River cruise on the Volga
The source of the mythical Volga is in the remote Valdai Hills to the west and south of the Rybinsk Reservoir. It proceeds southeast toward Yaroslavl, eventually flowing into the Caspian Sea. Half of Russia’s river cargo is transported along the Volga, and its water is used to irrigate the steppe regions of the south. Nearly the entire length of the Volga is navigable from about March until mid-December.
Russian ties to the Volga run strong and deep. The river has been serenaded and honoured in poems, paintings and music. Sights along the Volga include the Rybinsk Lock, with its statue of Mother Volga and Cathedral of the Transfiguration; the Golden Ring city of Yaroslavl with its lovely riverside promenade and colourful churches; another Golden Ring city called Kostroma, historically a centre of trade and the arts, with its legendary Ipatyesky Monastery; and the medieval city of Uglich, a favourite of Ivan the Terrible.
Shore excursions on Volga River cruises reveal that there are two sides to Russia: her great cities Moscow and St. Petersburg, and ancient villages like Yaroslavl, Uglich and Mandrogy. On a Volga River cruise, spend several days touring the cities’ important landmarks—Moscow’s Kremlin and Red Square, St. Petersburg’s Pushkin, Peter & Paul Fortress and the Hermitage—and also discover the history and culture of Russia’s heartland.
To complement shore excursions, educational programs are offered that may include: concerts, language lessons, lectures and workshops. On Russian and
Ukranian cruises, guests enjoy traditional Russian tea, cuisine workshops and entertainment. For instance, a vodka tasting becomes an informative session of
entertaining fun.
All meals are included onboard and each is carefully planned from a varied menu of Russian and European recipes.
Cruise from Kiev to Odessa, and in the process, learn that the first Russian czar was actually a Viking chieftain. His descendants rules Kiev,
spawned a dynasty that stretched all the way to Ivan the Terrible and created what is today’s vital capital in the Ukraine.
River cruise on the Rhine River
River cruise on the Danube River
River cruise on the Seine River
River cruise on the Nile River
