When a new perekhod is born, this is what its mother dreams it will become. It’s the Alphaperekhod. The biggest, baddest of them all. The king. The Okhotny Ryad Mall. If you think about it, that’s all the shopping center is: one massive perekhod from Tverskaya to Alexandrovsky Sad. Come early and stay late.
Kitai-Gorod
Most would put this one at the top of the list, but its very popularity as a weekend or after-work meeting place and drinking hole make it too smoky and scary to give it the top slot. As Kitai-Gorod is a park, it actually contains two perekhods. The one closer to Lubyanka hosts the better kiosks; check out the wide selection of cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.
Lubyanka
Nothing in this endless passage with its myriad exits has ever been of particular interest, but the casual browser is sure to find something they like among so many kiosks. The tiny perekhod leading to Lubyanka Square from Mokhovaya Ulitsa is much more interesting: an improvised market for children’s clothing. Some of the offerings are truly inspired.
Pushkin Square
This is one of the longest perekhods in the city and it’s right on Tverskaya, which means it’s always very clean, full of policemen and, well, full in general. If you must shop or cross here, do so at your own peril. Also, while this is an excellent place to buy a knock-off Chanel bags and neon nail polish, the beer selection is quite poor.
Ploshchad Revolyutsii
This short passage between the Bolshoi Theater and the Metropol Hotel has the best DVD store in the city. Not only can you purchase recent releases for a rock-bottom 100 rubles, you can actually buy classic films and lesser-known independent flicks as well. Most importantly, the sellers really know their product; trust their recommendations.
Paveletskaya
The long chute between metro Paveletskaya and the train station boasts scores of kiosks geared toward tourism. Weary travelers just off the train can stop for one of the precious knick-knacks found proudly displayed on shelves from Pskov to Okhotsk. Of course, its proximity to the vokzal also makes it the ideal place to grab a beer or 12 before your trip.
Smolenskaya
This unassuming passage, which crosses the Garden Ring at a strategic point between Smolenskaya Ploshchad and Park Kultury, contains two big surprises: On one side of the underground crossing is a shopping center, and opposite it … a sit-down restaurant offering karaoke on weekends. Honorable Mention goes to the Prospekt Mira perekhod.
