Travel Scandinavia Baltic Tours Antarctica Expedition Cruises

   
 
 

Volga Dream Gold

11 Days / 7 locations in Russia

MS Volga Dream is a boutique, luxury riverboat offering an unforgettable cruise in Russia.

Family owned and operated, catering for up to 109 guests, Volga Dream is the ideal vessel for travelers seeking an intimate cruise experience.

Volga Dream GOLD combines the best of Moscow and St. Petersburg and a deluxe cruise on the Volga. This journey is ideal for individual travelers and small groups looking to explore both the Russian countryside and the treasures of Russia's grandest cities.

Itinerary

 
Day 1     Moscow
Accommodation: Marriott Hotel Copenhagen

Upon arrival in Moscow, transfer to the deluxe Marriott Royal Aurora Hotel located in the historic city centre near the Bolshoi Theatre and Moscow Kremlin. In the evening gather for the warm-up meeting with your guide or spend the rest of the day exploring central Moscow on your own.

 
Day 2     Moscow
Accommodation: Marriott Hotel Copenhagen
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Begin the day with an orientation tour of Moscow followed by a ride in the famed Moscow metro. After lunch in a local restaurant proceed to the old Tretyakov gallery to view its extraordinary collection of Russian art, ranging from 12th-century icons to 20th-century paintings.

City tour includes: Red Square (walking tour) with St. Basil's Cathedral (w/o entrance), Christ the Savior (entrance), Novodevichy Cemetery (entrance), metro ride tour, Vorobyevy Hills (photo stop).

 
Day 3     Moscow
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

This morning enter the Kremlin for a visit to the Armory Museum with its collection of tsarist thrones, ceremonial crowns, coaches and gifts of state. Continue to the beautifully frescoed 15th-century Assumption and Archangel cathedrals. After lunch, transfer to the

awaiting luxurious MS Volga Dream and begin sailing along the Russian waterways. Gather for the Captain's welcome reception and dinner as we begin our cruise. Volga Dream Experience: Bread, Salt & Vodka Welcome Aboard Ceremony

 
Day 4     Uglich
On Board the M/S Volga Dream
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We arrive this afternoon in Uglich, which dates back to the 10th century. A walking tour of this Golden Ring city includes the Chapel of Dimitry, a 17th-century treasure built on the site where Ivan the Terrible’s 10-year-old son met his death. Visit the Church of the

Transfiguration, noted for its beautiful iconostasis, and attend an enchanting concert of choral music.

Volga Dream Experience: Documentary Film “Construction of the Moscow Canal”

 
Day 5     Yaroslavl
On Board the M/S Volga Dream
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Founded in 1010, Yaroslavl is one of the oldest cities in central Russia and the Volga’s first port. Admire the mosaics at the Church of Elijah the Prophet and walk along the river past richly decorated merchant residences. Take part in a costumed reception at the governor’s house, and then re-board the Volga Dream in time for lunch.

Volga Dream Experience: Costumed Russian Tea Ceremony & Russian Cooking

 
Day 6     Goritsky
On Board the M/S Volga Dream
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

In the tiny settlement of Goritzy, visit the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, founded in 1397, and now home to one of the best collections of Russian icons in the world. After a guided tour, continue cruising toward majestic Lake Onega.

Volga Dream Experience: Russian Dinner with Vodka Tasting

 
Day 7     Kizhi
On Board the M/S Volga Dream
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

This afternoon explore a tiny, picturesque island of Kizhy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Lake Onega. The open-air Museum of Architecture includes the Church of the Transfiguration, a unique onion-domed masterpiece built without a single metal nail and resembling something out of a Russian fairy tale.

Volga Dream Experience: Piano Concert – pieces by Tchaikovsky and Rakhmaninov

 
Day 8     Mandrogui
On Board the M/S Volga Dream
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Be on deck as we navigate the Svir River toward Lake Ladoga, Europe's largest freshwater lake, past a shoreline dotted with graceful willows, alder trees and stately pines. Step ashore for a brief visit to the vacation village of Mandrogi to experience daily life in a quaint

wooden village.

Volga Dream Experience: Barbeque on the Open Deck

 
Day 9     St. Petersburg
Accommodation: Kempinski Hotel Moika 22
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Disembark this morning in St. Petersburg, which Peter the Great transformed from marshland into a vibrant city of islands, canals, bridges and pastel-coloured palaces. Continue with an orientation tour of St. Petersburg and enter the Peter and Paul Fortress,

this family shrine of the Romanovs. Following lunch, enter the famed Hermitage Museum, whose 400 rooms contain spectacular examples of nearly all of the schools of Western art, including one of the greatest collections of French impressionist works. This evening check-in at the five-star Kempinski Hotel Moika 22.

City Tour includes: Peter & Paul Cathedral (entrance), Split of Basil Island (walking tour),

St. Isaac Cathedral (photo stop), Spilled Blood Church (photo stop), Nevskiy Prospekt drive.

 
Day 10     St. Petersburg
Accommodation: Kempinski Hotel Moika 22
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Begin today at the meticulously restored Peterhof, St. Petersburg’s most famous and spectacular Imperial estate, often cited as the Versailles of Russia. Visit the authentic Bath Cottage and stroll in the vast Lower Park with 176 fountains of various forms and styles and four cascades, majestic palaces and numerous gilded statues of ancient gods and heroes. After lunch, return to St. Petersburg and explore the city centre on your own.

 
Day 11     St. Petersburg
Accommodation: Kempinski Hotel Moika 22
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

This morning we drive to the Tsar’s Village for a specially arranged visit to Catherine’s Palace. See the exquisitely restored Amber Room and stroll in the formal gardens. Lunch at Podvorie, a restaurant in a traditional Russian log house, then return to St. Petersburg and spend the rest of your afternoon at leisure.

 
Day 12     St. Petersburg
Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport this morning for your flight.

 

Notes

Itinerary from St. Petersburg to Moscow mirrors itinerary from Moscow to St. Petersburg

Departures from St. Petersburg to Moscow: May 16, 29, June 26, July 21, August 02, 14

Price Includes
Port Charges, Local Taxes and Fuel Surcharge
Welcome Fruit Baske
Lectures, Discussions, Classes, Concerts, Films & Performances During the C
Complementary House Wine and Soft Drinks With Lunch & Dinner Onboard
Full Board Onboard Ship
All Breakfasts and Lunches in Moscow and St. Petersburg
Sightseeing and Entrances Per Itinerary
6 Nights Onboard M/S Volga Dream
3 Nights in St. Petersburg
2 Nights in Moscow
Arrival and Departure Transfers Keflavik by Bus
Price Does Not Include
 Telephone & Internet Connection
 Personal Expenses
 Laundry
 Personal Medical Insurance
 Visa Fee
 Air Fare
 Mini Bar
VIA-1269
1.28.15.WP26