Samara Oblast · Russia
Where to stay in Samara
Samara is a city in Samara Oblast, Russia, home to about 1,154,000 people.
- Best months
- May to September
- Nearest airport
- KUF36 km · Kurumoch International Airport
- Currency
- RUBRussian ruble
- Time zone
- Europe/Samara
- Language
- Abaza, Adyghe, Aghul
About
About Samara
Samara, known as Kuybyshev from 1935 to 1991, is the largest city and the administrative centre of Samara Oblast in Russia. It is sited at the confluence of the Volga and the Samara rivers.
Samara was founded in 1586 with the construction of a Russian fortress on the Volga. However, settlement there had been mentioned since at least the 14th century. During World War II, Samara, then named Kuibyshev, was the second capital of USSR. The city's growth was stimulated during the war due to its proximity to Moscow but distance from the war zone; several government offices were evacuated to Kuibyshev when Moscow was under threat. The post-war development of the Volga-Urals oilfield also helped. Kuibyshev reverted to being Samara in 1991.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Samara
See
- Leningradskaya ulitsa
- Church of St. George
- Wooden house
- Klodt Manor
- Revolution Square
- Pokrov Cathedral
- Synagogue
- Philharmonic Hall
- Shveik, the Good Soldier
- Stalin's Bunker
- Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Samara Drama Theatre
Do
Night life in Samara is quite joyful. The main dance clubs are: Beerja (Stock Exchange), KINUP, Zvezda (Star), Aura (The Aura), Postel (The Bed), Long Bar. There are many restaurants and bars in Samara. The pricing for clubbing are the same or even higher than in Europe and Americas, though not so high as in Moscow.
- Study Russian at SSU
- Sport Palace
- Park Imeni Yuriya Gagarina
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Samara
15 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol Zhiguly Hotel | 1870 | 1.9 km |
| Best City Hotel | 3.3 km | |
| Graf Orlov Hotel | 1.9 km | |
| Hampton by Hilton Samara | 2014 | 0.4 km |
| Holiday Inn Samara | 2.1 km | |
| Hotel Green Line Samara | 7.5 km | |
| Hotel Moya Glinka | 22.9 km | |
| Ibis Samara | 6.7 km | |
| Lotte Hotel Samara | 1.4 km | |
| Meridian Hotel | 4.9 km | |
| Ost West Club | 1.7 km | |
| Otel' "Dubki" | 12.3 km | |
| Renaissance Samara Hotel | 6.7 km | |
| Rossia Hotel | 2.6 km | |
| Vestrum Hotel | 2.6 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Samara
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Samara are May to September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; July is the wettest, with about 55 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Samara: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Kurumoch International Airport (KUF), about 36 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
The Samara Metro is a convenient way of zipping across the city. However, it remains underdeveloped and comprises one line that runs east to west.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
KUF · Kurumoch International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Samara
Drink
Drink original Zhigulyovskoye beer in Na dne bar or in posh U Vakano restaurant (both in Volzhskiy prospekt, 4, near the old brewery).
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Samara: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Samara?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Samara are May to September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; July is the wettest, with about 55 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Samara?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Kurumoch International Airport (KUF), about 36 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Samara?
Russian ruble (RUB).
Nearby
Destinations near Samara
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.