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NEW YORK
Sunday, June 8
Depart on an overnight flight to St. Petersburg.
ST. PETERSBURG /
VOLGA DREAM
Monday, June 9
Arrive late this morning in
St. Petersburg, which Peter the Great transformed from
marshland into this vibrant
city of islands, canals, bridges and
pastel-colored palaces. After lunch, visit the gold-domed
St. Isaac’s Cathedral (left), a symbol of imperial opulence. Embark
the Volga Dream, which will remain docked in St. Petersburg
for three nights. Gather for introductory remarks by our
lecturers followed by dinner.
ST. PETERSBURG
Tuesday, June 10
Drive to the Russian countryside to visit
Pavlovsk Palace, built in the 18th century for Catherine’s
son, Paul I, by Scottish architect Charles Cameron. The
palace is beautifully appointed with furniture, bronze ware,
china and antique sculpture. Continue to the nearby Tsar’s
Village for a specially arranged visit to Catherine’s Palace (right).
See the exquisitely restored Amber Room and stroll in the
formal gardens before public opening hours. Following
lunch, the balance of the day is free for individual pursuits
in
St. Petersburg.
 ST. PETERSBURG
Wednesday, June 11
This morning visit the baroque Winter
Palace, where we are invited to enter the Hermitage Museum
before it opens to the public. The museum’s four-hundred
rooms contain spectacular examples of nearly all schools of
Western art, including one of the greatest collections of
French Impressionist works
(at left: "The Painter's Family" by Matisse). Lunch will be on board. Return
to the Hermitage for an after-hours tour
of the magnificent
collection of Old Masters.
Our visit culminates with an
operatic concert in the museum’s superb Italian Hall. A late
dinner will be served on board.
ST. PETERSBURG
Thursday, June 12
Elegant Peterhof (right) will be our focus
this
morning. See the fountain-filled lower gardens and Peter
the Great’s favorite pavilion, Mon Plaisir. An afternoon visit
is planned to the palace of the Grand Duke Michael, home
of the State Russian Museum. View its stellar collection of
Russian art,
from ancient icons to 20th-century paintings to
folk art. Gather for the captain’s welcome reception and
dinner. We begin our cruise on this midsummer night.
 VALAAM
Friday, June 13
Step ashore this morning at Valaam, the
largest island of an archipelago in Lake Ladoga. Visit the
Monastery of the Transfiguration of
the Savior (left), a holy site
of Russian orthodoxy, with its brilliant blue domes. At
teatime we continue our cruise on Lake Ladoga, past a
shoreline dotted with willows, alder trees and stately pines.
SVIR RIVER CRUISE
Saturday, June 14
A full day of cruising on the Svir River
provides an opportunity to enjoy the ship’s amenities and
attend lectures on Russian art and history. A concert of
classical music adds to our onboard pleasures.
KIZHY / LAKE ONEGA
Sunday, June 15
Today explore the tiny, picturesque island
of Kizhy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Lake Onega.
The open-air Museum of Architecture includes the Church
of the Transfiguration (right), an onion-domed masterpiece built
without a single metal nail and resembling something out of
a Russian fairytale.
GORITSY
Monday, June 16
Relax this morning as 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 Kirilov Belozersky Monastery with its frescoed
13th-century Cathedral of the Assumption. Continue to
the Ferapontov Monastery,
a UNESCO World Heritage
Site with magnificent wall paintings.
YAROSLAVL
Tuesday, June 17
Attend lectures as we cruise to Yaroslavl,
the oldest city on the Volga River. Largely unharmed by
World War II, Yaroslavl contains many religious buildings
dating from the 13th to 17th centuries. See the 16th-century
Transfiguration of the Savior Monastery, noted for its
architecture and icons, and the Church of St. Elijah the
Prophet, richly decorated with frescoes (left). There will be time
to browse in local craft shops before returning to the ship
for dinner.
UGLICH
Wednesday, June 18
Uglich, which we visit this morning,
is a 10th-century town that showcases traditional Russian
arts
and culture. A highlight will be the Chapel of Dimitry,
the 17th-century architectural treasure built on
the site where the young son of Ivan the Terrible met his death. See
the five-domed Church of the Transfiguration, noted for its
beautiful iconostasis, and attend a concert of choral music.
Be on deck
as we cruise past the small villages nestled on the
banks of the Volga River. The captain hosts us for a caviar
and blinis reception before dinner under a full moon.
MOSCOW
Thursday, June 19
Disembark the Volga Dream and transfer
to Moscow where accommodations are at the deluxe Marriott
Royal Aurora Hotel. Following lunch, an architectural tour
of this dynamic city is planned. Visit Red Square to see the
fanciful colored onion domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral (right), as
well as the golden cupolas of the ancient cathedrals within
the red-walled Kremlin.
 MOSCOW
Friday, June 20
Enter the Kremlin grounds before public
hours to see the beautifully frescoed 15th-century
Assumption (left) and Annunciation Cathedrals. View the tsarist
treasures at the Armory Museum, including royal coaches,
thrones and bejeweled crowns. After lunch discover the
prized collection of icons and Russian art at the Old
Tretyakov Gallery, then visit the adjacent Church of
St. Nicholas, renowned for its Lady of Vladimir icon. This
evening attend an opera or ballet performance by the highly
celebrated Bolshoi company.
MOSCOW
Saturday, June 21
Tour the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts’
outstanding collection of Old Masters, as well as artifacts
from archaeologist Schliemann’s excavations of Troy. We
will also visit the Pushkin’s noted collection of French
Impressionism, including works by Monet, Renoir, Degas
and Gauguin. Lunch and the afternoon are at leisure.
Gather this evening at the hotel for our farewell reception
and dinner.
MOSCOW / NEW YORK
Sunday, June 22
Depart for the morning flights home.
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Photos: Peterof/David Stark; Church of the Transfiguration/ Maren Romney; St. Basil's/Ksenya Malina.
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