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Volga river Russia | Volga river history (Documentary, Discovery, History) | 伏尔加河俄罗斯 | Rio volga

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Throughout time the river has served as a major waterway establishing trade as well as new settlement.

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Take a deep dive into the history and culture of Russia on this two-week journey that combines Moscow, a Volga River cruise aboard a luxury vessel, and St. Petersburg. Enjoy private touring through some of the country's greatest treasures on this all-encompassing journey through Russia.

Suggested journey at a glance: 14 days/13 nights including six nights on a luxury river cruise along the Volga River and pre- and post-cruise extensions in Moscow and St. Petersburg

This suggestion is just one of many ways to see Russia on your own customized Ker & Downey journey. Our designers are at their best when crafting a journey unique to you; contact us to get started planning, and read on to see one example of what's possible on our Volga River cruise journey.

Moscow

The Kremlin and Red Square are at the heart of the city. Within the walls of the Kremlin there are many ancient structures, including 15th-century cathedrals, the Grand Kremlin Palace, and the Armoury with a fantastic collection of items representing the Imperial power. Enter the Armoury to inspect clothing, carriages, the famous Faberge eggs, and the 17th-century throne of Alexy Romanov covered in turquoise stones and 900 diamonds.

Since the 15th century, the Red Square has been at the center of Russian history. The beautiful St. Basil's Cathedral, commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in 1552, is located on one end of the square.

Take in the city views from Sparrow hills and visit the world-famous State Tretyakov Gallery. It has a unique collection of more than 170,000 pieces of Russian art. Take a stroll down Arbat Street, a bohemian pedestrian street where Moscow's 18th-century literary and artistic community would spend their days in the many cafes.

The Volga River Cruise

Board the Volga Dream, the most luxurious vessel sailing the Russian waterways. Enjoy a true Russian cultural experience with the native Russian crew as they share their country's history. In the evenings, enjoy a range of experiences on board-from piano concerts with pieces by Tchaikovsky and Rakhmaninov to Russian tea ceremonies, cooking classes, and Vodka tastings.

As your Russian river cruise travels along the Volga River, you'll see the forested countryside and ancient trading town of Uglich, home to the Church of St. Dmitri-on-the-Blood. At St. John's Church, enjoy a concert of choral music.

Visit Yaroslavl, one of Russia's oldest cities, founded in 1010. Cross Lake Beloye to the village of Goritsy to tour the Ferapontov Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with frescoes by Dionysius, a renowned Russian icon painter. In Kizhi, there's a collection of ancient wooden houses and windmills, and the famous Transfiguration church built in 1714 without any nails. Your final town along the Volga River is Svirstroy. There, enjoy a day in a local resident's home with tea and "pirozhki" (local pies).

St. Petersburg

The final stop on your journey through Russia is vibrant St. Petersburg-a city of islands, canals, bridges, and pastel-colored palaces. Visit the Hermitage, possibly the largest museum in the world hosting over three million items within its four buildings. It is undoubtedly one of the most prominent art museums too, with works by Raphael, Rembrandt, Da Vinci, and Titian. Visit the Peter and Paul Fortress; the many buildings and parks of Peterhof, famous for its gold fountains; and Pushkin, the summer residence of the Russian Emperors. Set in the suburbs of St. Petersburg, is is comprised of several pavilions, lakes, gardens, and Catherine Palace.

Custom Trips to Russia

Explore more of Russia on a Russian river cruise. a Ker & Downey designer to customize your own journey. Read more about the seasonality, pricing, and the Ker & Downey Difference in Eastern Europe.

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Russian River Cruise - Luxury Volga Dream Cruise - Ker & Downey

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Share Take a deep dive into the history and culture of Russia on this two-week journey that combines Moscow, a Volga River cruise aboard a luxury vessel, and St. Petersburg. Enjoy private touring through some of the country's greatest treasures on this all-encompassing journey through Russia.

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irrigation, hydroelectric power, fishing, people love to sail in it.

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Our Best Volga River Cruises of 2021

Imagine visiting beautiful, ancient Russian cities as you cruise along the beautiful Volga River. Our cruises are the most relaxing and also the most budget friendly way to visit Russia. Some of our most popular Russian river cruises are listed below. Please click on the details to learn more or contact us for more information using the form at the bottom of the page.

