Volga River Cruise

In the morning enjoy a sightseeing tour around Moscow. You will see the most famous sights including Red Square, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin’s Mausoleum, and Moscow Kremlin located in the very heart of the city. You will also see the famous tower buildings – the heritage of Soviet Russia and enjoy wonderful panoramic views of Moscow from the observation deck on Sparrow Hills.

After lunch, you will have some free time to explore the city by yourself. You can take a walk through busy city streets or lose yourself in cozy lanes. Don’t forget to visit the main department store in Russia – GUM and taste famous ice cream there.

Today we will visit the best-known sight of Moscow – the Moscow Kremlin. It is a unique complex of architectural monuments that strikes everyone with golden domes and ancient red brick walls built in the 15th century. The center of the Kremlin is the Cathedral Square with the Assumption Cathedral, where royal weddings, coronation ceremonies, and receptions for foreign ambassadors used to take place. Now the Moscow Kremlin is the official residence of the Russian President. You will also see the Annunciation and the Archangel Mikhail’s Cathedrals, Tsar Bell and Tsar Cannon.

After lunch and Captain’s welcome cocktail we are leaving Moscow and set out on a journey along the Volga River.

We have arrived in Uglich, a very ancient town that is considered to be mystical as it keeps lots of legends and myths. Uglich is also a cozy little town that charms everyone with quiet narrow streets and neat houses decorated with wooden carvings.

Here we will have a walking city tour and visit the territory of the Kremlin, Dmitry on the Blood Church, and the Transfiguration Cathedral. The remarkable fact is that Dmitry on the Blood Church was built on the place of Prince Dmitry’s murder, the son of Ivan the Terrible.

Today we will visit Yaroslavl, one of the most ancient cities in Russia, founded in the 11th century. Thanks to a strategically advantageous geographical position, the city used to be the biggest in Russia in the 17th century.

During a bus city tour, we will see the most remarkable places and do a photo-stop near the Church of St Elijah the Prophete, an architectural gem of the city. We will visit the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and have an interactive tour of the former Governor’s House (Art Gallery).

After the excursion, you will have some free time on a local market to feel the local color and do some souvenir shopping.

Our ship is docked in Goritsy village so we can look around. As soon as you set foot on the ground, you can admire the Goritsy Monastery of Resurrection and feel the unique atmosphere of peace and stillness.

After we have a walk around Goritsy we head for the main sight of this place – the Monastery of St. Cyril on the White Lake. Founded in the 14th century, the Monastery of St. Cyril used to be the largest and one of the most influential monasteries in Northern Russia. It also played the role of the fortress with strong 7-meter-high walls.

After visiting the monastery, we will have an excursion to the museum of icons and learn some information about this kind of art.

Today we have arrived at the wonderful land of nature and architectural masterpieces, Karelia. One of such masterpieces is located on the Kizhi Island: Kizhi Open Air Museum of Wooden Architecture. It contains wooden structures (87 in total) built with traditional Russian designs and construction methods: wooden churches, houses, windmills, etc. Some of them are preserved from the 17th century.

The most famous construction is the Church of the Transfiguration with its striking silvery domes. It stands at 37 meters tall and can be seen from all the neighboring islands. After a fire destroyed the original church, it was rebuilt in 1714 without using a single piece of metal, but instead small wooden pegs that acted as nails and resisted wear.

Are you ready to explore a traditional Russian village? We will spend this wonderful day in Mandrogi, a village on the bank of the river. You will be charmed with colorful wooden houses that let the visitors feel the atmosphere of previous times and see the Russia of some centuries ago.

Enjoy a pleasant walk admiring the untouched nature. Green grass and crystal-clear water make the scenery especially beautiful. After a walk, we will have a BBQ lunch on the bank of the river. The natural surrounding and fresh air make food especially tasty.

Welcome to Saint Petersburg, a city on Neva River banks with wonderful sceneries and amazing architecture. It is also known as the cultural capital of Russia. We will start exploring the city with a bus city tour. You will see Nevsky Prospect – the main street of the city, Palace Square and the Winter Palace, the Saint Isaac’s Cathedral and the Kazan Cathedral, the Admiralty, the cruiser Aurora and many other famous sights.

We will also visit the Peter and Paul’s Fortress. The real gem of this architectural ensemble is the Peter and Paul Cathedral with the emperors’ tomb. The main political prison of tsarist Russia is also located here – the Decembrists were kept in casemates in the fortress.

After lunch on the board of the ship, you will have the afternoon at your disposal to explore the city by yourself.

You will start the day with a visit to the Hermitage Museum. It is one of the oldest art museums founded by Catherine II in the 18th century. Discover the largest collection of paintings in the world, including works of Titian, Leonardo da Vinci, Velázquez, Van Gogh, Picasso, Malevich, Kandinsky, and other talented artists.

In the afternoon, you can make some souvenir shopping or explore the center of the city by yourself. Don’t lose a chance to make your impression of Saint Petersburg!

Today we head to the suburb of Saint Petersburg, Peterhof. Peterhof used to be a royal summer residence so this place is luxurious and unique. It shows the greatness of imperial Russia. It is one of the most beautiful places in Russia, often called “Russian Versailles”.

The uniqueness of this place is due to the park with fountains. They amaze everyone with their beauty, especially the breathtaking Samson Fountain with a water jet going up and reaching a height of 21 meters. All in all, there are more than 140 fountains in the park, each unique and unforgettable.

Now you can explore the city by yourself and do some last-minute shopping. Then you will be transferred to the airport. Now it’s time to say goodbye to Russia. Hope to see you again!