Russia
Moscow in December
❄️ Snowy winterCold and some showers. Watch for hazy air.
🎒 Pack: winter coat, gloves & hat · N95 mask for hazy days
Why December scores 5.2What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort4.5
- !Cold (-2°C highs / -5°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point -8.1°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~64 mm rain)
- !Grey, overcast skies (~86% cloud cover on average)
- Air quality3.5
- !Unhealthy (PM2.5 ~58 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline2.0
- ·Very high caution
| Dec | Jun | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 5.2 Fair | 8.4 Very good |
| Season | ❄️ Snowy winter | ☀️ Summer |
| High / low | -2° / -5° | 23° / 13° |
| Rain | 64 mm | 90 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt -8° | dew pt 13° |
| PM2.5 | 58 µg/m³ | 18 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Moscow weather-station normals.
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Holiday weekA long local holiday falls this month. Expect crowds at sights, fuller trains and flights, and higher hotel prices on those dates. Book ahead.
- New Year Holidays 31 Dec – 10 Jan · 11 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore MoscowEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyRussia's capital and largest city, known for Red Square, the Kremlin, onion-domed churches, grand metro stations and major theatres and museums.
New YearEvery year31 December to 1 January, with holidays into early January
Russia's biggest holiday, with decorations, light displays and a long public holiday.
Why go: Some offices and services close in the first week of January.
Where: Citywide
Coming up later
MaslenitsaDate variesThe week before Orthodox Lent — usually February or March
A folk festival marking the end of winter, with blini and the burning of a straw effigy.
Why go: A good time to try blini from street stalls.
Where: Parks and squares citywide
Victory DayEvery year9 May every year
Commemoration of the end of the Second World War with a military parade and evening fireworks.
Why go: Red Square is closed to visitors around the parade.
Where: Red Square and citywide
Moscow City DayDate variesUsually the first or second weekend of September
Celebration of the city's founding with concerts and street events.
Why go: Central streets are pedestrianised and busy.
Where: Citywide
Red Square
The historic central square bordered by the Kremlin, St Basil's Cathedral, GUM and the State Historical Museum.
Moscow Kremlin
The fortified complex containing cathedrals, palaces and the Armoury Chamber museum.
St Basil's Cathedral
The 16th-century church with colourful onion domes at the end of Red Square.
Bolshoi Theatre
The historic home of Russian ballet and opera.
State Tretyakov Gallery
The main collection of Russian art, from icons to the early 20th century.
Moscow Metro
A subway system famous for ornate stations such as Komsomolskaya and Ploshchad Revolyutsii.
Borscht
Beetroot soup served with sour cream.
Pelmeni
Small meat dumplings, boiled and served with butter or sour cream.
Blini
Thin pancakes served with sour cream, jam, or caviar.
Syrniki
Fried farmer's cheese pancakes, a breakfast favourite.
Beef Stroganoff
Strips of beef in a sour-cream sauce.
Matryoshka dolls
Painted wooden nesting dolls.
💡 Izmailovsky market and souvenir shops
Pavlovo Posad shawls
Wool shawls printed with bright floral patterns.
Gzhel and Khokhloma
Blue-and-white porcelain and red-and-gold lacquered wooden tableware in traditional styles.