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The Russian law, signed by President Vladimir Putin in June 2013, continues to concern both Russians, and foreign tourists who could be subject to fines and prosecution for "gay propaganda."  Combined with events in the Ukraine, and economic sanctions imposed on Russia, the political climate might not encourage foreigners to visit. If you do, take care with same-sex displays of affection in public places, and avoid talking about politics, unless you're Elton John or Peter Tatchell. Grindr and Hornet phone apps are popular, but hook-ups might invite attack and/or robbery, and police aren't likely to be helpful. Meet safely in public places first. As always, locals continue to struggle to live their lives, meet and party, when and where they can.

The most popular gay club Central Station, after closing in 2013, re-opened at a new location outside the center, joined by the gay sauna Voda which relocated nearby. Central Station's management has also opened Three Monkeys, but closed Boyz. See more bars/clubs and saunas listed below. The Russian sites Gay.ru, Russian LGBT Network and the Moscow Times can provide updates on the latest developments.

On March 31, 2018 Gay.ru reported being added to Russia's centralized internet blacklist (the "single register") of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor), used for nation-wide censorship of individual URLs, domain names, and IP addresses. Perhaps related to the crackdown, several websites of clubs and bathhouse have gone dark recently - replaced in our listings with facebook pages, if they exist.

See Media & Resources below, and some articles of interest and links at the bottom of this page.

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“The night belongs to the gay men of Moscow,” said a gay resident of Russia’s capital city. “It’s the only time we live our desires freely. Nobody can take that away.”

He’s referring to Moscow’s small but thriving group of gay bars. Some are familiar to just about everyone in the city, while other remain underground. And all of them are packed with men who need to blow off some steam — on the dance floor and otherwise.

Russian society has changed drastically this past decade. Moscow has one of the most vibrant nightlife scenes in the world, along with brand new shopping malls, expensive boutiques, and fancy restaurants. All this happened too quickly for some segments of society, and while Europe continues to break barriers in terms of gay civil rights, Russia has yet to extend some of the most basic protections to its gay citizens. So, while same-sex activity was decriminalized in 1993, the country's continued homophobia is no secret. Moscow's Gay Pride parade has been banned repeatedly, and gay rights protests are met with violence from the police.

The seventh attempt to hold a gay pride parade was again blocked in 2012, and Moscow's top court upheld a ban on gay pride marches in the Russian capital for the next 100 years. The Russian gay rights campaigner, Nikolay Alexeyev, had hoped to overturn the city council's ban. The Moscow City Court refused in December to review that decision, defying a ruling of the European Convention of Human Rights. This came even as five skinhead youths had burst into one gay club to beat up people inside. In an incident soon after, two foreign vistors were attacked in the street for appearing to be gay. Police arrested protesters in January 2013 who objected to new Federal legislation to control "gay propaganda" -- following the enactment of similar local laws in St Petersburg. The ECHR has not responded in any meaningful way.

Meanwhile, pockets of acceptance exist and even flourish in the former communist empire, at least in the capital and St Petersburg. Life goes in the bars much as always, although with fewer gay establishments in St Petersburg than in the recent past. As Gay.ru puts it, "with unmistakable Russian panache" they're making the best of it. The Russian/English website, (Gayly.ru is another, in Russian) provides an amazing window into this complex, culturally rich, and intensely proud society, that any reader of Pushkin, Tostoy, Dostoyevsky or Checkhov might well recognize.

So never mind the "face control" and steep prices of the ritzy clubs. In cheaper gay discos, overflowing with gay and straight, mostly young unisex crowds; in the coffeehouse scene of artists, poets and musicians; in cruising areas called 'pleshkas' or in the hot steam of saunas you'll find surprising energy in what Gay.ru calls this "city of genuine and sincere souls."

