a touch of luxury and style

The Rise and Fall of Imperial The Baltic Countries - Medieval and Modern

The Formation of Poland Volga Dream Cruise a touch of luxury and style une touche de luxe et de style ein Hauch von Luxus und Stil un tocco di lusso e di stile um toque de luxo e estilo un toque de lujo y estilo прикосновение роскоши и стиля 觸 摸 奢 侈 斯 提 萊 La Boheme Deluxe Tours

a genuine deluxe tour product covering five countries of the Baltic Sea region - Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland - a product which will surprise and enchant the world’s most discerning travellers.

Graceful service

The tours include only the very best each destination has to offer • we have selected a small portfolio of hotels Authentic leading a new direction of easy elegance, sophisticated charm and discrete luxury experiences • we have chosen charming, elegant and exqui- site restaurants and venues for lunches and La Boheme deluxe products are targeted at seas- dinners oned VVIP travellers - couples, families and small • we operate all tours with new, large and com- groups seeking to enhance their lifestyle. fortable private cars or minivans such as Mercedes Benz S-class cars or similar and La Boheme deluxe products combine luxury and Mercedes Benz Viano minivans or similar style with conceptual strength and educational qua- • we have selected our most experienced and lities and simultaneously provide authentic travel qualified guides, who perform with compe- experience and outstanding leisure. tence and a smile • we have included the destinations’ most fasci- nating sights, all of the highlights and exclu- Volga Dream Cruise sive visits As a part of our exclusive product portfolio we are Expect completely exclusive tours with plenty of introducing Volga Dream Cruise on board the bou- private services, visits and dining tique Volga Dream cruise ship, revealing Tsarist-area luxury and authentic travel experience along the Graceful, intelligent and dedicated service longest and largest water artery in Europe. Historical Notes

Moscow, founded in 1147 by Price Jury Dolgoruky, is a genuine Russian city and home to the Kremlin and onion-domed cathe- drals, palaces and mansions throughout the city. The dramatic changes over the last dec- ade have made the city into one of the most dynamic metropoles in the world.

