5-Star Russian River Cruise - Moscow - Golden Ring - St. Petersburg - 8 Days (CR-43)

Our driver will be waiting to greet you at the airport ready to transfer you to the ship. Look for the Go Russia sign.

Our sightseeing begins in the Russian capital with a guided bus tour which encompasses many of the city’s must-see landmarks. These include the Sparrow Hills observation platform, the Poklonnaya Hills monument in honour of the Russian victory in the Great War (World War II), and of course Red Square. We’ll take you to the Kremlin to see its beautiful Orthodox cathedrals. You can also visit the Armoury Museum (optional excursion) where you’ll find the Tsar’s jewels. There’s also the opportunity to join an optional tour to the Pushkin Museum. Later we’ll enjoy a welcome cocktail reception.

Uglich is one of provincial Russia’s best loved towns and we shall have the opportunity to explore it during today’s stop. The view as we approach along the River Volga is one of the prettiest on this journey, as you’ll see the town come into view dominated by the Cathedral of the Resurrection and St. John's Church towering on the horizon. Our guided tour will take in the Kremlin.

The Kirillo-Belozersky monastery is the largest Russian Orthodox monastery anywhere in the Russian North, located in tiny Goritsy, our port of call today. After the chance to see the monastery up close, we’ll continue with our river journey this afternoon.

We reach the Volga-Baltic Canal and transit it to reach amazing Kizhi Island. Situated at the northern end of Lake Onega, it’s home to the Museum of Wooden Architecture. Many interesting buildings have been relocated here to be restored, including the fabulous Church of the Transfiguration with its twenty two domes. You won’t be surprised to learn this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mandrogi is a popular stop on our tours and we hope you’ll enjoy the chance to get out into the great outdoors. The village is surrounded by woodland which provides some attractive walks should you wish to stretch your legs. There’s also a museum dedicated to the production of Russian vodka (optional visit) and the villagers will be keen to welcome us with a show of their traditions and culture. We’ll enjoy a traditional picnic of shaslik (shish kebab) and plenty of free time to explore before reboarding the ship.

Today we reach elegant St Petersburg, the final stop on our cruise. Mooring up, we alight to participate in a comprehensive guided sightseeing tour which takes us around this city of 101 islands. Highlights of our guided bus tour include the Peter & Paul Fortress, built in the early eighteenth century to prevent a Swedish attack, and the Church of Christ’s Resurrection (The Saviour of the Blood), which revives the traditions of 17th century Russian church building. We’ll also visit the Hermitage, one of the world’s most famous museums and once the Winter Palace of the tsars. Magnificently located on the bank of the river Neva, this Baroque-style palace is considered the major attraction of St. Petersburg.

Our driver will meet you with a Go Russia sign board as you disembark to transfer you to the airport.