A large industrial city located in a beautiful place on the Middle Volga. The Samarskaya Luka National Park and the Zhigulevsky Reserve are nearby. The road to them will take about an hour. Excursions in Samara include visiting museums, walking along the streets, viewing monuments. You will visit the opera and drama theaters, visit mysterious dungeons, and, if you wish, look into Stalin's bunker. The number of participants in such an exciting journey will not exceed 10 people, which means that the guide will be able to pay a lot of attention to you and answer all your questions. A city walk usually lasts two to three hours. Thus, it will not be tiresome even for children.
City tour
Perhaps, it is best to start your acquaintance with the city with this excursion. It is combined - automobile and pedestrian, you will see both modern and ancient sights, learn their history, the guide will also tell you many other interesting facts. Many local brands were known throughout the country back in the days of the USSR. For example, "Zhigulevskoe beer" or chocolates produced at the confectionery factory "Russia". First, you will walk through the old streets, look at merchant mansions and solid bank buildings.
You will see the graceful red building of the drama theater and the lancet towers of the Catholic church. In the old Lutheran church, the Volga Germans, of whom there were quite a lot, prayed. A real open-air museum is Kuibyshev Street. Previously, it was called the Noble. Here, houses built in different architectural styles coexist with each other, and a whole story can be told about each building. From here it will be convenient to go to Kuibyshev Square, and the guide will tell you how it is connected with the Guinness Book.
But Samara is also astronautics. You will see the Soyuz launch vehicle. It was the rockets produced in this city that allowed Yuri Gagarin and other cosmonauts to launch along the Earth-to-Space route. Noteworthy is the ultra-modern building - the railway station. Today it is the highest in Europe. Climbing to the observation deck located at the very top, you will see the city from above. And then you will have a walk along the promenade, the length of which is 7 km. Beautiful trees, flowers, shrubs grow here - this is a real branch of the botanical garden. If desired, it is possible to visit Stalin's bunker.
Times and eras - sightseeing walk
This is a rather long journey, so if you wish, you can take a break and sit in a cafe for tea and relaxation. You will walk along the old streets and courtyards, hear local legends, admire wooden houses built in the 19th century and decorated with skillful carvings. The guide will draw your attention to the branded bricks of that era, show you merchant mansions and tenement houses.
You have to walk along the roads that were used by Emperor Alexander II and the leader of the proletariat Vladimir Lenin, Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Fyodor Chaliapin were here, writers Alexei Tolstoy and Maxim Gorky once lived in the city. Also, you will see the Orthodox cathedral and numerous temples, a synagogue and a mosque, Armenian, Catholic, Lutheran churches. Samara has always been multinational, its inhabitants kept various cultural traditions, but they got along well with each other. You will come to the plant where "Zhigulevskoe beer" is produced.
Yes, yes, it is made here, and not in the neighboring town of Zhigulevsk. You can taste the famous alcoholic drink. And nearby there is a very beautiful female Iversky monastery, which has a rich historical past. If you have already been to Stalin's bunker, your guide will skip the visit. But if there is a desire to see the most secret place of the "reserve capital" (as Kuibyshev was called during the war years), you will go underground and inspect the leader's bunker. The guide will also tell you why Kuibyshev was a closed city, what significance it had for the military industry and astronautics. Here the famous rocket was created, on which Yuri Gagarin launched into space.
The pearl of the Volga region
This journey will enrich you with new experiences. You will walk through the streets and squares. The guide will introduce you to the history of the city. Once there was a medieval fortress, but today it is a large industrial and cultural center. You will hear for what purpose it was decided to build a fortress here, how the district town later lived. Merchants played an important role in the economic development of Samara. You will see their houses, hear the history of dynasties.
It is difficult to overestimate the role of Kuibyshev during the Second World War. A spare capital, an industry rebuilt in a military fashion, numerous hospitals, a bunker prepared for the "leader of the peoples" Stalin - you will hear about all this. After the war, the development of the aerospace industry began in the regional center. And, finally, the FIFA World Cup was held here recently. You will visit the square where there is a temple in honor of St. George the Victorious. You will see the Eternal Flame and the monument to the patrons of the spouses - Saints Peter and Fevronia. Walk along the largest square in Europe - it bears the name of Kuibyshev.
You will be able to appreciate the Samara embankment - a magnificent view of Samarskaya Luka opens from here. You will admire the monument to Chapaev and his comrades in arms, admire the graceful building where the drama theater is located. You will also have a walk along the central streets of the city (where you will see magnificent houses of the 19th century), a visit to a beautiful Catholic church, acquaintance with monuments and museums. If you wish, you can go down to Stalin's bunker.
Unexplored Samara
This walking tour will allow you to discover the city from an unexpected angle. Bezymyanka is the name of the workers' quarter, which has a fascinating history. You will walk along its streets, and the guide will tell you a lot of interesting things. During the Second World War, Samara accepted about 300 thousand evacuees. How it was possible to place them all in the city and provide them with work is a real mystery. The most important task at that time was the construction of new tram lines.
And also - in these parts there was a notorious "Bezymyanlag" - one of the most terrible in the country. You have to find out how he deserved such "glory" and what kind of work his prisoners did. The guide will also tell you how the local Palace of Culture surpassed the Bolshoi Theater. At that time, local subcultures were developed in the city - legends are still circulating about those who were their representatives.
Walking around the block will create a special mood for you. The guide will tell you which houses were considered as possible fortifications - in case the war came here too. Many houses are decorated with beautiful stucco molding, the so-called "Soviet Empire", which appeared after the war. And you will also find out why there were entire "Two Shanghai" in this area. In a word, the excursion is suitable for everyone who wants to hear little-known details from the life of the city. If you get tired while walking, you can sit in a cafe, drink tea or coffee.
Courtyards of old Samara
I would like to recommend this trip around the city to everyone who wants to feel the atmosphere of old Samara. Moreover, after a while you may not get on such an excursion. The city is being built up. In place of the old houses, ultra-modern buildings appear. But for now, you still have the opportunity to see these distinctive courtyards. You will climb the stairs used by people who lived in the 19th century. You will visit a typical communal apartment. Hear many interesting facts from the history of pre-revolutionary Samara, funny tales about local residents.
This time you will not visit the main attractions of the city. But the route from this will not be less interesting. The guide will draw your attention to the stamps on old bricks and sewer manholes, which are more than 100 years old, to the last iron door, which took its place even before the revolution. It will seem to you that you suddenly find yourself in the past.
The guide will tell you where at that time the local markets were located, where you had to go to drink the most delicious tea in the city, and what the horse stations were like. A snapshot will be taken so that you will have a memory of this walk. Hear a story about the famous merchant dynasties, about Maxim Gorky, who wrote "The Old Woman Izergil" here, about the life of the Samara bourgeoisie. In a word, a city without gloss will appear before you. This route will be especially interesting for curious and creative people.
Stalin's bunker and underground Samara
Did you know that there is an alternative city right under your feet? You will set off from the Dzerzhinsky Square and discover many interesting facts. Tunnels underground began to be laid even before the revolution. Therefore, the guide managed to collect a wealth of material for you.
You will be able to imagine a complete picture of how the underworld looked like. This is the pre-revolutionary sewage system, and huge basements where merchants stored their goods, and shelters designed for residents to hide in them during the bombing. The guide will tell you which dungeons are located under the Strukovsky Garden, where the "king of the intoxicating drink" Alred von Wakano kept beer. You will learn about the history of the Beria Bunker and why the tunnel located under the Khlebnaya Square was subsequently abandoned.