 

Getting here

International flights arrive at Sheremetyevo International Airport, 18 miles northwest of the center. Aeroexpress rail service from the airport to Belorussky Station in Moscow city center takes just 35 minutes. Some hotels will get you directly from the airport to their doorstep. Aeroflot and most major European and North American carriers operate flights from large European cities, as well as from Canada and the USA.

Low cost airlines often come in at either Moscow-Vnukovo  or Domodedovo to the south. The Spanish airline Vueling, and the German AirBerlin are among those with the lowest airfares from West Europe. Aeroexpress high-speed rail links connect each airport to downtown Moscow. From Vnukovo arrive at Kievsky Station; from Domodedovo go to Paveletsky Station.

The Trans-European Express makes a Paris-Moscow run three times a week (Wed/Sat/Sun) by way of Frankfurt, Berlin, Warsaw, Minsk and five other cities. Choose between luxury compartments, and two or four-passenger tourist class sleepers. A buffet car operates through the entire trip, offering seating or delivery service. The entire trip takes 39-41 hours. Other European cities with direct carriages to Moscow include Basel, Budapest, Nice, Prague, and Vienna. See Russian Railways for more information. There are also Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian trains to and from Beijing, taking six nights, then connections to other cities, including Hong Kong or Singapore - see Seat61.

 

Getting around

Moscow’s Metro is one of the best in the world, so don’t be afraid to use it when you’re investigating the city. Purchase a magnetic card that's good for any number of trips and insert it into the slot at the entrance. On the surface, buses, trams, and trolleys all use the same type of ticket, which you can buy at marked kiosks. The Metro closes between 1-5:30am, but many clubs stay open until around 6 or 7am - with after hours until 11am or noon.

When out and about be sure to have your passport, not a copy. Keep a photocopy at the hotel in case of loss or theft, to take with you when you make the police report.

 

Media & Resources

Queer (or Kvir) is the glossy gay monthly magazine for all Russia (look for the КВИР logo), with a website in Russian. BF is another glossy gay magazine, also with a Russian-language website.

For online sources of gay news, listings and travel guides in Russian and English see Gay.ru.

Nvrmind, an independent quarterly print fanzine, is dedicated to photography, music, fashion, art, aesthetic impulses, soul mates, and freedom from rules imposed from the outside.

The Russian LGBT Network has LGBTQ news and views, bringing together Russian and foreign activists, bloggers, journalists and citizens with queer issues in Russia, queer activism, and public events.

Other good sites include Gayly.ru, in Russian, but with links lead to English-language resources, and Parniplus, also in Russian

The Moscow Bears website lists all their year-round activities around town.

Gay Radio Moscow has online program streams and website links.

The Moscow Times, is a free English-language paper with information about the constantly changing club and restaurant scene, local news, and lots of useful advice on getting around. The Calvert Journal "A guide to the New East"  explores the culture and creativity of modern Russia, with a mix of reportage, comment and photography. A-a-ah has good tips on some interesting places to see, places to eat, and events all around the city.

Website Expat.ru has a "survival guide" to Moscow in English, plus restaurant reviews and cultural events listings, including 57 area museums, 67 art galleries, and 86 concert/performace halls; plus embassy contact info for over 20 countries.

Moscow.Info, Moscow.ru, MoscowGoesOut, and RoughGuide/Russia are some other useful sites for visitors. Gay Tourist is a Russian language site for Russians who travel.

Many websites are Russian-only, but some are in English, especially those of hotels and restaurants. See map locations and website links to many businesses at our gay Moscow listings pages. Moscow hotels with multi-lingual staff may be helpful with language difficulties, and can point you in the right direction.

GUYS² - or Guys Squared, are two English-speaking private guides in Moscow, with tours and build-your-own options. Gay.ru lists other such guides to show you the sights, and introduce you around, according to your tastes, at a price of $10 to $35 per hour, depending on the service.

Lileu Moscow Guide is the website of Mike and Kirill, who offer their services as guides for day tours in Moscow.

