The cities of Moscow and St Petersburg are linked by a series of canals, rivers and lakes. There is one itinerary, a 12-night cruise from Moscow to St Petersburg, or vice-versa,  that includes time in each city at either end of the cruise.

ST  PETERSBURG

The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg is one of the largest art museums in the world and it is estimated that visitors would have to walk 24 miles to see all of the exhibits in this museum, founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great. It is probably best for visitors to decide exactly what they want to see before being overwhelmed  by the highlights.

Further must-see sights are the Catherine Palace, St Isaac’s Cathedral, the Battleship Aurora and the Church of the Spilled Blood, built where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated. The Yusupov Palace, visited on several itineraries, is where Rasputin was poisoned, shot and finally drowned.

MOSCOW

Visit the Kremlin to see everything from weapons to jewels and Faberge eggs. St Basil’s Cathedral, the Bolshoi Theatre, Red Square and the Tretyakov Gallery, home to 100,000 pieces of Russian art are featured on tours which also visit Metro stations with ornate chandeliers, sculptures and frescoes.

UGLICH

One of the oldest cities in Russia, Uglich is where Dmitri, the 10-year-old son of Ivan the Terrible, was banished after his father’s death. Seven years later the boy’s throat was cut on the orders of Boris Godunov, who wanted to be Tsar. The church, Dmitri on the Blood, was built where  Dmitri was killed.

YAROSLAVL

A city of churches, cathedrals and monasteries founded in 1010 by Yaroslav the Wise. Legend has it that he came upriver, defeated a bear that was worshipped by the resident pagans and started his settlement.

KIZHI ISLAND

A museum houses the only two surviving multi-domed wooden churches built during the reign of Peter the Great. The Church of the Transfiguration of Our Saviour has 22 domes while the Church of the Intercession has nine and both were built without nails or plans.

THE WATERWAYS

Cruising from Moscow to St Petersburg, ships pass through 18 locks and drop 196 metres to sea level. The Moscow Canal, built by political prisoners under Stalin to link Moscow to the Volga River and the Rybinsk Reservoir, was created by flooding 700 villages. Sail over Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe which freezes in winter.

Visitors need a visa to cruise in Russia. This must be obtained in advance. The price at October 2015 was £97. www.visitrussia.org.uk