Welcome to Russia

Set sail on a cultural journey along the Mother Volga, Russia’s winding river that spans over 2000 miles, often referred to as Russia’s bloodline by locals. Starting in one of the largest cities in the world, our journey begins in Moscow, a city steeped in history and culture. From the magnificent Kremlin to the remarkable St Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow boasts a plethora of unique and bold features. We’ll then sail from Moscow toward St Petersburg, stopping at numerous villages and towns en route, each of which displays a different insight into Russia, as we visit imperial cities and traditional villages, a nod to Russia’s traditional routes. Join Traveleyes as we discover the hidden treasures of this largely undiscovered land, its exquisite architecture, and uncover its past.

Tour Highlights

  • The vibrant atmosphere, cultural treasures, and historic significance of Moscow
  • The magnificent and iconic Kremlin, a designated UNESCO World Heritage treasure
  • The beauty, craftsmanship, and dramatic history of towns such as Uglich and Goritsy
  • The utter magnificence of St. Petersburg
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  • Dates & Prices

    The prices shown below include return flights from a specified UK airport. If you are travelling from outside of the UK, please .

    May 15 - May 25, 2020 (11 days)


    Standard Blind Price: £2599 Contact us for availability

    Discounted Sighted Price: £1899 Contact us for availability

    The prices shown below are for non-UK travellers and do not include return flights and transfers. If you are travelling from within the UK, please .

    Standard Blind Price: 2349 GBP Contact us for availability

    Discounted Sighted Price: 1649 GBP Contact us for availability

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    Spasskaya tower of the Kremlin stands next to a river bed.
  • Aerial top view of the Admiralty, Alexander Garden, Palace Square and the Hermitage

    What's Included

    • Flights and Transfers (UK prices only)
    • 1 night hotel accommodation at Radisson Slavyanskaya in Moscow
    • 2 nights' hotel accommodation at Azimut in St Petersburg
    • 7 nights' aboard the MS Crucelake
    • All breakfasts
    • 8 lunches and 7 dinners
    • Specified Excursions
    • Services of Local Guides
    • Services of a Traveleyes Tour Manager

  • Excursions

    • Moscow City Tours
    • Uglich City Tour
    • Monastery of St Cyril and White Lake Visit
    • Wooden Architecture Visit
    • St Petersburg Tours
    A bright autumn morning at the cathedral. the bright and colourful St Basils cathedral stands proudly in front of the bright sun.

Below is the itinerary for the holiday. Please click each day for more information.

Friday 15th May

We take a private transfer from the airport to our hotel in Moscow, where the rest of the evening will be spent at leisure as we acclimatise ourselves to this unique capital city.
Overnight in Moscow.

Saturday 16th May

Today we embark on the first instalment of a two-part tour of Moscow with some grand architecture in the form of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and St. Basil’s Cathedral. Next stop will be Moscow’s world-famous Metro system, an impressively grand transportation network and memorable symbol of Soviet development during the post-World War II era. After our tour, there will be some free time to explore more of this fascinating city before later transferring to the ship.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight on the Ms Crucelake.

Sunday 17th May

This morning we disembark for part two of our city tour, which takes us to the Kremlin. This incomparable former royal palace was later to form the nerve-centre of a vast Soviet empire which dominated Eastern Europe for a major part of the mid-20th century. We’ll also stop at Sparrow Hill, located on the right bank of the Moskva River, this observation point is one of the highest points in Moscow and offers some spectacular views across the city. Our tour will also include a visit to Victory Park, also known as Park Pobedy, on Submission Hill, a park which pays homage to World War 2.

Breakfast, lunch & dinner included. Overnight on the Ms Crucelake.

Monday 18th May

This afternoon we arrive in Uglich, an attractive city which is imbued with the colourful and dramatic events of Russian history. As early as the 13th century this was the site of a residence of Russian royal princes. We explore some beautiful architectural treasures, churches and cathedrals, including the Transfiguration Cathedral and the small but historically important church of St. Dmitry-on-Blood, built in 1690.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight on the Ms Crucelake.

Tuesday 19th May

Today we arrive in the peaceful North-western Russian town of Goritsy, home to the impressive monastery of St. Cyril, one of the largest and most majestic of all Russian Orthodox monasteries and built here on the shores of the White Lake in 1397, new walls being added during the mid to late 17th century. We spend time exploring the monastery and its celebrated icon museum, which contains some of the oldest, rarest and most important artworks in all of Russia.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight on the Ms Crucelake.

Wednesday 20th May

Today we arrive in Kizhi where we’ll explore the intriguing Museum of Wooden Architecture which tells the appealing story of how beautiful old wooden churches, bell towers and charming peasant houses were constructed here with consummate skill and in perfect harmony with the surrounding landscape, without the use of a single metal nail.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight on the Ms Crucelake.

Thursday 21st May

The village of Mandrogui is appealingly located on the banks of the Svir River, whose meandering course connects the two great lakes of Ladoga and Onega.

This village is particularly famed for the creative talent of its population which has brought about a long tradition of fine craftsmanship. This is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the picturesque blend of nature interspersed with distinctive traditional timber architecture. One particularly celebrated attraction here is the Museum of Vodka which is dedicated to Russia’s most important national spirit and provides hundreds of examples of the distillers’ craft.

We’ll also enjoy lunch ashore today in the form of a shashlik, a kebab like dish extremely popular in this area of the world!

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight on the Ms Crucelake.

Friday 22nd May

This morning we arrive into St Petersburg which has for centuries served as Russia’s ‘cultural capital’. First visiting the original citadel, Peter and Paul Fortress before discovering the historically pivotal Tsar’s Winter Palace, now known to the world as the Hermitage Museum, and home to an incomparable collection of rare treasures and artefacts.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight on the Ms Crucelake.

Saturday 23rd May

Disembarking from our cruise ship this morning, we have a full day to explore St. Petersburg in greater depth, with a visit to the Peterhof Park and Gardens and a chance to experience the stunning Catherine’s Palace.

Breakfast and lunch included. Overnight in St. Petersburg.

Sunday 24th May

Today is a free day to relax and explore this wonderful city at our individual leisure.

Breakfast included. Overnight in St. Petersburg.

Monday 25th May

Today we check out from the hotel and transfer to the airport, to begin our journey home.

Breakfast included.

Single supplement – £600

Visas – entrance into Russia requires a visa for all British passport holders. As part of the visa application process, all applicants based in the UK aged 12 or over will need to visit a visa application centre to submit biometric data (scanned fingerprints). These are located in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. The Russian government requires biometric fingerprinting from all foreign nationals, including British nationals, when entering Russia.

Before booking this trip please ensure you have looked into the visa application process for your country of residence.