The river cruise season in Russia is still in full swing. It begins in late April and runs through to early November. Autumn, however, is arguably the perfect time to set sail — at least in the subjective opinion of our executive editor Dasha Chernova. This is when the landscapes along the river reveal their most mesmerising colours, turning the views from your cabin window into a spectacle in their own right.

Here’s a photo diary from a cruise she took last autumn, following this route: St. Petersburg — Vyborg — Konevets Island — Mandrogi — Kizhi — Goritsy — Uglich — Moscow.

Cast off!