Ship Chernishevskiy: from Moscow to St. Petersburg River Cruise [09/27/2009-10/08/2009]
 Route description: Sailing this route is still far and away the most popular way to
visit both great cities while enjoying the comfort of a cruising
holiday. Starting from Moscow, one of the world's largest and most
vibrant capital cities, you will travel to St Petersburg, Russia's
beautiful capital of culture. Sailing along the River Volga into
Lake Onega and on to the Gulf of Finland you will witness over a
thousand years of Russian history from the earliest wooden villages
to the latest contemporary architecture. All our cruise ships sail
this route so you have a wide choice of dates and facilities at
your disposal. Cruises range from 11 to 13 days including extensive
sightseeing time. What's included: The price that you see below includes everything except for the airfares. All the meals and a welcome dinner on board are included, as well as a rich on-board entertainment program and the sightseeing tours in each port of call. The professional guides and interpreters will accompany you during your whole trip. The price also includes airport transfers, Russian travel visas, and all the port fees.What is NOT included is the airfares. We recommend you to bring some cash with you for the souvenirs and tips. You also need some cash to make purchases on-board during the first day. When you board, you can swipe your credit card, but it takes 24 hours to verify it, so some cash on-hand will not hurt. We recommend bringing about $500 per couple and we will fill you in on how much you are expected to tip (not much). Itinerary| Day 1 |  | Arrival
When you arrive at the airport, your personal driver will be
waiting for you holding a sign with your name on it. He will take
you straight to your ship where you can unpack and relax. There is
no evening program tonight and after dinner in the ship's
restaurant you can get acquainted with fellow passengers in the bar
or simply rest in your cabin. | | Day 2 |  | Moscow
Moscow is Russia's largest city, its political and economic
capital. The town of Moscow was the center of Moscovy - a small
principality that unified the Russian lands against the Mongols in
the late 14th century and has ruled Russia ever since. As the
Mongols burnt major cities across Russia, refugees fled to smaller
principalities like Moscow, Tver and Nizhny Novgorod. Through
bribes, diplomacy and coercion, Moscow overcame its two rivals to
become "Russia's first city." Moscow's role was briefly challenged
when Tsar Peter the Great moved Russia's capital to his new city,
St Petersburg, on the shores of the Baltic Sea.
This day is dedicated to exploring Red Square, the most famous
square in the world located in the very heart of Moscow next to the
Kremlin, St. Basil's Cathedral and Lenin's Tomb. Red Square
together with the surrounding buildings is the most well known
symbol of Russia. You will have a whole afternoon to explore this
amazing place.
You will have a lunch in one of the Moscow restaurants. | | Day 3 |  | Moscow
This day is very special, as we will go inside the Kremlin - the
ancient castle built to withstand the Mongol hordes. Throughout
history, the Kremlin has been the center of political power in
Russia and it remains a symbolic political center even today, as
the official site of the inauguration ceremony of the Russian
president (they don't actually live or work here).
The Kremlin is a living museum of Russia's history. Its inside
wasn't built overnight, rather various rulers added new pieces over
time (and some, like Napoleon, plundered from it). This cultural
and historical treasure has been so well preserved that it seems
that you are traveling in time. You will see the most interesting
places in the Kremlin as you follow our professional guide in the
steps of some of the world's greatest leaders and its most terrible
dictators. | | Day 4 |  | Uglich
Uglich is a small town located on the Volga River. Uglich was the
best-defended fortress of Moscovy and it was burnt on number of
occasions by Lithuanians, Tatars, and even the grand prince of
Tver, the city which rivaled Moscow.
Uglich is most famous for the tragic events that took place in 1591
when the 10-year old prince Dimitry, the last heir to the throne of
the ancient Ruyrik dynasty, was killed here (as historians now
agree, by Boris Godunov, advisor to Dimitry, who wanted the throne
for himself). Dimitry's death plunged Russia into decades of
political turmoil known as Time of Trouble.
