Jan

10

Samara Travel & Sightseeing Guide

January 10, 2008 |

A trip to Samara
Samara is an important city in Russia - equal parts industry and culture - with a population of well over a million people. Not far from Moscow, Samara briefly served as a sort of secondary capital city during WWII. Local colour draws on the university as well as the wealth of artists and authors that have grown out of Samara’s past, and this in conjunction with its modern infrastructure and thriving automobile and aerospace industries give Samara a satisfying self-sufficiency.

Flights to Samara
Samara is served by Kurumoch International Airport, located a little over 20 miles north of the city centre. This facility handles an annual throughput in excess of a million passengers, most of whom are bound for Moscow and other Russian cities. Lufthansa flies to Frankfurt and CSA Czech links up with Prague. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Samara try lastminute.com.

The local metro system is currently under development. At present, there are eight stations that only access a few of the most essential areas downtown. Samara is a regional hub for the Russian rail network, and several trains depart for Moscow on a daily basis. If you’re travelling by hire car, you’ll find Samara along the M5 motorway that runs from Moscow to Togliatti.
[gmap map:47]
Sightseeing in Samara
Most of Samara’s tourist appeal centres on its brief capital spotlight during WWII. Lenin’s remains were evacuated to Samara for a short time, and Stalin’s Bunker remains a primary highlight for tourists. Originally built as a safe house in case Moscow fell to the Germans, it sits on Kuybyshev Square directly behind a row of apartment buildings.

The city is full of monuments to Soviet ideals along with a lot of Stalin-era architecture. The new Orthodox Church in Samara is a pleasing structure, and the Freedom Statue also has a consistent cloud of tourists hovering around its base. Located next to the White House, this area enjoys exceptional views of the Zhiguly Mountains and the Volga.

Book Sightseeing Tours

Fun by night – eating drinking and partying
Samara is fully equipped to fulfil all of your partying needs. Restaurants in and around the city centre represent a variety of tastes and there’s plenty to eat beyond the hardy Russian staples. In general, fine dining is little less expensive in Samara than it is in Moscow.

The nightlife in Samara is heavy on dance clubs and discos. Some of the most popular dance spots are KINUP, Beerja, Aura, Long Bar and Postel. Meanwhile, the downtown bars focus on beer and spirits, and the food menu in these places is more of an afterthought.

Fun by day - shopping and activities
Walking tours of downtown Samara are nice, and there are plenty of shops and marketplaces where you can pick up a souvenir or something to eat. For a break from city life, a walk along the Volga can be equally rewarding. Hydrofoils up and down the river afford an outside perspective on the city along with a window into the life of local farmers. While the river’s not that well-maintained, this is still a wonderful way to view the countryside.


Comments

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind