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Volga Dream 'Great Russian Artists' River Cruise
Just a few weeks after a festive reopening of the Bolshoi theater we are pleased to announce an amazing journey through the heart of Russia. The combination of music, history and art together with the insight into modern Russia of today and the momentous changes which are taking place, make for an all encompassing trip.
Visits to grand art galleries and museums followed by receptions at intimate memorial houses, concerts at the world’s most famous opera houses and closed private performances, lectures by a Yale professor will add a comprehensive touch to your vast sightseeing program and make this journey a truly cultural event of the year.
When it comes to river cruises in Russia, the Volga Dream offers an unprecedented level of luxury, as well as the finest accommodation, delicious food, best service and care in the industry. The advent of the boutique Volga Dream reveals the tsarist-era luxury and provides superior service, installing the ship as the class of the waterway. With 60 crewmembers and a capacity for just over 100 passengers, the ship has the lowest passenger-to-crew ratio among Russian river cruise ships. With so few guests amid the ship’s spacious arrangement, it feels like sailing aboard a private yacht. You’ll find no hassle disembarking at the various ports of call, no delays at mealtime.
This voyage is a one-off experience for those with a rich love of all Russian Art - focusing on the Composers, Writers and Painters. It includes:
*Accommodation in deluxe Ritz Carlton, Grand Hotel Europe and MS Volga Dream
*Opera or ballet performances at the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theaters
*Visit to the Tolstoy house and Dostoevsky memorial apartment
*3 private opera performances on board MS Volga Dream by soloists of the Moscow Helicon Opera
*4 lectures about greatest Russian writers by the professor of Slavic languages of Yale University
*Concert of a famous Spiritual choir in Yaroslavl
*Specially arranged early entrances to the Hermitage and state Armoury
*Guided tours of the Diamond Fund, Tretyakov Gallery and the State Russian Museum
*Visits to the Kremlin, Red Square, Novodevichie cemetery, Peterhof, Catherine’s Palace and Yusupov Palace
Arrival into Moscow
Private tour of the Kremlin and a night at the newly refurbished Bolshoi Theatre.
Walk the Red Square, tour of the Old Tretyakov gallery.
Visit the Cathedral of Chris the Savior and famous Novodevichie cemetery.
Cruise to Uglich, a Golden Ring city dating back to the 10th century
Stroll in the oldest city on the Volga River, Yaroslavl, a World Heritage site.
Visit the village of Goritsy to tour the fortress-like Kirillov-Belozersky Monastery.
Explore a tiny, picturesque island of Kizhy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Lake Onega.
Navigate the Svir River toward Lake Ladoga, Europe's largest freshwater lake.
Arrive into St.Petersburg
Tour Peterhof and dress up for the performance at Mariinski Theatre
Visit to Catherine’s Palace and enjoy a farewell dinner at the restaurant Fedor Dostoevsky
Depart St.Petersburg
Countries visited
Places visited
Transportation
MS Volga Dream carries 109 passengers, with a crew of 60. The ship has 56 comfortable cabins and all feature either a window or a porthole and a bathroom with separate glass shower. Each cabin is equipped with air conditioning, mini-bar, safety deposit box, telephone, and flat screen television featuring international satellite programming and films as well as various radio and music channel options.The highlight of this cruise for many travellers spending time on the Volga Dream was getting to meet the crew. They are gracious and talented hosts who really go out of their way to make sure everyone has a wonderful journey.
Included In Price
* 3 Nights at the Ritz Carlton in Moscow* 6 Nights on board luxurious MS Volga Dream,
* 3 Nights at the Grand Hotel in St. Petersburg
* Check-in to the deluxe hotels, carefully selected for their distinctive charm and great city-center locations in Moscow and St.Petersburg
* Cruise aboard boutique MS Volga Dream and enjoy over 25 hours of Russian Workshop, including lectures, discussions, classes, concerts, films & evening performances
* Visit Kremlin Armory Museum, famous Moscow metro, Tretyakov Gallery, the Hermitage, Peterhof, and the dazzling Catherine's Palace
* Tour with a small group of maximum 25 Volga Dream guests led by highly educated professional guides
* Enjoy full board complemented by excellent wines with lunch and dinner on board MS Volga Dream
Meals Included
This tour includes 29 meals; 12 breakfasts 11 lunches 6 dinners
Not Included In Price
* International flights* Visa to Russia
* All services not mentioned in the program
* Arrival & departure transfers
* Tips and Gratuities
,*beverages on board MS Volga Dream other than wine and soft drinks during lunch and dinner
*drinks in the bar
* telephone and Internet connection
Important Information
A welcome bottle of champagne and fruit basket upon arrival on the Volga Dream will toast the cruise off to a nice start.| Start | End | Superior | Deluxe | Suite | Single | |
| 29 May 2012 | 10 Jun 2012 | AU$ 7080 | AU$ 7500 | AU$ 9350 | AU$ 8640 |
Day 1 Arrival into Moscow
Upon arrival in Moscow, transfer to the deluxe Ritz Carlton Hotel located in the historic city centre close to the Kremlin and Red Square.You may spend the rest of the day at leisure relaxing after the flight or explore Moscow centre on your own.
