Ship MS Tolstoi: Astrakhan - Moscow, River Cruise 06 May 2010 - 19 May 2010
Route description:
Launching off from Astrakhan where the Volga meets the Caspian Sea, head north to such fascinating places as Volgograd, Kazan, Uglich, and finally Moscow.
Itinerary
| Day 1 | Arrival in Astrakhan  Welcome to Russia! Your driver will be waiting for you at the airport arrivals gate with your name on a sign. After he takes you to the port to board your ship, you have the evening free to relax, enjoy dinner onboard, and meet your fellow travelers on this extraordinary adventure across Russia. 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 Volga meets the Caspian Sea, on the trade route from India to Persia. It was the capital of Khazaria and then of the Golden Horde (the Mongols). Moscow took Astrakhan in 1556 and has ruled it ever since. Today you will tour the city's Kremlin and cathedrals, designed in the Baroque style. The city also features a monument to Peter the Great, who constructed a shipyard for his aggressions against Persia in this city. |
| Day 3 | Akhtuba  Today you will have free time while sailing onboard the MS Tolstoi. |
| Day 4 | Volgograd  Volgograd, formerly Stalingrad, is most famous for the year-long Battle of Stalingrad, during which the Russian army heroically defended their city and prepared a counter attack on the surrounding enemy forces. This Ally victory proved to be a turning point in the tide of World War II. You can visit the memorial, Rodina Mat (Motherland), commemorating those who fought and died here. |
| Day 5 | Saratov  Ivan the Terrible built what we now know as Saratov on the northernmost colony of the former Greek Empire. In the 19th century Saratov saw an influx of German immigrants who suffered relocation to Siberia and Kazakhstan when WWII erupted. It subsequently became a center of aircraft production during the Cold War and also produced one of Russia’s proudest citizens: Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. |
| Day 7 | Kazan .jpg) Kazan was the former capital of the Tatars, an ally of the deadly Mongols. When Ivan the Terrible conquered Kazan in 1552, he forced its then-Muslim ruler to convert to Christianity and built St. Basil’s Cathedral to celebrate his victory. Ivan also remodeled Kazan’s castle to suit the Russian style. |
| Day 8 | Cheboksary .jpg) Cheboksary is a lively commercial hub on the Volga River with one famous export: church bells. Its chief product can be heard in most Russian cities, creating an atmosphere of worship and reverence that echoes through the country. |
| Day 9 | Nizhny Novgorod  Nizhny Novgorod, similar to Moscow and Tver, began as a haven for refugees from cities pillaged by the Mongols in the 13th century. Moscovy incorporated the city in 1392, shortly before the Tatars of Kazan burned it down. It took over one century to construct a daunting redbrick fortress here, a castle that would withstand two more Tatar attacks. Today Nizhny Novgorod serves as one of the main commercial centers in Russia. |
| Day 10 | Kostroma  Kostroma was once a vibrant commercial hub. Its location that made it wealthy also predetermined its downfall; it lay on the route of the Mongol invaders heading to Yaroslavl, Russia's de facto capital. The Mongols burned Kostoma in 1238, a devastation from which it has never recovered. Survivors moved north, many to a small town on the banks of the Moskva River that would soon become the capital of Russia. You will have a bus tour around this unique town with visits to the Ipatiev Monastery and the Trinity Cathedral. |
| Day 10 | Yaroslavl  By today's 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 economic, political, and cultural center. The Mongols were so obsessed with defeating Yaroslavl that they did not notice the gradual rise of Moscow. Absorb the remaining richness of this city and let its lingering power enthuse you. |
| Day 11 | Uglich  Located on the banks of the Volga River, Uglich presented itself as a perfect fortress of defense for the ancient Moscovy Kingdom. In 1591 the 10-year-old prince Dmitry of the ancient Ruyrik dynasty was murdered here by Boris Godunov before Godunov claimed the throne of Russia and was murdered himself. These events plunged Russia into three decades of political turmoil known as the Time of Trouble, leaving the lands devastated and open for a new dynasty: the Romanovs. We will visit the small but historically significant church of St. Dmitry-on-Blood, which stands on the location of the young prince’s murder. Tip: You can be a witness to these events by seeing the opera "Boris Godunov" in the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. This classic opera reveals the extraordinary events and perseverance of this distant but ever-present epoch in Russian history. |
| Day 12 | Moscow: Red Square .jpg) Welcome to Moscow, Russia's political and economic capital! Moscow was originally the center of Moscovy, a small principality that unified Russia against the Mongols in the late 14th century. Today you will go on a comprehensive Moscow city tour that will take you to the Red Square, Central Tverskaya Street, the Novodevichiy Convent (exterior only), the KGB headquarters (exterior only), and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. You will have lunch in the city center. |
| Day 13 | Moscow: The Kremlin .jpg) The heart of Moscow, the Kremlin, is located on the bustling Red Square. The Kremlin is the most recognizable symbol of Moscow. This ancient citadel was constructed in 1147 to defend the city from the Mongols and the Lithuanians. Moscow has since grown beyond the original walls, but the Kremlin has remained a representation of political power in Russia. Russian Emperors, Soviet rulers, and Russian contemporary leaders alike used the Kremlin for official ceremonies and added their own personal touches by constructing new buildings, museums, churches, and galleries. Optional excursion: Tretyakov Picture Gallery |
| Day 14 | Departure  Your driver will take you to the airport. You will be leaving with a lifetime of memories. We hope you return to this enigmatic area of the world soon! |
