Russia is a country re-inventing itself. This June, join Wellesley alumnae and friends as we come face to face with its future within a context of a rich and textured past. We will cruise the rivers, canals, and lakes that link the country's former and current capital cities for a seven-night cruise aboard the deluxe riverboat, M. S. Volga Dream. The countryside will unfold to reveal a fascinating land of splendid palaces, extraordinary museum collections, and architectural treasures. With a visit to the Golden Ring - medieval towns and villages northeast of Moscow - we'll delve into the heartland of Russia.
Accompanied by Professors Marshall and Merle Goldman, experts on Russian and Chinese history and culture, we will uncover the treasures of St. Petersburg and Moscow - getting the flavor of the imperial past as well as the resurgent capital of present-day Russia. This joint Wellesley-Harvard trip will begin with a three-night stay in St. Petersburg, during the celebration of the acclaimed White Nights Festival. Here, we will visit the Hermitage Museum at a time when it is closed to the public and tour the restored Amber Room at Catherine Palace. Also featured will be the royal estate of Peterhof, with its Mon Plaisir pavilion and its magnificent terraced gardens.
Cruising to Moscow, we will participate in a series of lectures and visits ashore, designed to offer insight into Russian life and culture. On Lake Onega, we will stop on the island of Kizhy for a visit to the Church of Transfiguration, an onion-domed marvel built without a single metal nail. We will discover charming Yaroslavl, dating from the 11th century and left largely unharmed by World War II, and explore medieval Uglich, one of the ancient towns comprising the Golden Ring.
Capping this voyage are three days in Moscow, affording us time to visit the Kremlin and its historic cathedrals, Red Square with its landmark St. Basil's Cathedral, the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, and the Tretyakov Galleries.
June is an ideal time to visit Russia. With its extended hours of daylight, the festive spirit of the White Nights pervades the country, from its smallest villages to cosmopolitan cities. Join us for this special view of Russia. |
Marshall I. Goldman is the Kathryn Wasserman Davis Professor of Russian Economics, Emeritus, at Wellesley College. An expert on the Russian economy and the economics of high technology, he was a member of the Wellesley faculty from 1958 to 2002. He is also senior scholar of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University. He is the author of over a dozen books on the former Soviet Union and Russia, including his forthcoming book, Petrostate: Putin, Power, and the New Russia.
Merle Goldman is Professor Emerita of Chinese History at Boston University. She is the author of several books on modern Chinese history and culture, including Sowing the Seeds of Democracy in China and From Comrade to Citizen: The Struggle for Political Rights in China. She also co-authored China: A New History. She is an associate of the Fairbanks Center for Climate Studies at Harvard University. |
