I arrived for my year in Samara in September and was able to get the know the city pretty well during my time there. The first place I visited was The Yuri Gagarin Park, I went with the kids I taught and the family’s driver. The park is basically a soviet amusement park full of various rides of dubious safety levels. Another place that would be frequently visited was the city’s river embankment. It’s incredibly long, around 5km in length, and here you can rent a bike or rollerblades, in winter you can rent ice skates and skate around parts of the embankment. It’s best enjoyed in summer though because there are some sandy beaches along the embankment. The summers can get really quite hot and one can sunbathe and take a dip in the Volga river. Halfway down the embankment, between the two main beaches, you will find the well-known Zhigulevskoye PivZavod, or ‘beer factory’, that sells freshly brewed lager that basically flows out of a hosepipe. The beer is unfiltered so must be drunk within a day or so. In summer it is very refreshing and highly recommended! Near the PivZavod is a port. From here many locals catch a river ferry to cross the river and travel to their summer house (or dacha). Unfortunately, I didn’t know anyone who had a summer house and so never made the trip myself. I did go for a river cruise but would love to go explore the other bank of the river and explore the nature around Samara; go fishing and have a barbecue. Apart from the embankment, time was spent in the city centre. There is a pedestrian street called Leningradskaya that has the usual mix of souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants. My favourite cafe was Varen’ye but I have heard it has since closed. To those visiting I would recommend the restaurant Benjamin. To have fun on a Friday or Saturday night, and possibly meet fellow expats, I would recommend Harat’s Pub. Another bar/restaurant type place is Tri Olenya on Moskovskaya street; they have live music concerts here but it’s best visited with a group of friends because otherwise, you’ll be sitting on your own at your own table.
I didn’t travel out of the city much but did go skiing in Krasnaya Glinka. It is worth the trip and here you can hire equipment. They have a few small slopes with button lifts. It’s not the Alps but the slopes are well looked after and it’s a good day out. One big bonus of living in Samara is that things are cheap. Noticeably cheaper than Moscow. A day’s skiing is very cheap, taxis are dirt cheap, so are gym memberships and personal trainers. For example, in Moscow I pay around 3000 roubles for a personal trainer at the gym. In Samara it was 500 roubles. There are also markets dotted around the city.
In many ways, I feel that Samara is a very typical Russian provincial city. Bars and restaurants are only in the centre. In the suburbs you’ll find only corner shops, pharmacies and markets. The centre has some beautiful old buildings and lots of character but the suburbs are made up of bland soviet apartment blocks. Parts of the city are well looked after like the embankment and Botanical gardens but other parts are made up of pot-holed roads and have a run-down feel and look. Much like Russia as a whole, Samara is a city of contrasts and that’s what gives it its charm. The people were hospitable, especially the family I worked for. And much like anywhere in Russia, I felt safe, welcomed and valued.