Cruise Itinerary
Astrakhan is the Caviar Capital of Russia. It is often called a “Venice on the Volga”, because a great part of it is located on 11 islands in the upper reaches of the Volga River Delta. Therefore the city has more than 50 bridges. Astrakhan is just 154 kilometers / 96 miles away from the Caspian Sea, a major sturgeon habitat. Entire Astrakhan Province is a very warm place that is famous all over Russia for its farm products, especially for watermelons. A very interesting fact is that in Sweden there is a brand of cider called "Astrakan". This drink is made out of apples, once imported to this country from Astrakhan Province. Also, local plant breeders have managed to cultivate a hybrid of watermelon and melon, which is called a “moon watermelon”. Originally Astrakhan had nothing to do with Russia: these lands belonged once to the Golden Horde, to Khazaria, and subsequently to the Khanate of Astrakhan that was an independent state. The Khanate was conquered by the Russian Tzar Ivan the Terrible and the entire area became part of the Tzardom of Russia shortly afterwards. Modern Astrakhan is a cosmopolitan city with a diverse population of more than half of a million people: nearly 200 ethnicities that belong to 19 religious denominations live there. Russian River Cruises, Astrakhan | © Imperial River Cruises - facts about the port city
Day 1
Arrival and embarkation. The fastest and the most convenient way for an International traveler to reach Astrakhan is by taking a flight from Moscow or St. Petersburg. Please, let us know in case you need a transfer upon arrival.Day 2
The city tour of Astrakhan can be followed by an optional tour to the Volga River Delta - to see the most gorgeous lotus fields. The center of the city of Astrakhan appears to be a great place to walk around: there is an ancient Kremlin, merchants' mansions, numerous beautiful temples. Back in centuries Astrakhan used to be the part of a Silk Road network linking China, Central Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean. Many caravans have been making their way through Astrakhan; there were numerous fairs held in the city and it was home to people of over 200 nationalities. That is why there are so many churches and mosques in Astrakhan. A working Buddhist temple also exists in the Region of Astrakhan. Breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard.
Volgograd (named so in 1961), former Stalingrad, is the site of one of the toughest battles of the WWII. Certainly, main monuments here are related to the war and soldiers’ glory: the giant ‘Motherland’ sculpture; panoramic museum of the Battle of Stalingrad; Pavlov’s house - legendary Soviet bastion, marked as fortress on personal map of German general Paulus; Mamaev Kurgan (hill) that saw particularly fierce fighting. The Battle of Stalingrad lasted from August 21, 1942 to February 02, 1943, where 1.7 million to 2 million Nazi and Soviet soldiers were killed, wounded or captured, in addition to over 40,000 civilians killed. The violent combat destroyed the Stalingrad, but its reconstruction began soon after the Germans were expelled from the city. However, it took some 20 years to rebuild it. A very interesting fact is that there is no metro in modern Volgograd - there is an underground tram or the Metrotram. In the USSR the metro was built only in the cities with a population of over a million. Volgograd did not have so many inhabitants back in 1970s, so local authorities found a way out: they ordered to dig the tunnels, but started trams there instead of the underground trains. The longest street in Russia is in Volgograd: its length exceeds 50 kilometers.
Day 4
Volgograd (former Stalingrad) has a title of the ‘Hero City’. This title was given to 13 cities of the former Soviet Union - they were honored so for the great heroism & sacrifice of their inhabitants and defenders that eventually led to the defeat of the Fascists in WWII. Nowadays 7 of the Hero Cities are in Russia; 4 of them are located in Ukraine; while the remaining 2 cities are in Belarus. Sightseeing tour of Volgograd includes city’s main memorial sites and attractions and also a visit to Mamaev Kurgan - where the giant statue of the Motherland stands. Breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard.
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.
