12 DAYS WATERWAYS OF RUSSIA
Visiting St. Petersburg – Mandrogi – Kizhi – Goritsy – Yaroslavl – Uglich – Moscow
Day 1 – ST. PETERSBURG
Arrive St. Petersburg, a city built by Peter the Great in the 18th century. Upon arrival you will be met and escorted to your cruiseship. [D]
Day 2 and Day 3 – ST. PETERSBURG
The city tour will cover many interesting places of the great St. Petersburg, once home to the Russian nobility. Drive along Nevsky Prospect, the main boulevard of St. Petersburg lined with shops, Gostiny Dvor (the city’s oldest department store), magnificent monuments, baroque and other styles historical buildings. Pass by the famous Summer Garden and Mikhailovsky Castle. Take a view down the Kanal Griboedova at the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood. Pass by the Bridge of Peter The Great to the Smolny Cathedral; pass along the Palace Embankment with the view to the Peter and Paul Fortress, Neva River central water area, Troitsky and Palace Bridges. Stop at the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island with the panoramic view of the Winter Palace and central water area, stop at St. Isaac Cathedral. *
With another tour you will visit the Hermitage Main Museum Complex. The rival of the Louvre in Paris, the Hermitage contains three million exhibits and early collections dating back to Catherine II. * ** [B,L,D]
Day 4 – ST. PETERSBURG
Today is entirely free for leasure on your cruise ship or visiting some of the many treasures in St. Petersburg on your own. You can choose one of optional excursions offered onboard.
In the evening, as your river cruise ship departs St. Petersburg, join your ship’s captain for a welcome cocktail. [B,L,D]
Day 5 – MANDROGI
Today the cruise takes you to the picturesque village of Mandrogi located on the River Svir. A relaxing stop on the verdant river bank to enjoy the pleasant scenery and a picnic lunch (a picnic is subject to the ship itinerary and the weather conditions). [B,L,D]
Day 6 – KIZHI
The ship stops at the tiny island of Kizhi, located at the northern end of Lake Onega. Your visit of the island includes the open-air Museum of Architecture, housing a collection of restored 18th century Russian wooden buildings, including the breathtaking Church of the Transfiguration that provide a delightful glimpse of Russia’s past. [B,L,D]
Day 7 – GORITSY
The ship arrives in Goritsy, set in the beautiful countryside. Tour the grounds of the well-preserved 14th century Cyril-Belozersky Monastery, named in honor of its founder, the monk Cyril – one of the most honored saints in the Russian Orthodox Church. [B,L,D]
Day 8 – YAROSLAVL
Yaroslavl, an important Volga port is the next port of call. On your city tour visit the 17th century Church of St. Elijah the Prophet, an incredible structure filled with frescoes and classic Russian architecture and wander the grounds of the 12th century Savior-Transfiguration Monastery, one of the Volga’s oldest. [B,L,D]
Day 9 – UGLICH
Stop today at picturesque Uglich situated on the right bank of the Volga River. Visit the renowned green-domed Cathedral of Transfiguration perched at the water’s edge. Then visit the Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood, built on the site where Dmitry, the son of Ivan the Terrible, was murdered.
This evening join your ship’s captain for a farewell dinner, as your river sailing ends. [B,L,D]
Day 10 and Day 11 – MOSCOW
Spend the morning relaxing on your cruise ship as you continue your journey en route to Moscow, Russia’s largest city.
In Moscow you will be taken to the observation tour and the tour to the Kremlin.
Being one of the oldest cities, Moscow combines the charm of preserved buildings and the modern style skyscrapers.
Your city tour includes the views of the Red Square, the famous brightly colored onion domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Lenin Mausoleum , the Bolshoi Theatre, the GUM Department Store; Moscow State University, panoramic view of the Olympic Stadium and other sights. Feel the warmth of the city old parts and the wide scope of the vivid and dynamic metropolis.***
Another tour takes you to the Kremlin. The Moscow Kremlin is considered to be a symbol of the Russian statehood. The Kremlin hill became the main sightseeing of Moscow. The architectural ensemble “The Moscow Kremlin and Red Square” is included into the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The Moscow Kremlin is one of the biggest architectural and urban development ensembles in the world. The territory of 28 hectare houses wide squares and beautiful gardens, palaces and subtle churches. A city in the city, which had been forming for many centuries, today preserves monuments of Russian architecture of the 14th – 20th centuries. See the majestic Tsar Cannon, admire the beauty and grace of the Tsar Bell. Visit one of the cathedrals on the Kremlin Cathedral Square. ***
Enjoy your free time in Moscow or you can choose one of the optional excursions offered onboard. [B,L,D]
Day 12 – MOSCOW
After breakfast your transfer will take you from the cruise ship to the airport. [B]
Notes:
B, L, D – Breakfast, lunch, dinner as provided by the shipping company.
* The sightseeing tour in St. Petersburg and the excursion to the Hermitage can be held separately on different days or on the same day, depending on local conditions. The route and the list of declared objects can be changed in case of Force Majeure or roads closures.
** Please be prepared to find no Monet or Renoir or other impressionists in the Hermitage Main Museum Complex. One of the world’s best collections of Impressionists and Post-Impressionists was moved to The General Staff Building in 2014.
*** The sightseeing tour in Moscow and the excursion to the Kremlin can be held separately on different days or on the same day, depending on local conditions. The route and the list of declared objects can be changed in case of Force Majeure or roads closures.
MTF cruises company reserves the right to make the appropriate changes in the itinerary including deleting and adding cities, and changing the sequence of the itinerary as required by local conditions.