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Mummified monks and Cossack horsemen feature in Saga’s extraordinary Heart of Ukraine tour.

A wealth of cultural treasures and glorious wildlife await guests aboard MS Dnieper Princess on a round-trip voyage from Kiev to the Black Sea coast which includes city tours of Kiev, Odessa, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhya and Vilkovo.

In Kiev, visit St Sophia’s Cathedral with its golden onion domes and the Monastery of the Caves, founded in 1051, where monks were mummified and entombed after death.

The Cossacks have strong ties to Zaporizhzhya, where guests can see displays of horsemanship, weaponry and dancing on the island of Chortisa. The role of Dnipro in the space race and defence industries is honoured by the missile monuments in Rocket Park, which also houses a science hub and memorials to those who died in war and the Chernobyl disaster.

The country’s contrasts are emphasised in industrial Kremenchuk, with an optional excursion to a typical village, and the Danube Delta, a wetland biosphere and a UNESCO World Heritage Site frequented by more than 300 bird species.

The cultural highlights in Odessa, founded by Catherine the Great in the 18th century, include three palaces, a 19th-century Opera House – with an evening performance on offer – the Potemkin Steps, the Tolstoy Mansion, the eerie catacombs used by the Soviet army during the Second World War and the stunning Saint-Transfiguration Cathedral.

Other options are a bus trip to the historic port town of Belgorod-Dnestrovski, known as ‘white rock’, a concert by the Ukrainian National Choir and a Kiev by Night boat tour with a performance of folk music.

Full-board, traditional cuisine is served on 260-passenger MS Dnieper Princess and entertainment includes a gala dinner and variety show by the crew. The ship is air-conditioned and has two restaurants, a lounge, sauna and beauty salon, as well as compact, comfortable cabins with large picture windows.

For details call free on 0800 656 9919 or visit saga.co.uk/river-cruises

12 nights from £1,399 per person departs from London Gatwick on May 23, June 4 and 16, and August 16 and 28, 2019 with Ukraine International Airlines.

Price includes VIP door-to-door service, return flights and transfers, all meals, welcome cocktail party, porterage, optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights or a discount if passenger has own insurance.

Editors:

Saga is a specialist in the provision of products and services for life after 50. The Saga brand is one of the most recognised and trusted brands in the UK and is known for its high level of customer service and its high quality, award winning products and services including cruises and holidays, insurance, personal finance and publishing. Visit saga.co.uk