Volga River Cruise - Luxury 18 Day Voyage Exploring Russia's Heritage

Explore rich culture, history and architecture as you experience this luxurious Volga River cruise from St.Petersburg to Volgograd.

This Volga River Cruise will introduce you to the rich cultural side of Russia, its architecture and history on a luxurious odyssey from St.Petersburg to Volgograd. Navigating the longest river in Europe, you'll experience local traditions, get the vibe of the historic townships, and enjoy the great views of Russia's rural countryside.

Be ready to re-evaluate your knowledge of Russia, its culture and history, as you will meet local people and see their habitual lifestyle, explore traditional crafts and try the most delicious dishes of Russian cuisine, listen to the best pieces of Russian classical music, attend interesting lectures by experienced professors and learn some useful phrases in Russian - we guarantee you will find amusement to your liking!

RUSSIAN ODYSSEY - VOLGA RIVER CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS:

Tick everyone's bucket list while visiting Moscow's main attractions: Red square, St.Basil's Cathedral and the mighty Kremlin.
Be enchanted by the ancient towns of the Golden Ring of Russia and watch the slow transition of churches into mosques as you move into the Tatarstan Republic.

Sail breathtaking views of the Karelian landscape as you make your way to Lake Onega - home to the island of Kizhi UNESCO site.

Visit the Battle of Stalingrad Panorama Museum and memorial while learning about the heroic and relentless defence of the city of Volgograd, which changed the course of history.

For most, the word "Volga" is as synonymous with the geography of Russia as the words Siberia or St. Petersburg. Its banks are scattered with ancient towns, fortresses, monasteries and villages and unique wildlife, while its waters have been fished by generations of fishermen and sailed by countless leaders. The great ‘Mother Volga’ holds a unique place in Russia’s past, present and future.

Through a system of canals, reservoirs and waterways, the Volga is linked to Russia’s largest cities Moscow and St. Petersburg and no less than four seas, in an engineering feat that still remains one of the most ambitious in history. The construction of this grand Soviet scheme to control nature came at the cost of many lives, whilst hundreds of old towns were flooded to make way for shipping channels.

Today many old bell towers and church domes can still be seen rising eerily from the free-flowing waters, whilst huge locks topped with Soviet memorials remain a testament to Russia’s more recent history.

Beginning in St. Petersburg, we'll navigate the Volga as we make our way toward Svirstroy. Here you’ll be invited into the homes of locals who are eager to share their stories and hospitality with you. Afterwards, we'll move onto Kizhi, where you’ll be awed by the Transfiguration Church - made in 1714 entirely out of wood and without the use of a single nail!

Discover iconic onion-domed churches; stroll through architectural gems of medieval Nizhniy Novgorod and explore the treasures of Yaroslavl, the Volga's oldest city.

As we traverse the southern contours of the Volga River, we'll advance towards the site of one of the most significant battles in world war II - Volgograd (old Stalingrad) - where you will explore the Battle of Stalingrad Panorama Museum and memorial in honour of the heroic defence of the city.

Bring great learning element to your trip and glue together the colourful mosaics of people, history, traditions, religion, music and art - all what is known today as Russia. Escape from the hassle and bustle of big cities cruising along the historical heartland across 5 rivers, 2 great lakes, 2 man-made canals and 19 locks that are part of a waterway between Moscow and St. Petersburg.