5 reasons to take a river cruise along the Volga (PHOTOS)
1. See the locks – an engineering marvel of the 1930s
Your journey begins as soon as you step aboard the ship. A welcome glass of sparkling wine – and you’re off from the luxurious Northern River Terminal building in the Stalinist Empire style!
The cruise begins on the 128-kilometer-long Moscow Canal, which was dug in the 1930s, linking Moscow with the Volga River. After 30-60 minutes, you’ll already be able to see the first locks (a device used for raising and lowering boats, ships and other watercraft): from the deck, you will see how a huge vessel slowly descends (and on the return trip rises), moving tons of water per second. And the huge lock gates open and close in a few seconds.
Ahead are five more locks – and each has a different architectural design. So, get ready to watch and admire!
2. Discover Russia from a different side
Seeing even familiar landscapes from the water means seeing them in a new way! You’ll see impressive hydroelectric power stations, small dacha plots with access to the water, monasteries and much more. And you can wave to the fishermen and vacationers strolling along the embankments.
The landscapes will change constantly: on the canal, you will be surrounded by forest, while, on the open water, you can feel the full majesty of the Volga River. Navigation begins in spring and continues until mid-November. So, you can choose a cruise for any time, enjoying blooming spring, hot summer days or the fiery colors of fall.
3. Relax on an all-inclusive basis
On board, you’ll receive three meals a day with Russian and European cuisine and a large selection of dishes. Usually ships have several bars and room service. So, you can order both coffee and snacks directly to your cabin.
Different ship companies have different conditions and rates, so you can choose either an economy option or a premium trip.
4. Explore several Russian cities with guided tours
Night on the waves, day on land and each time in a new city. These are, as a rule, Tver, Uglich, Myshkin and Yaroslavl. And, on longer cruises, you can reach Nizhny Novgorod or Kazan.
On such cruises, as a rule, everything is planned for you – you don't need to plan anything, just go on sightseeing tours and visit the main museums of the city. You can also take additional excursions – and if the ship stays docked in the city for a longer period, you can travel up to 100 km away to see places that would be hard to reach on your own.
Free time is also allocated for independent walks and buying souvenirs. So, get ready: there are incredible arrays of goods, from local fish in dried and smoked form to berries and jam, right at the piers in these Volga cities there.
5. Enjoy both zen & active recreation
Do you like action? Intellectual games, quizzes, master classes, discos – the cruises also include days of packed activities, so you may not even manage to do everything!
And if you are a lover of silence and calm, no one will stop you from sitting privately on the deck with a book or simply enjoying the beauty of the passing Russian nature.
Useful information:
- You can take a one-day cruise and also see the locks – tickets can be purchased on the Northern River Terminal website.
- Longer cruises can be bought on the website of one of the companies: ‘Vodokhod’, ‘Rechflot’, ‘Volgadream’ and others. There are also premium-class ships and options for a more economical budget.
- Prices for a three-day tour start from 20,000 rubles (approx. $235).
- Single, double and quadruple accommodation is available, as well as junior suites and suite cabins. Each cabin has its own bathroom.