Volga River Cruises 2008 (16/22 Days) - NEW

Holidays in Russia - Tour itineraries

A choice of 16 or 22 day river cruises between St Petersburg, Moscow & Astrakhan from £1,310 per person

New for 2008, we are offering two new itineraries along the Volga River. The first longer itinerary travels from St Petersburg via Moscow to Astrakhan, near the Caspian Sea, visiting many of the places included on our standard Moscow to St Petersburg tour. The second shorter itinerary returns from Astrakhan to Moscow, visiting more off-the-beaten-track towns and cities.

These cruises on board the M/S Ivan Bunin visit Kostroma, one of the loveliest cities of the Golden Ring, as well as Nizhni Novgorod, home to political exiles for years and recently opened to tourism. Stops are also made at Kazan, capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, a wonderful city with its city skyline of minarets and onion domes.

There is also an excursion to Ulyanov, birthplace of Lenin and a Soviet shrine for over 70 years. Time is spent in Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad and site of the most famous battle in WWII. The cruise ends or begins in Astrakhan on the delta of the Volga River, an attractive city with over 30 bridges and is often called 'Venice of Asia'.

Tour Highlights:

St Petersburg.
Created by Peter the Great to rival Venice, its 101 islands, 66 canals, and hundreds of bridges have secured its reputation as the most beautiful city in the country. While your ship is docked in port, there are daily sightseeing tours to be enjoyed. See the bustling Nevsky Prospekt, its shops, cafes and theatres, and tour the impressive St Isaac’s, the city’s main cathedral, now a museum of elaborate icons and artworks. We will also spend time in the world famous Hermitage Museum, formerly the Winter Palace of the Tzars. A unique treasure trove of three million exhibits; its 320 halls display Da Vinci’s, Rembrandt’s, Titians, Michelangelo’s, French Impressionists and North American artists.

Mandrogi.
In this village there are many wooden houses, known as izbas that are built in the traditional Russian style. The people of the village meet you as you disembark from the boat, and there are opportunities to buy handcrafted souvenirs and visit the Vodka Museum where you can get acquainted with the history of vodka production and even sample some of the exhibits! (entry fee paid on location) Wander around the picturesque woods surrounding the village.

Kizhi.
Via the Volga/Baltic canal, the cruise takes you to the tiny island of Kizhi, located at the northern end of Lake Onega. Renowned for its open air Museum of Architecture that has buildings assembled from various areas of the country and faithfully restored to form a glimpse of the past.

Goritsy.
Goritsy is a tiny settlement seven kilometres from the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery. Visit what remains of the Nunnery of the Resurrection on the banks of the Sheksna River in Goritsy, within a quarter of a mile of where the ship stops. This place is extremely interesting for any tourist keen to really take in the true atmosphere and history of 16th century Russia.

Uglich.
Founded in 1148, Uglich is one of the most treasured towns of old Russia. The view of the town as you approach down the Volga River is especially lovely with the cathedral of the Resurrection and St Johns Church rising up on the horizon.

At the end of the 16th Century, Maria Nagaya, seventh wife of Ivan the terrible, lived in honourary exile in the Kremlin at Uglich. It was here in her garden that the Tzarevich Dmitry met his death and where the church of St Demitrius of the Blood was built and still stands today. Within the Kremlin is the oldest building in Uglich, the palace of Tsarevich Dmitry.

Moscow.
Spend three days in the capital of Russia and admire the numerous treasures of its history and present day as well as experiencing its atmosphere.

Myshkin. A small provincial town with unusual name, (Myshkin translates as a ‘Mouse's Town in Russian) it is situated on the Volga River 100 km from Yaroslavl. Surrounded by a pine forest, it is a quiet town and roughly 6 thousand people live there. The residents are rightly proud of their town which although a living, working place, can also be seen as folk museum. In the beginning of the last century the people of the town sponsored the construction of the Grand Cathedral of The Dormition. This cathedral still remains the main architectural sight in the town. There are also several unique museums - the only Mouse Museum in the world, the Museum of Wood Architecture, and Museum of Local Lore, History and Economy which owns a small collection of working vintage vehicles.

