Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Arctic Circle, and Kizhi Island are some of the historic and natural ports of call that await those who take cruises in
Russia.
Moscow
Moscow’s Red Square, the Kremlin, Gorky Park, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and the Pushkin State Museum are just a few of the favorites for exploring
Moscow. For a more modern experience, the Krasnyi Oktyabr art and entertainment cluster is a converted factory where shops, restaurants, and galleries offer a great selection of unique gifts and food to choose from.
Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl is a lesser-known highlight of Russia cruises on the Volga River and the oldest town in Russia’s Golden Ring. The city is dotted with churches that have bulb spires that twinkle in the sunlight. The masses of parks and walkways are ideal for an afternoon stroll or window shopping for a lunch stop.
Franz Josef Land
The farthest point north in Russia and on routes of cruises to the
North Pole, Franz Josef Land in the
Arctic Circle is an archipelago of almost 200 islands that are still being explored. Many early explorers used these islands as a base while trying to reach the North Pole. Today these islands are uninhabited by humans but home to thousands of seabirds.
Wrangel Island
With a length of just over 90 miles and home to the largest number of both Pacific walruses and polar bears in the world, Wrangel Island is a protected arctic reserve where wildlife is the central attraction. Huge populations of seabirds, lemmings, and arctic foxes are also found here.
St. Petersburg
Founded by Peter the Great and one of Russia’s cultural centers, St. Petersburg’s churches, palaces, and museums captivate those who visit with the grandeur created by the czars of the past. The Eliseyev Food Hall architecture is complemented by the stalls of vendors inside selling everything the imagination can conjure, from pastries and bread to sugar plums and big wheels of cheese. For art lovers, the Fabergé Museum in the Shuvalov Palace on the Fontanka River has one of the world’s best collections of works by Russia’s masters, including large collections of the country’s royal artifacts and, of course, some Fabergé Eggs.
Kizhi Island
Kizhi Island is part of the 660 islands on Lake Onega, a body of water that is located 30 miles from St. Petersburg. Inland there is one of the best-preserved collections of wooden cabins and churches from 1713-1714. The Church of the Transfiguration and the Church of the Intercession stand side by side elegantly adorned with layered domes.
Goritsy
A small town with a long history on the shores of Lake Siverskoye, Goritsy is the home to the White Lake Monastery which was used as a fortress for the Russian monarchy and a labor camp during the Soviet era. Today the functioning monastery is only visited by water, making the town one of the hidden cultural must-see stops on Russian cruises, which is usually missed out on.
Uglich
A getaway spot for people from Moscow and the site of the death of the son of Ivan the Terrible, the Uglich of today is a beautiful town where churches stand overlooking the Volga River. The palace of Tsarevich Dmitry was Dmitry’s home, who died mysteriously when he was ten years old. The building is the oldest in the city, dating back to 1480.
Volgograd
Volgograd, colloquially known as Stalingrad, is the site where the German attack on the city was stopped in WWII. After the Battle of Stalingrad, the Soviets rebuilt the city to reflect the glory of their victory. Monuments and museums around town detail the history of the Soviet era.
Saratov
Saratov has a sleepy beach town feel on the banks of the Volga River, and its main claim to fame is it is the birthplace of the first cosmonaut into space. Additionally, it has a museum dedicated to Yuri Gagarin. The country’s oldest public art scape, the Radischev Art Museum has a robust collection of masterpieces to peruse.
For an expert’s help navigating the waterways of Russia and the places, you can visit on a Russia cruise, including
Alaska,
the North Pole, and
Kamchatka,
contact a member of our team.
