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With BBC One’s period drama series War and Peace attracting more than six million viewers, there is a renewed fascination with Russian history.

Saga has a selection of cruises and tours to the great cities of St Petersburg and Moscow which feature in the six-part adaption of Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel.

RIVER CRUISES

St Petersburg to Moscow cruise - 10 nights from £1,199
Saga’s river cruise on MS Surikov includes overnight moorings in both cities to give passengers time to explore the elegant palaces and treasure trove of historic sights. Nine tours are included in the price plus Russian language lessons, traditional dance and folklore classes while guests sail along the Volga, Svir and Moscow Canal.
Departures on May 11 and 21, June 10 and 20, July 20 and 30, August 29, September 8 and 18, 2016. There is also a reverse itinerary, so more dates are available.

Gems of the Russian Capitals cruise – eight nights from £1,449
Sail on the luxury 200-passenger MS Victoria with an itinerary that includes St Petersburg and sailing on Russian waterways to Mandrogi, Kizhi Island, Yaroslavl, Uglich and Moscow.
Departs July 8, 2016 with regional flights from Manchester, Birmingham and Heathrow airports. There is also a reverse itinerary, so more dates are available

OCEAN CRUISES 2016
Saga cruise ships Saga Pearl II and Saga Sapphire each sail twice to the Baltic from Dover this summer. All four cruises include time in St Petersburg, the city where some of the filming for War and Peace took place. There are more than 15 fascinating tours to choose from including the Hermitage Museum, Catherine Palace, the Faberge Museum, Peterhof Gardens and the chance to spend an evening at the theatre to watch a Russian ballet.
Departures: Cities of the Baltic – 15 nights from £2,849 departs May 6; Baltic Capitals – 14 nights from £2,899 departs August 4; A Voyage to the Baltic – 14 nights from £2,460 departs August 14; Best of the Baltic –15 nights from £3,173 departs September 8. ‡

ESCORTED TOUR
Jewels of the Russian Capitals – six nights from £1049
For those who prefer a land holiday, this six-night tour starts in Moscow and guests travel by high-speed train to St Petersburg. Tours include a visit to the Tretyakov Gallery, a capella concert at the Church of St Nicholas, a visit to the Kremlin to see the glittering star of the Russian state diamond collection - the 189-carat Orlov Diamond - and in St Petersburg, the eye-wateringly opulent blue, white and gold Catherine Palace.
Departs from London Heathrow on June 3 and 17, July 1 and 22, August 19, September 2, 2016.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

‡ Prices quoted include UK travel package to and from Southampton, all meals and entertainment, choice of table wines at lunch and dinner, afternoon tea, 24-hour room service, welcome cocktail party, unlimited tea and coffee in selected venues, free Wi-Fi internet, all on-board gratuities, porterage, free shuttle bus to nearest town centre (whenever possible and when the ship is berthed more than 500 yards away), optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights, or a discount of £53 if passenger has own insurance.

Prices are per person, based on two people sharing the lowest available inside cabin, were correct at time of going to print and are subject to availability and change. ‡ Based on an Inside Guarantee where guests receive their cabin number shortly before sailing or at embarkation and not at the time of booking. The cabin may be allocated anywhere on the ship and twin cabins may have either two single beds or one double bed. Further terms and conditions apply.