The Nomadic Boys, in their Is Russia Safe for Gay Travellers? article, give travel advice for Moscow and St Petersburg.

The Gay Russia, Queer Russia, Bear Travel, L-Word Party, and Okay Boys websites have all gone dark this past year.

 

Currency and Money

The ruble has been Russia’s currency for more than 500 years. There are ATMs around the center of the city, but they aren’t as common as elsewhere so you might want to keep a bit of cash on hand in case of emergency. Most larger hotels have currency exchange offices.

 

Top Experiences

The Russian love of theater, opera, ballet and concerts spans all segments of society. Along with literature and poetry, people of all educational levels and occupations know a great deal about world history, geography and the arts. We list over 30 cultural attractions on our map, but there are literally hundreds more --consult local websites listed above, under Media & Resources.

The Bolshoi (Teatralnaya pl 1, City Center; Metro: Teatralnaya) fine opera all year, best ballet from September when the world-touring stars return.

The Moscow State Circus is comprised of two separate branches: the Bolshoi Circus, or Great Moscow Circus (prospekt Vernadskovo 7; Metro Universitet), with classic Russian style, known for clowns and animal acts; and the Circus Nikulin (Tsvetnoy bulvar 13; Metro Tsvetnoy Bulvar), the "old circus," with acrobats, trapeze artists, jugglers, tightrope walkers, and performing animals. The Bolshoi website is Russian-only; see Circopedia.org for English-language notes.

St. Basil's Cathedral (Krasnaya Ploshchad -Red Square; Metro Ploshchad Revolutsii) commissioned by Ivan the Terrible to commemorate the victory over the Golden Horde; the onion domes of spiraling colors are still the most distinctive icon of all Russia.

The Pushkin Fine Arts Museum (ulitsa Volkhonka 12, Kropotkinskaya; Metro Kropolkinskaya), six building of galleries, exhibits include the Troy Gold, top works by Van Gogh, Gauguin, Picasso, Dufrenoy and Matisse, plus the December Evenings of classics, among the music festivals here. Find info on this and other Moscow sites at Russian Museums.

 

Gay Bars/Clubs

Clubs in Moscow come and go frequently, often leaving websites up. Clubs below have recent confirmations. Non-Russian speakers will need a website translator --Google does okay. Keep in mind that the wearing of sports footwear might prompt doormen to deny entrance to the more fashionable clubs or restaurants. "Face control" at the door might exclude others for some special or exclusive club events.

Boyz (Most Pereyaslavskaya, 46, C1) - CLOSED - gay nightclub and restaurant by Central Station; dancing, drag shows and cabaret boys, erotic shows, karaoke, dark room, chill-out area, after-party. Closed OCT 2019 - staff moved to new Three Monkeys.

Central Station MSK (Lenin Sloboda 19; Metro Avtozavodskaya), gay nightclub, hot go-go dancers, foam parties, karaoke, drag cabaret shows, restaurant, guys under 23 get in free.

ELF (Leningradskiy prospect 23; Metro Belorusskaya or Dinamo), gay music bar/ cafe/restaurant, bear nights, drag shows.

Hunters at Central Station/ VODA Spa (Lenin Sloboda, 19/2), 18+ men-only monthly cruise party, naked male strip show, nude go-go pros and amateurs, large dance floor, high-quality sound, hot videos, sauna. DJs play Dance + Dark Time Techno. Dark cruise zone, maze, BDSM session, glory-holes. Relaxation with free condoms. Under 25 free entry. See upcoming dates at FB.

MONO Bar (Pokrovskiy bulvar 6/20; Metro Kurskaya or Kitay-Gorod), 6pm-6am nightly gay karaoke bar/ lounge and dance club; DJ plays house and electronic music. Male gogo dancers and guest performers. See FB for events.

Montis Friends' Bar (Valovaya 26; Metro Dobryninskaya), restaurant/ cocktail bar, outdoor terrace, mixed crowd, popular with women.

