Where to go and what to see in Samara.

A guide to the “spare capital”, as well as the beer, space and modern capital. And yes, we are talking about one city in which all this is perfectly combined.

Table of contents

• Where to stay
• What sights of Samara to see
• Where else to go in Samara
• What to bring from Samara

Where to stay

Apartments in the center and beyond are not cheap: apartments for a day are rented out for an average of 2,000 rubles. Through Airbnb you can find cheaper options: an apartment in the embankment area can be snatched here for 1,400 rubles per night excluding fees, a nice one-room apartment in a residential area - for 1,600 rubles.

There are also more budget options: for example, a bed in the Yo! on the local Arbat, Leningradskaya Street, costs from 500 rubles per night. However, we do not recommend choosing a place of residence based only on pedestrian traffic: there is absolutely nothing to do there. Accommodation in a shared room at Mishka will cost the same 500 rubles . Time Hostel , located six kilometers from the center, will ask for an overnight stay from 400 rubles.

If your plans for the Samara weekend do not include savings, then you should take a closer look at proven chain hotels like Renaissance and Ibis . They are located side by side on Novo-Sadovaya Street, a little further from the historical center, and were previously considered the local “premium” hotel - a room for one here will cost between 2,900 and 2,430 rubles per day, respectively.

For the World Cup, the Lotte Hotel was built in Samara - a huge palace that does not fit into the surrounding reality, but amazes with its appearance and scale. For a night here you will have to pay from 5,500 to 250,000 rubles. Other hotel options include the 7terrass boutique hotel on the very banks of the Volga (from 4,000 rubles), the “ Count Orlov ” on Kuibyshev Street (from 4,500 rubles) and the Holiday Inn in the very center of Samara (from 4,400 rubles), which is even praised locals - at least for the architectural solution.

The stop list includes the Oktyabrskaya Hotel at the bus station, which Elena Letuchaya rated 0 out of 5, and the Bristol Zhiguli. The latter lures tourists not with the quality of service, but with the story of how Fyodor Chaliapin spent the night here and sang from the balcony. Let's remember: this was a long time ago.

What sights of Samara to see

Embankment

Address: Volzhsky pr., st. Maxim Gorky.

The Samara embankment is the longest among the embankments of all Volga cities: it stretches for more than four kilometers. Well-maintained city beaches stretch almost as long. All along the embankment there are chaotically erected monuments to the founder of Samara, Prince Grigory Zasekin, a bather, a diver and comrade Sukhov from “The White Sun of the Desert,” who is rubbed for good luck. There are also restaurants everywhere, spots with smoothies, hot corn and fried ice cream, trampolines and shooting range employees shouting “Let’s go play,” to which Samarans have developed an immunity.

The embankment is divided into “new” and “old” parts. On the first there is a snow-white stele in the shape of a boat, on the second there are the berths beloved by the townspeople, where three-deck cruise ships arrive and from where cruise ships leave for the other side of the Volga. It seems that half of the videos of Samara musicians were filmed here.

Strukovsky Garden

The oldest park in Samara. Next to it is a brewery, below it is the beginning of the “old” embankment, above it, on the hill, is the local drama theater and the city’s famous Pushkinsky Square. Two years ago, “Strukachi” underwent reconstruction: the ancient fountain “Grotto” was restored here, the pavilion of the local chess club was updated, and most importantly, the first concrete skatepark in the Volga region was built.

City residents especially love the renovated garden for its pergola with swings. The swing is functional, but officially decorative. Therefore, we do not recommend actively swinging on them, you never know.

Glory Square

At the end of the 2000s, the square in front of the government building was considered a habitat for skaters and those who liked to look at the river from the slope. But in the mid-2010s, it was paved with the ubiquitous tiles, and the panorama was almost destroyed: the so-called Western Wall was erected here - the memorial “Pride, Honor and Glory of the Samara Region”, which blocked the view of the Volga.

After long discussions, the observation deck was improved, and the slope itself was repaired for the World Cup. It turned out quite Soviet, but there was an amphitheater and a dry fountain - it does not have a bowl where the water accumulates. It all looks especially impressive in the evening. One thing remains unchanged - the steel monument of Glory towering on the square. This is a 13-meter-tall figure of a worker, whom the locals locally call Panikovsky.

Stalin's bunker

Address: st. Frunze, no. 167.

During the war, Samara (at that time Kuibyshev) became the “backup capital” of the country: the USSR government, the diplomatic corps and the Bolshoi Theater were evacuated here, and in 1942 a backup shelter for the top officials of the state was built here.

The depth of the “ Stalin bunker ” is 37 meters; for clarity, it is usually compared to a twelve-story building. At the very bottom of the bunker there is a meeting room, as well as a rest room intended for Stalin: it has a heavy table with green cloth, wooden panels on the walls and an atmosphere of heightened anxiety. Above is an exhibition dedicated to the life of Kuibyshev and the work of defense enterprises of that time.

