Travelling the immense course of the Volga, experience the vast scale of Russia’s serene countryside, and visit charming villages such as Mandrogi, Kizhi and Goritsy, where welcoming locals hold-true to a traditional way of life centuries in the making.Throughout your journey, special EmeraldPLUS opportunities help you experience more of this fascinating and enigmatic country, introducing rare cultural insights that define this proud nation.
The great Volga River offers immersive passage through the vast wilds of Russia, where lakes the size of inland seas help to sustain traditional villages, centuries of years old. Between St Petersburg and Moscow, you’ll visit a string of these typical Russian communities, from Mandrogi with its charming wooden ‘izba’ houses and traditional handicrafts, to Goritsy and Kirillo-Belozersky, a Russian Orthodox Church founded in 1397.
In Uglich, an ancient town of Old Russia forming part of the Golden Ring of Moscow, 1,000 years of history is yours to discover, from a tour of the Cathedral of Transfiguration to the Church of St Dmitry, where Ivan the Terrible’s son was reputedly murdered. The ancient city of Yaroslavl boasts an equally colourful past, and a walking tour promises an array of heritage wonders, including the Church of St Ilya the Prophet, a triumph of Russian architecture and ornate frescoes.
Our Imperial Charms of Russia itinerary gives you the chance to: