Page 1 of 6 Click here to print River cruises: Ballet, barbecues and palaces on a voyage into the heart of Russia By David Adams UPDATED: 16:52, 12 December 2011 When it comes to holidays, it's always best to inject variety. Sometimes my wife Kay and I are attracted by an area's stunning scenery or its fascinating history - and at other times we go to a place for pure rest and relaxation. This break - 11 nights in Russia which included a river cruise from Moscow to St Petersburg on board the Volga Dream - appealed to us because it offered sightseeing opportunities, culture and also some time to relax. Lifting the spirits: Members of the famous Mariinsky Ballet in action
Page 2 of 6 We booked the break through Cox & Kings and I particularly liked the fact that I was able to talk to an adviser who had previously experienced the trip. This was our first visit to Russia, although we used Cox & Kings about five years ago when we went on a tailor-made holiday to Rajasthan in India. Our last major break was to Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. We enjoy river cruises, and Kay is particularly fond of ballet and wanted to see the Mariinsky - one of the world's leading companies and still called the Kirov by many - at its home in St Petersburg. An excursion to see a performance is offered as an optional extra. We also liked the concept of having hotel bases in the centres of Moscow and St Petersburg - long on our list of must-see cities - rather than spending all the time on the ship and having to 'commute' to the city's attractions each morning. There were plenty of memorable moments; the Kremlin, for example, was spectacularly beautiful and a total revelation. Our tour included visiting Cathedral Square and the Armoury Museum, which holds so many treasures collected by the Russian state and church. Meanwhile, the palaces of St Petersburg, including the Summer Palace and Pavlovsk Palace, were all stunning. The visit to Catherine Palace was another among many unforgettable experiences. Spectacularly beautiful: A visit to the Kremlin was a memorable moment The Hermitage, one of the biggest and oldest museums in the world, is unique but the time allocated to walk around it was too short - Kay and I could easily have spent weeks there. Overall, we thought the architecture of St Petersburg was amazing.
Page 3 of 6 One highlight was walking back to our hotel along Nevsky Prospekt, the main avenue in St Petersburg, after seeing a performance by the Mariinsky dancers. As for negatives, an excursion to Mandrogi, a reconstructed Russian folk village, was disappointing. It had the atmosphere of a theme park and exists only to sell trinkets to tourists. In contrast, the staff on our ship could not have been more helpful or friendly. There wasn't a Cox & Kings tour rep as such, but there were staff members to look after tourists in the various language groups. The English-speaking rep was very good, and our guides in Moscow and St Petersburg were also excellent. Our cabin on board the 56-berth Volga Dream wasn't especially large but it was comfortable and had a good view of the river. The food was superb - a barbecue one evening was fun, and there was a traditional Russian meal on another occasion. During the day, a number of lectures, doll-painting classes and Russian lessons were staged, while in the evenings there was entertainment. I wouldn't say this was a holiday for young families. Most of those aboard were couples, but it would also suit solo travellers who have an interest in music, art and architecture. My advice would also be to arrange an extra few days in St Petersburg because the time included in the standard tour was not enough for us. We'd been told to do this by friends and we would have been disappointed if we had not followed their recommendation. This was perhaps the most enjoyable holiday we have had - we would award it at least nine out of ten. And we would certainly travel with Cox & Kings again. Getting there Cox & Kings (020 7873 5000, www.coxandkings.co.uk) offers an 11-night escorted group trip to Russia, with two nights in Moscow, three in St Petersburg and a six-night cruise aboard the Volga Dream. It costs from 2,375pp, including flights, transfers, excursions, hotel stays and full-board accommodation aboard the ship, with house wine, draught beer and soft drinks served with lunch and dinner. Regular departures are available between May and September 2012. MOST READ NEWS Previous 1 2 3 Next Woman, 38, who seduced schoolboy faces 14 years in jail... Where now for the Rag Lady of Chiswick? Ex-concert pianist...
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Page 6 of 6 Tourists told to 'shelter in place' over Isaac Tuesday cheapest day to fly from UK, says study Tropical Storm Isaac prompts evacuations Chris Evans declares 1st CarFest great success Ads by Google: Cruise Cruise OffersFind Deals That Suit You on Cruise Deals. Book Your Cruise Today.Cruisedeals.co.uk/Cruise 2012 CruisesSearch, View And Save On A Huge Range Of Discounted 2012 Cruiseswww.IdealCruising.com/2012 Pension changes-oct 2012Find out what the benefits of staying enrolled are herewww.direct.gov.uk/workplacepension Celebrity Cruise ExpertsGreat offers and amazing deals on Celebrity Cruiseswww.choosingcruising.co.uk St. Petersburg RussiaAutumn/Winter 2012 - tickets to all ballet, opera, shows. Free deliverywww.balletandopera.com Find this story at www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2073142/russia-river-cruises-voyage-moscow-st-petersburgs- Mariinsky-Ballet.html Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group Associated Newspapers Ltd