Accommodation
The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow lies at the edge of the famed Red Square – the site of countless coronations, conflicts and celebrations. Featuring breathtaking hotel rooms, Club Level rooms and elegant suites, each with gracious amenities and impeccable service, The Ritz-Carlton is an unforgettable retreat in the very heart of Moscow.
Meals Included
none
Day 2 Private tour of the Kremlin and a night at the newly refurbished Bolshoi Theatre.
This morning enter the Kremlin before working hours for a visit to the Armoury Museum with its collection of tsarist thrones, ceremonial crowns, coaches and gifts of state. View the ornate gems of the Diamond Fund, including Catherine the Great’s diamond-encrusted coronation crown and the 190-carat Orlov diamond, then continue to the Square of Four Cathedrals.
After lunch proceed to the backstage of the newly refurbished Bolshoi Theatre. If we are lucky we may see rehearsal for a real performance.
In the evening enjoy the opera or ballet performance at the Bolshoi Theatre (schedule of performance is subject to confirmation 2 months before the trip).
Accommodation
Ritz-Carlton
Meals Included
Breakfasts1, Lunches1
Day 3 Walk the Red Square, tour of the Old Tretyakov gallery.
Begin your day with a tour of the Old Tretyakov gallery to view its extraordinary collection of Russian art, ranging fr om 12th-century icons to 20th-century paintings.
After lunch join your guide for a tour of the Red Square and GUM department store followed by a walking tour along the trade Arbat Street.
Accommodation
Ritz-Carlton
Meals Included
Breakfasts1, Lunches1
Day 4 Visit the Cathedral of Chris the Savior and famous Novodevichie cemetery.
In the morning do a ride in the ornate Moscow metro and continue to the Cathedral of Chris the Savior and famous Novodevichie cemetery.
After lunch visit an authentic Tolstoy House Museum and enjoy a private chamber string concert in a memorial house (or open air if the weather allows), then transfer to the awaiting MS Volga Dream to begin your sailing along the Russian Waterways.
Accommodation
MS Volga Dream
Meals Included
Breakfasts1, Lunches1, Dinners1
Day 5 Cruise to Uglich, a Golden Ring city dating back to the 10th century
We arrive this afternoon in Uglich, dating back to the 10th century. A walking tour of this Golden Ring city includes the Chapel of Dimitry, a 17th-century treasure built on the site where Ivan the Terrible’s 10-year old son met his death. Visit the Church of the Transfiguration, noted for its beautiful iconostasis, and attend a concert of choral music.
During the cruise, you will have opportunities to partake in activities, some cultural, informative and others, relaxing. There are guest speakers on board certain voyages and there are movies shown on Russian Culture and History. There are chances to learn the Russian Cyrillic alphabet and learn traditional crafts. You can get into the the kitchen and learn some Russian cooking secrets or get 'behind the scenes' in the heart of the ship - the engine rooms.
Accommodation
MS Volga Dream
Meals Included
Breakfasts1, Lunches1, Dinners1
Day 6 Stroll in the oldest city on the Volga River, Yaroslavl, a World Heritage site.
This morning visit the oldest city on the Volga River, Yaroslavl, a World Heritage site. Visit the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet, featuring detailed frescoes and icons. Here, you will be treated to a stirring à capella choir performance. There will be time to stroll the lively farm market before reboarding the Volga Dream or join an excursion to the Governor’s Palace, a living museum of Russian art, history and culture.
