11 of 20 largest cities of Russia, including Moscow, are located in the Volga's drainage basin... Take a lengthy Russian Volga River Cruise for a profound cultural experience! From $3,300
This is the grand Volga River Cruise that covers 90% of the superb Volga River. The cruise ship sails some of the Upper Volga, the Middle Volga, the Lower Volda and reaches the Volga River Delta most of the times - in case there is Astrakhan city in the itinerary. Our Russian river cruise ‘Great Mother Volga’ covers vast territories of the Central and the Southern Russia between Moscow and Rostov-on-Don. Some of these stunning Volga River cruises also stop at Russian ‘Caviar Capital’ Astrakhan, offering great opportunities to explore the Volga River Delta. The Volga is one of the greatest rivers in the world and is the longest one in Europe. The Volga River appears to be one of the fundamental cores of Russian culture: consciously and subconsciously this river is frequently perceived as a living being by Russians - that is why she is commonly addressed as ‘Great Mother Volga.’ Songs and legends personify Volga with the best human features an ideal Russian should match. She is identified with the Motherland, and she is a symbol of freedom, breadth and strength of the Russian Spirit. Nevertheless, the Volga Region is very multinational: Tatars, Bashkirs, Chuvashs, Mordovians, Udmurts, Mari, Ukrainians, Kazakhs, Armenians, Komi-Permyaks, Azerbaijanis, Germans, Cossacks and several other nationalities have their homeland there. Some of these people originate from the ancient states of the Golden Horde or the Volga Bulgaria. So, get ready to listen to exciting legends and informative stories while cruising the Great Mother Volga!
Russian cities that are normally visited on our 'Great Mother Volga' River Cruise: Moscow, Uglitch, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Plyos, Gorodets, Nizhny Novgorod, Cheboksary, Kazan, Ulyanovsk, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd (Stalingrad), Astrakhan, Rostov-on-Don. City sightseeing tours are included in every port - enjoy great cultural experience! Please, contact our Russian River Cruise Experts for information on the prices and on the actual itinerary of a Volga River Cruise of your Deams.
4 Our Best Volga River Cruises | 3 Voyages are rated 'Black Caviar Cruises'
Cruises 2020
Rostov-on-Don—Moscow
Moscow—Rostov-on-Don
Cruises 2021
Rostov-on-Don—Moscow
Moscow—Rostov-on-Don
Sightseeing
Samara
Fortress of Samara was founded in 1586 at the confluence of the Volga River and the Samara River to protect Russia from the nomads and to ensure safety on waterways between cities of Kazan and Astrakhan. Just as many other ports on trade routes Samara has been developing rapidly. At the beginning of the 20th century it was already a well-developed city with flourishing trading, grain and flour milling industry. Back then Samara also took first place in wheat production. No wonder that famous local vodka “Rodnik” is still considered one of the best in Russia. Local food industry is also well known for its chocolate and famous “Zhigulevskoye” beer that is produced by original recipe since 1881. Samara boasts: picturesque embankment that is the longest one in Russia; Kuibyshev Square that is the largest one in Europe; the building of Samara Railway Station is the tallest one in Europe: its height is over 331 feet / 101 meters. The tower has an observation deck on top. Stalin’s secret bunker is among great variety of places of interest in Samara. This one is the most fortified bunker among those already taken off the security list. Its depth is comparable with a 12-story building; the bunker has air supplies for 115 people to leave for 5 days.
Saratov
Saratov was founded in the 16th century as a fortress to protect southern districts of the Russian Empire. Later on it became the heart of one of the largest Russian provinces, and also a city of merchants, gold miners and first Russian manufacturers. In the 19th century Saratov became a major commercial center, especially after the railway to Moscow was built in the 1870s. The modern city has become a large industrial complex that sprawls for many miles along the river. The city’s 2.8-km / 1.7-mi highway bridge across the Volga opened in 1965 is one of the longest river bridges of the kind in Europe. Saratov’s varied and large-scale industries are headed by the production of heavy equipment and chemicals. Petroleum and natural gas occur in the locality and thus contribute to Saratov’s chemical plants, which produce synthetic alcohol, synthetic fibers, acetone, and ammonium sulfate. All through the 16th and up to the 19th century local population of the entire area was also formed by Cossacks, Tatars, Orthodox fringe groups (as opposed to church reforms), German colonists and even the captured Frenchmen that once were the soldiers of Napoleon. Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, began his career in Saratov and did his first air flight there.