Volgograd, founded in 1589 as a stronghold to defend Russia’s newly acquired land guarding the trade route along the Volga river, the city was originally called Tsaritsyn.
Tsaritsyn fell to the Cossack rebels under Stepan Razin in 1670. In 1717 along with other cities in the area, Tsaritsyn is flattened as a result of a strong attack by the Crimean and Kubanskij Tatars. In 1765 In response to an invitation given by Tsarista Catherine The Great to settle the hinterlands of Russia, Tsaritsyn experienced its first influx of foreign settlers-- mostly from Germany.

During it's 414 year history, the city has experienced three name changes. Tsaritsyn (theTartar name for a small river nearby "Tsari tsyn" or "Golden River"), then in 1925 early in his reign, Stalin named it after himself because he had allegedly played a key role in a battle the Reds won there against the Whites during the civil war in 1918 (what exactly Stalin did in that battle remains murky even today). On November 10, 1961 at the 22nd Congress of the Communist Party, Nikita Khrushchev decision to rename the city Volgograd became a symbol of his "de-Stalinization campaign".

Volgograd, one of Russia’s Hero Cities, it is also an important cultural center. At the critically acclaimed New Experimental Theater, a troop of players perform classic and contemporary plays in a cutting edge and always entertaining fashion. Guests can also visit the highly regarded Theater of Musical Comedy or the Volgograd Circus. National and international bands, on tour in Russia, regularly perform concerts at the Sport Palace or other venues,
including the riverside bandstand at the quay. During temperate months, there are numerous sidewalk cafes all along the quay, as well as the always popular party boats and dinner cruises on the Volga. There is no lack of nightlife in Volgograd. Dozens of restaurants, pubs, supper clubsand discos offer refreshment and entertainment suitable to any disposition.

Across the River Volga, on the east bank, is the city of Volzhsky. Here, guests will find a quiet diversion to the bustle of Volgograd. Volzhsky has a tranquil park-like atmosphere and offers its own popular eateries and discos. Today the Volgograd/Volzhsky surrounding region consist of more than 2 million people.