In History's Wake

Russian civilization began and grew from the great river basins of the Dnieper, Volga, Dvina and Bug. These were major North-South trading routes “from the Varangians to the Greeks,” responsible for the rise of Kievan Rus and the Novgorod state.

The subsequent rise of Moscow is similarly attributable to waterways. Russia’s capital is situated near the headwaters of four important rivers: the Dnieper, Volga, Oka and Don.

For centuries, traders and travelers have used these waterways to navigate across Russia. So it should not be surprising that travel by river remains one of the best ways to see Russia.