14-day River Cruise Along The Volga From Moscow To Astrakhan

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Moscow. Transfer to the Ship

Pass By: Moscow, Moscow, Central Russia
Our driver will pick up up at your hotel and transfer you to the ship which will be your base while we are docked in Moscow. Tonight you'll be welcomed aboard with a cocktail reception.

Meals included:
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 2: City Tour around Moscow. Red Square

Stop At: Moscow, Moscow, Central Russia
You might be reluctant to leave the comfort of the ship but enthralling Moscow awaits. The Russian capital is one of the most interesting cities of the world and we'll have a guided bus tour this morning during which you'll enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the observation platform up at Sparrow Hills before returning to the centre of the city to see the famous Bolshoi theatre and the Red Square.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Red Square, Moscow 109012 Russia
We will visit the Red Square - the symbol of Russia.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 3: Kremlin Territory with Cathedrals. Tretyakov Gallery

Stop At: Moscow Kremlin, Moscow 103132 Russia
Today we delve into Moscow's fascinating past, heading inside the famous Kremlin. Once the residence of the Tsars and Russian Orthodox Patriarchs, we'll set foot inside one of its uniquely beautiful Orthodox cathedrals. You will also be able to view the Byzantine splendour of St. Basil's multi-coloured onion-domed cathedral, in nearby Red Square.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: State Tretyakov Gallery, Lavrushinskiy ln 10, Moscow 119017 Russia
In the afternoon we will visit the Tretyakov Gallery to admire the magnificent collection of russian paintings.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 4: Arrival in Uglich. Walking City Tour. Visit to the Kremlin

Stop At: Uglich, Uglich, Yaroslavl Oblast, Central Russia
The boat sails to Uglich, one of Russia's best-loved provincial towns. Don't miss the superb view as we approach along the Volga River. Founded in 1148, highlights include the Cathedral of the Resurrection and St. John's Church which dominate the horizon.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Uglich Kremlin, Kremlin, 3, Uglich 152615 Russia
At the end of the 16th century, the seventh wife of the Tsar Ivan the Terrible lived in honorary exile in the Kremlin at Uglich which is a stop on today's itinerary.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 5: Arrival in Yaroslavl. City Tour around Yaroslavl. City Tour around Kostroma. Visit to Ipatievsky Monastery

Stop At: Yaroslavl Architectural Historical and Art Museum Preserve, Bogojavlenskaja pl. 25, Yaroslavl 150000 Russia
Today we reach the port of Yaroslavl, strung out along both banks of the Volga. It takes its name from its founder, Prince Yaroslav the Wise who based himself here in the 11th Century. An undisputed highlight of the city is its 13th Century Spassky Monastery. Hosting several cathedrals, a rotunda and the remains of an ancient trading centre, this is a fascinating complex to explore. Our tour takes in the Church of the Prophet Elijah and many other cultural highlights, including a visit to Spaso-Preobrazhenskiy Monastery.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Ipatiev Monastery, Ulitsa Prosveshcheniya, 1, Kostroma, Kostromskaya oblast', Russia, 156004
Historic Kostroma is located where the Kostroma River joins the Volga, part of the famous Golden Ring around Moscow. Historic Kostroma is located where the Kostroma River joins the Volga, part of the famous Golden Ring around Moscow. It's the site of the Ipatievskiy Monastery where we will visit today, founded in the latter part of the 18th Century. We'll also go and see its interesting open air museum featuring myriad forms of wooden architecture from windmills to bath houses, churches to watermills brought from around the region.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 6: Arrival in Nizhny Novgorod. City Tour. Visit to the Kremlin

Stop At: Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Volga District
Colloquially known as Nizhny, the fifth largest city in Russia is today's destination. It occupies a commanding position with views of both the Volga and the Oka Rivers. We'll tour its ancient Kremlin and take a stroll along the pleasant pedestrian promenade before reboarding the ship.


Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 7: Arrival in Cheboksary. City Tour around Cheboksary

Stop At: Cheboksary, Cheboksary, Chuvash Republic, Volga District
The capital of the Chuvash republic in the Volga region, Cheboksary was founded in the middle of the fifteenth century. A fortress was constructed there in 1555 but the town was a backwater until the coming of the railway in 1939. As a result, there's no shortage of ancient churches and monasteries, among them Vvedensky cathedral (1657) and Saint-Trinity monastery (1566). here's also an excellent view to be had in the middle of the city of a pretty bay which has become a very popular gathering place for the local people.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 8: Arrival in Kazan. City Tour around Kazan. Visit to the Kremlin

Stop At: Kazan, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Volga District
Kazan has a fascinating past, founded by the Mongols, occupied by the Golden Horde and the capital of the Khanate of Kazan. It was conquered by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century. This multi-faceted history has led the city to be what it is today: half Russian and half Tatar, it is a charming blend of Muslim and Christian cultures, a unique mix which sets it apart from the other cities we'll visit on this journey.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Kazan Kremlin, Kazan 420014 Russia
Today, we'll take a guided tour of the city's Kremlin.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 9: Arrival in Samara. City Tour around Samara

Stop At: Samara, Samara, Samara Oblast, Volga District
In the Soviet era, Samara was a closed city, shut away from the rest of the world to focus on defence during the years of the Cold War. Fortunately, it's now well and truly open for business. We'll take a city tour including a visit to Samara's art gallery and learn more about the history of this city, founded in the 14th century and, as Kuybyshev, chosen during World War Two to be the replacement capital after fears that Moscow would fall to the encroaching German troops.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 10: Arrival in Saratov. City Tour around Saratov

Stop At: Saratov, Saratov, Saratov Oblast, Volga District
Another former closed city, this time due to its manufacture of military aircraft, we visit Saratov. Its name probably originates from "Sary tau" or yellow mountain as the city is surrounded by sandy hills. It was once an autonomous republic, the area in which the Volga Germans settled until they were relocated to Siberia and Kazakhstan during the Second World War. Many never returned to the city. Saratov's other claim to fame is as the home of the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, and a vital part of the Soviet space programme.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 11: Arrival in Volgograd. City Tour around Volgograd. Visit to Mamaev Kurgan

Stop At: Volgograd, Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Southern District
Volgograd has the status of "Hero City" and honour bestowed as a consequence of the suffering it endured during World War Two. Formerly known as Tsaritsyn and later Stalingrad, Hitler ordered the bombardment of the city as he tried to advance on the Eastern Front. Two hundred days of shelling took an enormous toll, leaving an estimated 1-2 million casualties on both sides.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Mamayev Kurgan, Prospekt Imeni V.I. Lenina, Volgograd 400005 Russia
Our guided tour takes us to Mamaev Kurgan and the statue of The Motherland Calls.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 12: Along the Volga

Pass By: Volga District, Volga District
Today, we can sit back and enjoy the onboard entertainment as we cruise towards the city if Astrakhan.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 13: Arrival in Astrakhan. City Tour around Astrakhan. Visit to the Kremlin

Stop At: Astrakhan, Astrakhan, Astrakhan Oblast, Southern District
Our arrival in Astrakhan means we've reached the Volga Delta. Located about 100km from the Caspian Sea, the city dates from the 13th century. Originally it was a key Golden Horde city and later the capital of the Khanate of Astrakhan. Destroyed by Ivan the Terrible's forces, this Tatar city was rebuilt by the Russians and became an important trading centre. These days the focus is on the sturgeon trade and the production of caviar.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Astrakhan Kremlin, Trediakovskogo st., 2, Astrakhan 414000 Russia
We'll pay a visit to the city's Kremlin before heading back to the ship.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation on board a 4* Vessel.

Day 14: Departure Transfer from the Ship

Pass By: Astrakhan, Astrakhan, Astrakhan Oblast, Southern District
Our cruise is complete, so our driver will transfer you from the ship to the airport in readiness for your flight home.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.