Rest in Abkhazia

To enjoy the natural beauty and views of the original works of architectural art, it is not at all necessary to buy money for a long time and go on a long journey. Abkhazia is a unique region abounding in natural and man-made monuments, the combination with the warm, gentle sun and sandy beaches makes this region very attractive for both Russian tourists and guests from abroad.

Sights of Abkhazia

The very first place where tourists aspire to get in Abkhazia is the magnificent Gagra Colonnade - the oldest and most famous building in the city, located in the area of ​​old Gagra.

The monument was built in the post-war years in conditions of a severe financial deficit. The colonnade adorns the Gagra square, in the center of which there is a fountain with the image of a white dove, symbolizing peace, all together this creates a single architectural ensemble. The building itself is a multi-arched structure of 60 meters with snow-white towers connected by arcades. Almost every tourist who has visited this fertile land wants to look at the monument of the middle of the last century and take a photo against its background.

One of the most beautiful architectural structures in the Art Nouveau style - the castle of the Prince of Oldenburg, was built at the beginning of the last century and has an extremely rich and interesting history.

Initially, the building was erected as a summer residence of the Prince of Oldenburg, a relative of Emperor Nicholas II and a prominent public figure who cherished the hope of ennobling the Black Sea coast, making it accessible for rest and treatment. The place was chosen very picturesque - the castle was built on the slope of the mountains next to the flowing river. The prince, in order to clear the territory, ordered to drain all the swamps and plant a park, later called Primorsky. It is not known how this place would look now, but the plans were not destined to come true, because of the outbreak of hostilities, Oldenburgsky left for France, and after the arrival of Soviet power, the castle became a health resort. In the 90s, the building fell into complete decay, was abandoned and plundered, at the moment it is being restored.

Abkhazia is a region rich not only in man-made, but also in natural monuments. One of the attractions is a unique gift, the New Athos Cave.

This place gained wide popularity not so long ago, just half a century ago, when one of the Abkhaz artists with a group of activists discovered the mysterious entrance to the Iverskaya Mountain cave (another attraction of the city of New Athos). It turned out that the locals already knew about the dungeon, but no one still dared to go down to a depth of 135 meters. Already in the mid-70s, the first tourist trains were launched in the New Athos Cave.

Scientists claim that the Abkhazian miracle of nature is several million years old, and those who visit the cave for the first time cannot even imagine all the incredible beauty of the underworld, because here you can see underground lakes with emerald water, and stalactite pillars, and fabulous cave passages, illuminated multi-colored spotlights.

Excursions to the Novooafonskaya cave are held all year round, the visit time is about one and a half hours.

Beautiful places of Abkhazia

The fabulous Lake Ritsa, which spreads high in the Caucasus Mountains in the north-west of Abkhazia, is a kind of visiting card of these places. The greenish water in the lake is so transparent that it can be seen at a depth of 1 meter, while the total depth of Ritsa is about 150 m, width - 2 km. The reservoir is unique and picturesque in itself, but if you imagine that it is located on the territory of the relict park of the same name, then it simply takes your breath away from the unimaginable beauty and natural diversity.

In Soviet times, visiting the lake was part of a compulsory cultural program, guests were shown the dachas of Stalin and Brezhnev, built at the foot, and introduced to the local flora and fauna. Then Abkhazia was going through hard times, but now the flow of tourists who want to see this miracle is increasing every year.

Mountain rivers, underground manholes, many legends associated with this place create a unique magical veil, in addition, the reservoir is interesting from the point of view of science, because for 1000 years of its existence it has never frozen.

The history of the Sukhumi Botanical Garden is about 150 years old, this oasis has experienced many tragic events: the raids of the Turks, and revolutions, and destructive wars of the 20th century, but to this day the garden is known far beyond the borders of Abkhazia.

The Botanical Garden was created in a rather unusual way. In the 30s of the 19th century, a military garrison was located in Sukhumi, the chief physician of which set up a small garden next to the house, where he began to grow medicinal plants. This fact did not go unnoticed by the commandant of the garrison, who contributed financial support - the garden expanded and over time began to be replenished with more and more medicinal plants.

At the moment, the Sukhumi Botanical Garden has about 5000 thousand unique specimens from all over the world and is almost in the first place in all guidebooks of Abkhazia.

Since ancient times, many fortifications have been erected in Abkhazia, but only one historical monument has survived - this is the majestic Anakopia fortress on Mount Iverskaya in the city of New Athos.

Throughout history, the lands of modern Abkhazia have been subjected to aggression by foreign invaders, so local craftsmen have mastered the construction of fortresses at the highest level. The Anakopian fortress was created in the IV-V century and occupied the most important place among such military fortifications, at that time it was possible to get into the Anakopian citadel only through one gate located on the south side. But the elements and bloody wars did not allow the monument to survive to this day in its original form. Only fragments of the fortress walls, ruins of towers and stone steps of stairs remained from the majestic fortress. Of particular interest to tourists is the well, according to legend, the water in it has miraculous power, as well as the Temple of Theodore Tiron on the top of Anakopia Mountain.