I LOVED THE CRUISE!!!!! It was amazing and I had the best time. The food/service/cabin were all great and the price was FANTASTIC!!!!! I have mentioned this to my sister and her husband and they are considering going next year. LOVED it. I don't have ONE complaint :). THANKS for an amazing experience.

Richard and Elizabeth Bond, USA

Thank you for arranging such a wonderful trip for us. we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and found your services to be excellent. the connections and transfers were timely and professional and the apartment was a delight. Everything you said it would be.

Our Volga river cruises give you an excellent opportunity to visit a wide range of Russia's different regions and to experience first-hand the link between European Russia with its imperial, old world atmosphere and the Asian part of Russia with its Eastern, oriental feel. Express to Russia offers plenty of Volga River cruise routes to fit any taste and budget: from our 8-day Moscow to Kazan cruise to the 20-day St. Petersburg to Rosov-on-Don cruise. Experience the vibrant city life and historical heritage of Moscow, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of medieval Yaroslavl and delve into Russian village life in the beautiful towns of Kostroma and Uglich. On your all-inclusive Russian river cruise you will see Nizhny Novgorod, the stunning, historical center of the Volga region. The boat will dock at the Eastern cities of Kazan and Astrakhan that occupy the former territory of the Golden Horde. Every city visited on our Volga cruises is of historical significance and full of outstanding sights and monuments. This cruise will take you down practically the entire length of the Volga River and end at the Caspian Sea. This Volga river cruise will leave you with unforgettable memories and truly be a journey of a lifetime!

Our travel specialist will contact you on the date and time that you choose and answer all of your questions

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See the most of Russia by cruising along the Volga River with Express to Russia. View our top Volga River Cruises for 2021. The best way of visiting Russia is on a river cruise, we'll make your trip to Russia unforgettable.

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The length of the river is 2,193 miles long and 40 miles wide.

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Boston, MA (February, 2018) - Adventurous travelers looking to discover world-class cities and memorable small towns, explore UNESCO World Heritage sites, and take in stunning art and architecture should look no further than Emerald Waterways' 12-day Imperial Charms of Russiariver cruise on the Volga River aboard the chartered MS Rossia. Sailing between St. Petersburg and Moscow, the journey also takes guests through parts of Russia's "Golden Ring" - a circle of ancient cities and towns famous for being some of the country's most picturesque places, and perhaps more importantly, for preserving the memory of the most significant events in Russian history.

To entice travelers to book a sailing through these intriguing regions, Emerald Waterways is offering complimentary, round trip airfare to guests who book any 2019 Imperial Charms of Russia river cruise by May 31, 2018. Guests booking after this date will receive a reduced airfare of $295 per person. Sailings are available from May through September 2019 and rates begin at $3,945 person, double occupancy.

The 12-Day Imperial Charms of Russia sailing commences in St. Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire now boasting a World Heritage Site at the city's center. A guided coach tour through Nevsky Prospect, the main boulevard of St Petersburg, introduces this vibrant city to the guests while a visit to the world-renowned Hermitage Museum-a rival to the Louvre in size and scope-reveals its past through art. In the charming village of Mandrogi, located on the river Svir, guests can shop for traditional Russian handicrafts or visit the Vodka Museum to learn more about-and sample-one of Russia's most famous exports. Guided tours of Uglich and Yaroslavl, beautiful towns located in the Golden Ring, invite travelers to dig more deeply in the country's history before embarking on the journey to Russia's capital city of Moscow, home to Red Square, the Kremlin and St Basil's Cathedral. Here, a city tour explores the architectural highlights and takes guests to the Cosmonaut Museum and the State Armory.

Emerald Waterways' other European river cruises aboard their award-winning star-ships offer outstanding service and an inclusive pricing plan. Cruise fares include all transfers; all port charges; all onboard (and some on-shore) meals; unlimited specialty tea and coffee, wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner; bottled water in the cabins replenished daily; complimentary Wi-Fi onboard the ship; most shore excursions as well as all onboard and excursion gratuities.

Part of Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Emerald Waterways' seven Star-Ships offer sailings in Europe and an exclusive charter on the RV Mekong Navigator and Irrawaddy Explorer for sailings in South East Asia. Scenic's 15 Space-Ships offer truly all-inclusive, five-star river cruises in the same destinations as well as the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar and the Volga River in Russia. In 2018, Scenic is introducing the world's first Discovery Yachts, Scenic Eclipse, which will launch in August and take 228 guests on polar adventures as well as the Mediterranean, Caribbean, the Americas and Europe; and a sister ship to launch in 2020.