Nashe Cafe НАШЕ Кафе (Tverskaya 25/9; Metro: Tverskaya), energetic dance crowd dances until dawn, drag shows, chill-out lounge for quieter moments. Women's bar Dyke Cafe also at this location with lounge, dancing and go-go girls. Venue may be closed.

Nice Club (Stoleshnikov pereulok 7s2; Metro: Pushkinskaya or Teatralnaya), formerly ICE, gay music and karaoke bar, European dining, late night drag shows, free WiFi.

On Top Party at Live8Club (Наставнический переулок Mentor's Lane, 17), every few months Saturday closed home dance party for friends, free entrance with pre-registration and confirmation.

Play (Krasnoprudnaya 24s1), dinner, drinks, coffee; international guest DJs, dance parties, mixed gay-friendly crowd.

Propaganda (Bolshoy Zlatoustinskiy pereulok, 7; Metro Kitay Gorod), mixed intimate lounge, small sunken dance floor, adjoining chill-out spaces; cosmopolitan, fashion-conscious mix of Russians, expats and tourists; 9pm to midnight warmup, then house/techo until 6am. Gayest for Sunday T-dances.

Secret Lifes Club (Nizhniy Susalnyj pereulok 7, Bldg 8; Metro Kurskaya), nightly 11pm-6am dance and show club, dining, two dance floors, young mixed crowd, drag shows, sexy go-go boys, cash-prize stripper contests.

Shelter Party, every few months dance party at Faust, (Bolshaya Spasoglinischevsky pereulok 9/1), young/alternative crowd, androgynous/erotic vibe; Experimental Techno/ Acid and Industrial music by Berlin-influenced DJs.

Three Monkeys (Bolshaya Georgianskaya 2/12), re-opened Sept 2019 at new location; LGBT dance club, karaoke, bingo, theme parties, drag shows, go-go boys. Part of the Central Station/ Voda Sauna group.

CLOSED: 12 Volt Club (ul. Tverskaya 12), lesbian cafe/bar; Bar 9.1.1 aka Tsifri (Glinischevskiy per. 3), bar/cafe, dancing; Best Club (Rozanova 4), gay show bar/restaurant; Club 69 (Rozanova 4), bar/lounge/restaurant, dancing, strip; Shance / Chance (Zvenigorodskoye shosse 11/ 1), dancing, strippers, shower shows, dark room; Open (Pokrovka 10/2), 24/7 bar/ food court, nightclub; Studio Bar (per. Stoleshnikov, Bldg 7/2), gay stripper go-gos/ amateurs. Downhouse became Faust in late 2019.

 

Gay Saunas & Sex Clubs

Russian banya are basic, traditional features of life, for the relief of all that ails a body, and the spirit too. Birch branch beatings, hot sweats and cold plunges, massage, and of course vodka have long figured in getting away from a frigid world; sometimes all-male, but often mixed. Villages had communal saunas, families often have their own, and city authorities of all regimes built them in every neighborhood. To explore a bit, off the beaten track, see a list of over 175 such Moscow establishments at the English-language website NewDosug.

Traditional establishments are often discreetly sexual at the least, but for bathhouses similar to those in Europe and America, with a more blatant scene, try the new gay saunas. With some recent closings 2019 , the two best bets are:

Voda (Lenin Sloboda, 19 /2; Metro Avtozavodskaya), large, clean, popular facility next to Central Station club; pool, workout area, steam and dry sauna, massage; good-looking young crowd, sex in labyrinth and steam rooms. Moscow Bears nights Wednesday 5-11pm and special events with bar and go-go dancers.

XL Spa (Nastavnicheskiy per, 11), 5-level steam/sauna complex, Jacuzzi, darkroom maze, cabins, WiFi, bar, weekend DJs, drag shows, aqua shows and go-go dancers; 18-23 year-olds enter free every night.