The square named after Kuibyshev also hides its secrets. During this trip, one cannot ignore Stalin's bunker. After all, it was "object number 1". Until now, it is maintained in working order, so that you can be transported to the atmosphere of those years. The guide will tell you about the connection between this shelter and Kalinin's bunker. You won't have to pay extra - the price of an entrance ticket to the leader's bunker is already included in the price of the excursion.
Peter in Samara - a walk through the ceremonies
It would seem - what connects St. Petersburg and Samara? But no, the northern capital made such an impression on the architects that they tried to repeat its style in other cities. At least some details - street layout, house decoration. So Samara has its own "Nevsky Prospekt", local courtyards can be compared with St. Petersburg, as well as entrances.
Although you will have a walk through the city center, you will discover it from an unusual perspective. You will pass along the secret passages, you will see “courtyards in the courtyard”. The guide will show you tiles and stucco, pre-revolutionary mosaics, well-shaped courtyards and much more. It unites two cities and a similar structure of shopping malls. The guide will tell you a lot of interesting facts. Also a tea party awaits you.
Myths and legends of the city
A tour for those who like the extraordinary. Rarely in what city do you hear so many myths, legends, tales as here. And the guide will introduce you to the most interesting ones. The route will start from Rabochaya Street, where houses from the 19th century have been preserved. You will admire the mansions and estates, see the house-museum of Lenin. Here his family lived in the early 90s of the 19th century. The setting in the museum exactly recreates the one that was under the Ulyanovs. The guide will show you the house of Dr. Greenberg - here you have seen the tricks of the poltergeist more than once.
But Vilonovskaya Street and the Chapaev Square gave the city their ghosts - a black cat, monks, maids, a hanged schoolboy. You will hear about when these ghosts usually appear and who saw them. There are very unusual places here: skyscrapers are adjacent to old houses. Kuibyshev Square also keeps its secrets. There are myths associated with the monument standing here. And under the square is Kalinin's bunker. Beria's flooded bunker has even more secrets. What shocked those who tried to examine it? These and other exciting stories await you.
Kupecheskaya Samara
Pre-revolutionary Samara cannot be imagined without merchants. You will hear a story about the most famous dynasties, visit houses built in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The guide will show you the Bread Exchange, the famous hotel located on the former Alekseevskaya Square, and the magnificent store that belonged to Pokidyshev. The Suroshnikov mansion was built in the style of modernism, and the house of Subbotina-Markinson was designed in the neo-Gothic style.
Local merchants often acted as patrons of art, donated a lot of money to charity, unfortunately, after the revolution, the fate of many was quite tragic. And, of course, you cannot "come to visit the merchants" without drinking tea. It is waiting for you at the end of the walk. If you stay in Samara for several days, it is better to visit not one excursion, but all that interested you. This will give you the most complete picture of the city.
Inspiring vastness and crushing dungeons
This road trip will allow you to see very unusual places around the city. But you have to prepare for the road. You will need comfortable shoes - no heels and slippery soles. In summer, you shouldn't forget your jacket - it's cold in the tunnels, no more than + 13C. Lanterns will also be needed - after all, absolute darkness reigns in the underground passages. First, head to the Soksky quarry - it's about a half hour drive from the city. There are adits with a length of over 40 km.
You will see the pit bowl, the guide will tell you about how limestone and building stone are mined here, and how these works have changed the look of the area. There will be an opportunity to look from the mountain at the panorama of the Volga, to have a snack. After that, you will pass into the adit, once prisoners worked here. And now here you can see unusual white moss, trolleys left over from ancient times, and "apartments" of diggers. Such an underground journey is impressive.
Next, you will find Tsarev Kurgan, with which many legends are connected. Some say that there is a khan's grave, others swear that it was here that the ataman Stenka Razin buried his treasure. There is a beautiful version, according to which the mound was poured on the orders of Tamerlane. The guide will tell you what scientists - geologists and archaeologists think about all this. Nearby there is a temple with an open font - if the weather is right, many swim here. A few days after the end of the trip, you will receive beautiful photos.
