Russian villages and many others. dr.

Gourmet Time site

Klimentovskiy per., 8

Here you can find the best treats for the festive table. All kinds of culinary delights, meat delicacies, farm products, red and black caviar - this and much more will be brought to the attention of Muscovites by the fair at the Gourmet Time site.

Site "Time for active rest"

St. Kosygina, 17

Famous heroes of their favorite fairy tales and animated films will meet young Muscovites and their peers from other cities of the country on this site. Young visitors will be able to dance at the disco with a cute Snow Maiden, learn about the fashionable traditional winter fun in Russia, get acquainted with the basics of ballroom etiquette, etc.

Handicraft Time on Sokolnicheskaya Square

At the "Time of Needlework" site, guests will be able to make unusual New Year decorations and carved candles with their own hands, learn to draw on the sand and make various souvenirs, take part in theatrical performances, learn a lot of new and interesting things about the traditions of celebrating the New Year in Russia, etc.

Site "Time of the Future" in Troitsk

Troitsk, Sirenevy Boulevard, ow. 1

Christmas on the seashore, coconut smoothies and an unusual sandy snowman - Muscovites will be told about New Year's traditions in exotic countries at the "Time of the Future" site in Troitsk. Every day there will be master classes on the preparation of winter holiday treats in Japan, India, the Philippines and other warm countries of the world.

The site "Magic Ice Theater" on the Revolution Square

Spectacular musical ballets on ice, including Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Snow White and Cipollino, will be shown to the capital's connoisseurs of theatrical art at the Magic Ice Theater site. The performances start at 19:00.

100-meter ice slide

m between Manezhnaya Square and Revolution Square

Between Manezhnaya Square and Revolution Square there will be a huge 100-meter ice mega-hill, which can be ridden by both children and adults. They will decorate the huge structure with an ice clock, and set up small fairground chalets at the base.

Gingerbread Village site

St. Bolshaya Bronnaya, 29

A small " Gingerbread village". There is never a lot of sweets for the holidays! And on this site there will be a real paradise for those with a sweet tooth - here everyone can taste gingerbread cookies, Russian honey cakes and other sweets.

The Little Prince site

atl. Rozhdestvenka, ow. 6

During the festival, the Little Prince playground will open on Rozhdestvenka Street. It is expected that it is in this part of the city that families with children will most like walking, because an unusual children's holiday fair will open here, where they will sell all kinds of sweets, board games, soft toys, etc.

"Christmas stories" site

Kamergersky lane, ow. 2

If you want to know how Christmas is celebrated in different countries of the world, what kind of music they prefer, what they eat and how they dress up, then we advise you to visit the site "Christmas stories". Among other things, fascinating gastronomic shows will be held here, where guests will be shown how to cook traditional national dishes of Italy, Belgium, Mexico and other countries of the world.

The site "Nativity of Christ"

Gogolevsky blvd. ow. 4

On Gogolevsky Boulevard, not far from, there will be a playground "Nativity of Christ", where the monasteries of Moscow and the Moscow region will present their goods to the attention of visitors. Here everyone can buy icons, books, candles, honey, scarves and more. dr.

"Warm Time" site

Stoleshnikov lane, 10-14

In Stoleshnikov Pereulok, the Teploe Vremya playground will open, where everyone will be taught to understand different types of coffee and tea, bewitching tea and coffee ceremonies, latte art master classes, and how to decorate and set a festive table.

Playground "Time for Christmas carols"

St. Sheremetyevskaya, 6

A lot of fun awaits visitors at the "Time for Christmas Carols" site! Here the townspeople and guests of the capital will read winter poems by famous Russian authors: K. Chukovsky, S. Marshak and A. Barto. In addition, guests can learn to carol, play on spoons, rattles, xylophones, etc.

The site "Time of romantics"

Orekhovy Blvd., ow. fourteen

In Russia, on New Year's Eve, Santa Claus comes to us with the Snow Maiden, in America - Santa Claus. But who comes to children on new year holidays in Finland, China, France and other countries of the world, Muscovites will recognize the Time of the Romantics on the site. Here, the townspeople will learn several Christmas songs in foreign languages, as well as stage mini-performances based on the fairy-tale works of G.Kh. Andersen, C. Perrault and the Brothers Grimm.

Playground "Toy Time" on Europe Square

On the Europe Square, everyone can become a real helper of Santa Claus. Here, young and adult Muscovites will need to guess fabulous riddles with various puzzles, take part in chess matches, sports relay races, etc.

Site "Visiting Grandpa Tik-Tak" in Zelenograd

Zelenograd, pl. Youth, ow. 2

In Zelenograd, at the festival site "Visiting Grandpa Tik-Tak", visitors will be able to take part in various gastronomic master classes. And so that they feel cheerful and not freeze, they will be treated to a delicious Christmas drink made with cardamom and orange.

Small tents for the festival with twinkling garlands, Christmas trees and beautiful toys will be open throughout the city. Those who love winter fun will have the opportunity to ride a huge ice slide and take initial figure skating lessons. All lovers of sweets will be able to taste real Russian dessert dishes and interesting foreign sweet dishes. And book lovers have a real pleasure attending a grand fair.

The Russian capital will again plunge into the holiday atmosphere, it is called "Journey to Christmas". The end of this year will be marked by interesting events that will be held from mid-December to mid-January at more than 30 sites. The events of the festival program include street concerts, performances by actors and master classes.