The dungeon was declassified in 1990, but still not every local resident knows where it is. However, it’s not without reason: Samara residents love to go down into the caves beyond the Volga much more than into totalitarian concrete holes.

You can find out more details and sign up for a tour on weekdays by calling +7 (846) 333-35-71. On weekends, you can get to the bunker with the Art Excursions agency - individually or with a group.

Bar "At the bottom"

Address: Volzhsky pr., 4.

In Samara there is only talk about beer. It’s all to blame for the local brewery, built in 1881 by Austrian citizen Alfred von Vacano, and the Zhigulevskoe lager, which is produced here. Moreover, you should definitely taste the national treasure at the “Na Dne” bar - a place where football fans and distinguished gentlemen in jackets fraternize.

For the World Cup, “Dno” turned from an authentic eatery into a two-story mansion - with a mug of “Zhigulya” and a dark “Von Vacano” for 100 rubles, only one women’s toilet, but still the same Samara spirit. A reminder in case of important negotiations: “There is only one bottom,” even if the atmosphere of a simple bar is not to your taste. In a pinch, local beer can always be taken away from the taproom around the corner.

Art Museum

Address: st. Kuibysheva, 92.

The museum building itself is a luxurious structure in the neoclassical style with columns, gold leaf on the facade and “palace” interiors inside. The museum's collection includes more than 35,000 exhibits, including works by Aivazovsky, Repin, Shishkin, Kuindzhi, Levitan, Malevich, as well as a half-length portrait of the mayor Pyotr Alabin and works by the Samara artist Valentin Purygin, who officially painted Volga landscapes, and unofficially - phantasmagoric paintings, in which the city was filled with goblins, mermaids and mythical creatures with horns.

You can follow the schedule and working conditions of the museum in a group on the social network VKontakte or on the website .

Museum "Cosmic Samara"

Address: Lenin Ave., 21.

Samara is also cosmic. We don’t encourage you to go to the Progress plant, but the museum on Lenin Avenue is a mandatory item in all tourist guides and extracurricular programs for Samara schoolchildren. It’s not surprising: the facade of the museum building is decorated with an authentic Soyuz launch vehicle, which was built on the same Progress (though it has never been in space). Among the museum's exhibits are photo surveillance devices, rocket engines, a spacesuit that belonged to the hero of Russia Yuri Lonchakov, who flew for more than 200 days, and even tubes of space food.

You can follow updates in the museum’s work schedule on the website or on social networks .

Polish church

Address: st. Frunze, 157.

The Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus sounds as stunning as it looks. The construction of the Polish church in Samara was completed in 1906. It shared with other churches all the hardships of the Soviet era, in 1991 it was transferred to the Catholic community, and in 2017 it was restored for the World Cup.

The temple is made in the neo-Gothic style: it is built in the shape of a cross, its facade is decorated with pinnacles, and the windows are stained glass. The church is open for individual visits; organ concerts are often held here . True, the local organ is electronic. You can listen to the mechanical instrument in the church on Kuibysheva Street; the schedule of performances is published here .

Museum of Art Nouveau

Address: st. Frunze, 159.

Samara is the modest capital of Russian Art Nouveau. There are many buildings representative of this style in the city, the main one of which is the Kurlina mansion, built in 1903.

At various times, the house housed the White Czech counterintelligence, a kindergarten and the Swedish Embassy, ​​and in 2012 the Museum of Art Nouveau was opened here. You can start the tour already on the street - with a gate in the shape of an openwork butterfly and a forged dragonfly on the roof. Inside there are 22 rooms with stucco and floral patterns on the ceiling. The main exhibition is located on the ground floor of the mansion: special attention is paid to the office, dining room and boudoir of Kurlina herself, the window of which is decorated with a stained glass window in the shape of a tree crown.

Imported exhibitions are held on the second floor and in the basement, including works by taxidermists from the friendly Alabin Local History Museum. And on the territory of the Kurlina estate there is a cozy courtyard with swing chairs, sun loungers and a White Cup coffee shop - one of the best in the city.

Up-to-date information about the museum's operating hours can be found at the link .

Where else to go in Samara

Museum of Eldar Ryazanov

Address: st. Frunze, 120.

It was opened just two years ago - in the house where the great director was born and spent the first month and a half of his life. The room was rebuilt to resemble a communal apartment and divided into three themed rooms. What is important is that this is not just a memorial, but a modern and truly interactive museum.

Inside you can see the desk at which Ryazanov did his homework when he found himself here again during the years of evacuation, eavesdrop on the telephone conversation of the characters in “Office Romance,” examine costumes and props from the filming, and also learn more about the military Kuibyshev: in the hall dedicated to this time , you can listen to audio memories of residents of the rear. Also, pay attention to the square right next to the museum - not the way it was originally intended, but still unusually cute.

All news, as well as online lectures of the museum, are published on the page on the social network VKontakte .

Gallery "Victoria"

Address: st. Nekrasovskaya, 2.

