36 Samara attractions recommended for viewing

What to see in 1 day on your own Museums Stories, routes and tips from tourists Where to stay in Samara Where to go from Samara for 1 day

1 day in Samara is an interesting travel option. You will see exquisite Art Nouveau buildings and churches of different faiths, walk along the long embankment and the largest square in Europe, and also learn about the city’s connection with space. If you wish, you can also visit a local brewery, go to a site with a picturesque view of the Zhiguli Mountains, or visit the observation deck of the highest railway station in Europe.

Samara town was founded in 1586. The fortress was created here by order of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, the last representative of the Moscow princes from the Rurik dynasty. It received its name from the Samara River flowing into the Volga. In 1935–1991, the city was renamed Kuibyshev in honor of the revolutionary, party and political figure of the USSR V.V. Kuibyshev. During the Great Patriotic War, many enterprises, Moscow cultural institutions and some of the highest authorities of the USSR were evacuated to Samara. It was here that in 1942 the composer Shostakovich completed the Leningrad Symphony (No. 7), and a bunker was built in the city for Stalin. Samara's aviation industry is famous; our cosmonauts, including Yuri Gagarin, launched into space on rockets produced here. The first man in space spent the first days after landing in Samara. In 2021, the city became one of the venues for the FIFA World Cup.

Samara Academic Drama Theater named after M. Gorky Photo: © Tatyana Tolstousova

The best attractions in the vicinity of Samara:

Mastryukov Lakes

If you turn off the highway leading from Samara to Togliatti, you can find yourself in a fabulous place - a natural lake ensemble. The cleanest reservoirs have become a refuge for many animals and birds, including those listed in the Red Book. Fishermen also like to visit these lakes. And bards: this is where the legendary Grushinsky festival takes place.

Address: railway station "Mastryukovo"

Opening hours: daily, 24 hours a day

The entrance is free

Greve Brothers Cave

Not far from the city there is a real Paleolithic monument. The crevice between the Studeny and Koptev ravines in the Sokoli Mountains hid for many years a site for people who lived in the Bronze Age. Evidence of this were knives, pieces of dishes, broken arrowheads and animal skulls.

Experts warn that visiting the grotto without an accompanying person, as well as without equipment and proper physical training, can lead to dire consequences.

Address: Samara, Sorokin Khutora stop

Opening hours: daily, 24 hours a day

The entrance is free

Samarskaya Luka National Park

Not far from the city of Togliatti, on 134 hectares, there is a protected area. Its main value is the Red Book representatives of flora and fauna, as well as the only Zhiguli Mountains on the Russian Plain that grew due to tectonic activity.

In addition to natural attractions, Samara Luka preserves traces of the ancient city of the 8th–13th centuries.

Employees welcome nature lovers, picnics, fishing, sports and active recreation, as well as professional tourists, to the national park all year round.

Address: Samara region, Zhigulevsk, st. Tkacheva, 109 A

Opening hours: daily from 8:00 to 17:00, Saturday and Sunday – days off

Admission: adults – 100 rubles, schoolchildren – 50 rubles, children under 7 years old – free

Official website: https://npsamluka.ru/

What to visit in Samara for free:

Lutheran Church

The monastery of the Lutheran community was built and illuminated by 1865. Ten years later, the temple was destroyed by fire, but quickly restored by local residents. During the Soviet years, the building faced the fate of a warehouse, but in the early 1990s, the church was returned to its purpose.

In addition to Sunday services, the church hosts events on the Bible and religion, spiritual concerts, and organizes clubs for all ages. Here you can also see a rare instrument for Russia - an organ.

Address: st. Kuibysheva 115-117

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00, Wednesday - from 10:00 to 20:00, Saturday - closed

The entrance is free

Official website: https://elk63.ru/

Strukovsky Garden

You can take a break from the bustle of the city right within its boundaries - in Strukovsky Park. Back in the 19th century, here, in addition to the dense forest, there was an estate and garden of G.N. Strukov.

Now the park occupies about 8.5 hectares, and its main attractions are wide alleys, beautiful slopes and stairs, beautiful flower beds, fountains, grottoes, and gazebos. Here you can also find several attractions, but the park is not overloaded with entertainment complexes.

