Volga river

For many centuries rivers played roles of roads of Russia - in summer season people travelled by boats, while in winter they did in sledges. Even now people do so in some remoted Siberian corners - the forests are so dense there and distances are so long, that there's no point to build a road there.

Volga is the longest river in Europe. It used to be an Eastern natural border of Russia for several ages. There're so many songs, devoted to it! It inspired so many artists!

If it was a need to move a vessel upstream, a team of "burlaks" hired to haul it. Burlaks are shown on the famous painting by Ilja Repin:

Even one of Russian cars is called Volga.

Nowdays, Volga river cruises are extremely popular with both foreign tourists and Russians. Also, you can see Volga, travelling to such cities as Yaroslavl (one of the Golden Ring route), Tver (the city, after which the main street of Moscow - Tverskaya - is named), Volgograd (former Stalingrad; during the World War II one of the major battle took place here), Nizhny Novgorod, etc.