Нижний Новгород – Казань – Елабуга – Болгар – Чебоксары – Нижний Новгород

Nizhny Novgorod is an ancient city on the Volga River.

Population: ~ 1,259,000 people (2018 Census).

Time: Moscow time.

Nizhny Novgorod was founded on Volga and Oka rivers in 1221. Nowadays, it is a popular cruise stop.This is one of the few cities in Russia where the Kremlin has been preserved. Moreover, Nizhny Novgorod is included in the list of one hundred UNESCO cities of historical and cultural value. In total, there are about 600 attractions in the city: both ancient architectural monuments and modern ones are among them. Originally the name was just Novgorod (“Newtown”), but to distinguish it from the other, older and well-known Novgorod (Veliky Novgorod) to the west, the city was commonly called “Novgorod of the Lower lands”, or “Lower Newtown”. This land was named "lower” (nizhniy) even though it is actually higher in altitude than Veliky Novgorod, because it is situated downstream of other Russian cities such as Moscow, Vladimir and Murom.

Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan. The city lies at the confluence of the Volga and the Kazanka rivers, covering an area of 425.3 square kilometres.

Population: ~ 1,244,000 people (as of 2018).

Time: Moscow time.

Kazan was founded in the late 13th century by the Golden Horde. In 1438, Kazan became the capital of the Khanate of Kazan. In 1552, Kazan was captured by Ivan the Terrible and became a part of Russia. The city was seized and largely destroyed during Pugachev's Rebellion of 1773–1775, but was later rebuilt during the reign of Catherine the Great. In the following centuries, Kazan grew to become a major industrial, cultural and religious centre of Russia. In 1920, after the Russian SFSR became a part of the Soviet Union, Kazan became the capital of the Tatar ASSR. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kazan stayed as the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. Kazan is renowned for its vibrant mix of Tatar and Russian cultures.In 2015, 2.1 million tourists visited Kazan, and 1.5 million tourists visited the Kazan Kremlin, a World Heritage Site. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the right to brand itself as the "Third Capital of Russia".In 2009 it was chosen as the "Sports capital of Russia",and it still is referred to as such. Kazan hosted the 2013 Summer Universiade, and was one of the host cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Cheboksary is the capital city of Chuvashia, Russia and a port on the Volga River. 

Population: 492,000 (2018 Census).

Time: Moscow Time.

 It was first mentioned in written sources in 1469, when Russian soldiers passed here on their way to the Khanate of Kazan. According to archaeological excavations, however, the area had been populated considerably earlier. The site hosted a Bulgarian city of Veda Suvar, which appeared after Mongols defeated major Volga Bulgarian cities in the 13th century. During Khanate period the town is believed by some to have had a Turkic (probably, Tatar) name Çabaqsar and that the current Russian and English names originate from it. However, in maps by European travelers it was marked as Cibocar (Pizzigano, 1367), Veda-Suar (Fra Mauro, 1459). Shupashkar, the Chuvash name literally means the "fortress of the Chuvash".

In 1555, the Russians built a fortress and established a settlement here. In 1625, there were 458 soldiers quartered in Cheboksary, and in 1646 there were 661 males living in the settlement. At the end of the 17th century, Cheboksary was regarded as a major commercial city of the Volga region, and in 1781 it was granted town status within Kazan Governorate. In the beginning of the 19th century the population was about 5500, the town had a sawmill and several small manufactures. Cheboksary also was noted for its twenty-five churches and four monasteries, and Cheboksary bells were known in London and Paris. In the 16th and the first half of the 17th century the Vvedensky cathedral, four monasteries and eighth churches had been built, in the 18th century the stone buildings of treasury and archive, magistracy, court, and ten churches. In 1880, here were counted 783 houses (33 of them from stone), 91 stores, 3 schools, 2 hospitals, and a bank. In the beginning of the 20th century, 5,100 people lived in Cheboksary. In 1965, the population was 163,000.

Nizhny Novgorod is an ancient city on the Volga River.

Population: ~ 1,259,000 people (2018 Census).

Time: Moscow time.

Nizhny Novgorod was founded on Volga and Oka rivers in 1221. Nowadays, it is a popular cruise stop.This is one of the few cities in Russia where the Kremlin has been preserved. Moreover, Nizhny Novgorod is included in the list of one hundred UNESCO cities of historical and cultural value. In total, there are about 600 attractions in the city: both ancient architectural monuments and modern ones are among them. Originally the name was just Novgorod (“Newtown”), but to distinguish it from the other, older and well-known Novgorod (Veliky Novgorod) to the west, the city was commonly called “Novgorod of the Lower lands”, or “Lower Newtown”. This land was named "lower” (nizhniy) even though it is actually higher in altitude than Veliky Novgorod, because it is situated downstream of other Russian cities such as Moscow, Vladimir and Murom.