Address: st. Krasnoarmeyskaya, 2a

Opening hours: daily, 24 hours a day

The entrance is free

Intercession Cathedral

White stone walls, golden and heavenly domes are the main decoration of the historical center of Samara. The cathedral was built in the mid-19th century in the traditions of ancient Moscow architecture. The rich decoration with frescoes and marble decoration was destroyed by fire in the 1970s, but after restoration the temple again amazes with its luxury.

The shrines of the Intercession Cathedral are the miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a cross with a piece of the sacred Cross of the Lord, the relics of the Voronezh wonderworker Mitrofan, a piece of the Holy Sepulcher.

Address: st. Leninskaya, 75A

Opening hours: daily from 7:00 to 19:00

The entrance is free

Ascension Cathedral

This functioning Orthodox church is unique in its architecture - it is made in the style of classicism with strict lines and shapes. Most of it has been preserved since 1841, but the dome and bell tower had to be restored from scratch after the Soviet regime.

Today, inside the temple you can admire frescoes and stylized ornaments. Believers can venerate the main shrines of the Ascension Cathedral - the icons of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear” and “Gerontissa” from Athos.

Address: st. Stepana Razin, 78

Opening hours: daily from 8:30 to 19:00

The entrance is free

Iversky Convent

The first temple of the Orthodox pearl of Samara was built in 1882. Over the course of several decades, the monastery acquired churches, a hospital, a school, and workshops. During the Soviet years, the complex lost some significant monuments, but since 1992 active work has been underway to restore and restore it.

The Iversky Monastery today is a place of attraction for pilgrims from all over Russia. Visitors can touch the relics of St. Alexander Chagrinsky, as well as visit churches, icon-painting and gold-embroidery workshops, and a library.

Address: Volzhsky pr-t, 1

Opening hours: daily from 7:30 to 19:00, closed on Wednesdays

Free admission

Official website: https://iverskiy.rf

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, charges from 400 rubles for an overnight stay.

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 Revizorro in the city of Samara - the Oktyabrskaya Hotel at 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.

Where to go in Samara and what else to see:

House-Museum of M.V. Frunze

The exhibition, located in the house of the Soviet military leader Mikhail Vasilyevich Frunze, tells the story of a difficult time in the history of the country.

Guests will learn all the most important things about the events of the Civil War, the confrontation between the “whites”, “reds” and “greens”, the struggle of the Eastern Front and much more. Separate pages are devoted to the life and work of Frunze himself.

Address: st. Frunze, 114

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00, Sunday and Monday - closed

Entrance: adults – 50 rubles; children 16-18 years old – 40 rubles; children under 16 years old – free

Samara Regional Art Museum

The museum building is the hallmark of Samara architecture. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, the mansion resembles a rich palace, and its Art Nouveau interiors match the external chic.

In the huge exhibition halls you can see original works by Chagall, Dali, Aivazovsky, Levitan, Shishkin and other geniuses, as well as works of contemporary artists, ceramics, and sculptures.

Address: st. Kuibysheva, 92

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00, Thursday and Saturday - from 13:00 to 21:00, Tuesday - closed

Admission: adults – 100 rubles, preferential categories – 50 rubles.

Official website: https://artmus.ru/

Kurlina's mansion

An example of Art Nouveau arose on the streets of Samara more than a hundred years ago. The mansion managed to end up on the pages of Alexei Tolstoy: in “Walking Through Torment” the writer called it absurdly luxurious. The house received its modern name from the owners - the Kurlins, a couple of philanthropists.

You can admire the building not only from the outside. Within its walls is the Museum of Art Nouveau, the exhibits of which are harmoniously integrated into the recreated interiors.

Address: st. Frunze 159/Krasnoarmeyskaya 15

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00, Tuesday and Thursday - from 13:00 to 21:00, Monday - closed

Admission: adults – 80 rubles, children under 16 years old – free

Official website: https://samaramodern.ru/

Zoo museum

The museum has been building its rich collection for almost a century. During this time, some zoological artifacts became historical: for example, stuffed brown bear and Canadian lynx were made in 1913. The modern exhibition is represented by four halls with invertebrates, fish, birds and mammals.

