Moscow St. Petersburg Cruise

Visit Russias 3 major cities; Moscow, St. Petersburg and Perm, the capital of the Ural Region. Then sail over 3.300 km along Russia's major waterways; 6 rivers - Kama, Volga, Seksna, Vitega, Svir, and Neva as well as Ribinsk Reservoir, the Volga Baltic Canal and the 3 Lakes; White Lake, Onjega, and Ladoga!

Enhance your Russian experience with a 2 night post cruise extension in St. Petersburg including 2 nights bed & breakfast at a first class hotel (Pulkovskaya or similar), half day tour of Peter & Paul Fortress (or similar) and transfer to the airport for flights home. MUST BE BOOKED WITH CRUISE PORTION. $297 per person double occupancy, $100 single supplement.

Itinerary

Transfer from the airport to your first class hotel. Due to various arrival times, no activities are planned for this evening. Meals are on your own.

Your morning panorama tour of this magnificent city of over 8 million people will encompass all the major sights including Red Square with St. Basils Cathedral, an inside tour of the Kremlin Grounds and the Moscow synagogue. The evening is free to take in an optional Circus or Ballet performance.

After breakfast check out of your rooms, store your luggage and embark on a wonderful tour of the famous Moscow Metro and the pedestrian zone of Arbat Street. After the tour return to your hotel and transfer with your luggage to the domestic airport for your 2 hour afternoon flight to Perm. On arrival, transfer to the ship for check-in at 7:00 PM, info meeting, dinner and overnight.

Perm is administrative center of Perm Region. It is situated on the banks of the Kama River, at the foot of the Ural Mountains. It is one of the largest cities in Russia, with a population of around 1 million. The history of the modern city of Perm starts with the development of the Ural region by Peter the Great. Nowadays the city is a major administrative, industrial, scientific, and cultural center. Until 1992 it was closed to foreign visitors as it was a center for building the MIG Russian fighter jets. It is home to several theatres: Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre, Drama Theatre, The Philharmonic Society and others.

Your sightseeing tour includes major sites and architectural monuments, such as the Peter & Paul Cathedral from the 18th century, the Art Gallery, containing unique collection of icons, wooden sculpture from 17th to 19th century and paintings by famous Russian artists Bryullov, Repin, Shishkin etc. After the tour a stop will be made for our passengers of Jewish Heritage at the local synagogue where they will be met by the local Rabbi. Return back to the ship for lunch and set sail in the afternoon. Prior to dinner enjoy an introduction of the crew on the sun deck (weather permitting) followed by champagne party. Dinner will be followed by a short folklore concert introducing our on board entertainers.

Docking in the city of Votkinsk.

Excursion to the birth place of Peter Ilich Tschaikovsky (35 km away).

Explore Tchaikovskys home, splendidly located near a lake and enjoy a short piano concert performed by local talent. Return back to the ship for lunch. Continue sailing to Kazan.

The morning will be filled with lectures, games and other activities arranged by our Cruise staff.

Lunch on board. On board highlight: Folklore show by our 5 member folklore group

KAZAN: City sightseeing tour by motorcoach.

Kazan is a city of a million inhabitants. It was founded in the 13th century and in the present is the capital of the Autonomous Tatar Republic. The city tour includes a visit to the Kremlin of Kazan, the Church of St. Peter and Paul, Kuibyshev Square, the Bauman Street - the pedestrian and shopping zone, the Lake Kaban, which is 8 km long and runs through the center of the city.

Return to the ship. Dinner and continue sailing to Kozmodemjansk.

Kozmodemyansk is a small town in the Republic of Mari El, named after St. Cosmas and Damian. Sightseeing includes a visit to the open-air Ethnographic museum which was opened in 1983 and contains over sixty varied buildings typical of Mari culture, housing over 2,000 exhibits of artisan craft and tools, as well as the Art Gallery displaying paintings by many Mari and Russian masters.

Continue sailing. Lunch. On board highlight: Special violin concert and recital

Makaryev. Your walking tour of this lovely riverside village will include the Convent of Holy Trinity which is situated on the very bank of the River Volga and which was an inspiration for many Russian iconography masters. Dinner. Continue sailing.

Early morning arrival to Nizhny Novgorod, located at the confluence of Volga and the Oka Rivers. Founded in 1221, and annexed to Moscow in 1392, it was strategically important in the Russian conquest of the Volga through the mid-16th century. In 1932 it was renamed to Gorky, after Soviet writer Maxim Gorky, who was born there. Under the Soviet regime it was a place of internal exile for political opponents such as the well known atom-physic scientist Andrei Sakharov as well as pogroms of the Jewish population and today is still home to the largest population of Jews in Russia.

After breakfast, while ship continues sailing to the city of Gorodets, at 8.45 am our guests will start on panorama sightseeing of Nizhny Novgorod. City tour includes a visit to the Kremlin and the local synagogue with some free time for shopping and strolling down the citys delightful pedestrian center.

At noon, buses will transfer our tourists to the small town of Gorodets, 57 km away. Gorodets was founded in 1152 by Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy (also the founder of Moscow). In 1263, Alexander Nevsky died in Gorodets on his way back to Novgorod from the Golden Horde. Lunch back on board.