During your bus city tour you will visit the Church of St. Dimitry
on the blood (built on the place of his murder) as well as
beautiful Transfiguration cathedral. | | Day 5 |  | Yaroslavl
By today standards Yaroslavl is small, but its place in Russia's
history and culture cannot be underestimated. Before it was
annihilated by the Mongols it was Russia's largest city, its
economic, political, cultural and scientific center. It was rebuilt
shortly after but was once again burnt to the ground. While the
Mongols had been preoccupied with Yaroslavl, Moscow was able to
harness enough power to overthrow the "Mongol yoke."
During the Polish occupation of Moscow in the early 17th century,
it was Yaroslavl once again that became the center of the national
resistance to the occupation.
You will explore this town on Volga river by bus with stops in
Transfiguration monastery and Church of Elijah Prophet. | | Day 6 |  | Goritsy
Goritsy is famous for the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery (1397). This
monastery's strong walls and bastions were used by some nobles as a
safe house during the Times of Trouble. The Polish armies stormed
it, but never succeeded in capturing it. Unfortunately, the
monastery was not so successful in repelling the attacks of other
invaders four centuries later. The Bolsheviks closed the monastery
in early 20th century and sent its monks to the prison camps.
On your walking tour around the small town you will go inside of
local Monastery of St. Cyril on the White Lake and exceptional
museum of icons. | | Day 8 |  | Kizhi
Kizhi is the name of unique island located on the Lake Onega. In
the center of the island stands the amazing Transfiguration Church.
This wooden church and its 22 domes are built without a single
nail. In fact, originally, the Transfiguration Church was located
in another place. The Bolsheviks, who had little, if no, respect
for religion, had some respect for its architectural value, so they
decided to move this unique church as far from the major cities and
people as possible, to distant Kizhi Island.
You will devote this day on the island to the open-air museum of
wooden architecture | | Day 9 |  | Svirstroy
A small town of Svirstroy is located on river Svir that unites to
biggest lakes in Europe, Onega and Ladoga. It is a town with a
population of 1.5 thousand and was built toghether with the
Nizhnesvirskaya hydroelectric power station. The Svir was
canalized, the most dangerous of its rapids inundated, making the
river navigable. The station is located on a small island in the
middle of the dam that is 30 m high and 1.5 km long.
Here among beautiful landscapes of this peaceful place we will have
a picnic ashore with a Russian famous shashlik (meat kebab) made on
the grill. You will have free time to stroll around the town and
buy some souvenirs. | | Day 10 |  | St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is Russia's cultural and historical treasure, one of
the world's most beautiful cities, and one of its top ten tourist
destinations according to "The Forbes Traveler." It is known as the
Venice of North thanks to its numerous canals and hundreds of
bridges. It is sometimes called Russia's Versailles thanks to
dozens of opulent palaces and royal estates. It can be rightly
called a living museum - so many of its buildings are part of
Russia's history.
This day we will visit Peter and Paul Fortress with the burial
place of the Russian Emperors located on the Neva
River.
| | Day 11 |  | St. Petersburg
This day we are heading to the very heart of St. Petersburg and its
most important sight - the Winter Palace. On one side, the palace
is faced by the Palace Square with the Alexander Column in the
middle of it. The column was erected to celebrate the victory over
Napoleon (what is called in Russia, the First Patriotic War). To
its rear, the palace is washed by the Neva River in the middle of
which you will find the Peter and Paul Fortress.
The Winter Palace is home to the Hermitage Museum - the largest
collection of Russian art in the world. The Hermitage started as
the private art collection of Catherine the Great and over time
became the largest collection of Russian art in the world. These
art works are displayed in the Palace's numerous halls, many of
which are works of art in themselves. | | Day 12 |  | Departure
The end of your voyage and time to leave your ship, the crew and
your new friends and return home. Of course all your transfers to
the airport are taken care of by our staff, leaving you to savor
the memories of this wonderful journey. |
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1-800-884-1721