Other saunas:

Nashe Spa (ul. Pokrovka, 45/2; Metro Kurskaya), open 24-hours, cruise maze, stripper stage shows, dance floor, bar, naked young waiters, dry sauna and steam, pool, massage: "any complexity/ for every taste." (May be closed).

Paradise Club & Spa (ul. Pokrovka 40Б; Metro Kurskaya), dry and steam saunas, whirlpool, darkroom, massage services, cafe/bar, karaoke, dance floor, beds.

Podval Sauna (Leninsky 31; Metro Leninsky Prospekt), old-style sauna, weights/workouts, showers, lockers, mixed-age very Russian crowd. (No website or Facebook page).

CLOSED: Mayakovka Spa & Bar (Oruzheynyl pereulok 13, bldg.2), gay sauna, porn screenings, Jacuzzi/steam, cafe/bar parties, DJ, drag shows; Thermas VIP Sauna Club (ul. Sadovaya Spasskaya 18/1).

 

Sex Club

Imperia (St. Demyana Bednogo 15, bldg 1, Polezhaevskaya), every other Saturday men-only cruise party, ages 18-23 discounts or free entry. Sex, BDSM, porn videos, dark room, leather beds, bar and lounge, smoking area, hammam, showers, lockers, DJ sets. 1am show.

CLOSED: Stag Men Party (unpublished location), men-only monthly sex club.

 

Moscow Accomodations

Here are a few general-public hotels/hostels with proximity to the gay scene, and a wide range of prices. Our map & listings page has links to these and more hotels. Way to Russia has booking tips for hotels, plus information concerning visas and local transportation. Booking.com lists over 1,600 properties in Moscow, starting from under $10/ night.

Ararat Park Hyatt Hotel (Neglinnaya 4, Meshchansky; 7-495-783-1234) world-class, residential style hotel in central Moscow, within immediate vicinity of Bolshoi Theatre, minutes walk from Red Square and central business district.

Comrade Hostel (Maroseyka 11, 3rd fl; 7-495-628-3126) three minutes from metro in historic Kitai Gorod near Red Square and Moscow River; cafes, restaurants, stores and clubs. Refurbished 200 year-old building, dorm room bunk beds, free internet access, cozy common room, kitchen access.

Godzillas Hostel (Bolshoi Karetnyy 6; 7-495-699-4223) largest hostel in Moscow, English/American management, single, twin, triple rooms, 4-10 bed dorms; 24-hour reception, no curfew, internet cafe, multi-lingual, helpful staff.

Golden Apple Boutique Hotel (Malaya Dmitrovka 11; 7-495-980-7000), five-star, 92 rooms, elegant, comfortable; business facilities and health club 24 hours a day.

Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya (Kalanchevskaya 21/40; 7-495-627-5550) in iconic Soviet era tower, renovated to Hilton standards, short walk to Leningradskiy Rail Station, easy access to Red Square and Kremlin.

Hotel Akvarel (Stoleshnikov Alley 12, Bldg 3; 7-495-502-9430), stylish business-class lodgings at center of cultural district; 23 pleasant and quiet rooms, each with satellite TV, internet and all amenities.

Hotel Budapest (Petrovskie Linii 2/18; 7-495-925-3050) at heart of Moscow in neo-classic building; near Red Square, St Basil's Cathedral, the Bolshoi, and Okhotny Riad shopping.

Napoleon Hostel (Maly Zlatoustinskiy, Dom 2; 7-495-628-6695), in trendy Kitai Gorod district of cobblestone alleys, old merchant houses and tiny churches, 5 minutes walk from Red Square and Kremlin. Friendly 24-hour multi-lingual staff for information, train and theater tickets, taxi assistance.

Petrovka Loft Hotel (ul. Petrovka 17/2; 7-495-621-7519), ten rooms, understated luxury, affordable prices, minutes walk from Red Square, Kremlin and Bolshoi Theatre; breakfast.