Day 5
City tour. Present-day Saratov is a city of universities, theaters, and museums. The architecture of Saratov is a lovely mix of an old merchant town with the style of a modern city. However, its historical center mostly has buildings that were constructed in the late 19th - mid-20th centuries: the building of the Conservatoire designed in a Neo-Gothic style; historical Drama Theatre; Radischev Art Museum with more than 20,000 exhibits are just some of the examples. Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, has been studying at Industrial Technical School in Saratov to become a qualified foundry worker - prior to becoming a skilled military pilot. By the way, some sections of the molded fence in the park near the modern Saratov Drama Theatre were made by Gararin and his fellow-students. Breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard.
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.
Day 6
Today there will be a city tour of Samara that is a large and important historical port. Just as many well-developed settlements of the past, Samara was built where two rivers merge - in order to protect its inhabitants and to ensure the successful trade. Modern Samara is a fusion of an old trade town with well-preserved houses including some Old-Russian teremok-buildings, with Soviet Era architecture, the art nouveau constructions and gothic temples. Samara also has an “old center” - this is the place where the settlement began in early times. The streets there are quite narrow and the houses are mainly one-storied. Still it is a special pleasure to observe numerous small patios of the area: each one has its own history. And this history did not just pass by - somebody lived through it, felt it, and was making this history. Breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard.
Ulyanovsk. Lenin was born there - the place was called Simbirsk in those days. “Ulyanov” is the original last name of Lenin, but the world would rather know the pseudonym. The city was a Soviet shrine for almost 70 years. During the Soviet Era nearly all the churches in the city were ruined to the ground or closed; the most notable churches and cathedrals were restored and rebuilt not so long ago. The Lenin Memorial Complex includes the house in which he was born and other buildings associated with his life. Modern Ulyanovsk is also а home to SUV-maker UAZ and aircraft producer Aviastar, however, it is one of a handful of cities that have managed to preserve the atmosphere of an old Russian province - although some say that Ulyanovsk is still a very Soviet city. Yet, according to statistics, every fifth car in Russia and every third aircraft in Russia is manufactured in Ulyanovsk. The city is a part of the tourist “Red Route” that covers several of the “Lenin’s sites” in Russia. The Civil Aviation History Museum is another distinctive site in Ulyanovsk - this complex is one of the largest aviation museums in Russia. Ulyanovsk was founded in the 17th century; today it is a fairly large city with a population of over 600 000 people.
Day 7
There will be a sightseeing tour over Ulyanovsk that is a birthplace of Vladimir Lenin. Not so many people are interested in Lenin these days - therefore the city is not a place of worshipping any more. Well, despite the fact that the splendor of the “Lenin’s Homeland” brand has somewhat faded for the present-day Ulyanovsk, the city still remains an interesting site on Russia’s map. Enormous expanses of the river Volga, the Riverside Station, Lenin’s sites and many local museums of various kinds - something out of the list will surely pick a traveler’s interest opening up the city from an unexpected side. Breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard.
Kazan, one of the seven largest cities in Russia, is located in a picturesque area at the confluence of the Volga and the Kazanka Rivers. “This city, no doubt, is the first in Russia after Moscow, - wrote the Russian Empress Catherine the Great in 1763, - clearly, Kazan is the capital of a big kingdom”. Modern Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan Republic, it is very diverse, modern and ancient city at the same time: Islam and Orthodoxy, East and West, old and modern are mixed well in this “cocktail-city”. The minarets of the most beautiful Kul-Sharif Mosque rise right next to the onion domes of the Annunciation Cathedral inside the famous Kazan Kremlin. For many years already Kazan is being included in the international top list of the most popular travel destinations in Russia. People come to this place to enjoy a stunning architectural variety, to ride a steamer to the ancient island of Sviyazhsk, to buy great local souvenirs, and to taste the delicious ech-pochmak and chak-chak. In 2005 Kazan has turned 1000 years old: originally a fortress of the Volga Bulgaria state (the first Muslim state in Eastern Europe) it became a part of the Golden Horde in the 15th century; about a century after it was conquered by Ivan the Terrible and appeared on the map of the Russian State. Russian River Cruises, Kazan | © Imperial River Cruises - facts about the port city
Day 8
Our city tour around Kazan is an excellent opportunity to enjoy all the main sights of the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan in one excursion. The sightseeing also includes the famous Kazan Kremlin and Kul-Sarif Mosque. The Kremlin of Kazan is one of the most beautiful medieval fortresses in Russia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Staraya Tatarskaya Sloboda is an old national Tatar district in Kazan where many historical buildings have been preserved - this place is surely of interest to the city guests. One of the most interesting facts about Kazan is that Gala, Salvador Dali’s wife and muse, has been born in Kazan. Kazan Subway, having just 5 stations, is listed among Guinness World Records as the shortest metro system in the world. One can get from one end to another end of the city only in 10 minutes! Breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard.
