St. Petersburg - a hot mess worth knowing After being there twice this summer with Viking Cruises we are sharing our suggestions of things to do in St. Petersburg Russia. Keep in mind that you need to have an appreciation for high drama to really absorb this city. The royal intrigues and various revolutions have left the city a glamorous, slightly exhausted grand dame who … [Read more...]
Kizhi, Russia
A brief history of Kizhi, Russia Kizhi, Russia, on the shore of Lake Onega, has the Kizhi Pogost UNESCO World Heritage Site. The three buildings (2 churches and a bell tower) earned the distinction because of their architecture, how they bear tribute to the carpentry skills of Northern Russians and their harmony with their surroundings. This area of Russian is Keralia and … [Read more...]
The Summer Palace of Catherine the Great
The Summer Palace of Catherine the Great The shore excursion to the summer palace of Catherine the Great took us by surprise on day two of our Waterways of the Tsars cruise with Viking River. Maybe further along in the cruise, when we would have already experienced the opulence of Russia’s Tsars, we would have been more prepared for such a level of autocratic … [Read more...]
Planning for the Waterways of the Tsars cruise with Viking River
Preparing for Waterways of the Tsars with Viking River Cruises If you're going on Waterways of the Tsars with Viking River there's a good chance that it will be a wonderful once in a lifetime trip. Russia isn't easy to visit the way so many countries in Europe are. We would never have tried to navigate Russia on our own. Viking River has had a longstanding … [Read more...]
The Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg with Viking River
The Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg The Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg is its own meticulously created gem. Located in a small 18th century palace (if there is such a thing) and only in existence since 2013 it has smaller crowds and better access to the exhibits than larger museums. The museum is a project of The Link of Times Foundation which is primarily funded by … [Read more...]
How to plan for a Viking River Cruise
How to plan for a Viking River Cruise (Hint: It's very easy) After you have selected and booked your itinerary you may wonder how to best plan for a Viking River Cruise. Fear not! Although we hear that ocean cruise lines have ways for you to book shore excursions ahead of your cruise as far as we know only Viking River Cruises has this feature available for river cruises. … [Read more...]