Samara Oblast
A region of space and industry on the Volga bend, with sweeping views of the Zhiguli Mountains and the Samara embankment.
Samara Oblast lies on the middle Volga, where the river forms the famous Samara Bend around the Zhiguli Mountains. The capital, Samara, has one of the longest embankments in Russia, the "Samara Cosmic" Space Museum displays a Soyuz rocket, and Stalin's Bunker from World War II is open to the public. The Zhiguli Mountains are part of a national park, with hiking trails offering distant views of the Volga, while Tolyatti is one of Russia's major car-making cities. Summer is the best season to explore the Volga. Samara's Kurumoch Airport is the regional air gateway, and the city is also connected to Moscow by rail.