Samara

Samara (Сама́ра in Russian) is one of the largest cities in Russia. It is situated in the southeastern part of European Russia, the Volga Federal District. The metropolitan area of Samara-Togliatti-Syzran within Samara Region constitutes the population of more than 3.0 million people. Formerly a closed city, Samara is now a large and important social, political, economic, industrial and cultural center of European Russia which in May 2007 held the European Union — Russia Summit.

Samara was officially founded in 1586 when on the bank of the Volga River the construction of the fortress to protect the Russian State from the incursion of martial nomadic tribes was started. But in fact, the settlement on the bend of the Volga River had been mentioned in the ancient chronicles since 14th century. During World War II Samara (the city is situated not far from Moscow), then named Kuibyshev, was considered to be the second capital of USSR. Many famous people worked and lived in Samara including outstanding Russian writers Lev Tolstoy and Maxim Gorky, painters Ilya Repin, Vasily Surikov and Ivan Aivazovsky, revolutionists Michael Frunze and Vladimir Lenin. Even French writer Alexander Duma had paid a visit to Samara in 1858. Impressed by the travel he wrote the book "From Paris to Astrakhan" and gave his description of Samara in it.

Samara is located on the left bank of the Volga river which acts as its western boundary. Its northern boundary is formed by Sokolyi Hills and by the steppes in the south and east. The land within the city boundaries covers 46,597 ha. Samara has a continental climate characterized by hot summer and cold winter.
Samara citizens' life has been associated with the Volga river, serving as the main commercial route of Russia through several centuries. Besides Volga has a great visual appeal. Samara river-front is one of the favorite recreation places of local dwellers and the guests.

Samara is a leading industrial centre in the Volga Area and is among the top ten Russian cities as regards produced national income and industry volume. Samara is known for the production of aerospace launch vehicles, satellites and various space services, engines and cable, aircraft and rolled aluminum, block-module power stations; refinery, chemical and cryogenic products; gas-pumping units; bearings of different sizes, drilling bits; automated electric equipment; airfield equipment; truck-mounted cranes; construction materials; chocolate made by Russia Chocolate Factory; vodka Rodnik; Zhiguli beer; food processing and light industry products.

The Zhiguli mountains near Samara formed Samarskaya Luka (Samara Bend). Near Samara the Volga turns to the right and there is a narrow bend formed about 3 kms. wide. Samara was founded in 1586 on the very beautiful place in the center of great steppe beyond Moscow, the capital of early Russia. During the Great Patriotic War (the Second World War) Samara was the second capital of the USSR. The Government of the USSR and many foreign embassies were situated there. During the 1889 and 1893 V.I. Lenin worked in this city. He was a lawyer in Samara town court. Samara has some museums. Art Museum branched of 1937 from the museum of regional studies which was organised in 1897. So did the museum of A. Tolstoy who wrote "Peter the First" and lived and worked in Samara during the 19th and 20th centuries. One of the new museums is called "Bunker of Stalin" because it was built during the Great Patriotic War (Second World War) in own city to organise the defence of Stalin if he should come to Samara. Samara has 4 theatres. There are the Drama Theater, the Opera and Ballet House, the Theater of Young Spectators and the Puppet Theater. Old theatre "Olimpus" is now the building of philharmonic society. The circus of Samara is called "The Hat". It's a new building. 

 

Quick facts about Samara
Area: 260 sq km
Location: Samara is situated in the southeastern European part of Russia in the Midstream of the largest river in Europe - the Volga.
Geographic
coordinates: 53 10 N, 50 15 E
Population: approx 1,133,000 (2005 est.)
Foundation: 1586
Climate: Samara has a distinct continental climate. The annual air temperature is + 3,8 C. The average temperature in January is -13,9 C, in July +20,1 C.
UTC/GMT Offset: UTC/GMT + 4 hours
Area code: 8462
Major attractions: Art museum, Museum of Aleksey Tolstoy, Drama Theater, Opera and Ballet house.

Restaurants

The average dinner price for two is about 30 US dollars. It's also recommended to test different national cuisines.

While visiting good restaurants you may come across the lack of vacant places especially at the lunch time and in the evening. That is why it may be a good idea to book a table in advance. We give recommendations about Samara restaurants and make reservations at Samara restaurants for 10 USD per person which must be paid in advance.

Vostok
109 Pobedy St.
252366

Germes
28 Ventseka St.

Gril-Master
133 Revoliutsionnaia St.
668525

Dom Aktiora
24 Vilonovskaya St.
332588

Elisey
12 Novo-Sadovaya St.
703090

Zviozdnoye
24 Novo-Sadovaya St.
346400

Zerkalo
17 Michurina St.
349432

Zolotoy Telionok
47 Prospect Maslennikova St.
343880

Zolushka
Zagorodniy Park, Under Dance Floor
341809 < p>Kitai
8 Studencheskiy Pereulok St.
325609

Kometa
101 Morisa Toresa St.
630021

Korea
44 Antonova-Ovseenko St.
222187

Rafaello
7 Zoia Kosmodemianskaia St., Privolzhsky Universam
523873

Sandra
47 Solnechnaya St.
941772

Sodruzhestvo
181 Sovetskoy Armii St., PARK GAGARINA
160927

Traktir Slaviane
66 Kuibisheva St.
398187

U Lipy
45 Volzhskiy Prospect St.
423482

U Palycha
100 Kuibisheva St., 106 Buianova St
438343

Fenix
62 Partizanskaya St.
364827

Formica Cafe
78 Partizanskaya St.
360361

El Torro
91 Frunze St.
336555