A major academic and intellectual center in Russia, Samara is a large city located at the confluence of the Volga and Samara Rivers. Most famously, the city is home to Stalin’s bunker—a World War II-era bunker built to protect Russia’s military operation should Moscow be taken by German forces. Also notable for its uniquely Russian architecture, Samara boasts charming traditional homes and cathedrals and a number of museums and monuments.