The Kremlin was ’s historical for- tified stronghold and it was here that the city was originally founded back in the 12th century. It is still the place from which all Russian power emanates. It was here Ivan the Terrible orchestrated his reign of terror, Na- THE RISE AND FALL poleon watched Moscow burn, Lenin shaped Soviet power and Gorbachov unleashed DAY 03: MOSCOW perestroika. OF IMPERIAL 09:00 – 14:00 The first part of the day is reserved The Novodevichy Monastery, founded in 1524 PROGRAM for a visit to Kuskovo Estate. The centrepiece of the to celebrate the taking of Smolensk from the estate is the wedding cake-like Main Palace with its Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, recalls the RUSSIA sumptuously decorated halls and chambers and the most momentous and dramatic events of Russian history in the 16th to 19th century. magnificent ballroom with gold ornamentation, crystal DAY 01: ARRIVAL IN MOSCOW Many Russian princesses and tsarinas were MOSCOW (4) - ST. PETERSBURG (4) chandeliers and relief panels. Behind the palace in the imprisoned or took the veil here. Behind the Transfer for a 4-night stay in a superior room at Ho- geometrically landscaped French garden stands the south wall is the most venerated cemetery in yellow, white and green Grotto. Nearby you will find Moscow. It is the final resting place of some tel Ritz Carlton Moscow***** deluxe, check-in. of Russia’s most outstanding writers and the delightful Italian Cottage and beyond the Aviary poets, including Chekhov and Gogol. The Romanov dynasty ruled Russia for over 300 years. Over the cen- 20:00 Dinner at House of Literature, refined and the open-air Green Theatre stands the Orangery. turies it conquered vast territories and transformed the initially small Russian cuisine in the historical restaurant of the It is believed that Mikhail Romanov, the first tsar of the Romanov dynasty, was born in the famed Russian writers of the silver age. 15:00 Late lunch at Restaurant Sem Pyatnits, Russian state into Imperial Russia, the biggest country in the world Romanov Palace. Today the mansion houses a located in an elegant mansion abundantly decorated delightful museum devoted to the boyar life- and one of the greatest powers of 18th and 19th century Europe. The with late 19th century funiture and antiquities and style of the 16th and 17th centuries. Period DAY 02: MOSCOW featuring authentic Russian cuisine. clothing, furniture and household items adorn dynasty amassed unprecedented wealth both for itself and for the 09:00 – 14:00 A morning tour takes you to the the rooms, illustrating how the boyars lived. Russian nobility, the Boyars, while leaving the political and social fabric . You will see vast palaces, gold- DAY 04: MOSCOW When Count Nikolai Sheremetev married domed cathedrals, the infamous Ivan the Terri- Varvava Cherkassaskaya in 1743, their joint of the empire in a backwards state. Thus it laid the seeds for its own ble bell tower and much more. The highlight of 09:30 – 13:00 The morning tour offers a visit to properties amounted to 1200 villages and the tour is a special visit to the Armoury Muse- the Tretyakov Gallery. You will in particular get 200,000 serfs. They created a place of exqui- downfall and it eventually vanished in the maelstrom of the political site beauty and elegance out of their country um, which includes a vast collection of Imperial acquainted with the exhibition of medieval Russian estate in Kuskovo. It was designed and built and social upheavals of 1917. This tour is an opportunity to meet one Russian treasures. art in the gallery, made up of beautifully crafted by both French and Russian architects and of the world’s most fascinating countries and the story of the rise and icons dating from the 11th to the 17th century. took over 40 years to complete. 14:00 Lunch at Restaurant Bolshoi, Russian fall of a great empire and its imperial dynasty. In 1892, the well-known Moscow art collec- haute cuisine in a setting with exclusive con- 13:00 Lunch at Restaurant Turandot, one of the tor, merchant and industrialist Pavel Tret- temporary paintings and sculptures and opulent most upscale restaurants in the city, richly decorat- yakov offered to donate his substantial and furniture. ed in the Baroque style of 18th century Moscow. unique picture gallery to the city of Moscow. This marked the foundation of the Tretyakov Gallery. 15:30 – 18:00 An afternoon panoramic city tour 14:30-17:00 The afternoon offers a visit to the gives you an overview of the splendours of the city impressive Romanov Palace Chambers. including the impressive Red Square and St. Basil’s Cathedral, the GUM Department Store, Tverskaya 20:00–22:00 Moscow by night. During this Street with its glamorous shops and boutiques, atmospheric tour you will visit St. Sofia’s Embankment Theatre Square with the Bolshoi Theatre and finally with a splendid panoramic view of the Kremlin, the a drive along the Moscow River to Sparrow Hills to Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Church of St. enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of this magnif- Nicholas, the White House of the Russian Federation icent Russian metropole. and Moscow’s illuminated boulevards. DAY 05: MOSCOW-ST. PETERSBURG 13:00 Lunch at Restaurant Podvoriye, located in 22:30 Supper at the Restaurant Taleon Club, Historical Notes a traditional wooden Russian house, an “izba”, and located in the stunning palatial interior of the former 10:00–14:00 You begin the day with a tour of the offering genuine Russian cuisine. Eliseev Mansion. It was the desire of Peter the Great to crush 16th Novodevichy Monastery, one of the city’s most the Swedes and make Russia a European beautiful ensembles of buildings. Its white walls, 14:30 You continue to Pavlovsk Palace built for DAY 09: DEPARTURE FROM power that led to the foundation of St. towers topped by festive coronas, the magnificent Paul I, the son of Catherine the Great. Its remarka- Petersburg. The Peter & Paul Fortress was Smolensky Cathedral and a stunning bell tower