From the Bulgakov Museum in the 'bad apartment' on Bolshaya Sadovaya to Patriarch's Ponds, where The Master and Margarita opens, then through the lanes to Chekhov's house, Shekhtel's Ryabushinsky mansion and the church at Nikitskiye Vorota.
Best time: Afternoon, Tuesday to Sunday (the Bulgakov Museum and Chekhov House are closed on Mondays).
The route, stop by stop
- 1Mayakovskaya metro station
Start under the Deineka ceiling mosaics of the 1938 station. 10 min
- 2Bulgakov Museum ("Bad Apartment")
Flat 50 at Bolshaya Sadovaya 10 where Bulgakov lived 1921-1924; the Korovyev and Behemoth sculpture stands by the entrance. 45 min
- 3Patriarch's Ponds
The pond where the novel begins; walk the square and Malaya Bronnaya. 20 min
- 4Chekhov House Museum
Two-storey house on the Garden Ring where Chekhov lived 1886-1890; closed Mondays. 40 min
- 5Ryabushinsky Mansion (Gorky House Museum)
Shekhtel's Art Nouveau mansion of 1900-1903 with its famous staircase; Gorky's flat-museum. 30 min
- 6Church of the Great Ascension
End at Nikitskiye Vorota. 10 min
More walks in Moscow
- Kremlin, Red Square and Kitay-gorod
- Zamoskvorechye: Bolotny Island lanes and churches to the Tretyakov
- Boulevard Ring: Prechistenskiye Vorota to Chistye Prudy
- Khitrovka, Ivanovskaya Gorka and Pokrovka
- Arbat side-lanes to Prechistenka
- Gorky Park, Neskuchny Garden and Sparrow Hills along the river
- VDNKh pavilions and the space trail
- Metro palaces ride
- Taganka to Andronikov Monastery and Rogozhskaya Sloboda