Yaroslavl.
Stretching for 18 miles of both banks of the Volga, Yaroslavl is an important Volga port with a population of 600,000. It was founded in the 11th Century by Prince Yaroslav the Wise and today retains many features of it’s colourful past. Of special interest is the magnificent 13th Century Spassky Monastery, where one can see a group of 17th century cathedrals and the relics of an ancient trading centre. The most beautiful of all the cathedrals is the Church of Elijah the Prophet, which one can see in the town’s central square. Inside is a wealth of frescos on both the walls and vaulting of the interior of the building.

Kostroma.
One of the loveliest cities of the Golden Ring, Kostroma is certantly a highlight 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 forebears of the Godunovs. The crypt of the monastery became the Godunov burial vault. Kostroma is the only Russian city retaining the classical layout of the 18th and 19th centuries with streets and boulevards fanning out like the spokes of a wheel from a central square. Of special interest will be a visit to the outdoor museum at Berengevka.

Nizhny Novgorod.
Founded in 1221, this city was a famous meeting place where people from the Orient, Siberia and Turkistan came to barter and trade. Formerly named Gorki during Soviet times, it was the home of political exiles and therefore closed to outsiders for many years. Nizhny Novgorod has only recently opened its doors for visitors, where many well preserved memorials from the 13th and 14th centuries can be seen. Of special interest are the ancient Kremlin cathedrals, convents and the palace of the early ruling family.

Cheboksary.
The capital of Chuvashia, and situated on the right bank of the Volga. The population of the town is 444,000 people. Cheboksary has been in existence since 1469 and since 1555 it has been a fortress of the Moscow state. In 1611-1612 the citizens took part in the home guard of Minin and Pozharsky. At the end of 17th and 18th centuries Cheboksary was a large trading city of Povolzhiya. Then it became a new industrial and cultural centre.

Kazan.
The capital of the Republic of Tatarstan which is often called the “Pearl of the Central Volga region”. It boasts numerous masterpieces of architecture such as the unique “Leaning Tower of Princess Suumbike” (which is similar to the tower at Pisa) and the Kazan Kremlin. The Moslem Mosques and minarets, magnificent Orthodox churches and cathedrals which are also here make this city a special attraction for the tourists.

Samara.
Founded in the 16th century Samara is today an important industrial and cultural center of the region. Formerly known as Kuibyshev, the city played a big role in the Peasant Uprising of 1670 under Styepan Razin and again in 1773 under Yemelin Pugachev. Recently Stalin’s bunker was discovered here and opened to the public.

Simbirsk.
The birthplace of Vladimir Ulyanov, better known to the world as Lenin. The city was a place of pilgrimage during the Soviet era, and the Lenin Memorial Complex includes the house in which he was born and other buildings associated with his life.

Saratov.
A beautiful city surrounded by outlying villages, Saratov was settled by Germans in the 18th and 19th centuries. Chernyshevsky, the famous Russian writer and democrat was born here and Yuri Gagarin, the world’s first cosmonaut, was a member of the Saratov Flying Club.

Volgograd.
Stretching along the Volga River for 43 miles is Volgograd. This thriving centre was rebuilt after the war as a living monument to the valour and courage of the defenders of Stalingrad, whose steadfastness and determination created a major turning point in the war.

Astrakhan.
Situated on the islands of the Volga Delta. The greatest part of it lies below the spring flood levels of the Volga, so dams were built in many places. There are more than 30 bridges in the city. In ancient times Astrakhan was called "The Venice of Asia." The monuments of architecture are extremely interesting. There is a Kremlin in the centre of Astrakhan. It is surrounded by walls with eight towers, built in 1580-1620, the Troitsky Cathedral, built in 1700 and the Uspensky Cathedral, built in 1700-1710.

Should you wish to inquire about this itinerary, or require more information about tailor-making a tour of Russia - please contact our specialist:

Jana@regent-holidays.co.uk