Samara makes for a perfect long weekend getaway, offering stunning architecture, breathtaking nature, and world-class amenities.
Over the vast Volga
Your first must-see destination awaits on the journey from Kurumoch International Airport for those arriving by plane. The Vertoletka is a viewing platform in the Upravlenchesky settlement on the city’s northern outskirts. The views of the Volga River, its islands, and the Zhiguli Mountains are so spectacular that you’ll want to either learn to fly or stay forever.
This platform was originally used for helicopter landings before being abandoned. However, in 2021, major renovations transformed the Vertoletka, earning it recognition as the best public space at the National Landscape Architecture Awards. It’s definitely worth lingering here for a photo session and enjoying coffee at the panoramic restaurant.
Samarskaya Luka
While the city itself isn’t visible from the Vertoletka, you can clearly see the magnificent nature surrounding it. Samarskaya Luka is a vast UNESCO-protected national park (spanning over 130,000 ha) and the most picturesque location along the Volga’s bend. The mountain slopes and meadows of Luka take your breath away, while peak names like Mount Strelnaya, Mount Otvazhnaya, and Stepan Razin’s Cave echo glorious historical tales. Entry is paid and strictly scheduled to prevent overcrowding in the reserve. Visitors can either join guided tours or explore independently along suspended walkways connecting various observation points. Alternative viewing options aren’t available — picnicking and mushroom picking are prohibited, as is anything that might harm Luka’s unique rocky steppes and forests.
Resort city
While Samara hasn’t yet officially earned its “resort city” status, it’s likely just a matter of time. The city boasts Russia’s longest and arguably most well-maintained riverfront promenade. The 5.5-kilometer stretch features a botanical garden branch, photo spots including the Barge Haulers on the Volga sculpture, fountains, cafés, and multiple viewing areas. A beach stretches along the entire embankment. The sand is refreshed at the start of each season and cleaned daily, allowing visitors to feel like they’re on vacation even when in town for business. River trams depart hourly from the river station, offering views of both the city from the water and spectacular Volga sunsets. Alternatively, you can arrange a proper yacht excursion. The most scenic water route around Samarskaya Luka is the “Zhigulevskaya Circuit.” While the full route spans 140 km and takes multiple days, you can tackle any section by yacht, kayak, or SUP board.
Capital of Art Nouveau
Unfortunately, the old Samara (formerly Kuybyshev) river station — a rare example of wooden Stalinist Empire architecture — was completely demolished in the 1960s, replaced by a typical Soviet brutalist structure. Yet Samara still impresses architecture enthusiasts with its 50 Art Nouveau buildings forming an open-air museum. The Dacha with Elephants, Bristol-Zhiguli Hotel (former Grand Hotel), and the Public Assembly mansion across from Strukovsky Garden are renowned well beyond the region. The Kurlina House, home to Russia’s only Art Nouveau Museum, is definitely worth visiting (right next to it stands the Polish Church, a remarkable example of neo-Gothic architecture).
Most buildings survived well because Samara (then Kuybyshev) served as the reserve capital during the Great Patriotic War. Foreign embassies relocated here were housed in the city’s finest buildings — merchant mansions in Art Nouveau style.
Classic and Avant-garde
The Samara Regional Art Museum is essential for any city tour, housing one of the country’s finest Russian Avant-garde collections. The collection’s history of works by Malevich, Lentulov, Konchalovsky, and Rozanova reads like a detective story. Though nearly lost several times, it miraculously found new life each time. However, if Avant-garde isn’t your preferred artistic style, the museum won’t disappoint. Its collection includes masterpieces by Aivazovsky, Bryullov, Surikov, Repin, Kuindzhi, Levitan, Korovin, and Serov. It also features an extensive collection of works by Konstantin and Vladimir Makovsky.
In 2024, the art museum gained a worthy rival — as a branch of the Tretyakov Gallery opened in Samara. It’s housed in a unique constructivist monument — the Maslennikov Plant’s Factory-Kitchen. This hammer-and-sickle-shaped building, once exemplifying new Soviet living, faced years of decay and near-demolition before being fortunately saved. The Samara Tretyakov Gallery isn’t just a permanent exhibition — it’s an entire cultural cluster. It includes a cinema, creative workshops, library, and exhibition spaces. Its exhibition program rivals those in the capital — for instance, the museum’s opening featured a recreation of a 1930s Soviet cafeteria serving line and dining room as part of the Factory-Kitchen Museum project.
Photo: shutterstock.com, Vostock Photo
