The best time to visit Moscow is April and May, when the temperature creeps into the 50s and 60s, the sun begins to shine for significant portions of the day, and hotel rates have yet to skyrocket into peak ranges. Of course, the golden period is summer, when the city is warm and bustling. But if you want to (slightly) spare yourself from the perpetually expensive rates, try the shoulder seasons in the spring and early fall. Preferably spring, since fall experiences more rainfall and less sunlight. Winters are brutally cold, but this is when you'll get a true glimpse into the Moscow experience (A frost-bitten walk through Red Square seems to intensify the historical significance of this great capital city).