Home » Dates »
Ship MS Tolstoi: Astrakhan - Moscow, River Cruise 06 May 2010 - 19 May 2010
Route description:
This voyage starts from ancient Astrakhan situated where the Volga flows into the Caspian Sea and heads north stopping off in dozens of fascinating places, ancient capitals and modern cities.
Itinerary
| Day 1 | Arrival to Astrakhan  Your personal driver will meet you at the airport (he will be
holding a sign with your name on it) and take you to your ship.
There is no evening program, as you will probably want to get some
rest. You will be served dinner in the ship's restaurant after
which you can relax in the bar or get some sleep.Your tour manager will help you arrange a flight from Moscow to Astrakhan. Prices will vary from $150 to $250 per person |
| Day 2 | Astrakhan  Astrakhan is located where the mighty the Volga meets the Caspian
Sea, on the trade route from India to Persia. Astrakhan was the
capital of Khazaria and then of the Golden Horde (the Mongols).
Moscow took Astrakhan in 1556 and has ruled it ever since. As
Russia's gate to the Orient, this city features a unique mixture of
East and West.You will visit Kremlin grounds of the city on a bus city tour |
| Day 3 | Akhtuba  Free time while sailing |
| Day 4 | Volgograd  Volgograd (former Stalingrad) is famous for the battle that
unfolded here during the World War II. German forces attempted to
cut off the Russian armies and their industrial production from
their fuel supplies. To that end, they needed to take Stalingrad,
situated on the western bank of the Volga River. Hitler sent his
best armies and generals, including famous marshal Von Paulus to
command the siege. The Battle of Stalingrad lasted for almost one
year. The heroic defense of the city enabled the Russian army to
prepare a counter attack and to surround the invading forces. This
was a serious loss from which Hitler forces were never able to
fully recover. This was not the victory for the allies yet, but it
was in Stalingrad that the tide of war turned against the Germans.
Volgograd has a giant memorial Rodina Mat (Motherland)
commemorating those who fought and died here.You explore the city by bus and visit the infamous Mamayev Mound |
| Day 5 | Saratov  Samara has long been Russia's diplomatic and economic link to the
East. The growing bread trade in 19th-20th centuries turned this
city into an important economic center in Russia. In World War II
many of military factories were moved to Samara. The soviet leaders
were even planning to move Russia's capital here had Moscow fallen
to the German hands. Today, Samara is the third largest
metropolitan area in Russia after Moscow and St. Petersburg and an
important industrial center.During you city tour you will get to see the local Art Gallery |
| Day 7 | Kazan .jpg) Kazan was the capital of Tatars, the allies of Mongols. Ivan the
Terrible conquered Kazan in 1552 and forced its Muslim ruler to
convert to Christianity. Ivan remodeled Kazan's castle to the
Russian style and built St. Basil's Cathedral on the Red Square of
Moscow in the celebration of his victory. It is interesting that
St. Basil's domes, all nine of them, correspond to the number of
days that the siege of Kazan lasted.You will have bus city tour and visit Kremlin grounds |
| Day 8 | Cheboksary .jpg) Cheboksary is a vibrant commercial hub located on the Volga River
which, similarly to Astrakhan, was first conquered by the Mongols
and then by the Russians. There is nothing particularly special
about Cheboksary, except that it is famous for the church bells
produced here which are used by many Russian churches.Today you will explore the town on a bus city tour |
| Day 9 | Nizhniy Novgorod  Nizhny Novgorod was one of the newly founded towns that escaped
Mongol devastation on account of its insignificance. The city,
similarly to Moscow and Tver, attracted refugees from other cities
pillaged by the Mongols and expanded rapidly during the period of
the "Mongol yoke" that lasted for a little over 100 years. Moscovy
incorporated the city in 1392 and soon thereafter the Tatars of
Kazan burnt it down (1408). It took over one century to construct
an enormous redbrick castle here which was soon of use when the
Tatars tried to burn it again in 1520 and 1536. Today, just like
500 years ago, Nizhniy is one of the main commercial centers of
Russia.You will have bus city tour and will go inside of local Kremlin |
| Day 10 | Kostroma  Kostroma used to be a vibrant commercial hub in early 13th century.
Its location that made it wealthy also predetermined its fall. It
lay on the route of the Mongol invaders who were heading towards
Yaroslavl, which was Russia's de facto capital, at the time. The
Mongols burnt Kostoma in 1238 and it has never recovered since
then. Survivors moved north, many to a small town on the banks of
the Moskva River, which would soon become the capital of
Russia.You will have a bus city tour around the unique town with following visits:
|
| Day 10 | Yaroslavl  By today standards Yaroslavl is small, but its place in Russia's
history and culture cannot be underestimated. Before it was
annihilated by the Mongols it was Russia's largest city, its
economic, political, cultural and scientific center. It was rebuilt
shortly after but was once again burnt to the ground. While the
Mongols had been preoccupied with Yaroslavl, Moscow was able to
harness enough power to overthrow the "Mongol yoke."During the Polish occupation of Moscow in the early 17th century, it was Yaroslavl once again that became the center of the national resistance to the occupation. During your bus city tour you will visit:
|
| Day 11 | Uglich  Uglich is a small town located on the Volga River. Uglich was the
best-defended fortress of Moscovy and it was burnt on number of
occasions by Lithuanians, Tatars, and even the grand prince of
Tver, the city which rivaled Moscow.Uglich is most famous for the tragic events that took place in 1591 when the 10-year old prince Dimitry, the last heir to the throne of the ancient Ruyrik dynasty, was killed here (as historians now agree, by Boris Godunov, advisor to Dimitry, who wanted the throne for himself). Dimitry's death plunged Russia into decades of political turmoil known as Time of Trouble. You will discover the town on a walking tour with visit to the Kremlin and church of St. Dmitry on the blood |
| Day 12 | Moscow .jpg) Moscow is Russia's largest city, its political and economic
capital. The town of Moscow was the center of Moscovy - a small
principality that unified the Russian lands against the Mongols in
the late 14th century and has ruled Russia ever since. As the
Mongols burnt major cities across Russia, refugees fled to smaller
principalities like Moscow, Tver and Nizhny Novgorod. Through
bribes, diplomacy and coercion, Moscow overcame its two rivals to
become "Russia's first city." Moscow's role was briefly challenged
when Tsar Peter the Great moved Russia's capital to his new city,
St Petersburg, on the shores of the Baltic Sea.
|
| Day 13 | Moscow .jpg) This day is very special, as we will go inside the Kremlin - the ancient castle built to withstand the Mongol hordes. Throughout history, the Kremlin has been the center of political power in Russia and it remains a symbolic political center even today, as the official site of the inauguration ceremony of the Russian president (they don't actually live or work here).The Kremlin is a living museum of Russia's history. Its inside wasn't built overnight, rather various rulers added new pieces over time (and some, like Napoleon, plundered from it). This cultural and historical treasure has been so well preserved that it seems that you are traveling in time. You will see the most interesting places in the Kremlin as you follow our professional guide in the steps of some of the world's greatest leaders and its most terrible dictators.
|
| Day 14 | Departure from Moscow  Your incredible voyage in time is coming to an end. It is time to
say farewell to this unique and beautiful country. It is time to
say good-bye to your new friends. It is time to go home with a
stock of fantastic experiences and unforgettable memories.Your driver will take you to the airport. |
