As you cruise along Russia’s river, stop in ports to admire the individual chapels of St. Basil’s Cathedral that dominate Moscow’s skyline; visit the age-old town Uglich, famous for its clock and watch making; enjoy a guided tour of Goritsky, part of a circle of ancient towns referred to as the Golden Ring; and have a special early entry into St. Petersburg’s Hermitage museum.
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Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - St. Petersburg
If you did not take our pre-tour extension, your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to St. Petersburg aboard an internationally recognized airline.
Day 2 - St. Petersburg
Welcome to Russia! A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport and helps you transfer to the cruise ship’s port, where you’ll board the M/S Dostoyevsky. Meet your group at tonight’s Welcome Dinner.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner
Day 3 - Cruise
An expert local guide leads you through this European-flavored city today. You’ll see Palace Square, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Nevsky Prospekt, the Alexander Nevsky Monastery and the Summer Garden. Other highlights include the gilded dome of St. Issak’s Cathedral, the Bronze Horseman and the monumental Thunder Stone and a visit to the Russian cruiser Aurora, site of the flashpoint of the October Revolution.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4 - Cruise
Today’s excursion is to the Hermitage, located in historic Palace Square. The museum and surrounding buildings are the size of a small town. Contained within these four linked buildings is one of the most extensive and engaging collections of art and artifact in the world. Peruse work by the likes of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Matisse, Picasso, Monet and Degas. Gaze at the Gold Collection and set your eyes on the treasures of Tsarist jewelry. Then set sail on the Volga River to Russia’s Golden Ring region.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Included entrances: Hermitage
Day 5 - Cruise
Stop in Mandrogi, one of the largest villages on the northern banks of Lake Ladoga. Here, you’ll have free time to explore. Visit the main building in the village to see many crafts people working on making matrushkas, lace, ceramics and other souvenir-type items. Also, venture to the Vodka Museum, which features hundreds of different brands and kinds of the favorite Russian drink.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6 - Cruise
Located at the northern end of Lake Onega near St. Petersburg, the island of Kishi is famous for its remarkable array of wooden churches. The complex of buildings original to Kishi Island, the Pogost of Our Savior, is on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list. The famous Church of the Transfiguration, built in the 18th century, boasts 22 onion domes. Today you’ll visit this one-of-a-kind island to see its open-air Museum of Wooden Architecture.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7 - Cruise
This afternoon, visit Goritsky, part of a circle of ancient towns referred to as the Golden Ring, for its deep roots in history, art and architecture. You’ll visit the Kirrilo-Belozershy Men’s Monastery, founded in 1937. Once inside, take note of its magnificent architecture. You may also see the remains of the Nunnery of the Resurrection on the banks of the Sheksna River.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 8 - Cruise
Dock at the port of Jaroslavl, renowned for its numerous 17th-century churches and for being an outstanding example of the urban planning reform Empress Catherine the Great ordered for the whole of Russia in 1763. Here, you’ll enjoy a guided city tour which includes a visit to the Spaso-Preobrazgenskiy (Savior Transfiguration) Monastery and the Church of Elijah the Prophet.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 9 - Cruise
Today’s port of call is Uglich, an age-old town famous for its clock and watch making. The city also contains two of Russia’s most historic churches. Here, you’ll visit Uspenskaya Trade Square. Then learn about Russia’s often violent past with a look at the Church of St. Demetrius of the Blood. Return to your cruise ship later today for dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 10 - Cruise
Dock in Moscow this afternoon, where a professional local guide leads you on a panoramic tour of this fascinating city. You’ll see the building that once hosted the KGB and the Tverskaya Ulitsa, a wide boulevard of 19th-century palaces and 1930s apartment blocks. A stop at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior will bring you inside the world’s tallest Orthodox church, and you’ll also pass the New Maiden Convent, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Return to your boat for tonight’s included dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 11 - Cruise
Today’s guided tour takes you to the palaces, buildings and churches of the Kremlin, the seat of post-tsarist Russian government. See the Tsar Cannon, Tsar Bell, Ivan the Great Bell Tower and the breathtaking Cathedral Square, home to three gorgeous Orthodox churches.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Included entrances: Kremlin
Day 12 - Moscow
Disembark from your cruise this morning and transfer to the airport for your return flight home.
Included meals: breakfast
(In the case of early morning departures, breakfast may not be provided.)
Extend Your Stay
Add 2 nights in St. Petersburg for only $399 USD (Single room: add $90 USD)
St. Petersburg is a city of haunting magnificence. Created by Peter the Great in 1703 to be his “window on Europe,” St. Petersburg combines its fascinating Russian heritage with a distinctly European outlook. Considered the cultural heart of modern day Russia, St. Petersburg is rapidly regaining its reputation as one of the Great Cities of Europe. From the vibrant colors of spring, through the sunny summer days and endless twilights of the famous White Nights, the brilliant golden sun of autumn, and into the crisp and brittle brightness of a St. Petersburg winter, the City casts its own unique spell over visitors.