Long weekend in the Samara Region

Volga Embankment

The embankment stretches for 4 km along the Volga — a record among cities on the Volga River. Along its entire length are chestnut and linden alleys, bright flowerbeds, fountains, cozy rest areas, children’s and sports playgrounds, and unusual sculptures. Address: Maksima Gorkogo Street, Samara

Address: Maksima Gorkogo Street, Samara

“Vertolyotka” Observation Deck

“Vertolyotka” is a full-fledged park complex with parking facilities, walking paths, streetlights, cafés, and children’s playgrounds. The site got its name in the 1950s–1960s, derived from the Russian word for “helicopter”, when helicopters regularly landed here carrying the chief designer of the Kuznetsov Design Bureau for rocket engines. From the helicopter platform you can view Samarskaya Luka National Park, the Volga River, Samara, Zhiguli Mountains, Sokolyi Mountains, Zhigulevskie Gate, and the settlements of Krasnaya Glinka and Upravlenchesky. In the distance you can see the Zhiguli Hydroelectric Station, Tolyatti, Chapayevsk, and Novokuybyshevsk.

Address: Upravlenchesky District, Samara

Stalin Bunker

The depth of this multi-level bunker is 37 meters, which corresponds to the height of a 12-story building. At the time, this gigantic structure was built in less than 9 months of round-the-clock work. The bunker is equipped with an autonomous air regeneration system and its own power station, both of which are still operational. The structure is hermetically sealed and can remain fully autonomous for five days. On the lowest floor there is a meeting hall for 115 people. Nearby is a rest room intended for Stalin. On the upper floors are rooms for security, storage, and technical services. There are legends that Stalin really lived in this bunker for a short time.

Address: Address: 167 Frunze Street, Samara

Opening hours: Monday–Friday 11:00 am-3:00 pm, Saturday–Sunday — closed

Website: bunker-stalina-samara.ru

A. Tolstoy House Museum

The Alexey Nikolayevich Tolstoy Museum is located in a manor that once belonged to his family. The future writer lived here during his studies at the technical school from 1899 to 1901, and later returned to visit his parents from St. Petersburg. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to meet the characters of the writer’s children's works. For example, Buratino, whose story resembles Pinocchio. You will also be able to visit the key locations from “The Golden Key, or the Adventures of Buratino” and take part in them. The museum regularly hosts workshops and interactive programs for children of all ages.

Address: 155 Frunze Street, Samara

Opening hours: Tuesday–Wednesday 10:00 am–5:30 pm, Thursday 12:00 pm–7:30 pm, Monday — closed

Website: samlitmus.ru

AvtoVAZ Museum

The AvtoVAZ Museum is a journey through the history of Russian automobile manufacturing. The museum is dedicated to the history of the plant, its development, workforce, and main products, as well as the history of international cooperation and the recognition of the LADA brand. It holds 20,000 exhibits. The exhibition opens with the very first VAZ 2101 automobile. You will also see here bright concept cars, racing, sports, and vintage vehicles.

Address: 121 Yuzhnoe Highway, Tolyatti

Opening hours: Tuesday–Friday 10:00 am–5:00 pm, break 12:15 pm–1:00 pm; Saturday 9:00 am–5:00 pm, break 12:15 pm–1:00 pm; Sunday–Monday — closed

Website: vk.com/muzeumavtovaza

Sakharov Technical History Park

The exposition of the Sakharov Technical History Park spans 38 hectares. It features more than 450 exhibits: aviation, space, engineering, railway, automotive, armored, agricultural, and rocket technology, as well as naval artillery systems and weapons. In addition, thematic and historical festivals, Victory Day celebrations, and sports competitions on the karting track are held here.

Address: 137 Yuzhnoe Highway, Tolyatti

Opening hours: Monday–Sunday October–April 8:00 am–5:00 pm, May–September 8:00 am–8:00 pm

Website: vk.com/tehmuseum

Samarskaya Luka National Park

This is the largest, 200-kilometer bend of the Volga River. Together with the Zhiguli Nature Reserve, it forms part of the Middle Volga Biosphere Reserve included in the UNESCO list of biosphere reserves. Here you will be able to visit several climatic natural zones at once, and while walking along eco-trails you can admire the Zhiguli Mountains on the right bank of the Volga.

Address: 109A Tkacheva Street, Zhigulevsk

Opening hours: Monday–Sunday 9:00 am–10:00 pm

Website: npsamluka.ru

Repin House-Museum

The Repin Museum is the short name of the branch of the Samara Art Museum in the village of Shiryaevo. In reality, this house is the peasant estate of the Alekseev family, who hosted young artists here in the summer of 1870. Today it is not just a museum of a great Russian painter — it is a center of attraction and a place where the past meets the present. The Ilya Repin House-Museum recreates the way of life of a typical Volga peasant estate of the 19th century. It was here that he created one of his most famous paintings — “Barge Haulers on the Volga.” The interior of the house has been restored exactly as it was during the artist’s lifetime. The museum hosts an annual celebration called “Repin’s Birthday.”

Address: 14 Sovetskaya Street, Shiryaevo, Zhigulevsk Urban District

Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday–Sunday 11:00 am–7:30 pm, Tuesday — closed

Website: artmus.ru

Spasskaya Tower of the Syzran Kremlin

The Syzran Kremlin was built in the 17th century and is one of the few surviving fortress structures in the Volga region. Inside the Spasskaya Tower there is a museum where you can learn about the history of this place. From the upper tier of the tower opens a panorama of the confluence of three rivers — the Krymza, the Syzrankа, and the Volga.

Address: 2A Sovetskaya Street, Syzran