Additional information can be found by contacting your local travel agent; on Emerald Waterways' website, www.emeraldwaterways.com; or by calling the US consumer/travel agent reservations line (855-222-3214). Brochure orders may be placed on the website, or a digital downloadable version is available.

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Emerald Waterways Launches Volga River Cruising from Moscow to St. Petersburg | Travel Professional NEWS®

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Guests Booking any 2019 Imperial Charms of Russia Sailing by May 31 Receive Free Roundtrip Ai Boston, MA (February, 2018) - Adventurous travelers looking to discover world-class cities and memorable small towns, explore UNESCO World Heritage sites, and take in stunning art and architecture should look no further than Emerald Waterways' 12-day Imperial [...]

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The Volga River is in Russia.  The cities that are on the river are Tver, Rybinsk, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Ulyanovsk

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In Russian folklore, the Volga River is mother and mistress, comrade and beloved companion and subject of tall tales.

For today's Russia, it remains all of the above and an important source of water, power and transport.

Stretching 2,300 miles, the Volga is about the length of the Mississippi and the longest river in Europe. It rises out of swamps northwest of Moscow in the Valdai Hills. Fed along its way by lakes and smaller rivers, it expands to become the mighty Volga, wending its way through Russia's heartland and eventually flowing south to the Caspian Sea.

According to a Russian proverb, to know Russia is to know the Volga. But looking at the river's slow, smooth-flowing water, it's hard to fathom what a huge burden it carries. The Volga basin makes up 8 percent of the vast Russian territory. It carves its way through European Russia, supporting more than 25 percent of the country's agriculture and industry. Some 40 percent of the country's population is concentrated within the river's vast basin.

In the 16th century, forces of the grand princes of Moscow moved south from the city, conquering the long reach of the Volga, creating what is now known as Russia. Eleven of Russia's 20 largest cities had their beginnings as Volga fortresses.

Through Russia's early imperial history and the rise of the Romanov czars, the river played a key role.

The bloody civil war following the 1917 revolution was decided on the Volga. During World War II, 1 million Russians died defending the river.
Ever Evolving, And Ever Necessary
But it is now much more than just a river. It also includes a complex web of lakes, smaller rivers and man-made canals stretching from the far north to the country's southern reaches.

"Thanks to canals, the Volga is now the main link in a huge system which has allowed Russia to be connected to the White Sea far to the north, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Caspian," says Rostislav Frolov, a professor at the Academy of River Transportation in the city of Nizhny Novgorod.

By the 20th century, Moscow desperately needed the Volga. When Russia was still but a collection of principalities, it had been founded on the much smaller Moskva River. Then, Russia's isolation had been its strength.

But the world had changed. Soviet leader Josef Stalin harnessed nature with prison labor in 1933, constructing a canal to link Moscow to the Volga 80 miles north. Unknown thousands died in the process.

On a recent day, schmaltzy music accompanies a cruise ship as it pulls out of a Moscow port. But one passenger cringes, saying, "We are floating on bones."

But without this canal, river expert Vladimir Debolsky says, the expanding Russian capital could not have prospered. "The Moscow River, which often dried up, could not supply the capital's growing needs. Now, 90 percent of water for this city of 10 million comes from the Volga," says Debolsky, of the Institute of Water Problems, part of the Academy of Science in Moscow.

"Many died building this canal. I have no love for Stalin. But there was no other way to do it, given the conditions of the time," Debolsky says.

As the cruise ship moves through a wide canal into the Volga, it passes a half-drowned bell tower, where villages were flooded. And then there's the first of many reservoirs checking the river's flow south. Under Stalin, the river was also tamed to provide hydroelectric power. He pulled the river into a noose and put it to work. There are now eight vast reservoirs, among the largest in the world.
Political, Economic Uncertainty

In winter, the Volga ices up. River transport shuts down. But until the frost forms, sailboats and speedboats ply the waters. Fishermen in more modest craft bob along the low-lying forested shore.

What's not visible lately is much commercial traffic -- even in what should be the busy season. For long stretches, it seems the cruise ship owns the river.

Passenger and cargo transport is way down. In 1989, Russian inland river transport was 600 million tons, about equal to the U.S. It's now down to 100 million tons, according to government statistics.

In the chaotic 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, ships were broken up for metal and quick cash. Efforts are being made to restore the fleet, but rebuilding what was so quickly destroyed is difficult and expensive.