The best hotels in Abkhazia

• One of the highest ratings in the rating of the best hotels in Abkhazia was given to the mini-hotel "Ellada", located in the area of ​​old Gagra. The windows and balconies offer a magnificent view of the sea, the gorge and the bay, not far from the famous Gagra colonnade. Getting to the sea is not difficult, from the hotel you have to walk only about 100 meters across the road. Rooms in "Hellas" are of three types - double, triple and luxury for two people, made in a classic style. All of them are equipped with the necessary equipment: TV, air conditioning, refrigerator, fan, etc. On the territory of the mini-hotel there is a laundry and parking.
• The modern and cozy hotel "Tsarskaya Alleya" (New Athos) offers its guests 33 furnished, comfortable rooms for every taste, which offer picturesque views of the mountain ranges and the New Athos Monastery. Its location is very convenient, the Black Sea coast is a 10-minute walk, the hotel itself was built in a picturesque area, next to a waterfall by the river Psyrtskha. The rooms have everything you need to relax from home appliances to toiletries, free internet, free and private parking spaces.
• In the most visited resort of Abkhazia - Pitsunda, tourists are offered a choice of at least dozens of hotels, but one of the favorite is the guest house "Artem", just 40 km from Adler. The guest house is a great option for an active recreation The favorite pastime of tourists is cycling in the surroundings, horse riding, fishing. On the territory there is a parking and a shared kitchen, a swimming pool. Rooms are equipped with TV, air conditioning, free internet access.

Resorts of Abkhazia

Such resorts like Sukhumi, Pitsunda and Gagra have been known since Soviet times, but complex political relations with neighboring states temporarily made Abkhazia inaccessible for recreation and tourism, however, in recent years, the situation has improved significantly, every year more and more guests tend to visit this small sovereign state, spread out among the Caucasus mountains.
Gagra is undoubtedly the most popular resort in Abkhazia, located in a picturesque bay among the mountain ranges. During the Soviet era, vacationers came here not only to enjoy the gentle sun and warm sea, but also to improve their health. There are enough tourists here even in low season, in autumn and spring they go to Gagra for a walk along deserted embankments, visit sights and breathe in the healing sea air.

The undoubted advantage of rest in Gagra is the developed infrastructure, it is here that the largest selection of hotels and boarding houses, cafes and restaurants, as well as options for entertainment with children for every taste and budget. For families with children, Pitsunda can be considered the most suitable, because there is the only public beach in the region and a sandy coast, as well as the cleanest sea. Thanks to the famous Pitsunda Nature Reserve, which covers an area of ​​200 hectares, the air here is saturated with oxygen, which makes rest very useful for people with respiratory problems.

The village cannot boast of an abundance of hotels and restaurants; the bulk of tourists stay in a residential complex that unites more than a dozen pensions. For families with children, this resort is ideal for its relaxing atmosphere, famous pine groves and abundance of natural attractions. New Athos is a must-see if your goal is to get to know the history of Abkhazia better. Athos is one of the oldest cities in the region, it is mentioned in the III century, located between the mountains of Athos and Iverskoy.

Today, New Athos is a popular Black Sea resort, known far beyond the borders of Abkhazia for its numerous refined beaches, cypress alleys and palm trees.

Rest in New Athos is suitable for people who value a peaceful atmosphere and unity with nature, however, there are enough restaurants, cafes, and other places to relax. Well, and, of course, you should see the local sights with your own eyes - the New Athos caves, the Monastery of St. Panteleimon, waterfalls and lakes.

How much will a vacation in Abkhazia cost

Most tourists planning their vacation in Abkhazia wonder how much this pleasure will cost them and how to plan financial expenses on the trip in advance.

• The season in Abkhazia begins in May and ends in October, February is considered the most unfortunate, snowfalls in winter can significantly spoil the impression. Ideal for travels there will be a high season when the water is warm enough and there is practically no precipitation. If you purchase a tour through an agency, the trip will cost significantly more than if you went on vacation on your own. On average, tour prices start at 20,000 rubles for two people.
• Thanks to the rapid development of tourism, more and more hotels and hotels are being built in Abkhazia, in total there are about 70 of them in the region. The cost of living is relatively low - 1500-2000 thousand rubles per day. But even more profitable for the guests will be the rest in the private sector, for a room in a guest house with all the amenities you will pay no more than 700-1000 rubles.
• The cost of food in Abkhazia does not differ much from Russian prices, but it is worth remembering that large chain stores are located only in the capital, but mostly locals and tourists buy food on the market.
• Abkhazian cuisine is considered healthy and correct, because the dishes are rich in herbal ingredients, every guest of this extraordinary land should visit a restaurant or cafe to enjoy the excellent taste of national food. The average bill in a restaurant ranges from 400 to 1500 thousand per person, in a cafe a dinner for two will be much cheaper - about 400 rubles.