Photos and Videos

Travel Weekly's Michelle Baran was on a Russian river cruise on the Viking Pakhomov, a 210-passenger ship that was recently renovated. Pictured here, the Viking Pakhomov and Uniworld's River Victoria docked at the village of Mandrogi. Photos by Michelle Baran, unless otherwise noted

Photos & Videos

Dispatches from Russia

Travel Weekly's Michelle Baran was on a Russian river cruise on the Viking Pakhomov, a 210-passenger ship that was recently renovated. Pictured here, the Viking Pakhomov and Uniworld's River Victoria docked at the village of Mandrogi. Photos by Michelle Baran, unless otherwise noted

Travel Weekly's Michelle Baran was on a Russian river cruise on the Viking Pakhomov, a 210-passenger ship that was recently renovated. Pictured here, the Viking Pakhomov and Uniworld's River Victoria docked at the village of Mandrogi. Photos by Michelle Baran, unless otherwise noted

The 18th century wooden church at Kizhi Pogost, an Unesco World Heritage Site, is a major attraction on the Volga-Baltic Waterway

Touring an orthodox church in Uglich, Russia

Toasting our host during a home visit outside of Uglich

A home visit is an optional tour that Viking offers

Passengers were impressed with the high-tech navigation equipment in the Viking Pakhomov's wheelhouse

The Pakhomov's reception area

A stateroom on the upper deck of the Pakhomov

The bathrooms are equipped with a standing shower and L'Occitane products

Tourists fill the seats at the Hermitage Theatre in St. Petersburg for a ballet performance of Swan Lake

St. Petersburg's Winter Palace

The restaurant onboard the Pakhomov, where most meals are served

An optional Russian-themed lunch on the Pakhomov's sky deck

Learning about former Russian President Vladimir Putin in one of the onboard lectures

Travel Weekly Senior Editor Michelle Baran played a prince in the Viking Pakhomov passenger play. Photo by Mike Roche

Moscow's central Revolution Plaza subway station

Taking a trip on Moscow's subway system

Visiting Moscow's Red Square is a highlight of Viking's 13-day Waterways of the Czars river cruise from St. Petersburg to Moscow

A small footbridge in Moscow where couples getting married come to attach symbolic padlocks

Moscow's famous Church of Christ the Savior in the background of the hip Strelka Bar across the Moscow River