Our visit to Russia was also our first river cruise. We started in Saint Petersburg, during the 'white nights' - the longest days of the year, when the sun barely sets. Of course, we made a few visits to the Hermitage while in town.

Leaving Saint Petersburg, we traveled down rivers and canals, ultimately ending in Moscow. We really had no idea what to expect in the towns we stopped in, but they were uniformly interesting. Unfortunately, the blazing heat inhibited our enjoyment of some of the countryside.