Private gallery of contemporary art. Every vernissage at Victoria is a must-visit event and a reason to gather guys in caps with a collar. Works by Moscow nonconformists like Erik Bulatov and Ilya Kabakov are brought here, exhibitions dedicated to the genre of post-digital art are organized here, and most importantly, contemporary art of the city itself is shown.

Until August 1, the site is closed for the holidays, and after that, Victoria will host a traditional exhibition and presentation of final works of school students, organized on the basis of the gallery. You can follow the news on the social network VKontakte or on the website .

Streets with wooden houses

It was in Samara that “ Tom Sawyer Fest ” was born - a festival where volunteers restore wooden houses throughout Russia.

Dilapidated huts in the historical center of the city are kindly called “rotten houses”: most of them are askew, bent and pushed away due to the lack of sewerage, but some houses are still being saved. We invite city guests to walk through the restored “postcard” quarter on Leninskaya Street or admire the platbands of houses that were resurrected at the same “Tom Sawyer Fest” - for example, on Lev Tolstoy or Galaktionovskaya streets. We also recommend taking a look at one of Samara’s famous “wooden” courtyards, where sheets are usually dried, makeshift gazebos with worn-out chairs are hidden, and a dozen local cats hang out.

Zavolga

That's right, in one word. Zavolga is the right bank of the river, without which Samara residents simply cannot imagine summer and the so-called Volga hedonism.

Zavolga is home to villages, islands with cottage communities and wild beaches. The village of Rozhdestveno is ideal for bicycle rides (rentals are available on site); in Shiryaevo you can visit the house-museum of the artist Ilya Repin or the traditional cherry festival with tasting of an 11-meter-tall “Tsar Pie” and themed costumes. And on Nizhny Beach - lie in a tent with a glass of Zhigulevsky and fry fish bladders over a fire.

Also on this shore is the Samara Luka National Park, on the territory of which are located the Molodetsky Kurgan, the Stone Bowl ravine and Mount Strelnaya with an observation deck - one of the highest points of the Zhiguli, which is climbed for panoramic views and extreme photographs. You can get to Zavolga by private boats (more expensive) or omics (slower) - their schedule is available at the link .

Kuibysheva Street

Before the World Cup, Kuibyshev was restored, during the championship it was made pedestrian - and it suddenly acquired the status of a party place. Today, not only sticky old mansions and pompous buildings of former banks are concentrated here, but also catering establishments. Restaurants, bars and coffee shops are found here at every turn, and almost every one of them strives to equip a seasonal veranda. For some it’s a couple of tables with awnings, for others it’s hanging chairs in the form of nests, which were featured on the Instagram* of city residents last summer.

What to bring from Samara

Baking and sweets

Samara is filled with chain bakeries with salespeople in cartoonish caps, but the city is still closer to the products of the local bakery and confectionery plant: bread, puff pastries with cheese, spinach or berries, the Samara roll with a criminal abundance of poppy seed filling, as well as the famous city bun. The local governor recently checked out the latter. “It’s a pity, there’s no milk in the car,” Dmitry Azarov lamented, so we urge you to learn from other people’s mistakes and not chew dry milk.

You can buy Samara bakery merch in the bakery's branded stores or in any city supermarket. Another edible souvenir option is “Native Spaces” candies, which are produced at a local chocolate factory.

Designer accessories and clothing

“ Everything Else ” is a gift shop that has just about everything: from the notorious passport covers, Demeter perfume and designer ice cream maker to books from independent publishers and local merch. Pay attention to enamel mugs and shoppers with the Zhiguli Mountains, frankly cool backpacks from the Togliatti brand “Sputnik” or T-shirts with a minimalist print #SMRGRDKRT - others may not understand, but Volga residents will approve. In addition, on the store shelves you can find the book “Bandit Samara”. Samara is a very multifaceted city.

Classic souvenirs and rocket models

For classic souvenirs for tourists, it’s worth checking out Sambuc . Here you will find T-shirts with the president’s portrait on the chest, birch bark boxes, and trinkets with local flavor. So, at Sambuka you can buy T-shirts with the print “I am for the Volga” or pop landmarks like the same rook and “Panikovsky”, as well as various models of rockets, a watch in the shape of a “Zhigulya” bottle and a gold-plated “Samara” pen for 16,755 rubles

Beer and fish

It is better to travel to Samara lightly, so that there is room in your suitcase for the full line of Zhigulevsky brewery products, including Venskoye, Von Vacano, zerovka and branded lemonade. By the way, you can take them away in the branded “Na Dne” shopper, which holds eight bottles and is sold in the bar of the same name. There you can also buy a ceramic or glass mug, a T-shirt with one and a half rubles on the back, or a Pivovoz piggy bank. Finally, don’t forget about the Volga fish from the “Bottom” - dried or smoked. Its pungent smell, combined with the aroma of beer, is close to every Samaran (and yet it’s better not to put fish in your suitcase).