im- ble park is dotted with classical statues and temples ST. PETERSBURG built alongside the Neva in 1703 to protect the mediately attract the eye. and you explore the park during a private ride in a area from possible attack by the Swedish navy Transfer to the airport, departure. horse-drawn carriage. and marks the foundation of the awe-ins- 14:00 Lunch at Café Pushkin, authentic Russian piring new capital. After Peter the Great food at this gorgeous turn-of-the-century mansion 16:00 Return to St. Petersburg. trounced the Swedes at Poltava in 1709 the Including: 4 overnights in superior room in city started to grow. Peasants were drafted in complete with costumed waiters and a pre-revolu- for forced labour and architects and artisans tionary atmosphere. Moscow, 4 overnights in a superior room were brought in from all of Europe to shape DAY 08: ST. PETERSBURG in St. Petersburg, 8 x sumptuous buffet one of Europe’s grandest capitals. 15:30 Transfer to the railway station to embark 09:00 – 14:00 A morning tour takes you to Peter- breakfast, 7 x exquisite 3 course lunches, 2 on the Sapsan high-speed train bound for St. hof. You visit the Grand Palace and the Monplai- x 4-course haute cuisine dinners, 1 x 3-cour- The Hermitage is set in the lavishly decora- Petersburg. sir Palace and enjoy the breathtaking sight of the ted state rooms of the 18th century Winter se dinner on train, all transfers, sightseeing Grand Cascade and the Water Avenue before you tours and excursions with private car and Palace, from which the Romanov dynasty ruled 16:30 Departure. While the train takes you though Russia for almost two centuries after Peter the return to St. Petersburg. endless Russian landscapes, enjoy the excellent guide, entrance to Moscow Kremlin with Great moved the Russian capital from Moscow dinner service in the 1st class carriage. Amory Museum, Kuskovo Estate, Tretyakov to St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 18th 14:00 Lunch at Restaurant Dostoevsky, named century. The museum fully lives up to its re- after the famous Russian novelist and faithful to Gallery, Romanov Palace Chambers, Novo- putation as one of the great art galleries of 22:00 Arrival in St. Petersburg. Transfer for a traditional Russian cuisine. devichy Convent, Hermitage Museum with the world and its enormous collection boasts 4-night stay in a superior room at the Hotel Grand Gold Treasure, Peter & Paul Fortress, Cathe- masterpieces by Da Vinci, Rubens, Raphael, Europe***** deluxe, check-in. 15:30-17:00 The afternoon tour takes you to the rine’s Palace with Amber Room, Pavlovsk Rembrandt, Monet, Picasso, Matisse and Yusupov Palace. During the tour of the palace you many others. Palace Park, Peterhof with Grand Palace DAY 06: ST. PETERSBURG will see stately rooms decorated in very different and Monplaisir Palace, Yusupov Palace with Historical Notes The Catherine’s Palace in Tsarskoye Selo ranks styles, from classical French to bizarre Moorish, the 10:00–14:00 This morning you are visiting the Rasputin Room, private horse-drawn car- as one of the masterpieces of the world for theatre of the palace and the Rasputin Room in the Peterhof was the summer residence of riage ride at Pavlovsk Palace Park, tickets its architecture and art. Inaugurated in 1710 Hermitage Museum. You will see the highlights of cellar. Peter the Great. With its palaces and nu- by Peter the Great and enlarged and modified the exhibitions and a special arrangement makes it to Mariinsky Theater, 1st class ticket with merous beautiful fountains and statues it is by Italian star architect Bartolomeo Rastrel- possible for you to visit the Gold Treasury Room 18:00 The evening is reserved for a visit to the Sapsan high-speed train Moscow-St. Peters- a true “Versailles” by the sea. Its wonderful parks, its flamboyant fountains in various li under Catherine the Great, the palace was to see Greek gold from the 6th to the 4th century Mariinsky Theatre, to enjoy a ballet or an opera burg, portage at hotels and railway stations the summer residence for the imperial family. forms and styles including four sweeping BC and jewellery of the Orient from the 16th-18th performance of world class. and Russian passport registration fee. Its grandiose turquoise, white and gold faca- centuries. cascades, majestic palaces, gilded statues of de stretches almost 1000 feet and its most ancient gods and heroes and vast collections of sculptures, paintings and works of the mi- spacious room, the Great Hall, covers almost 14:00 Lunch at Restaurant Old Customs House, 10,000 square feet. nor arts make Peterhof an uncontested gem. classy restaurant celebrating the cuisine of the Rus- sian aristocracy Opened in 1860, the Mariinsky Theatre became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th cen- 15:30–18:00 The afternoon panoramic city tour tury Russia, where many masterpieces of the includes the city’s most famous sites: Nevsky Pros- stage of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Rim- pect, the Admiralty Building, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, sky-Korsakov received their premieres. Today Kazan Cathedral, the Church of the Bleeding Saviour it still enjoys a reputation for being one of the best theatres in the world. and the Nevsky Convent and culminates with a visit to the Peter & Paul Fortress. The Yusupov Palace belonged to the Yusupov family whose wealth was said to exceed even DAY 07: ST. PETERSBURG that of the imperial family. One winter’s night in 1916, Count Felix Yusupov invited Grigory 09:00 – 17:00 The whole day is reserved for a visit Rasputin, the Siberian monk and favourite to Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin) and Pavlovsk. You visit of the Tsarina, to dinner, then poisoned and the Catherine’s Palace and the highlight of the tour shot him, an event that signalled the down- of the palace is a visit to the Amber Room, which fall of the Romanov dynasty. vanished during World War II and was restored for St. Petersburg’s tri-centennial celebrations. Historical Notes