Accommodation
MS Volga Dream
Meals Included
Breakfasts1, Lunches1, Dinners1
Day 7 Visit the village of Goritsy to tour the fortress-like Kirillov-Belozersky Monastery.
Early this morning we cross Lake Beloye, or the White Lake, formerly known as the “tsar’s fishing grounds”. Arrive in the peaceful village of Goritsy to tour the fortress-like Kirillov-Belozersky Monastery with magnificent frescoes by one of the Russia's most renowned icon painters. Return to the ship for a late lunch.
Accommodation
MS Volga Dream
Meals Included
Breakfasts1, Lunches1, Dinners1
Day 8 Explore a tiny, picturesque island of Kizhy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Lake Onega.
This afternoon explore a tiny, picturesque island of Kizhy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Lake Onega. The open-air Museum of Architecture includes the Church of the Transfiguration, a unique onion-domed masterpiece built without a single metal nail and resembling something out of a Russian fairy tale.
Accommodation
MS Volga Dream
Meals Included
Breakfasts1, Lunches1, Dinners1
Day 9 Navigate the Svir River toward Lake Ladoga, Europe's largest freshwater lake.
Be on the deck as we navigate the Svir River toward Lake Ladoga, Europe's largest freshwater lake, past a shoreline dotted with graceful willows, alder trees and stately pines. Step ashore for a brief visit to the vacation village of Mandrogi to experience daily life in a quaint wooden village.
Accommodation
MS Volga Dream
Meals Included
Breakfasts1, Lunches1, Dinners1
Day 10 Arrive into St.Petersburg
This morning enter the famed Hermitage Museum before hours to avoid heavy crowds. Four hundred rooms of Hermitage – the former residence of the Russian Tsars – contain spectacular examples of nearly all schools of Western art, including one of the greatest collections of French impressionist works. Proceed to the closed to general public Gold rooms of the Hermitage to see amazing collection of Scythian gold and tsarist jewellery.
In the afternoon enter the magnificent Yusupov Palace, once the residence of the wealthiest and most respected family in Imperial Russia, which saw one of the most dramatic episodes in Russia's history – the murder of Grigory Rasputin. Proceed with an orientation tour of St. Petersburg and visit St. Isaak Cathedral.
After the tour check-in the deluxe Grand Hotel Europe.
Accommodation
A cultural and culinary landmark, Grand Hotel Europe has played a central role in the life of St Petersburg for over 130 years. A truly iconic Orient-Express hotel, it stands on Nevsky Prospekt among the city’s great architectural treasures—renowned for its impressive facade and decorative interiors.
Positioned adjacent to Arts Square, the hotel has strong associations with the worlds of theatre, music and dance. Past guests include Tchaikovsky and Pavarotti, crowned heads and world leaders. A stay here takes you straight to the heart of Russia, especially during the White Days of winter, when snow lies outside and a warm welcome awaits within.
Meals Included
Breakfasts1, Lunches1
Day 11 Tour Peterhof and dress up for the performance at Mariinski Theatre
Begin today at the meticulously restored Peterhof, St. Petersburg most famous and spectacular Imperial estate, often cited as the "Versailles of Russia".
Visit authentic Bath Cottage and stroll in the vast Lower Park with 176 fountains of various forms and styles and four cascades, majestic palaces, numerous gilded statues of ancient gods and heroes.
Return to St. Petersburg by a hydrofoil and visit the State Russian Museum, which contains unique collections of the Russian art from icon-painting to avant-garde and socialist realism.
This evening dress up for the performance at Mariinski Theatre (schedule of performance is subject to confirmation 2 months before the trip).
Accommodation
Deluxe Grand Hotel Europe
Meals Included
Breakfasts1, Lunches1
Day 12 Visit to Catherine’s Palace and enjoy a farewell dinner at the restaurant Fedor Dostoevsky
This morning drive to Tsar’s Village for a specially arranged visit to Catherine’s Palace. See the exquisitely restored Amber Room and stroll in the formal gardens.
In the afternoon proceed to the Dostoevsky memorial apartment recreated based on the recollections of Dostoevsky's contemporaries and archive materials.
In the evening get together for a farewell dinner at the restaurant Fedor Dostoevsky.
Accommodation
Deluxe Grand Hotel Europe
Meals Included
Breakfasts1, Lunches1
Day 13 Depart St.Petersburg
Transfer to the airport this morning for your flight.
Meals Included
Breakfasts1