But biologist Gennady Rozenberg, at the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Volga city of Togliatti, says the political and economic crises have brought some good news -- at least for now. "There's much less industry now and pollution is therefore less," he says. "However, this improvement has nothing to do with environmental measures. Now that the government says it is going to double the GDP, we can expect a lot of new serious [pollution] problems."

Without adequate study and regulation he anticipates that the river's delicate system will be overwhelmed.

Scientists studying the river have watched their funding drop. Debolsky, at the Institute of Water Problems, is alarmed. "I am old. After me, there is only one person left in my department. There are no young people following on. And we need time to train them," Debolsky says.
Protecting The Nation's Pride
But if the fate of the river is uncertain, its place in Russia's national consciousness is ensured.

There isn't a Russian who doesn't know the song of the Volga boatmen and the words "Volga, Volga, you are our pride."

If the Volga is to remain the nation's pride -- and lifeblood -- it needs care. Forests along the river are being cut, affecting runoff. Smaller rivers feeding the Volga are drying up. Like the Mississippi, there are looming problems with decreasing water levels and stagnant, tainted reservoirs.

Environmental groups such as Protect the River have stepped into the breach to help with monitoring and public education.

Elena Kolpakova, who heads the branch in Nizhny Novgorod, has been working on these issues since 1991. She says valuable contacts with more experienced Western organizations have been officially discouraged. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's government has made it extremely difficult for outsiders to support and aid Russian nongovernmental organizations of all types.

She regrets these new complications because, she says, foreign groups have helped a great deal in the past. She says it's still hard to get financial support in Russia, though it's slowly improving.

Green movements, evident in the U.S. and Europe, have yet to gain momentum in Russia.

With the push to develop, those worried about the Volga say Russians are more concerned with other issues.
'Where Are We Going?'
The Volga also reflects Russia's patchwork of ethnic groups. Many who live along the Volga were once violently subjugated. But they are now rediscovering their roots, most noticeably in the Volga city of Kazan, where new minarets and gilt Orthodox copulas compete for prominence on the city's skyline. Half of the 1 million residents of this oil-rich city are Tatar Muslims.

So far, Kazan has been an example of prosperity and peaceful coexistence. But Valiulla Yakukov, deputy mufti of the government-backed Muslim religious board of the Republic of Tatarstan, says the Muslim establishment has not responded to the interests and desires of young Muslims.

He worries the extremism and violence that have torn apart other Muslim regions of Russia could erupt here. He fears that an influx of conservative ideas from abroad is beginning to undermine local traditions of tolerance and could threaten the stability of the region.

"I am not an optimist," he says.

The soothing sound of the river as it flows through Russia is deceptive.

Along the Volga, historians fight over the country's legacy, environmentalists struggle to get people's attention, politicians vie for power and ordinary Russians ask the eternal Russian question: Where are we going?
Tuesday: Headed downriver into uncertain times in Russia's heartland

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Russia's Troubled Waters Flow With The Mighty Volga

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The 2,300-mile Volga River is Russia's pride and lifeblood. It provides water, power and transport and has played a key role in Russia's history. Now, in post-Soviet times, the river and its communities are under threat from economic woes and environmental concerns.

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The Volga is the longest and largest river in Europe, and a symbol for Russians, who often call it "Mother Volga." It springs from the Valdai heights located between Moscow and St. Petersburg, and spans most of European Russia, including 11 of the 20 most populated Russian cities, until its outlet into the Caspian Sea. The Volga is navigable along almost its entire course, and through its tributaries, lakes, and canals is connected to the Baltic, Black, and White seas, along with Moscow and St. Petersburg. It is has therefore been a major trading axis through the centuries. The Volga plays a role in many episodes throughout the history of Russia, its traditions, literature, arts, and folklore, while many sites of great artistic interest are situated along its banks, which change from the taiga in northern Russia to the arid steppes near the Caspian Sea. The white walls of the northern monasteries, the onion-shaped domes of the Golden Ring cities, and the high minarets of the Tatar mosques in Kazan provide a unique varied landscape reflecting the diversity of the Russian soul.

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The Volga is the longest and largest river in Europe, and a symbol for Russians, who often call it "Mother Volga." It springs from the Valdai heights located between Moscow and St. Petersburg, and spans most of European Russia, including 11 of the 20 most populated Russian cities, until its outlet into the Caspian Sea.