The Volga—on the one hand, a metaphor for concentrated 'Russian life,' on the other, a two-week hedonistic voyage—has for centuries attracted the attention of foreigners seeking to experience Russia without the challenge of traveling the Trans-Siberian Railway. The collection 'Down the Volga' includes three reports by foreign specialists who visited the Volga during the Soviet years. Together, they offer not only an intriguing look at the USSR from within the 'showcase of the great experiment' but also capture the state of the cities descending the Volga to southern Russia, noting their local characteristics that emerge at the intersection of the river's vertical dimension and the country's horizontal contexts.