APT GUARANTEED INCLUSIONS

• St Petersburg, ballet performance at the Hermitage Theatre
• St Petersburg, excursion to Peterhof Palace
• St Petersburg, tour of the Hermitage Museum
• St Petersburg, city tour
• Visit quaint Mandrogi
• Lake Onega and Kizhi Island
• Goritsy, city tour
• Cruise the White Lake and Volga-Baltic Canal
• Yaroslavl, city tour
• Kostroma, city tour and Ipatiev Monastery
• Uglich, city tour
• Moscow, guided tour of the Tretyakov Gallery
• Moscow, tour of the Kremlin and Armory Museum
• Moscow, city tour and Metro

ITINERARY (Prague to Budapest)

Day 1. Arrive in St Petersburg – Embark.
Upon arrival in St Petersburg, transfer to your floating hotel, the ms Tolstoy. Enjoy the balance of the day at leisure.

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Day 2. St Petersburg City Tour.
Russia’s second-largest metropolis, Peter the Great’s ‘Window on the West’ is a treasure trove of culture and history. This morning, we embark on a city tour of this fabled city of canals and Northern Lights. Drive along Nevsky prospect and explore Palace Square, the historic heart of St Petersburg. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure or join an optional excursion to lavish Catherine’s Palace in nearby Pushkin, where the Imperial family made their home from the time of Peter the Great.

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Day 3. St Petersburg, Peterhof Palace - Ballet Hermitage Theatre.
This morning we enjoy an in-depth exploration of the gardens and fountains of Peterhof Palace. The exquisite summer palace built by Peter the Great to rival Versailles is sure to be a highlight! The palace stands on a natural terrace with its formal gardens sloping down to the shores of the Gulf of Finland. After free time this afternoon, we crown the day with a ballet performance at the magnificent Hermitage Theatre, the private theatre of the Czars, tonight.

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Day 4. St Petersburg, Hermitage Museum.
In the morning we take a tour of the Hermitage Museum. It is estimated that one could spend days in the museum and still see only a fraction of the nearly 3 million artworks. As the ship departs St Petersburg tonight, enjoy welcome cocktails and a dinner aboard, with beautiful vistas as we sail along the gentle Neva River.

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Day 5. Lake Ladoga – Mandrogi – Svir River.
Early morning finds us cruising along the shores of Lake Ladoga and the scenic Svir River. Visit quaint Mandrogi, sprinkled with dachas (country cottages) and enjoy free time to discover the intricacies of rural Russian life. Then cruise along the Svir River and through Lake Onega, one of the world’s purest.

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Day 6. Lake Onega and Kizhi Island.
Cruise through Lake Onega to Kizhi Island, no doubt one of the highlights of your cruise. Explore the open-air Museum of Wooden Architecture and marvel at two of the few remaining original wooden churches in Russia: the Church of the Transfiguration - with its walls and 22 aspen cupolas, constructed entirely without nails - and the adjacent Church of the Intercession.

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Day 7. Cruising White Lake – Goritsy.
Relax on deck as we make our way through the Volga-Baltic Canal, part of the last link in the integral deepwater system of European Russia. Continue downriver into White Lake. We stop at Goritsy for a city tour including the Monastery of St Cyril on the White Lake and the Museum of Icons.

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Day 8. Yaroslavl.
Go ashore at Yaroslavl, founded in the 11th century by Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise of Kiev. During the 17th century, Yaroslavl, was home to one-sixth of Russia’s wealthiest merchant families. Several buildings rank among the world’s greatest architecture. On our city tour, see the Transfiguration Monastery complex and the Church of Elijah the Prophet, then continue cruising along the Volga.

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Day 9. Kostroma.
Arrive in Kostroma, a cultural and commercial centre on the banks of the Volga. Kostroma played an important role in Russia’s history, which accounts for the art heritage that can still be found here today. Enjoy a city tour including the Ipatiev Monastery, founded in the 13th century.

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Day 10. Uglich – Cruising Volga River.
The scenic Volga flows past medieval villages known as the ’Golden Ring’ cities. We arrive in Uglich, one of the oldest and most beloved towns in Russia, where a special treat awaits: visit the homes of local families and enjoy a typical local breakfast. It was in Uglich that Ivan the Terrible’s son, Dmitry, was murdered in 1591. Explore the Transfiguration Cathedral and the Church of St.-Dmitry-on-the-Blood.

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Day 11. Moscow City Tour.
Around lunchtime arrive in the port of Moscow and embark on this afternoon’s city tour of Russia’s beautiful capital city founded in 1147. Tour the Red Square, St Basil’s, the Lenin Hills and pedestrian-only Arbat Street. Later we take a ride on the Moscow Metro, where each station is a living museum of mosaics, marble statuary and crystal chandeliers. Tonight you may wish to attend an optional performance of the Moscow Circus or discover Moscow by Night.

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Day 12. Moscow, Kremlin and Armory – Tretyakov Gallery.
Moscow has been Russia’s capital since the 15th century and at its centre is the enduring Kremlin. This morning your sightseeing continues inside the Kremlin walls. A tour features the former royal residence of the Czars and the gilded onion-domed cathedrals, the main centre of the Russian Orthodox faith. You will also visit the Armory Museum, which houses the opulent treasury of the Russian czars including jewels, crowns, armour and the world famous Faberge Eggs and royal carriages. In the afternoon visit the Tretyakov Art Gallery, featuring the world’s best collection of Russian icons and pre-revolutionary Russian art. Tonight enjoy the captain’s farewell dinner.

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Day 13. Fly Home.
Bid farewell to your new found friends and travel companions as your delightful holiday ends this morning after breakfast.

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