On board highlight: A blini, caviar and champagne tasting party as you sail on to Plyos.

Arrival to Plyos. Walking tour of this small town includes the monument of the founder of the city, Moscow's Prince Vasil I, churches and other buildings dating 17th 19th century. The highlight of the visit is Museum of Isaac Levitan, the Russian painter who celebrated the beauty of Plyos and surrounding nature on his canvases. Continue sailing to Kostroma. Lunch on board.

After lunch docking in Kostroma.

One of the loveliest cities of the Golden Ring, Kostroma is certainly one of the highlights of the cruise. The pride of Kostroma is the museum at the former Ipatyevsky Monastery founded in the 14th Century by the Zernov family, the forefathers of the Godunovs. From this monastery, Mikhail Fyodorovich, a member of the Romanov dynasty, rose to the throne and this family ruled Russia for 300 years. The crypt of the Monastery became the Godunov burial vault. Kostroma is the only Russian city retaining the classical layout of the 18/19th Centuries, with streets and boulevards facing out like the spokes of a wheel from a central square. Sightseeing tour including the Ipatiev Monastery. Dinner. Continue sailing. Overnight. On board highlight: Jazz concert on board

Stretching on both sides of the Volga, Yaroslavl is an important Volga port with a population of 600.000. It was founded in the 11th Century by prince Yaroslavl the Wise and today retains many noteworthy monuments of its colorful past. Of special interest is the magnificent 13th Century Spasky Monastery ensemble, a group of majestic 17th Century cathedrals, an elegant rotunda and remnants of an ancient trading center. Loveliest of all is the Church of Elijah the Prophet, situated in the town's central square. The frescoes on the walls and vaulting inside the church constitute a veritable museum of old Russian paintings. The sightseeing tour includes a visit to the Monastery of Spasko - Preobrazhensk and the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet with the famous fresco paintings, the work of Yaroslavl and Kostroma painters.

Todays Highlight: Church choir concert of old Russian Hymns performed by the citys most renown 30 member accapello choir

Back on board enjoy lectures on Modern Russia Today and other activities arranged by our on board staff.

After breakfast arrival at Goritsa - a typical Russian village. Possibility to relax and enjoy the everyday life atmosphere, or to visit homes of the local farmers. Todays Highlight: Russian Barbecue!

Instead of lunch on board, enjoy a riverside shashlik barbecue including wine and entertainment from our on board group of merry musicians

A whole day to enjoy the magnificent river views as you cruise along the Volgobaltic Canal, Lake Onega and the Svir River. On board lectures, games and activities will be Highlighted with a

Tea and Piroggi (pastry) party.

Arrival to the Isle of Valaam, the largest island in the Valaam Archipelago ( 50 isles, total area of 36 km2 ). The ancient Valaam Monastery, situated here, is first mentioned around the 10th Century. For many years the Monastery was a religious and cultural center of Russia supported by Russian Tzars and the Russian Church. The Monastery was completely self-sufficient and monks produced all the necessary products themselves while working at small factories, saw-mills and farms, constructing buildings. At the beginning of the 20th century the Valaam Monastery became on of the wealthiest Russian Monasteries, comprising a small state with 13 smaller monasteries under control. During the Second World War the Archipelago was under control of Finland and returned back to the USSR in 1944. Since that time the Monastery was closed until 1989, and now it functions again. Lunch. Continue sailing to St. Petersburg. Entertainment on board. Todays Highlight; Captain's Gala dinner with wine and entertainment!

Full day City sightseeing tour by motor coach.

St. Petersburg, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, is situated on the bank of the Gulf of Finland, in the delta of the river Neva. There are 42 islands and 65 rivers and canals flowing through St. Petersburg. The city was founded by Peter I in 1703, and from 1712-1918 it was the capital of the Russian Empire. With its 5 million inhabitants, it is the second largest city in Russia. Due to its beauty, St. Petersburg is often referred to as the Venice of the North. Your morning panoramic city tour will include: Nevski Prospect, Kazans Assembly Church, the Admiralty building, the Royal Square with the residence of Russian Tzars known as the Winter Palace, the monument dedicated to Peter I built by Empress Katarina II, the Smolny Monastery, Tavrichesky Castle, the cruiser Aurora, the Isakievski Church, St.Peter-Poulus Fortress, the fascinating bridges on the river Neva and many other impressive monuments created by great architects as Rosi, Rastreli, Monferan, Kvarengi and others. Lunch packs provided.

After a break for lunch visit to the Hermitage Museum, formerly the Winter Palace, home of the last six tsars. A treasure trove of three million exhibits, its 320 halls display Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Titian, Michelangelo, French Impressionists and North American artists. The Hermitage is the world's largest museum containing more than 3 million exhibits. Return to the ship. Dinner. Overnight. In the evening you may want to partake in an optional

Ballet or Cossacks folklore concert.

As all good things must come to an end so does your magnificent Grand Russian River Cruise experience! After breakfast and check-out, board your buses for a transfer to the airport for your flights home OR to your hotel if opting to extend your Russian visit with our optional St. Petersburg extension package - DOSVIDANYE!

Notes