Our Chinese department:
10:10 Arrival of the 2-storey train No. 65 at the Zhiguli Sea station (for winter arrivals – meeting at Zhigulievsk station at 09:46).
Boarding the bus.
Departure to Samarskaya Luka, protected by UNESCO.
Once upon a time, on the territory of the modern Samara region, the Volga made a sharp turn, encircling the Zhiguli Mountains and forming the mysterious and very beautiful Samara Luka, the recognized pearl of the Volga.
We will drive along the Zhiguli hydroelectric dam, a unique hydraulic structure separating the Saratov and Kuibyshev reservoirs (our Zhiguli Sea).
Excursion to Strelnaya Mountain, the route of the Zhiguli Nature Reserve.
It is a place of power and an amazingly beautiful peak of the Zhiguli Mountains. The height is 351 meters above sea level, but it is easy and comfortable to climb: a comfortable staircase leads to the top, as if floating above the Samara Bow. The main thing when climbing is admiring the panorama and looking at endemic plants and relics, do not forget to make a wish at the "stone woman", imagine the dashing Volga Cossacks on the "devil's bridge", listen to the story that it was from this peak that Stepan Razin was looking for merchant ships suitable for attack.
In the arrivals from November to March – climbing Popova Mountain and exploring the tunnels, treating with mulled wine from Zhiguli cherries.
Moving to Shiryaevo, which has the status of the most beautiful village in Russia
15:00 Rural lunch with a pie and tincture of Zhiguli cherries.
Zhiguli cherry is a unique, extremely tasty and sweet variety, which was bred by Alexey Beschev in the middle of the last century. The Beshchevskaya cherry grows on limestone soils of the Zhiguli mountains. At a small tasting – liqueur and cherry pies are waiting for us - let's taste the Lada!
Shiryaevo became the "place of power" of the artist Ilya Repin, who spent the whole summer of 1870 creating his famous painting "Boatmen on the Volga" here. They will tell us about this in the museum located in the house where Ilya Repin stayed with his artist friends.
Return to Tolyatti.
The first acquaintance with the city – we will see the beautiful Zhiguli Sea at the monument to the founder of Stavropol (as Tolyatti was called until 1964), where the city was once located.
20:30 Approximate check-in time at the hotel.
The Alpen Park 5* Hotel has a spa area included in the price.
Free time.