Winterfell on Arbat (per. Trubnikovskij, 24c1; 7-499-390-4412), centrally located budget hotel, WiFi, laundry, fridge, mw, stove, transfers; with twelve similar hotels at the center - see Winterfell.

 

Restaurants and Cafes

Bear Burgers (ul. Preobrazhenskiy Val 12; Metro Preobrazhenskaya ploschad'), 9am-9pm gay/bear-friendly cafe, American-style artisan 100% beef burgers, toppings, fries, soups, ciders.

Cafe Mart (ul. Petrovka, 25), arts and gay-friendly French cafe/restaurant near Museum of Modern Art, snacks, full meals, bar; live concerts, poetry readings, performance art events, warm weather patio.

Cafe Pushkin (Tverskoy Blvd. 26A; Metro Pushkinskaya) open around the clock for gourmet Mediterranean and Russian cuisine, breakfast, lunch and dinner; meat, fish, soups, salads and vegetarian; wine list, beer on tap, grand piano music, summer roof terrace.

Correa's (Bolshaya Ordynka Zamoskvorechie 40/2; Metro Mayakovskaya), Muscovite favorite from Puerto Rican-New Yorker chef Isaac Correa: fusion cuisine, rich aroma of fresh coffee, tomatoes, basil and olive oil. Also breakfast muffins, pancakes and cereals; veggie options, deli classics, great desserts; with five locations.

Darbar Restaurant (Leninsky prospekt 38, off Hotel Sputnik lobby; Metro Leninskiy Prospekt), area's most authentic Indian food, reasonable prices, English-language menu.

Goodman Steakhouse (Novinsky bulvar 31, Barrikadnaya; Metro Krasnopresnenskaya), classic American-style setting, low lighting, retro music, wall photos, leather couches; authentic, not inexpensive Australian and New Zealand beef steak; English-language menu.

Jagannath Vegetarian Restaurant (Kuznetsky Most St 1; Metro Kuznetsky Most), funky cafe/buffet restaurant, predominantly vegan; health food store bulk items, moderate prices, scant English spoken.

Margarita Bistro (ul. Malaya Bronnaya 28; Metro Mayakovskaya), warm, cozy, fun and unpretentious ambience; book-lined walls, and classically trained musicians play upbeat tunes. Full bar, Russian food with pan-Euro influences includes blini and borsch.

Mr Lebanese (Glinishchevskiy pereulok 3; Metro Chekhovskaya), Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean kababs, wraps, hummus, soups, salads, stuffed pastries, various meat and vegetarian starters and entrees; bar.

Starlite Diner (ul. Bolshaya Sadovaya 16a; Metro Mayakovskaya), 24-hour American-style burgers, fries, shakes, and breakfast combos, with three more locations near Pushkinskaya, Oktyabrskaya and Universitet Metro stations.

Arkady Novikov heads a group with over 50 restaurants, each unique and specializing in a single concept or ethnic cuisine - critically acclaimed quality at commensurate price ranges. Their website Novikov Group, in Russian and English has menus, photos and maps for each establishment.

 

Of Interest

Gay in Putin's Moscow: why the city is pinker than you think - by Chris Michael, Judith Soal and Maeve Shearlaw - June 13, 2015 - ©TheGuardian.

Open Democracy: Russia-Debates/ Queer-Russia - includes: A Different Childhood - extracts from Sergey Khazov's semi-autobiographical novel; and Brokeback in Belarus - tractor drivers Valery Sidorenko and Sergei Ostapchuk live happily together in a remote village in the Grodinsky region of Belarus - by Alyona Soiko, ©opendemocracy.net

Thanks to Trump, Queer Russian Refugees Are in More Danger Than Ever, by Adam Eli, Dec 7, 2017, ©them.us

RUSA LGBT is a NYC Russian-Speaking American Group fighting for social justice, human and civil rights for LGBTQ people in America and in the former Soviet Union - with blogs, events, information and links.