| Day |
Schedules and Accommodations |
1-2
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Depart Home / Moscow, Russia
When you arrive in Moscow after your overnight flight, a Vantage representative will greet you and arrange your transfer to your hotel. (Or, make the most of your included airfare by adding 3 nights in Kiev, Ukraine).
Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya  |
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Moscow
Moscow, the heart and soul of Russia, awaits just outside your centrally located, 5-star hotel. You’ll begin your four-day stay here with city tour highlighting storied Red Square. You’ll view Lenin’s Masoleum, the mighty Kremlin, the flame for the unknown soldier, and the swirling, brightly colored onion domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral. After an included lunch, you’ll ride a few stops on Moscow’s famously clean and reliable metro. Known as “the people’s palaces,” many of Moscow’s subway stations are showplaces for socialist paintings, sculptures, and mosaics. Step off the metro in one of Moscow’s best shopping districts, Arbat Street, where you’ll have time for browsing and souvenir-seeking. In the evening, join us for our Welcome Dinner at your hotel — it’s the perfect time to meet and mingle.
Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya (B,L,D) |
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Moscow
Today you’ll tour the Kremlin. To most of us, this
walled-70-acre complex is synonymous with the Soviet Union. That
80-year reign, however, was just a blink in the Kremlin’s 900-year
history. As your English-speaking guide will point out, within these
massive walls are gilded palaces, ornate churches, and other
architectural gems spanning the centuries. It’s hard to believe the
Kremlin began as a simple wooden fort in 1147. Your tour of the Kremlin
is crowned by a visit to the Armory Chamber inside the former Grand
Kremlin Palace. Here you’ll view the dazzling treasures of Russia’s
czars, including medieval armor, imperial carriages, royal thrones,
crown jewels, the wedding dress of Catherine the Great, and a selection
of rare and exquisite Farbergé eggs. In the evening you’ll be delighted
by a performance of the Moscow Circus, complete with Cossack riders and
Russia’s famous dancing brown bears.
Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya (B) |
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Moscow
Today you are free to experience Moscow according to you own interests. You may
choose from a selection of optional tours such as a tour of Star City,
where Russian astronauts are trained; a visit to Fedoskino, the center
of Russian lacquer box making; a performance on the “New Stage” at the
Bolshoi Theater; or a visit to the Tretyakov Gallery.
Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya (B) |
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Moscow / Embark Ship
Today you will be welcomed aboard your Russian river ship at the Captain’s Welcome
Dinner.
m/s Nikolay Chernyshevsky (B,D) |
7
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Cruising the Volga / Uglich
Away from the cities, Russia is a land of villages, fields, forests,
and lakes, all connected by the mighty Volga, Europe’s longest river.
Cultural Connections: Get an overview of “Life in Russia” at a morning
lecture en route to Uglich. Here, your tour features the Church of St.
Dmitry on the Blood and Savior Transfiguration Cathedral. Cultural
Connections: Afterwards, you’re invited to visit with a Russian family
in their home.
m/s Nikolay Chernyshevsky (B,L,D) |
8
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Yaroslavl, Russia
In Yaroslavl, your tour takes you to the
Church of Elijah the Prophet and the 12th-century Transfiguration
Monastery. Cultural Connections: Get a taste of Russian life with
a visit to a local food market, then, later, gain insight into Russia’s
future during a shipboard roundtable discussion with Russian university
students. You’ll also learn about Russia’s past at a history lecture.
m/s Nikolay Chernyshevsky (B,L,D) |
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Goritsy, Russia
In the beautiful village of Goritsy, your
included tour takes you to neighboring Kirrilov to visit the Monastery
of St. Cyril, founded by a monk who left a prestigious Moscow church in
search of a more remote existence. You’ll view the monastery’s
remarkable collection of icons and a ceramic workshop. Cultural
Connections: As you cruise on, attend a lecture about vodka, an
integral part of Russian culture for over 600 years. Then, join us for
a blini tasting party.
m/s Nikolay Chernyshevsky (B,L,D) |
10
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Kizhi Island / Cruising Lake Onega
Cultural Connections: Your day begins with a lecture on
Russian fairy tales as you cruise to Kizhi Island, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. The architecture here is amazing. For example, the
Church of the Transfiguration is an ornate structure of wooden
“ribbons” and 22 domes in three tiers built entirely without nails!
Back on board ship, you’ll be served Russian Afternoon Tea.
m/s Nikolay Chernyshevsky (B,L,D) |
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Mandrogi, Russia / Cruising Svir Stroi and Ladoga Lake
Mandrogi village, your next port of call, is a reconstruction of a log
settlement on the shore of the Svir River. Here you’ll enjoy a shashlyk
(traditional Russian barbecue) lunch.
m/s Nikolay Chernyshevsky (B,L,D) |
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St. Petersburg
In 1703 Peter the Great created St. Petersburg — a dazzling baroque
city of white, gold, and pastel. Your first tour here takes you to
Peter & Paul Fortress, once a political prison. The dungeons here
held Peter the Great’s own son, Alexei, as well as the great Russian
thinkers and writers Dostoevsky, Trotsky, and Gorky. After an included
lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy the afternoon at leisure — a shuttle
between your ship and downtown St. Petersburg will be provided. If you
like, join an optional tour to Yusupov Palace where Rasputin was
murdered. In the evening, enjoy a Russian Folkloric Show at the Hall of Cadet School.
m/s Nikolay Chernyshevsky (B,L,D) |
13
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St. Petersburg
Today prepare to be awed by the superb art collection of the
czars at the Hermitage Museum, one of the preeminent art museums in the
world, rivaled only by the Louvre. The Hermitage’s collections range
far beyond Russia, encompassing works by most of the masters of Western
art — from Rembrandt to da Vinci — as well as Egyptian, Chinese, Greek,
and Roman artisans. What’s more, the museum occupies the opulent Winter
Palace — a gilded, 1,000-room residence that was home to six czars. A
guide will show you the highlights on a private tour. Cultural Connection: Attend an
included ballet at the Hermitage Theater, once the private
theater of the czars.
m/s Nikolay Chernyshevsky |
14
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St. Petersburg
Today you’ll board a hydrofoil to Peter the Great’s grandest
estate, Petrodvorets (also known as Peterhof), which overlooks the
Gulf of Finland. (Vantage is the only company that incudes this
landmark.) You’ll tour one of the many palaces and marvel at the Grand
Cascade, a “water staircase” of terraced pools, flowing fountains, and
golden statues. Back in St. Petersburg later, bibliophiles won’t want
to miss an optional literary tour featuring Dostoevsky’s Apartment.
This evening the Captain invites you to his Farewell Dinner, followed
by live music.
m/s Nikolay Chernyshevsky (B,L,D) |
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St. Petersburg
This morning you’ll visit Catherine I’s Palace,
surrounded by magnificent gardens. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy Russia's most cosmopolitan city at your leisure.
m/s Nikolay Chernyshevsky (B,L,D) |
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St. Petersburg / Disembark / Return Home
Or begin 3-night extension to Stockholm, Sweden.
(B) |
Please note: Fluctuating water levels may affect itinerary.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The above day-by-day itineraries are preliminary and therefore subject to change. If any major changes occur in advance of your departure, you will be notified in writing by Vantage Deluxe World Travel. If changes occur while on tour, you will be notified by your Vantage Program Manager.
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