Please note: A visa is required for U.S. and Canadian passport holders to enter Russia.

As you cruise along Russia’s river, stop in ports to admire the individual chapels of St. Basil’s Cathedral that dominate Moscow’s skyline; visit the age-old town Uglich, famous for its clock and watch making; enjoy a guided tour of Goritsky, part of a circle of ancient towns referred to as the Golden Ring; and have a special early entry into St. Petersburg’s Hermitage museum.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Overnight Flight

If you did not take our pre-tour extension, your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to St. Petersburg aboard an internationally recognized airline.

Day 2 - St. Petersburg

Welcome to Russia! A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport and helps you transfer to the cruise ship’s port, where you’ll board the M/S Rachmaninov. Meet your group at tonight’s Welcome Dinner.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner

Day 3 - Cruise

An expert local guide leads you through this European-flavored city today. You’ll see Palace Square, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Nevsky Prospekt, the Alexander Nevsky Monastery and the Summer Garden. Other highlights include the gilded dome of St. Issak’s Cathedral, the Bronze Horseman and the monumental Thunder Stone and a visit to the Russian cruiser Aurora, site of the flashpoint of the October Revolution.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Included entrances: Paul & Peter Fortress

Day 4 - Cruise

Today’s excursion is to the Hermitage, located in historic Palace Square. The museum and surrounding buildings are the size of a small town. Contained within these four linked buildings is one of the most extensive and engaging collections of art and artifact in the world. Peruse work by the likes of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Matisse, Picasso, Monet and Degas. Gaze at the Gold Collection and set your eyes on the treasures of Tsarist jewelry. Late this afternoon, set sail toward Mandrogi.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Included entrances: Hermitage

Day 5 - Cruise

Stop in Mandrogi, one of the largest villages on the banks of the Svir River. Here, you’ll have free time to explore. You might visit the main building in the village to see many crafts people working on making matrushkas, lace, ceramics and other souvenir-type items. Also, venture to the Vodka Museum, which features hundreds of different brands and kinds of the favorite Russian drink.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6 - Cruise

Located at the northern end of Lake Onega near St. Petersburg, the island of Kishi is famous for its remarkable array of wooden churches. The complex of buildings original to Kishi Island, the Pogost of Our Savior, is on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list. The famous Church of the Transfiguration, built in the 18th century, boasts 22 onion domes. Today you’ll visit this one-of-a-kind island to see its open-air Museum of Wooden Architecture.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7 - Cruise

This afternoon, visit Goritsy, a picturesque village where old and new architecture exists harmoniously side by side. You’ll visit the Kirillo-Belozersky Men’s Monastery, founded in 1937, where Ivan the Terrible once had his own cell. Once inside, take note of the monastery’s magnificent architecture. You may also see the remains of the Nunnery of the Resurrection on the banks of the Sheksna River.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8 - Cruise

Dock at the port of Jaroslavl, renowned for its numerous 17th-century churches and for being an outstanding example of the urban planning reform Empress Catherine the Great ordered for the whole of Russia in 1763. Here, you’ll enjoy a guided city tour which includes a visit to the Spaso-Preobrazgenskiy (Savior Transfiguration) Monastery and the Church of Elijah the Prophet.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9 - Cruise

Today’s port of call is Uglich, an age-old town famous for its clock and watch making. The city also contains two of Russia’s most historic churches. Here, you’ll visit Uspenskaya Trade Square. Then learn about Russia’s often violent past with a look at the Church of St. Demetrius of the Blood. Return to your cruise ship later today for dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10 - Cruise

Dock in Moscow this afternoon, where a professional local guide leads you on a panoramic tour of this fascinating city. You’ll see the building that once hosted the KGB and the Tverskaya Ulitsa, a wide boulevard of 19th-century palaces and 1930s apartment blocks. Pass by the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the New Maiden Convent, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Return to your boat for tonight’s included dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Included entrances: Maiden Convent

Day 11 - Cruise

Today’s guided tour takes you to the palaces, buildings and churches of the Kremlin, the seat of post-tsarist Russian government. See the Tsar Cannon, Tsar Bell, Ivan the Great Bell Tower and the breathtaking Cathedral Square, home to three gorgeous Orthodox churches.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Included entrances: Kremlin

Day 12 - Moscow

Disembark from your cruise this morning and transfer to the airport for your return flight home.
Included meals: breakfast
(In the case of early morning departures, breakfast may not be provided.)