WITH the weather thinking it's stuck in winter, you might be be tempted to reach for the travel brochure and book yourself a few days on a beach.

But with flights to more unusual destinations like Moscow becoming more available from the North West, why not give the city break a try?

With just a four-hour flight about to be launched by easyJet from Manchester, Moscow is now just as easy to get to as any other European destination.

When you arrive, the first thing you notice about Europe's largest city is the architecture, from the high rise flats in the suburbs, to the superbly sublime domes in the town centre.

The city is bursting at the seams with rich history and famous figures such as Peter the Great and Ivan the Terrible, who you can learn about as you take a tour of the Kremlin and its sensational Archangel and Dormition cathedrals.

The Cold War was a significant period in Moscow's history and a visit to the very well-hidden Bunker 42, which is 18 floors below the city's Taganskaya area, will give you a great hands-on experience of what that era would have been like.

You will also get the chance to virtually set a nuclear bomb to explode on the place of your choice!

Other sights that are not to be missed include the Bolshoi Theatre, the home of the original Swan Lake and the Nutcracker ballet performances, Red Square, St Basil's Cathedral and the Moscow Metro system, which is beautifully decorated and carries more than nine million passengers every day.

Be sure to rub the bronze dog's nose at the Revolution Square station, as legend has it, it will bring you good luck.

And although it is cold, with temperatures as low as around -14C at night in March, when you are prepared for it, it does not seem that raw.

The food is different from what we are used to, with lots of smoked fish and pickled vegetables, but it is worth branching out and trying something new.

Good places to get a flavour of Moscow include Strelka in the Red Oktober complex and the Club Petrovich restaurant in Myasnitskaya Street, which has a brilliant house band.

As well as the flights, easyJet is also offering the chance to do package deals, including a choice of more than 50 hotels in the Moscow area.

If you want to push the boat out, the five star Ritz Carlton is incredibly luxurious, with stunning suites and a rooftop bar, which boasts breathtaking views of the city.

But hotels are available to suit every budget and the three star Maxima Slavia would do the job very nicely.

One thing to bear in mind when considering a visit to this wonderful city is the visa.

British tourists still need to fill out quite lengthy forms and pay around £84 for one trip.

The best thing to do is check with the Russian Embassy for individual entry visa requirements.

A return easyJet flight to Moscow Domodedovo airport from Manchester starts from £102 per person in April.

Flights will leave four times a week from March 28, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Prices for a two night stay at the Ritz Carlton hotel on a room-only basis from April 13 are around £415.

For more information, visit www.easyjet.com/holidays Free walking tours of Moscow are available with Moscow Free Tour. They also offer daily visits to the Kremlin, Moscow Metro and a Communist Moscow Tour. See http://moscowfreetour.com for details.

Interesting facts

  • Red square is called as such not because the buildings are red or to represent Communism, but because in Russian, red means beautiful.
  • It is also the official residence of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
  • The Moscow Metro dates from the early 1930s and is one of the most-used subway systems in the world.
  • It has 12 lines and more than 180 stations, many of which are decorated with artwork and expensive materials.
  • Moscow was not always the Russian capital. From 1712 to 1918, St Petersburg was the country's main city.
  • Peter the Great had moved the capital in his efforts to westernise the Russian Empire, but the Bolshevik Revolution prompted the capital's move back to Moscow.

Useful phrases

  • Привет (preevet) - Hi
  • Доброе утро (dobro utro) - good morning
  • Добрый день (dobry den) - good afternoon
  • Добрый вечер (dobry vecher) - good evening
  • Да (da) - yes Нет (net) - no
  • Пока (poka) - bye Вы говорите по-английски? (vy gavarite po angliski) - do you speak English?
  • Спасибо (spaseebo) - thank you
  • Пожалуйста (spazalsta) - please Сколько это стоит? (skolko eto stoit) - how much does it cost?

Typical food and drink

  • Russian salad - diced potatoes, vegetables, eggs, and sometimes ham, dressed with mayonnaise.
  • Chicken Kiev Blinis - a little like pancakes
  • Pelmeni - like ravioli, filled with meat
  • Borsch - beetroot soup
  • Vodka Kvas - made from fermented bread