Address: st. Antonova-Ovseenko, 24

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 16:00, Saturday - from 10:00 to 13:00, Sunday - closed

Entrance: adults – 100 rubles, children – free

Official website: https://museum.pgsga.ru/museum_zoo/

House with elephants

The ancient dacha of the merchant Golovkin is famous not only for its combination of Art Nouveau and the Viennese Secession. Its main decoration was two sculptures of elephants. The animals are cast from concrete in full height, the inside of the statues are hollow. True, you can’t even see the elephants up close to the mansion, but they are clearly visible from the street and from ships sailing along the Volga.

Address: st. Soviet Army, 292

Opening hours: daily

Entrance: the area is closed to the public

Samara Academic Drama Theater named after M. Gorky

The Samara Drama Theater is recognizable not only by its repertoire and performance, but also by its building. The “Gingerbread House”, which became a decoration of the historical center of the city, was built in 1888. It is distinguished by brickwork with white stone carved details, the combination of which forms the Old Russian style.

On the stage of the Samara Academic Drama Theater the works of such classics as Shakespeare, Moliere, Chekhov, Ostrovsky come to life. The repertoire also includes modern experimental performances.

Address: pl. Chapaeva, 1

Opening hours: daily from 11:30 to 18:30, lunch - from 14:00 to 15:00

Entrance: cost depends on the performance

Official website: https://www.dramtheatre.ru/

Children's art gallery

The fairy-tale mansion of the late 19th century with turrets, weather vanes and original elements houses a world of children's creativity. The gallery exhibits works by young artists not only from Russia, but also from abroad.

The permanent exhibition with dolls, in whose faces you can recognize European rulers, nobles, and discoverers, deserves special attention.

Address: st. Kuibysheva (Dvoryanskaya), 139

Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 18:00

Admission: adults - 100 rubles, children under 7 years old - free

Samara Oceanarium

A visit to the aquarium will give both children and adults an incredible experience. The aquariums, which include the longest in Europe, display more than 4,000 species of inhabitants of the deep sea. You can learn about the peculiarities of their life during thematic excursions. At certain hours, employees conduct public feedings of fish and penguins.

Address: Moskovskoe highway, 25

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 21:00

Admission: adults – 700 rubles, children under 11 years old – 500 rubles, children under 3 years old – free

Official website: https://oceansamara.ru/

Samara Philharmonic

The modern building was built on the site of another significant place - the Olympus Circus Theatre. Famous poets and composers performed on its stage, after which the established Philharmonic took up the baton in 1940. After 34 years, a new building appeared here - in the Art Nouveau style, with architectural elements of the old Olympus.

Now you can come here for cultural and educational lectures and performances by Russian and foreign musicians.

Address: st. Frunze, 141

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 19:00, lunch from 14:00 to 15:00

Admission: depends on the program

Official website: https://filarm.ru/

Museum-estate of A. N. Tolstoy

The only wooden mansion preserved on the streets of Samara houses a branch of the literary museum. Guests can visit the memorial apartment of Alexei Tolstoy - experts tried to restore the appearance that existed at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries.

In six halls, the life story of the famous writer from the moment of birth and the main stages of his creative path are revealed. Young visitors will especially enjoy the interactive exhibition “Golden Key”.

Address: st. Frunze 155

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00, Thursday - from 12:00 to 20:00, Monday - closed

Entrance: single entrance ticket – 200 rubles.

Official website: https://www.samlitmus.ru/muzey-usadba-a-tolstogo/

Samara Space Museum

The museum and exhibition center received its first visitors in April 2001. The permanent exhibition includes elements of rocket and space technology and large-scale models of rockets.

Interactive platforms reveal the topics of modern space achievements, immerse them in the daily life of astronauts on the ISS, and also bring them closer to space and its endless distances.

Address: Lenin Ave., 21

Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday – from 10:00 to 18:00; Thursday – from 13:00 to 20:00; Saturday – from 11:00 to 17:00; Sunday – from 11:00 to 15:00; Monday - closed

Admission: adults – 250 rubles, students and pensioners – 200 rubles; schoolchildren under 16 years old – 100 rubles.