The scenes will be decorated with beautiful garlands, live coniferous beauties, huge balls with a glow effect. Until February 19, inclusive, a festival called "Christmas Light" will take place, during which the most famous Russian, French and Italian painters will present large light installations in the center of the capital. Glowing huge balls can be seen at Poklonnaya Hill and at the All-Russian Exhibition Center. A Musical Forest will appear on Pushkinskaya Square, it is an LED panel, and the pixels are notes. They are synchronized with the music, so the result is the impression that the light can sing.

Last year this festival Travel to Christmas 2017 recognized as the largest in all of Europe: it was open to visiting 10 million customers. V this year the festival will be attended by 12 million people.

Skating rink, attractions and a huge slide
6 sites will be interesting to visit because they will be equipped with carousels. A huge slide (7 x 100 meters) will be made at the intersection of Revolution Square and Manezhnaya Square. It will have to be collected using blocks made of icy snow. It will also have an ice watch. In addition to skating, children will be able to play in the fresh frosty air.

An ice rink will open on Revolution Square, where you can skate without paying for entertainment. Spectators will be able to watch the performances "The Nutcracker", "Swan Lake", "Chipolino", "Snow White". There will be performances of 50 famous figure skating professionals. On January 7, skating will be held dedicated to the bright sign of the Nativity of Christ, athletes of the Russian national team - Olympic champions and world champions - will participate in them.

One of the stages of the festival Travel to Christmas in Moscow 2016-2017 will be located next to GUM. The skating rink on Red Square will host events dedicated to winter sports and the holidays of the peoples of Russia, as well as theatrical performances. There will be a photo session with the participation of Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden, you can even think of everything that you have dreamed of for a long time. And the festive atmosphere will be supported by teams of folklore creativity.

Sweet herringbone and design art items
On the territories of the festival Travel to Christmas 2017 in Moscow 200 tents are planned, they will sell all sorts of things. On sale there are toys from the 50-60s of the 20th century, they are hung on a Christmas tree, decorations made of porcelain and glass, they are filled with dried flowers, tablecloths with lace and napkins, wooden souvenirs, which have an author's painting, felt boots, knitted sweaters, mittens and scarves made of real sheep wool, chocolate in the form of figurines, gingerbread houses, apples in caramel glaze. On Kuznetsky Most, you can purchase items created by popular fashion designers and newbies.

Goods for the festival will be delivered from Tver, Astrakhan, Ryazan, Orenburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Vladimir, Tula, Ivanovo regions, the Republic North Ossetia, Republic of Karelia, Krasnodar Territory... Products from other countries will appear on sale (Belgium, Italy, Latvia, Czech Republic, Greece, Serbia, Armenia, China, Mexico, Peru, Morocco).

And they will also open a grand cheese market on the territory Manezhnaya Square, here will collect cheeses from 60 manufacturers. Cheese, which is very similar to cheese from Switzerland, and cheese balls with cranberry jam, and bruschetta with cheeses, pies with cheese filling, riccotta with blueberry jelly, cheese with chocolate, cheesecakes and a large number of types of punch will be sold here. and mulled wine.

The chefs of 60 cafes will develop a menu with dishes suitable for the holiday by the beginning of the festival events. Famous chefs will teach everyone how to cook dishes for the winter holidays: a sweet Christmas tree and mulled wine without alcohol, the famous Olivier and kulebyaku with apples, sbiten based on honey and spices (they can warm up) and compote with dried fruits (apples, cherries, pears, hawthorn , apricots). Sweet tooths will receive recipes for sweets for the winter holidays, which are popular in southern countries for example, sweet corn, raisin and cinnamon pancakes, hot chocolate with hot chilli, fried bananas with cream and caramel sauce.

Games and workshops
Little children and adults will be able to attend 3 thousand master classes, educational events and entertainment events of the festival Travel to Christmas 2016-2017... At culinary master classes, children, their mothers and fathers can learn how to cook food according to recipes from their favorite fairy tales and cartoons, for example, a cheesecake from the housekeeper from the cartoon about Carlson and the Kid, cookies with small pieces of chocolate or semolina porridge with fruit from fairy tales "Fox and Crane". On the territory of Kuzminkok you can find out the secrets of making real fruit pizza, latte tea with spicy spices from Ireland, drinking from Scandinavia, which is prepared for Christmas from currant berries and juice of grapes, almonds, oranges and raisins.

You can visit a disco, as well as events (related to sports) based on the cartoon "Winter in Prostokvashino" and dance classes that will take place on Kosygin Street. At Sheremetyevskaya, everyone will be taught carols, as well as playing old musical instruments. A huge exhibition and sale of books will open on Novy Arbat, free courses of the school of writers will be opened here, it will be possible to listen to reports, watch master classes, meet with authors and attend the presentation of new books. Interesting lessons of a foreign language and the creation of robots will take place in the Novopushkinsky park.

There will be games called "Happy Time". Players will be able to hold competitions on the knowledge of the customs of celebrating the New Year and Christmas. Completing difficult tasks from a grandfather named Tik-Tak and his granddaughter Minutka, you can get coins from gold, you will need them to exchange them for prizes, which were made for participants of festival events in the amount of 50 thousand pieces.