Tallinn was founded back in the 12th century as a Danish city and, under the name of Reval, it became a leading member of the Hanseatic League, an alliance of German, Scandinavian and Baltic cities controlling Baltic Sea trade in the late medieval era. Tallinn undoubtedly has the best preserved medieval Old Town in all of northern Europe.

Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia and THE BALTIC COUNTRIES - is considered an intellectual and cultural hub, because it is home to Tartu University, the oldest and most renowned university in the MEDIEVAL AND MODERN Baltic countries. The university was founded in 1632 by the Swedish King Gustav Adolf during the more than 200 years of Swedish rule over TALLINN (2) – TARTU (1) – RIGA (2) – KAUNAS (1) – Estonia in the 17th-18th centuries. DAY 03: TALLINN – LAHEMAA – Peter the Great envied the ice-free Baltic ports VILNIUS (2) and the Great Northern war led to a total TARTU Russian conquest of the Baltic countries at the PROGRAM begining of the 18th century. Estonia became 09:00 In the morning you leave for the Lahemaa a part of Imperial Russia until the end of WWI. National Park. After a visit to Palmse Manor, a The Kadriorg Palace is a delightful little palace in the Baroque style built by Peter the Great The cities of the Baltic countries were some of the wealthiest and memorial to the von Prahlen family, and Sagadi for his wife Catherine. The museum features most important cities in medieval northern Europe. Estonia and DAY 01: ARRIVAL IN TALLINN Manor, a 17th century manor with a beautiful manor a diverse collection of Estonian art from the house, you continue to the tranquility and romance Golden Age. Arrival in Tallinn. Transfer for a 2-night stay in a Latvia can boast a glorious Hanseatic and Livonian legacy, while of the charming 16th century Vihula Manor for a superior room at the Hotel Telegraaf***** (Small tour of the estate and a private visit to the Vodka Most Estonians and all foreigners were forbid- Lithuania was a vital component of the biggest state in medieval Luxury Hotels of the World), check-in. den to enter the Lahemaa National Park in the Museum. Europe, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. However, for most of Soviet times due to its proximity to the Baltic sea. The Estonians managed to get the park the 19th and 20th centuries interrupted only by the interwar period, DAY 02: TALLINN 13:00 Lunch at Restaurant La Boheme, traditional classified as a protected area in 1971. Today Estonian manor cuisine at the historical Ball Room it is the prime excursion option from Tallinn, the Baltic countries were forgotten treasures incorporated into 09:00 – 13:00 The morning tour of the Old Town of the Main Manor House overlooking the beautiful offering a blend of unspoiled flora and fauna, takes you over seven centuries back in time, around Manor Park. pristine lakes and streams, quaint little coastal Imperial Russia and later into the Soviet Union. Since the Bal- the medieval city walls and towers and into the Upper villages, sandy beaches and old German-style manor houses. tic countries regained their independence at the beginning of the Town to Toompea Castle and St. Mary’s Church, then 14:30 From Vihula you will continue your journey down to the Lower Town, where you will visit the through scenic north-eastern Estonian landscapes After Estonia regained independence in 1991, a 1990s, the cities have regained their past beauty and glory and have medieval Old Town Hall and the Great Guild Hall, towards Tartu. great effort was made to restore Estonian cul- recaptured their natural position on the European map. This tour the historical home of the Great Guild, the most power- ture. The new and innovative high-tech Kumu 17.00 Arrival and check-in for a 1-night stay in a Art Museum serves as both a national gallery ful of Tallinn’s medieval guilds. The tour concludes takes you on a thrilling journey through the three Baltic countries’ millen- superior room at the Hotel Antonius****. and a museum of contemporary art, showing with a private visit to the Dominican Monastery. off the latest trends in fine art. It received the nium of history with remarkable contrasts between the medieval past and European Museum of the Year Award in 2008. 13:00 Lunch at Restaurant Balthasar, delicious DAY 04: TARTU – CESIS – RIGA the modern present and with plenty of beautiful unspoiled country- Estonian and international cuisine in the building of side in between. the medieval Town Hall Pharmacy, overlooking the 10:00 During the morning sightseeing tour you will medieval Old Town Hall. visit the Old Town with the Old Town Hall and the Main Building of Tartu University. 14:30 – 18:00 The afternoon tour continues through history to the Russian period and the 18th 12:00 Lunch at Restaurant Werner, refined century for a visit to Kadriorg Park and Palace. The Estonian cuisine in the favorite eatery of Tartu’s remainder of the afternoon brings you back to the intellectual elite and of many famous writers and present with a visit to the Kumu Art Museum. poets.

20:00 Dinner at Restaurant Gloria, Estonian haute 13:30 The tour continues through the rolling landsca- cuisine at an exclusive restaurant in a pre-war setting. pes of southern Estonia and northern Latvia to Cesis. 16:00 A tour of the Old Town takes you to the 13th 13.00 Lunch at the Lake Stone Residence, tradi- concludes with a visit to the bohemian Uzupis Dist- Historical Notes century St. John’s Church and the ruins of the tional Lithuanian cuisine at a business club built in rict, a picturesque area of the city, where students, Castle of the Livonian Order. traditional Lithuanian style and located in a pictu- artists and free-spirited dreamers enjoy their own Riga, founded in 1201 by the German Bishop resque valley amid three lakes. creative independence. Albert, was another important Hanseatic city 17:30 The balance of the day is spent on a very and continued to flourish in the 17th-19th scenic tour through the Gauja National Park to the 15.00 The highlight of the sightseeing tour of this 20.00 Dinner at Restaurant Stikliai, candleli- centuries. The significant foreign influence on Latvian capital, Riga. small town is a visit to Trakai Castle, a well preserved ght dinner in the prestigious glass roof covered Riga has left a legacy that is still very visible in 15th century castle beautifully located on Lake Galves. courtyard restaurant of the hotel. the kaleidoscope of architectural styles from 19:30 Arrival in Riga and check-in for a 2-night stay Gothic to Renaissance to Art Nouveau and in a superior room at the Hotel Grand Palace***** 16:30 From Trakai it is only a short ride to the even English Tudor style, all of which charac- (Leading Small Hotels of the World). terise the Old Town. present-day Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. DAY 09: DEPARTURE FROM Historical Notes Bishop Albert founded the Livonian Order and 17:00 Arrival and check-in for a 2-night stay in a VILNIUS DAY 05: RIGA According to legend Vilnius was founded in 1323 during the Livonian crusade in the early 13th superior room at the Hotel Stikliai***** (Relais & by Grand Duke Gediminas, progenitor of the century the order colonized ancient Livonia, Chateaux). Transfer to the airport, departure. 09:00 – 13:00 During the morning city tour you Gediminas Dynasty, which ruled Lithuania and present-day Latvia and Estonia. The Livonian later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for Order set up its headquarters in Cesis and will get acquainted with all the splendors of the city: Including: 2 overnights in a superior room over 250 years. under German rule Estonian and Latvian cities the Old Town with Riga Castle, St. Peter’s Church, DAY 08: VILNIUS in Tallinn, 1 overnight in a superior room in thrived as members of the Hanseatic League. the Dome Cathedral, the Three Brothers and the Tartu, 2 overnights in a superior room in Riga, Lithuania celebrated its millennial statehood 09:00 – 13:00 anniversary in 2009. It is remarkable that the Swedish Gate. You will pay a private visit to the The morning sightseeing tour takes 1 overnights in a superior room in Kaunas, In the 16th century, to prevent Russian rule Lithuanians managed not only to avoid foreign Small Guild House and finally, to taste the fla- you through centuries of Lithuanian history starting 2 overnights in a superior room in Vilnius, the aristocracy of western Latvia established with the sights related to early Lithuanian history: subjugation but metamorphosed into one of the the Duchy of Courland, owing its allegiance vours of the city, you are invited to a degustation of 8 x sumptuous buffet breakfast, 7 x exquisite great powers of medieval Europe. A Royal Union to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The the traditional Riga Black Balsam and Riga the Gediminas Tower and the Lower Castle, which 3 course lunches, 3 x 4-course haute cuisine with Poland was established in 1386 when the Duchy of Courland existed for over 200 years Chocolate. was rebuilt for Lithuania’s millennial celebrations, dinners, all transfers, sightseeing tours and Lithuanian Grand Duke Jogaila was crowned as Polish King Wydaslaw II Jagiello in Cracow. In the and was a mighty naval power with colonies Vilnius Cathedral and into the Old Town with the excursions with private car and guide, ent- as far as Trinidad and Tobago. The Duke of 13:00 Lunch at Restaurant La Boheme, Latvian Gates of Dawn and the Madonna of Vilnius and 15th century, Lithuania flourished and expanded rance to Tallinn Old Town Hall, Great Guild under Grand Duke Vytautas to reach its great- Courland Ernst von Biron was a favourite of nouvelle cuisine at a stylish opera-themed restau- the Old Town Hall. The tour continues with a visit to Empress Anna of Russia and he managed to Hall, Dominican Monastery, Kadriorg Palace est extent stretching from the Baltic Sea in the rant in the Art Nouveau district. the Old University including a private visit to the west, Livonia in the north, 150 km short of Mos- persuade her to commission the Italian star and Park, Kumu Art Museum, Palmse Manor, cow to the east and all the way through most architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli to build his Old University Library. 14:30 – 17:00 Sagadi Manor, Vihula Manor Vodka Museum, of present-day Ukraine to the Black Sea in the magnificent summer place in the mid-18th This afternoon you will visit the New Town and tour the amazing Art Nouveau district and 13:00 Lunch at Restaurant Zuvine, Lithuanian Tartu Old Town Hall, Tartu University, St. south. By the mid-16th century, the Royal Un- century. After Courland was absorbed by ion between Lithuania and Poland developed Imperial Russia in 1795, Catherine the Great visit the Riga Art Nouveau Museum, which offers sea-food in an elegant restaurant set within the 18th John’s Church, Castle of the Livonian Order, Dome Cathedral, Small Guild House, Riga Art into a full union of states, the Polish-Lithuanian presented the palace to her lover, Prince Zubov. an impression of an art nouveau apartment designed century neoclassical Old Town Hall. Commonwealth. in the first years of the 20th century. The tour con- Nouveau Museum, Latvian National Opera, Following centuries of foreign influence the tinues with a private backstage visit at the Latvia 14.30 – 17.00 The afternoon tour features the land- Rundale Palace , Kaunas Old Town Hall, Ciur- Dating back to the 12th century, Trakai was the emerging Latvian bourgeoisie started by the marks of the road to independence starting with a lionis Museum, Trakai Castle, Vilnius Cathed- medieval capital of Lithuania and during the middle of the 19th century to strengthen National Opera. reign of Grand Duke Vytautas the Great the stop is the Hill of Crosses near Siauliai, one of the visit to the infamous KGB Museum and continuing ral, Gates of Dawn, Old University Library, Latvia’s national identity. The New Town in holiest relics of Catholic Lithuania. Afterwards you town was transformed into one of the strongest Riga, the Art Nouveau District and the Nation- 20:00 Dinner at Restaurant Vincents, an with a visit to the Soviet-era TV Tower and the Par- KGB-Museum, degustation of Riga Black fortresses in Europe al Latvian Opera were built during this time. exclusive gourmet grotto and celebrity haunt will continue towards Kaunas. liament Building, both of which were at the centre Balsam and Riga chocolate and portage at offering exquisite international cuisine with a hotels. Kaunas was initially established as a strong- 17.00 Arrival and check-in for a 1-night stay in a of the dramatic events of January 1991. The tour By the beginning of the 20th century Riga was Latvian touch. hold against the Teutonic Knights and it be- swept away by a style of architecture and liv- superior room at the Hotel Daugirdas****. came an important city for the Lithuanian ing inspired by longing for creative freedom Grand Duchy following a decisive battle at Zal- and daring opulence: Art Nouveau. Forty per DAY 06: RIGA – RUNDALE - giris in 1410. Centuries later, when Vilnius fell to cent of buildings in the centre of Riga belong DAY 07: KAUNAS – TRAKAI - Poland as a result of the territorial adjustments to Art Nouveau, which is more than in any after WWI, it was Kaunas, the second-largest KAUNAS city, which became the capital of the new other European city. VILNIUS 10:00 Today you will visit the Baroque-style Lithuanian Republic. 09:00 – 12:00 The morning sightseeing tour takes Rundale Palace, the most magnificent palace in The Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth was even- the Baltic countries. Of particular interest are the you to the Old Town, home to the medieval ruins of tually carved up by the European superpowers Golden Hall (the Throne Hall) and the White Hall Kaunas Castle as well as the Town Hall Square with its at the end of the 18th century and Lithuania (the Grand Ballroom). Behind the palace you will beautiful Baroque Old Town Hall, Kaunas Cathedral became a part of Imperial Russia. After a period and the House of Perkunas. The tour concludes with of fondly remembered independence between find a beautiful French garden. the two world wars the country was occupied a visit to the Ciurlionis Museum, commemorating by the Soviet Union. As a result of Gorbachov’s 13.00 Private lunch at Rundale Palace, traditional Lithuania’s most famous painter and composer. perestroika policy the winds of change swept Latvian lunch in the Coffee Chamber. through the Baltic countries in the late 1980s 12:00 Departing from Kaunas, you will head and finally Lithuania together with the two oth- 14:30 The tour continues into Lithuania. The first towards the enchanting town of Trakai. er Baltic countries regained its independence in the dramatic summer of 1991. Historical Notes

Annihilated during WWII, then re-emerging like a phoenix from the ashes, Warsaw is essentially a post-war city with a meticu- lously reconstructed Old Town. However, it was already at the beginning of the 14th century that the Dukes of Mazovia built a stronghold at the place where the Royal Castle stands today. In 1596, when King Zygmunt III Waza decided to move the Polish-Lithuanian capital from Cracow to Warsaw, the Royal Castle was greatly exten- ded and became the seat of the kings and of the Sejm, the Polish parliament.

THE FORMATION OF It was love at first sight between the French beauty Marie Casimire and King Jan III Sobi- eski. At the time Jan was 27 and Marie was POLAND 15. They married in 1665 and remained pas- sionately in love for the rest of their lives. The origins of the Wilanow Palace date back to 1677, when Jan III Sobieski bought the land WARSAW (3) - Cracow (3) and set about turning the existing manor house into an Italian Baroque villa suitable for a royal family. Over the centuries the pa- Forever sandwiched between powerful neighbours, Poland has lace changed hands several times with each owner extending and remodelling it and thus defended its freedom and sovereignty on innumerable occasions over the Wilanow Palace has acquired a variety of the centuries, only to be overrun and subjugated to occupation by the park you are invited for a short private ride styles from Baroque to Neoclassical. in a gondola on Lazienki Lake, next to the famous foreign powers time and time again. It went in the 18th century from In 1764, the Lazienki gardens were acquired PROGRAM Palace on the Water. by King Stanisław August Poniatowski, who being the biggest state in Europe to completely disappearing off the PROGRAM developed classicist-style gardens and his 13:00 Lunch at Restaurant Belvedere, tradition- palace located on the lake was named the world map. Yet it is testament to the astounding resilience of the al Polish cuisine in a delightful and classy res- Palace on the Water. DAY 01: ARRIVAL IN WARSAW taurant located in the New Orangery of the Royal Polish people that Poland has not only bounced back from every crush- The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was Lazienki Park. ing blow but has also had the energy to hold strong to its own culture Arrival in Warsaw. Transfer for a 3-night stay the biggest state in medieval Europe, but it in an executive room at the Hotel Le Meridien declined during the 18th century and went 14:30 – 17:00 You will now continue to the Wilanow through three partitions. In 1795, the last and spirit. We invite you on an unforgettable journey to the coun- Bristol*****, check-in. Champagne and strawber- Palace, the royal summer residence of King Jan III part of the doomed state was eventually car- try of Fryderyk Chopin, Adam Mickiewicz, John Paul II and many other ries upon arrival. Sobieski and his beloved Marie Casimire. The high- ved up and Poland did not exist as a country lights of the palace are the 2-storey Grand Entrance for over a century. However, despite repres- remarkable Poles who have played an important role in the formation 20:00 Dinner at Restaurant Polska Rozana, sion Poland continued to exist in a cultural Hall, the Grand Dining Room and the Gallery of of Polish national identity. Polish haute cuisine in a romantic villa with antique and spiritual sense and the 19th century was furnishings and liberal sprinklings of flowers. Polish Portraits. Before you go back to the hotel you characterised by rebellions and insurrections will visit Wedel’s Chocolate Lounge to drink choco- and by a new national awakening. DAY 02: WARSAW late and taste an original sweet dessert. 09:00 – 13:00 The morning sightseeing tour DAY 03: WARSAW includes a visit to the Old Town and the Royal Castle, where you will visit the King’s Apartments 09:00 – 15:00 Today you will follow in the with all the splendours of the castle, St. John’s Ca- steps of Fryderyk Chopin, the most distinguished thedral, the Old Town Market Square and the Bar- Polish composer as well as a leading pianist and bican. You will also visit the Mickiewicz Museum representative of the music of the Romantic period. of Literature, commemorating Adam Mickiewicz, The excursion will take you to the tranquillity of the greatest Polish poet. Afterwards you will travel Zelazowa Wola to visit the house where the fa- along the Royal Route to the Royal Lazienki Park mous composer was born in 1810 and to the nearby and the Palace on the Water. During the visit to Brochow Church, where he was baptized. DAY 06: Cracow Including: 3 overnights in an executive room Historical Notes in Warsaw, 3 overnights in a deluxe room in 09:00–13:00 Today you will embark on an unusual Cracow, 6 x sumptuous buffet breakfast, 2 For almost 200 years the Grand Theatre has escapade to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. You will visit x exquisite 3-course lunches, 4 x 4-course been Poland’s grandest opera and ballet a 3.5-kilometre section of the salt mine located be- theatre. It was built in 1825-1833 to a design haute cuisine dinners, all transfers, sight- by the Italian architect Antonio Corazzi of tween 64 and 135 metres below ground level before seeing tours and excursions with private car Livorno. The theatre was bombed during the you return to Cracow. and guide, entrance to the Royal Castle in siege of Warsaw in 1939 and almost comp- Warsaw, Adam Mickiewicz Museum, Royal 15:00–18:00 You will visit the Czartoryski Muse- letely destroyed. Only the original classicist Lazienki Park and Palace on the Water, façade survived. After the war, reconstruction um, a real jewel among museums with its priceless Wilanow Palace, Zelazowa Wola, Broc- and expansion work continued until the mid- masterpiece “Lady with the Ermine” by Leonardo 1960s. how Church, Jasna Gora Monastery, Cloth da Vinci. Hall, St. Mary’s Church, Wawel Royal Castle, Historical Notes Wedel is Poland’s oldest chocolate brand Wawel Cathedral, Wieliczka Salt Mine, and one of the oldest Polish brands still in 20:00 A private ride in a horse-drawn carriage Wawel Royal Castle and Wawel Cathedral are existence. Its founder, Karol Wedel, was a to dinner at Restaurant Wierzynek, an exclusive Czartoryski Museum, private Gondola ride, the very symbols of Poland’s national iden- pioneer in the field – his chocolate factory, restaurant on the Old Market Square, famous for its visit to Wedel’s Chocolate Lounge, tickets to tity. The original rather small castle was built established in 1851, was the first such facility long tradition of excellence in Polish and interna- the Grand Theather in Warsaw, horse-drawn in the early 11th century by King Boleslaw in Poland. For over 150 years it has been as- tional cuisine. transfer to dinner at Restaurant Wierzynek, Chrobry beside a chapel dedicated to the sociated with genuine and original chocolate. portage at hotels. Virgin Mary. King Kazimierz Wielki turned it into a formidable Gothic castle, but when Poland is a strongly religious country and the DAY 07: DEPARTURE FROM it burned down in 1499 King Zygmunt Stary Roman Catholic Church has traditionally had commissioned a new residence. Within 30 a firm grip over Polish society and played a Cracow years, a splendid Renaissance palace desig- significant role in preserving national Polish ned by Italian architects was in place. identity, especially during the 18th century A farewell Polish souvenir to take away with you for and communist rule after WWII. Czestoc- your great memories of Poland. Wawel Cathedral is in fact the third cathedral howa’s emergence as Poland’s spiritual ca- to have been built at this site. The first two pital began with the arrival of the Pauline burned down and the present-day cathedral Order from Hungary in 14th century. The or- Transfer to the airport, departure. is a Gothic structure dating from the 14th der named the hill in the western part of the century. On 20 January 1320, the coronation city Jasna Gora – Bright Hill – and erected a 19:00 The evening is reserved for a visit to a monastery on the top. Still today believers in DAY 05: Cracow ceremony took place of King Władysław their millions are drawn to the site for the performance at the Grand Theatre. I Łokietek, who unified the Polish state. miracles credited to the Black Madonna pain- 09:00–12:00 The morning sightseeing tour takes From that time on, the most important sta- ting. 21:30 Supper at Restaurant Nowa La Boheme, you to the Old Town with the Old Town Market te ceremonies – the coronations, weddings, exquisite international and Polish cuisine in a styl- Square, the Cloth Hall dating back to the 14th cen- baptisms and funeral ceremonies of Polish royalty – were celebrated at Wawel Cathed- For half a millennium, Cracow was the royal ish restaurant located within the building of the tury, St. Mary’s Church with its medieval altar capital of Poland and for centuries the city Grand Theatre. ral’s High Altar. The history of the Cracow walls have guarded its traditions and secrets. made by Wit Stwosz and the Jagiellonian University. Diocese and its main church reached another Cracow became the capital of the Piast Kin- culmination with the election of its host, gdom back in 1038 and the city thrived over DAY 04: WARSAW – CZESTOCHOWA- 13:00 Lunch at Restaurant Tetmajerowska, top Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, to the Holy See as the coming centuries until it reached its peak quality Polish cuisine in an elegant setting on the Pope John Paul II. in the 16th century during the Renaissance, Cracow first floor of the historic Spiski Palace. Poland’s Golden Age. However, when Warsaw The Wieliczka Salt Mine is the oldest salt became the capital of the Polish-Lithuanian 09:00 Through the flat low-laying plain of cen- 13:30–17:00 During the visit to Wawel Royal enterprise on Polish land dating back to the Commonwealth in 1596 it brought this good tral Poland you travel southbound to Czestochowa, Castle you will see the state rooms and guest apart- Middle Ages. Several hundred years of rock fortune to an end. Yet today no other city in the country’s spiritual heart, to visit the Paul- salt exploitation have shaped the spatial ar- Poland has as many historical buildings and ments on the second floor and their collections of price- ine Monastery of Jasna Gora with the Black rangement of its excavated structure. Lying such extensive art collections as Cracow. less tapestries, paintings and furniture; the Eagle Room, on nine levels, concealed under the town, Madonna. a formal room where during sessions of the Seym at the mine reaches down to a depth of 327 15:30 After a lunch break you will continue to Wawel monarchs held a royal law court, the Senator’s metres. Subterranean Wieliczka consists of nearly 300 kilometres of corridors and al- Cracow. Hall, designated for sessions of the Senate and impor- tant state and court ceremonies and the Envoy’s Room. most 3,000 chambers. 17:00 Arrival and check-in for a 3-night stay in a Once inside the Wawel Cathedral you are lost in The Czartoryski Museum was originally es- deluxe room at the Hotel Sheraton Cracow*****. a maze of sarcophagi, tombstones and altarpieces. tablished in 1800 in Pulawy by Princess Champagne and strawberries upon arrival. Izabela Czartoryska as the first historical mu- You will see the beautiful Zygmund Chapel, the seum in Poland, the collection was secretly 20:00 Dinner at Restaurant Amadeus, classic Leonard’s Crypt, a remnant of the 12th century Ro- moved to Paris after the November Insurrec- Polish cuisine taken to new heights in the sumptu- manesque cathedral, the Royal Crypt with the kings tion of 1830 and in the 1870s it was brought ous surroundings of a restored 17th century build- and national heroes of Poland and the Poets’ Crypt to Cracow. ing in the historical centre. where Adam Mickiewicz is buried. TECHNICAL DATA

