Highlights of our journey across Russia on a river cruise with Grand Circle Travel

In August 2012, we departed San Francisco on KLM Airlines to Amsterdam, Netherlands, then onward to Saint Petersburg, Russia. We met Anna Krivobok, our fantastic GCT Russian Program Director for the “purple” group, who guided us every step on the way.

We made many new friends on this trip, sharing bus rides, museums, palaces, Russian Orthodox churches, restaurants, glorious weather, photos, and fun.

Our sightseeing excursions were truly an adventure every day… from surviving the pick-pockets in Saint Petersburg, to the incredible wonders of the Hermitage and Catherine Palace, the fountains of Peterhof, and experiencing and tasting Russian lifestyle with the home visit in Svir Stroi.

We visited Anna’s home town of Petrozavodsk, enjoyed a glorious day photographing the incredible wooden Church of the Transfiguration on Kizhi Island, and learned much about Russia history and culture from the excellent lectures on our ship, the M/S Rossia.

Moscow treated us to stunning views of St. Basil’s Cathedral on Red Square, the Kremlin tour, and delicious ice cream inside the fabulous GUM shopping mall. The Moscow circus was amazing with all the lions in the ring at once.

After sixteen days in Russia, we flew from Moscow to Kiev, Ukraine. Highlights included St. Sophia’s Cathedral, the Cave Monastery, and the Chernobyl Museum.