Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Kamchatka Russia)

Petropavlovsk (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky) is a port city and the the capital Kamchatka oblast. The city of Petropavlovsk provides access to the Kamchatka Peninsula and is located near its southern tip on the eastern coast. It has a small museum with an excellent collection of indigenous and Russian handicrafts revealing the history of exploration and culture of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Sights include the Orthodox Cathedral and a monument dedicated to Vitus Bering and lieutenant Alex Chirikof. They established the town in 1740 and named it after their sailing vessels - Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Tourists can also stand atop a close-by hillside and admire the unique sight of a trio of volcanoes ringing the bay.

From here cruisers can also visit the Valley of Geysers, which is a truly extraordinary experience with a panorama of tundra, wooded hillsides, roaring rivers, sheer-cliffed canyons, small lakes, and breathtaking Karymsky Volcano. Stroll on boardwalks through the landscape where gaseous steam and plumes of sizzling water billow towards the sky.

One of the fortresses on Russia's fortified line, Petropavlovsk became a major centre for Russian trade with Central Asia in the 1800s. The Trans-Siberian Railway was completed by the end of the 19th century, and Petropavlovsk became a major junction for the movement of goods throughout Central Asia.