Official website: https://samaracosmos.ru/

Half-Timbered House

Turning onto Frunze Street, you can suddenly find yourself in the atmosphere of a Bavarian town or even an Astrid Lindgren fairy tale. An example of European frame house construction arose in Samara at the end of the 19th century thanks to Osip Grigorievich Girshfeld.

Unfortunately, the monument is in urgent need of restoration, but for now its unique façade, straight out of a Christmas card, can still be admired.

Address: st. Frunze, 75 a

Opening hours: daily

Entrance: the building is closed to the public

Zhigulevsky brewery

The brewery in Samara is not only one of the oldest in Russia, but is still functioning to this day. The foundation of the industrial building was laid in 1881 on the initiative of the Austrian Alfred von Vacano. The plant survived the revolution and war, and now tourists can enjoy its authentic architecture.

On weekdays, the plant hosts excursions with tastings of Zhigulevsky. Here you can buy the freshest beer - for yourself or as a gift. Strictly 18+.

Address: Volzhsky Prospekt, 4

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 14:00, Saturday and Sunday – days off

Entrance: 1100 rub.

Official website: https://www.samarabeer.ru/

Samara Academic Opera and Ballet Theater

The Opera and Ballet Theater troupe gave its first performance in 1931. In 1938, the artists acquired their own building, where the theater is still located today.

By the beginning of the 21st century, the team had formed a solid repertoire, which is annually replenished with new performances. It includes operettas, operas and ballets for adults, as well as performances for children's audiences.

Address: pl. Kuibysheva, 1

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 19:00

Entrance: cost depends on the performance

Official website: https://opera-samara.net/

Museums

In 1 day in Samara you can find time to visit 1-2 museums. The most famous of them are Stalin's bunker and Samara Space . The exhibitions in them are fascinating and invariably arouse the interest of tourists. However, there are other interesting collections in city institutions.

The Art Nouveau Museum is located in Samara , the only one in Russia dedicated to this style. It is located in the Kurlina mansion, included in the one-day walk route. Inside, the interiors of the past have been restored and original items by French masters are on display. You can go into 3 rooms - an office, a dining room and a boudoir. It is worth paying attention not only to the furniture, but also to the ceilings and stairs of the house.

More details: Modern Museum

The Modern Museum is part of the regional museum of history and local lore named after P. V. Alabin , created in 1886. The branches also include the house-museum of M. V. Frunze and the house-museum of V. I. Lenin . In the first you can learn more about the events of the Civil War and the actions of the Frunze army, and in the second - about Lenin’s life in Samara.

The main building of the local history museum houses paleontological, ethnographic, historical and archaeological exhibitions. It tells about the emergence of the Samara fortress and the traditions of local peoples; you can see finds from the Stone Age and skeletons of extinct animals. More information about the creation and development of Samara can be found in the Museum of the History of the City named after M. D. Chelyshev .

More details: Samara Museum of Local Lore

An open-air exhibition related to the Kuibyshev Railway was created at the Volga Museum of Railway Technology . This is a former training ground where trains with evacuees arrived during the war. Nowadays, carriages and trains of different times and purposes, freight and passenger, are exhibited here. You can enter some carriages.

More details: Volga Region Museum of Railway Equipment

Works of domestic and foreign art are presented in the regional art museum . Among the most famous authors whose works are exhibited in the museum are Aivazovsky, Repin, Levitan, Malevich, etc. In the halls you can also see iconography and art objects from the East.

More details: Samara Art Museum

In the Samara Literary and Memorial Museum named after. M. Gorky visitors will learn about the literary life of the city. The museum includes the estate of A. Tolstoy , dedicated to the life and work of the writer. With children, it is worth visiting the interactive quest exhibition based on the work “The Golden Key or the Adventures of Pinocchio.” The second site is the Gorky Center, where you can learn about the life of Maxim Gorky in Samara and attend lectures.

The Eldar Ryazanov Museum is dedicated to the famous native of Samara . The exhibition was opened in 2021 in the house where the filmmaker’s parents lived, where he returned during the evacuation. The exhibition is dedicated to the work of Ryazanov, the time of his life in Samara, the cinema of the last century, the history of the city and its citizens during the Great Patriotic War.

