The article aims at summarising the evidence of European sources concerning the towns of the Middle Volga region. First, the Hungarian Anonymus's Gesta Ungarorum is scrutinised, then the Western travellers' accounts are considered. The result is that prior to the 14th century only Bulgar, the capital of Volga Bulgaria was known to medieval West. In the second part of the paper the works of 14th-15th-century European cartography are investigated. The names and locations of three towns (Bulgar, Kremencuk and Juketau) are dealt with in detail. The final conclusion is that these maps, though they are precious contemporary sources, must be handled with special caution and criticism.