Some call Nizhny Novgorod a ‘third Russian capital’; but the city of Kazan claims this title as well. Nizhny Novgorod has a great picturesque location at the confluence of the Volga and the Oka Rivers. The local Kremlin is among its most fabulous sites. This impregnable fortress is now just a historical monument, but one of the surrounding streets still strongly resembles a fortification moat. A well-known fact is that the Kremlin of Nizhny Novgorod has never been taken by an enemy army. Indeed, city’s smart and favorable location at the confluence of two navigable rivers has turned it into a well-developed center of merchandize. Eventually at the beginning of the 19th century the city has become the main market place of the Russian Empire: the Emperor Alexander I has even postponed the reconstruction of the Winter Palace (now holds the Hermitage) in St. Petersburg in favor of building a huge structure due to moving the Makarievskaya Fair to Nizhny Novgorod. The Revolution of 1917 put an end to the reputation of Nizhny Novgorod as the commercial capital of the country, but gave impetus to its industrial development: the Soviet Era has brought automobile, shipping and aircraft industries into the city and its population grew far over a million..
Day 9
City tour. During the Soviet Era it was impossible for a foreigner to visit Nizhniy Novgorod because of enterprises of military industry, located in the city. River cruise ships with foreign travelers aboard were passing the city deeply at night. By the way, the first Soviet tank was manufactured in Gorky city - this is the Soviet name of Nizhny Novgorod. It was very typical in the early Soviet Union to change the original names of the settlements - that was done in order to make a distance with a 'cruel Tsarist regime'. The present day Nizhny Novgorod is the fourth largest city in Russia after Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Novosibirsk. It has a lot to offer for sightseeing, and its Kremlin - the fortress that was never ever taken by enemies - is one of the best sites. Breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard.
Yaroslavl’s coat of arms depicts a bear with a gold poleaxe. The city was founded in 1010 on the site of the pagan settlement of “Bear's Corner” by the Prince of Kievan Russ, Yaroslav the Wise and was thusly named after the Prince Yaroslav. In the beginning it was just a wooden fortress but its advantageous location on the river trade route along the Volga River turned Yaroslavl into a thriving city. Over the course of 200 years it became the capital of Yaroslavl Principality. In 1238 the peaceful life of Yaroslavl was ruined by the Tatar & Mongolian invasion. Like many other Russian cities of those times, it was burned and ransacked. The city was recovered from ruins and became a part of Moscow Principality a little more than 200 years after. In the 17th century Yaroslavl becomes the second largest city of the Russian state after Moscow. Once, during times of Polish invasion, the city became the interim capital of the state. Today the city is an important Volga River port with a population of 600,000 that stretches for 18 miles on both its banks. The Historical Centre of the City of Yaroslavl is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Day 10
Today there will be a guided sightseeing over this great city located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl Rivers. This city of Yaroslavl is widely known for its great 17th century architecture. This place is also an outstanding live example of the urban planning reform that the Empress Catherine the Great has ordered in 1763 entirely for Russia. In the course of this reform Yaroslavl kept its the most significant historic structures, but was generally renovated in the neo-classical style in accordance with radial urban master plan. The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, the oldest one in the Volga Region was left untouched - today it is a well-preserved historical monumet of the utmost importance to Yaroslavl Region and to Russia as a whole. The Monastery dates back to the late 12th century, when it was buit on the site of a pagan temple; its major reconstruction occured in the 16th century. The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is on our list today together with the famous Church of Elijah the Prophet. Breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard.