Football fans should visit the Samara Football Museum . Much attention is paid here to the local club “Wings of the Soviets”.

More details: museums of Samara

Sightseeing tours

It is more convenient to explore the sights of Samara in 1 day in the company of a guide. An excursion will be organized for you in a suitable format - on foot, by bus or car, as part of a group or individually. In a short time you will have time to immerse yourself in the history of the city and see the most significant places and monuments. This is a suitable option for those who are limited in time, but want to hear interesting stories about Samara. The remaining time after the excursion can be spent on the embankment or wandering the streets with old mansions.

Guides in Samara

What sights of Samara can you see in one day:

Kuibyshev Square

This part of the city is unique in that it is the second largest square in Europe. Here, on 15 hectares, there are the Samara Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, several green squares and a monument to V.V. Kuibyshev.

During the warm season, fairs, festive events, and concerts are held on the square. In winter, its territory turns into a skating rink, full of a fabulous New Year's atmosphere.

Address: pl. Kuibysheva

Opening hours: daily, 24 hours a day

The entrance is free

Sculpture “Barge Haulers on the Volga”

The sculptural composition on Leningradsky Spusk came from the canvas of the great artist Repin. Ilya Efimovich created the painting “Barge Haulers on the Volga” while in the village of Shiryaevo not far from Samara.

Local residents decided to immortalize the work in bronze for the 170th anniversary of the author’s birth, while maintaining its actual dimensions.

Address: st. Maxim Gorky, Leningradsky Descent

Opening hours: daily, 24 hours a day

The entrance is free

Stalin's bunker

The defensive facility was built in 1942 by order of Joseph Stalin. Here the Supreme Commander-in-Chief had to take refuge in the event of an unforeseen military situation.

Nine floors go 37 meters deep. The bunker was declassified only in 1990. Today, anyone can go down into the Stalinist dungeon with a guide.

Address: st. Frunze, 167

Opening hours: daily from 11:00 to 15:00, Saturday and Sunday – days off

Entrance: adult – 500 rubles, children under 10 years – 300 rubles.

Official website: https://www.bunkerstalina.com/

Samara embankment

This embankment is rightfully considered one of the most comfortable in the country. For summer holidays there are beaches here - free and paid, with water attractions. Lovers of picnics and fishing can also find a secluded place here.

At other times of the year, the Samara embankment is also worth a visit, because here you can enjoy the beauty of the local nature. The total length is almost 4 kilometers.

Address: embankment of the Volga River

Opening hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Admission: free (excluding paid areas)

Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

There has been a Catholic parish in Samara for more than a century. The church was built at the beginning of the 20th century in the Gothic style at the expense of the Polish community. In the 1930s, the temple was looted, but in general the object was preserved thanks to the local history museum. In 1996, it was restored and illuminated again.

The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus can be visited individually, on a guided tour or during a sacred music concert. In addition, the church has a Bible study group, a library and an editorial office for the parish newspaper.

Address: st. Frunze, 157

Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 19:00, lunch from 13:00 to 15:00, closed on Mondays

The entrance is free

FAQ

Where can you go with children in Samara? Country Park, Yuri Gagarin Park (children's park of culture and recreation), Zoological Museum, Samara Oceanarium, Samara Space Museum.

What can you see in Samara on your own? Leningradskaya street, Ascension Cathedral, Stroikov and Yakimov flour mill, Lutheran Church.

4 main attractions of Samara that are definitely worth a visit? Samara Embankment, Zhigulevsky Brewery, Railway Station, Samara Boat Monument.

Stories, routes and tourist tips

What to see in 1 day on your own in Samara? Stories from travelers will help you find the answer to your question. You will find routes taken by tourists, real impressions of what they saw, tips on hotels and restaurants. Pay attention to tourists’ recommendations for preparing and organizing a trip, find out which museums you should definitely visit as part of a one-day trip. If you are planning a tour of the Volga region, read the relevant reviews, since Samara is usually one of the cities along this route.

Tourist materials: