Eleven of the twenty largest cities of Russia, including Moscow, are located in the Volga's drainage basin...
Our Russian river cruise ‘Great Mother Volga’ covers vast territories of the Central and the Southern Russia between Moscow and Rostov-on-Don. Some of these cruises also stop at Russian ‘Caviar Capital’ Astrakhan, offering great opportunities to explore the Volga River Delta. The Volga is one of the greatest rivers in the world and is the longest one in Europe. The Volga River appears to be one of the fundamental cores of Russian culture: consciously and subconsciously this river is frequently perceived as a living being by Russians - that is why she is commonly addressed as ‘Great Mother Volga.’ Songs and legends personify Volga with the best human features an ideal Russian should match. She is identified with the Motherland, and she is a symbol of freedom, breadth and strength of the Russian Spirit. Nevertheless, the Volga Region is very multinational: Tatars, Bashkirs, Chuvashs, Mordovians, Udmurts, Mari, Ukrainians, Kazakhs, Armenians, Komi-Permyaks, Azerbaijanis, Germans, Cossacks and several other nationalities have their homeland there. Some of these people originate from the ancient states of the Golden Horde or the Volga Bulgaria. So, get ready to listen to exciting legends and informative stories while cruising the Great Mother Volga!Cruises 2020
Rostov-on-Don—Moscow
Moscow—Rostov-on-Don
Sightseeing
Ulyanovsk (Simbirsk)
Ulyanovsk. Lenin was born there - the place was called Simbirsk in those days. “Ulyanov” is the original last name of Lenin, but the world would rather know the pseudonym. The city was a Soviet shrine for almost 70 years. During the Soviet Era nearly all the churches in the city were ruined to the ground or closed; the most notable churches and cathedrals were restored and rebuilt not so long ago. The Lenin Memorial Complex includes the house in which he was born and other buildings associated with his life. Modern Ulyanovsk is also а home to SUV-maker UAZ and aircraft producer Aviastar, however, it is one of a handful of cities that have managed to preserve the atmosphere of an old Russian province - although some say that Ulyanovsk is still a very Soviet city. Yet, according to statistics, every fifth car in Russia and every third aircraft in Russia is manufactured in Ulyanovsk. The city is a part of the tourist “Red Route” that covers several of the “Lenin’s sites” in Russia. The Civil Aviation History Museum is another distinctive site in Ulyanovsk - this complex is one of the largest aviation museums in Russia. Ulyanovsk was founded in the 17th century; today it is a fairly large city with a population of over 600 000 people.
Samara
Fortress of Samara was founded in 1586 at the confluence of the Volga River and the Samara River to protect Russia from the nomads and to ensure safety on waterways between cities of Kazan and Astrakhan. Just as many other ports on trade routes Samara has been developing rapidly. At the beginning of the 20th century it was already a well-developed city with flourishing trading, grain and flour milling industry. Back then Samara also took first place in wheat production. No wonder that famous local vodka “Rodnik” is still considered one of the best in Russia. Local food industry is also well known for its chocolate and famous “Zhigulevskoye” beer that is produced by original recipe since 1881. Samara boasts: picturesque embankment that is the longest one in Russia; Kuibyshev Square that is the largest one in Europe; the building of Samara Railway Station is the tallest one in Europe: its height is over 331 feet / 101 meters. The tower has an observation deck on top. Stalin’s secret bunker is among great variety of places of interest in Samara. This one is the most fortified bunker among those already taken off the security list. Its depth is comparable with a 12-story building; the bunker has air supplies for 115 people to leave for 5 days.