Day 1Kiev
Arrive in Kiev, capital of Ukraine and transfer to your ship.* After boarding, take free time to relax before dinner—or join our “welcome walk” to stretch your legs and start getting oriented. (D)
Day 2Kiev
Tour Kiev, one of Europe’s oldest cities, with a heritage of Viking, Cossack and Ukrainian peoples. Explore its historic buildings and monuments, and take a guided tour of the lovely domed St. Sophia Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch aboard, tour the Monastery of Caves, an extensive complex of churches and museums founded by monks in 1051. Dinner aboard is followed by evening sailing along the peaceful Dnieper River. (B, L, D)
Day 3Dnieper River Scenic Cruising
Enjoy a full day of scenic cruising, taking in the Dnieper’s landscape of rolling hills, ancient forest groves, historic villages and wide lakes. A series of onboard activities are available to help you familiarize yourself with the history and culture of Ukraine. (B, L, D)
Day 4Zaporozhye
After breakfast, tour Zaporozhye, ancestral home of the Cossacks. Drive along Lenin Street; see the Lenin Monument, dam and the city’s massive hydroelectric plant. Then visit the Cossack Museum of Khortitsa. Enjoy a special Cossack horsemanship show including folkloric music and dance. Depart during lunch; this afternoon, enjoy scenic cruising and onboard activities, including a Ukrainian tea party. Cruise through the night. (B, L, D)
Day 5Kherson
After a morning of scenic cruising and a Ukraine language lesson, arrive in Kherson midafternoon. Disembark for a tour of this small city, founded in 1778 by order of Catherine the Great and named after the nearby ancient Greek colony of Chersonesos Taurica. Walk along the river embankment, see the monument to Prince Potjomkin and visit St. Catherine’s Cathedral, decidedly Mediterranean in design. Dinner is served as we depart. (B, L, D)
Day 6Sevastopol
After lunch, arrive in Sevastopol, base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Tour the city center and see St. Vladimir Cathedral and Admiral Nakhimov Square. The rest of the afternoon is free, or join an optional archeological tour of the ancient Greek city of Chersonese, founded in the 6th century B.C. near today’s Quarantine Bay and designated one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine. Dine aboard and remain docked overnight; this evening you can attend an optional Black Sea Choir concert. (B, L, D)
Day 7Sevastopol
This morning’s tour goes to the Tatar city of Bakhchisarai. Tour the Khan Palace, built in 1519, and see the many different architectural styles within the complex. Visit the courthouse, harem and mosques, then stroll the beautifully landscaped grounds. After lunch, enjoy free time to further explore Sevastopol, site of the famed “Charge of the Light Brigade” during the Crimean War, or take an optional tour to Balaklava to visit the Panorama Museum and the submarine tunnels. (B, L, D)
Day 8Yalta
Enjoy a morning tour of Yalta. Travel along Lenin Embankment to Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Livadia. Visit the White Palace, site of the 1945 Yalta Conference between Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill, and take a guided tour through official halls and private apartments of the czar’s family.
Lunch aboard; this afternoon, explore at your leisure or choose an optional tour either to the Nikita Botanical Garden featuring 20,000 plant species, or to one of Anton Chekhov’s homes in Yalta, now a museum about the famous playwright. Dine aboard; dock overnight. (B, L, D)
Day 9Yalta
Spend the morning further exploring Yalta, or join one of the optional tours including the beautiful mid-19th-century Aloupka Palace and gardens or a wine-tasting excursion to Massandra. Depart this afternoon. (B, L, D)
Day 10Odessa
After breakfast, enjoy a half-day city tour of Odessa, an elegant city of terraced hills and landscaped parks. Travel along Primorski Boulevard to the Opera House and Potemkin Steps. Lunch and dinner are served aboard; take the afternoon and evening at leisure to explore this fascinating city. (B, L, D)
Day 11Odessa
Today is yours to explore enchanting Odessa on your own. The city’s stately 19th-century architecture is a blend of its Russian heritage and more Mediterranean sensibilities, and there are miles of sandy beaches to stroll along. Or, you may opt for an art museum and/or Jewish Odessa tour. This evening you may attend an optional musical or ballet performance. (B, L, D)
Day 12Odessa
After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight.* Or, extend your journey to include 3 nights in fabulous, historic Istanbul. (B)
The following meals are included:
B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner
*Airport meet & greet transfers included when air is purchased from Viking River Cruises.