Year built 1959 Year refurbished 2007 Passengers max. 109 Crew approx. 60 Overall length 96 m / 314 ft Overall width 14.5 m / 48 ft Draft 2.5 m / 8.2 ft Max. speed 3.5 knots Displacement 1,473 tonnes Electrical voltage 220 V

ONBOARD FACILITIES

• Single seating dining room with rich choice of Russian and European dishes • Neva Lounge and Bar with live music ACCOMMODATION • DECK PLAN • Ladoga Bar with Plantation Teak deck VOLGA DREAM CRUISE The VOLGA DREAM has 56 comfortable cabins set furniture VOLGA DREAM • Tea and coffee station (24 hours) across four decks. Categories range from Standard • Boutique with folk craft items Staterooms on the Cabin Deck to Superior State- • Barber and hairdresser ST. PETERSBURG – MOSCOW • MOSCOW – ASTRAKHAN rooms on the Main Deck. On the upper two decks, • Fitness centre The boutique VOLGA DREAM indulges passengers with the names Promenade and Sun, you will find • Sauna and massage room • Laundry in tsarist-era luxury, placing the ship in a class of Deluxe Staterooms and Suites. • First aid There is no cruise like a Volga cruise. No cruise that places you so its own on the waterway. With 60 crew members and a capacity of just over 100 passengers, the Each cabin features a bathroom with separate glass completely in another place and another time. Europe’s long- ship has the highest crew-to-passenger ratio on the shower and is equipped with individually controlled RUSSIAN CRUISE LIFE est and largest river stretches through the times of the Gold- river. With so few guests amid the ship’s spacious air conditioning, mini-bar, safe, flat-screen satellite- arrangements, it feels like sailing aboard a private TV, international direct-dial telephone, 220-volt out- Enjoy majestic river views from the com- en Horde and Ivan the Terrible to Peter the Great and Cath- yacht. Russia’s first luxury riverboat, featuring op- let, hairdryer, slippers and bathrobes. fort of a leather armoire in the elegant wood-panelled lounge. Relax with cock- erine the Great and on into today, where life along ulent furnishings, the latest technology and superi- tails, champagne and live piano music in or service, offers what no other ship on the Volga All staterooms have outside views and feature ei- the bar in the evening, and during the day Russia’s central artery looks very much like it always has – the monas- can: cosmopolitan luxury and comfort amid the ther a window or porthole (Cabin Deck). Windows you are welcome to join for afternoon tea teries, the churches, the villages, the nature, the people, all comprising greater rural surroundings. can be opened. served from an authentic Russian samovar. Meanwhile, in the peaceful library you can scenes from an old painting you could swear you’ve seen before in an pick up a book to read, challenge a friend to SUN DECK Stateroom Size (sq.ft / sq.m) PROMENADE DECK Stateroom Size (sq.ft / sq.m) art gallery. a game of chess or bridge, or take advan- Deluxe Junior Suite 402, 403, 404 170 / 15.8 Owner’s Suite 300 260 / 24.2 tage of the internet access point to keep in Junior Suite 405 141 / 13.1 Junior Suite 316 158 / 14.7 touch with friends and family back home. Superior Stateroom 406 - 409, 411, 412 126 / 11.7 Deluxe Stateroom 301 - 315, 317 - 324 122 / 11.3 Deluxe Single 210 81 / 7.5 Single 325, 326 69 / 6.4 OPEN DECK

Watch the spectacular colours of Russia’s famous dazzling onion-domed churches float past as you unwind on the sun deck’s Plantation Teak furniture.

Ladoga bar Neva Lounge Library In good weather you will be invited to sump- tuous barbeques while enjoying the sun. In MAIN DECK Stateroom Size (sq.ft / sq.m) CABIN DECK Stateroom Size (sq.ft / sq.m) the evening highly-skilled barmen are on hand to mix you that perfect cocktail to en- Superior Stateroom 201 - 210 114 / 10.6 Standard Stateroom 101- 108 101 / 9.4 joy while you watch the sun set and wait for hundreds of stars to fill the sky.

Reception Restaurant RUSSIAN ACTIVITIES CRUISING THE VOLGA WINING AND DINING The idyllic landscape of the Volga River has VOLGA DREAM offers the best in tradition- inspired Russians for generations, so there al Russian cuisine and international fine is no better place to search for the heart dining, extraordinary personal service and and soul of Russian traditions and culture attention to detail, making every meal feel than when sailing down the Volga. ST. PETERSBURG - MOSCOW MOSCOW – ASTRAKHAN like a gastronomic experience of its own. • As guest of honour you will be welcomed Through a dizzying array of canals and locks, the The mighty Volga basin witnessed many decisive At breakfast there is a choice of continen- on board in the best Russian traditions events in the history of the Russian state: the emer- tal, American and Russian options. Enjoy River Volga is now the linchpin of a single wa- Russian pancakes with homemade jams, by ladies in local dress who will bring you gence of the Golden Horde, Ivan the Terrible’s over- good luck with Russian Bread & Salt. ter system linking Moscow and St. Petersburg to fresh pastries, or a selection of continental five seas. The Moscow-St. Petersburg cruises ply throw of the khans, the rebellions of Stepan Razin meats and cheeses with crispy fresh bread. • To get around Russia you really need to the Upper Volga and the waterways of Northern and Emeljan Pugachev and the great battles of World Or perhaps you’d like a made-to-order know the Cyrillic alphabet. You will learn War II. The Lower Volga, running south down to the omelette or eggs benedict? Accompanied Russia, acquainting you with Russia’s two metropoles: by freshly squeezed juices, fresh fruits, how to read Russian words and even how Caspian Sea, is an area of outstanding beauty and to sing famous Russian songs. Moscow, the mother of Russia – a genuine Russian yoghurts and mueslis and of course freshly city with onion-domed cathedrals which in the last is largely unexplored by tourists. The Lower Volga brewed coffee you’ll feel ready to face the • Julie Christie, Omar Sharif, Audrey Hep- two decades has turned into one of the most dynamic cruises commence in the Russian capital Moscow day ahead. burn and Henry Fonda – watch the greats and take you to the ancient cities of Jaroslavl and cities in the world – and St. Petersburg, the Venice Every day, a delightful buffet lunch is served starring in Oscar-winning films set in Rus- Nizhny Novgorod, the Tatar capital of Kazan and the sia such as Doctor Zhivago and War and of the North with its many canals and world-famous with dishes inspired by the local produce Peace on your private flat-screen TV. imperial palaces, museums and theatres. There fascinating cities of southern Russia: the industri- bought onshore that day. On sunny days are also the ancient cities of Goritsy, Yaroslavl and al and commercial centres of Samara and Saratov you are invited up on the Sun Deck to en- • How to tell if your Russian souvenirs are with powerful historical legacies, the hero-city of joy al fresco dining and a barbeque lunch as Uglich, lakes Ladoga and Onega and endless un- we sail off down the beautiful Volga to our the real deal? A Russian fine arts and Volgograd and Astrakhan in the Volga River Delta, crafts expert will tell you all the secrets touched Russian landscapes. A cruise on the Upper next destination. of traditional Russian crafts and show Volga offers a rare glimpse into Russia’s colourful an ancient city known for its cultural heritage and you how to care for them. past and enterprising future. its caviar industry. than 15 persons. The tour includes 6 nights on However, the main