Volgograd is a city with a heroic past. This is the reason for its specificity in terms of excursions. But Volgograd attracts travelers not only with places of military glory. This city is located in the lower reaches of the Volga. That is why the nature here is amazing. You can also admire the beautiful views from the cruise ship, making its way through the locks of the Volga-Don Canal. If fate has thrown you into the city for a few days, you can also make a country excursion, going as part of a weekend tour to see blooming lotuses in Astrakhan or to ancient monasteries. But, of course, for a patriot, Volgograd is, first of all, Stalingrad, where, according to the conclusions of Soviet, and then Russian historians, there was a battle that became a turning point in World War II. The city received its current name only in the 60s of the twentieth century. And the lion's share of the sights of Volgograd is somehow connected with the war. But if you are not too interested in the topic of "military", this is not at allmeans that Volgograd is not of tourist interest. The proposed excursions to Volgograd are very diverse, and you can always choose something suitable for yourself.
How to get there
This city is located in the lower reaches of the Volga, but north of Astrakhan. Volgograd stands at the intersection of railways and highways, so getting to it is not difficult. The city has its own airport, which receives daily flights both from the capital of Russia and from other cities of the country. You can get here directly from Saratov, Yekaterinburg, Sochi. Excursion to Volgograd from Moscow can start at any of the capital's airports. But the sights of the city can be reached not only on the liners of the Aeroflot and Pobeda companies. Trains from St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kazan, Anapa, Irkutsk, Nizhnevartovsk, Chelyabinsk also go to Volgograd. In summer, trains are added to them, connecting the central part of the country with the Black Sea and Caspian resorts. By own car from Moscow, you should move along the Don highway (M-4). If you are lucky and there are no traffic jams on the road, you can reach your destination in thirteen hours.
How to navigate the city
When planning excursions to Volgograd, it should be understood that this city is a millionaire. But do not be upset because of the long distances - you do not have to overcome them daily. Tsaritsyn at the beginning of the twentieth century was a small town. In the era of industrialization, factory outskirts "grown" to it. Despitethe fact that Stalingrad during the war was a major industrial center, it was the old, Central District that suffered from bombing and street fighting. So you should not expect ancient sights from Volgograd. After the war, the city resembled a lunar landscape. And it was rebuilt. In terms of excursions, the center of the city is primarily of interest. It is there that the museum "Panorama of the Battle of Stalingrad" and Mamaev Kurgan with the famous (and known to every Russian) sculpture "Motherland" are located. You can move around the city in minibuses, buses, trolleybuses. There is such a type of transport in Volgograd as the metrotram. This is a high-speed tram, which in some sections goes underground and acts like a subway. The city spreads along both banks of the Volga. They are connected not only by bridges, but also by six routes of river steamers.
Sightseeing tour of Volgograd
Judging by the reviews, it is best to start exploring the hero city in chronological order. After all, Tsaritsyn is a rather old settlement. It was founded as a fortress for the defense of Russian borders from the steppe nomads back in 1589. To get acquainted with pre-revolutionary Tsaritsyn, military Stalingrad and modern Volgograd offers a sightseeing bus and walking tour. It lasts about five hours. You can order it by contacting the center of tourism and excursions (Volgograd, Kommunisticheskaya street, 50). As part of this trip, you can see the monument to the governor Grigory Osipovich-Zasekin, the founder of the city. In 1925 Tsaritsyn was giventhe name of another autocrat of the USSR. And under the name Stalingrad, the city went down in history. A sightseeing tour of the city includes a visit to the memorial ensemble on Mamaev Kurgan, the panorama museum and Pavlov's House.
War Memorial
Adult groups, parishioners, schoolchildren and students visit Volgograd. City tours can be of different subjects, but, one way or another, they relate to the times of the Great Patriotic War. Mamaev Kurgan was declared the Seventh Wonder of Russia. Therefore, there is an in-depth excursion to it. A smaller copy of Mamaev Kurgan exists in Germany, but a giant sculpture called "The Motherland Calls!" has no analogues. On this "Small Earth" one hundred and forty days there was a heroic resistance to the fascist invaders. And now it is the main place of worship for their feat. In addition to the giant sculpture, there are other sculptural groups on the Mamaev Kurgan, which are a single whole. Visitors are offered to walk along the Alley of pyramidal poplars, see the monuments "Memory of generations", "Stand to the death!", touch the ruin walls, visit the hall of military glory and the main monument of the complex.
Panorama "Battle of Stalingrad"
Excursions to Volgograd often include a visit to this museum. Experienced tourists are advised to go there to Mamaev Kurgan. Then visiting the immediate place of fighting will be perceived differently. Guided tour to the Museum of the Battle of Stalingrad can be as part of a group (250 rubles withperson), and individual (four thousand rubles). The exposition presents not only the panoramic canvas “The Defeat of the Fascist Troops”. Eight halls of the museum are full of various artifacts from the Great Patriotic War. Four dioramas tell about the course of the battles. The collection also contains banners, cold and firearms, portraits of heroes, old photographs. Excursions to Lyudnikov Island, to the memorial in Rossoshki, “On the battle lines of the 64th Army” will help to continue acquaintance with the military past of Stalingrad.
Mini cruise
There are also river excursions to Volgograd. The city can be visited as part of a large cruise on the most important river in Russia. But if such a trip is impossible for you because of the high cost, then you can decide on a short trip along the Volga-Don Canal. Such a mini-cruise costs two thousand rubles. A tourist boat departs from the pier on the embankment named after the 62nd Army. It passes through all coastal areas of the city. Tourists will not only see the highest Lenin monument in the world from an advantageous angle, but will also pass through the gateway from the Volga to the Don.
Saray-Batu - the capital of the Golden Horde
If you are staying in the city for a few days, book weekend excursions from Volgograd. History buffs recommend a trip to the capital of the Golden Horde. There is a monument of archeology on the territory of the Astrakhan region in the Kharabalinsky district. Scientists have found out that the Selitrennoe settlement is the ruins of Saray-al-Makhrus, the Old Palace. It was the capital founded by Batu Khan. We find a mention of the brilliant city in the report of the French ambassador Guillaume Rubruck to Louis the Ninth (1254). Archaeological excavations are currently underway at the site. Visitors are invited to view some of them. After the filming of the film "The Horde", all the scenery was deliberately left here. You can travel back to the Middle Ages not only thanks to them, but also with the help of a 3-D film that tells about that era.
Natural Attractions
Weekend excursions from Volgograd involve going to interesting places in this region. At the time of lotus blossoming, travel agencies offer to go to Astrakhan, to the river delta. But in the Volgograd region there are many natural attractions. The village of Olkhovka is able to surprise tourists with its chalk caves. Shcherbakovskaya gully is called "Volga Switzerland" for its steep hills. In summer, you can relax on Lake Elton or get mud treatment on the drainless Baskunchak reservoir. Weekend tours also make a detour of various Orthodox shrines - to the city of Serafimovich, the Kremensko-Ascension Monastery. The trip to Elista, the capital of neighboring Kalmykia, promises to be interesting.
Excursions in Volgograd: prices
The cost of such a tour largely depends on the content. If this is a bus and walking tour, then its price per person usually ranges from two hundred to three hundred rubles. Traveling out of town will cost at least three times more. To go to the chalk caves, you will need to pay one and a half thousand rubles per person. Child ticket likeusually costs half the price of an adult. It is much more profitable to join a group than to book an individual tour.
