Discover the soul of Russia on an Imperial Russia River Cruise September 4 – 19, 2008 16 days - Four full days in St. Petersburg - Three full days in Moscow

		From the glittering imperial cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow to the timeless towns along the Golden Ring, experience Russia in all of its glory and splendour.
	Start your journey in glorious St. Petersburg, with its art-laden galleries and museums, including the world-famous Hermitage, and the elegant Catherine Palace in Pushkin. Sail through history along the mighty Volga River and visit some of the most captivating cities of the Golden Ring – Uglich, Yaroslavl and Kostroma. Visit Kizhi Island with the spectacular Church of Transfiguration constructed entirely out of wood without a single nail. Discover Moscow with its ancient gold-domed monasteries, Red Square, the Kremlin, the Armory and St. Basil’s Cathedral. Take a ride on the Moscow Metro, elaborately decorated with mosaics, sculptures and stained glass, and stroll through GUM, the great department store, with over 350,000 customers a day.
	Your Executive Worldwide Travel Tour Itinerary

	September 4: Depart Ottawa, Montreal or Toronto to St. Petersburg. September 5: St. Petersburg (embark)  Arrive in St. Petersburg where you’ll be greeted by a local tour representative and transferred to the ship. (D) September 6: Included Excursion: St. Petersburg city tour Your tour of this fabled city of canals and northern lights takes you to Palace Square, the historic heart of St. Petersburg, and along Nevsky Prospect, the city’s main boulevard. Palace Square is St. Petersburg's main square and is a good example of how different styles can be combined in the most elaborate and aesthetically pleasing way. On the northern side of the square stands the picturesque Baroque Winter Palace (built in 1754-62). Across the square, on the southern side, there is the classical yellow-and-white General Staff building (built in 1819-29 by Carlo Rossi). This building encircles the Southern side of the square and through its central arch, designed as a Triumphal Arch of the Classical World, you can reach Nevsky Prospect. On the eastern side a building of the former Royal Guards' General Staff tastefully closes the panorama of Palace Square, while on the West the square borders with the Admiralty and the Admiralty Garden. Optional Tour: Hermitage Ballet (B, L, D)

September 7: St. Petersburg  Included Excursion: Hermitage Museum Enjoy a guided tour of the world-famous Hermitage Museum, the largest art gallery in Russia and among the largest and most respected art museums in the world with nearly three million pieces of art. Optional Tour: Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, and travel via Hydrofoil to the magnificent Peterhof Gardens. (B, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)

September 8: St. Petersburg  Included Excursion: Catherine Palace and Park in Pushkin Explore the lavish Catherine Palace and Park, a magnificent imperial palace and masterpiece of Russian baroque architecture, in nearby Pushkin. Optional Tour: St. Petersburg contrast tour with Yussupov Palace, the Dostoevsky Museum and the Alexander Nevsky Necropolises, or a canal cruise. (B, L, D)

	September 9: St. Petersburg  Enjoy free time on your own in this glorious city. Optional Tour: Peter & Paul Fortress or St. Isaac’s Cathedral. (B, L, D)

		September 10: Mandrogi, Cruising the Svir River  Included Excursion: Shashlik picnic ashore Mandrogi, a reconstructed village situated where the village of Verkhnie Mandrogi was founded in the 18th century, illustrates the traditions, architecture and lifestyle of Russia’s past. A highlight of your visit to Mandrogi is a traditional Shashlik picnic ashore. (B, L, D)

	September 11: Kizhi Island, Cruising Lake Onega  Included Excursion: Kizhi Open Air Museum Arrive in the morning at Kizhi Island on Lake Onega where you’ll visit the famous Open Air Museum, an architectural ensemble of timber churches gracefully crowned by an array of cupolas, adorned with aspen shingles, including the spectacular Church of Transfiguration constructed entirely out of wood without a single nail. (B, L, D)

		September 12: Goritsy (Kirillov)  Included Excursion: Daily life in Russia close-up Meet the locals in Kirillov and experience daily life in this part of the world. Enjoy typical treats such as fresh brown bread and cranberry liquors. (B, L, D)

	September 13: Cruising Lake Rybinsk, Yaroslavl  Included Excursion: Yaroslavl, heart of the Golden Ring Yaroslavl, considered one of Russia’s most beautiful cities, is the heart of the Golden Ring cities. It’s also home to the exquisite Church of Elijah the Prophet, which you’ll see up close on your guided tour. (B, L, D)

		September 14: Kostroma  Included Excursion: Romanov Chambers and local art gallery A jewel in the circle of the Golden Ring cities, and home to noble families and legendary dynasties, Kostroma, located on the left bank of the Volga River, is as old as Moscow and it abounds in magnificent monuments of old architecture. Your tour includes a visit to the House of the Nobility and former Romanov Museum. (B, L, D)

	September 15: Uglich  Included Excursion: Uglich and Church of Prince-Dmitry-on-the-Blood It was here in Uglich that Ivan the Terrible’s son, Dmitry, was murdered in 1591. On your walking tour, explore the historical blue-domed Church of Prince-Dmitry-on-the-Blood, as well as the 18th-century Transfiguration Church. (B, L, D)

	September 16: Moscow  Included Excursion: Moscow city tour with Red Square Cruise through the 80-mile long Moscow Canal in the morning and reach Moscow, the grand capital of Russia and its cultural and emotional heart, in the afternoon. On your panoramic tour, you’ll see many historical and famous landmarks from the world-famous Red Square to the spectacular rainbow-colored St. Basil’s Cathedral to the impressive Tverskaya Street, the main street of Moscow, a wide central avenue bustling with life. (B, L, D).

		September 17: Moscow  Included Excursion: Kremlin and Armory Museum, lunch at a local restaurant, ride on Moscow Metro and shopping time on Arbat Street A highlight of your stay in Moscow is a visit to the 15th-century Kremlin, a self-contained city of palaces, armories, cathedral and medieval fortress. The Armory is a treasure-house whose collections are vast and encompass everything from the crown jewels and Tsarist uniforms and costumes to historic arms, armour, a magnificent collection of Imperial carriages and, of course, the Fabergé Eggs. Take a ride on the unique Moscow Metro and visit Arbat Street, Moscow's most charming and lively pedestrian street. The stations of Moscow's subway system have often been called "the people's palaces," for their elegant designs and lavish and profuse use of marble, mosaics, sculptures and chandeliers. Built during Stalin's rule, these metro stations were supposed to display the best of Soviet architecture and design. Optional Tour: Catch a glimpse of Moscow by night with a boat ride. (B, L, D)

	September 18: Moscow  Enjoy an entire day at leisure in this grand city. Optional Tour: Take a tour to Zagorsk or visit Tretyakov Gallery. (B, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner) September 19: Moscow Disembark the ship and transfer to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport for your flight home.

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