Uglich is perfect for any traveler ready to experience the quiet side of Russia. It is one of the oldest, and probably one of the most beloved towns of the Russian province. Once a place of pilgrimage of Russian Czars, Uglich is now known as one of the cities of the Golden Ring of Russia. Although it is still a popular place of pilgrimage, 23 churches and 3 monasteries are located in town and around it. According to a local legend the origin of this town goes back to 937. Uglich has a preserved architectural environment of late 18th – early 19th centuries. The Soviet-era constructions of the Uglich Reservoir and hydroelectric complex harmoniously blended into the urban landscape without disturbing its integrity and historic charm. Much has happened to Uglich, but the main event, which overturned the city's history, occurred on 15 May, 1591. On that very day, in mysterious circumstances, Prince Dmitry, an eight-year-old son of Ivan the Terrible, was killed on this day and found dead in the garden. The view of the town as it is approached by ship from the Volga River is especially lovely with its Transfiguration Cathedral and Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood standing in beauty on the banks.
Day 11
Take a walking tour of this lovely 10th century town, one of Russia's most ancient. Visit the Uglich Kremlin and its churches and see beautiful Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood also from the inside. Enjoy great singing from a local choir. Explore the popular Flea Market. In times of the USSR Uglich was a watch-making center. Millions used the local watch brand Chayka (Seagull). The manufacturer has now moved to the premium segment, specializing also in silver and golden watches. You can find these well-designed watches in Uglich at the local stores. Breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard.
Moscow has been the capital of Russia since the late 15th century. Some sources call this cosmopolitan city “the northernmost and coldest megacity and metropolis on Earth.” The Moscow Kremlin is located in the city center; it is home to the President and the treasures of the Russian Empire in the Armory and Treasury. The Moscow Kremlin is the world’s largest medieval fortress. The Kremlin and Red Square are UNESCO World Heritage sites. St. Basil’s Cathedral, known for its colorful, onion-shaped domes, is located on Red Square. The Novodevichy Convent in south-western Moscow is another UNESCO World Heritage site that is normally seen while on our city-tour. Moscow, with its population of 12,000,000 (official data), is the largest city in Russia and in Europe. According to some sources the real population of Moscow is about 20,000,000 inhabitants, therefore it is among the top ten largest cities of the world. By the way, Moscow claims the largest number of billionaires in the world. Per Forbes, there are 84 billionaires in the city. Another interesting fact about the city is about McDonald’s: the first restaurant there was opened on January 31, 1990 and the line to the restaurant ran for several kilometers.
Day 12
Our Russian river cruise ship has arrived to Moscow. Sightseeing motor coach tour of this ancient Russian capital includes Tverskaya Street, the Red Square, the St. Basil's Cathedral, the Bolshoi Theater and Moscow State University for a panoramic view of the city. Visiting the famous Novodevichi Convent is also planned. Please, note that itinerary of Moscow city-tour is highly dependent upon traffic jams - the jams are hard to predict and they might be quite heavy. A nice choice of optional tours is offered while the ship is in Moscow. Breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard.Day 13
Morning tour of the Kremlin. The Moscow Kremlin is the former residence of the Russian Czars, an architectural ensemble of unique beauty, which took shape between the 15th and the 20th centuries. The center of the Kremlin is the Cathedral Square, a unique complex of masterpieces of medieval architecture. The architectural ensemble of the Cathedral Square consists of several temples and palaces; one of them, the Assumption Cathedral, is the oldest Moscow Kremlin church, and one of the most important ones in Russia. On the Kremlin grounds there are also the famous Czar Cannon of the 16th century and the Czar Bell of the 18th century. Breakfast, lunch and dinner aboard.Day 14
Time to bid farewell to your new friends after unforgettable journey through this fascinating land. Disembarkation after breakfast. In case you need a transfer, please, see details and costs here.
