If you've been to Moscow, you will probably remember a sprawling metropolis, crammed subway trains and a rush hour that contradicts its own name by slowing traffic down to a standstill.

The #moscowregion hashtag is your antidote to these experiences. It demonstrates that, just outside Russia's capital, there is a different life altogether – with beautiful scenery, small-town life and quiet moments. If you ever needed proof of the "Moscow isn't Russia" truism, this is it.

The Moscow River runs through the heart of the city and plays a prominent role in people's lives. In summer, you can take a boat tour, go for a run on the river embankment or just take a seat on the rooftop terraces of one of the hip riverfront bars and have a drink.

Then in winter, the skates come out as the river freezes over. Regardless of the season, it's a photogenic river, as these images show.

The metro is to Moscow what veins and arteries are to us, humans: Without it, life in this pulsating city would collapse.

On a rainy weekend, there are few better things to do than to drift around on the metro and see which stop is your favorite. Old and majestic? New and sleek? Every style you can think of is there, just a short ride away.