Abkhazia is a hospitable and beautiful country with a rich history and distinctive culture. Subtropics, mighty mountains, clear sea, uncrowded beaches, turquoise lakes, majestic waterfalls, relict flora, ancient architecture – all this makes you come back here again and again. The ease of crossing the border (a foreign passport is not needed) and the low-budget holiday (prices for food, entertainment and even hotels in Abkhazia are lower than at Russian resorts) add advantages to a trip here.
Rest in Gagra
Pebble beaches stretch along the entire city. There are mixed stripes with sand at a distance of 10 meters from the shore. There are many equipped areas with changing rooms and showers. Umbrellas and sunbeds are usually paid.
Attractions
Restaurant “Gagripsh”
It is over 100 years old and was built without a single nail in the style of an Alpine chalet. Previously, it was visited by Stalin, Nicholas II, Chaliapin, Chekhov, Gorky and others. Now tourists can enjoy national cuisine here in a colorful interior.
Gagra Colonnade
The calling card of the city. Consists of several arcades connected by arches. And they go to the main snow-white towers. In the evening you can see the amazing play of light in the columns: different colors replace each other, making the structure even more elegant.
Zhoekvar Gorge
Deep into the gorge you will follow narrow paths through trees, bushes, and boulders covered with thick moss. The rays of the sun almost do not penetrate here, semi-darkness reigns here and only the Joekwara River shines through the thickets.
Where to stay in Gagra
Hotel-Club Poseidon. Per night for two from 3,600 rubles.
Rest in Pitsunda
The beaches are sandy, large-pebble and small-pebble, the entrance to the water is gentle. Along a large part of the coast stretches a boxwood grove with eucalyptus trees and the famous Pitsunda relict pines. The central city beach is located in a bay, there are no large waves there.
Attractions
Historical and architectural complex “Great Pitiunt”
Even before our era, the ancient Greek city of Pitiunt was located in the area of modern Pitsunda, then it was part of the Abkhazian kingdom, Georgia, and the Ottoman Empire. The complex contains buildings from different eras, ancient houses, Roman baths, medieval fortress walls and an ancient Christian temple.
Lake Ritsa and Stalin’s dacha
They are located next to each other, an hour and a half drive from Pitsunda. First, you can touch the historical atmosphere, perfectly preserved in the leader’s residence, and then go for a walk along one of the most picturesque high-altitude lakes in the world.
Khetsuriani House-Museum
Located in the village of Ldzaa in the vicinity of Pitsunda. The owner was a famous collector and collected various interesting things: weapons, cameras, dishes, antique carriages. To store all this, he built a two-story house with a spiral staircase and a three-tier porch.
Where to stay in Pitsunda
- Guest house “Alexandria”. Per night for two from 1,200 rubles.
- Mini-hotel Santa Sofia. Per night for two from 2,800 rubles.
- Guest house Iceberg. Per night for two from 3,600 rubles.
Rest in New Athos
Beaches mainly belong to boarding houses and hotels. Almost all of them are covered with small pebbles, so the water here is always clean. Sometimes there are sand and pebbles. Convenient entry into the water, the sea near the shore is shallow, so it is always warm.
Attractions
New Athos Simon-Kananitsky Monastery
The history of the holy monastery goes back to the distant past. The huge building in neo-Byzantine style is famous for its wall paintings. Frescoes decorate all buildings. The domes of the temple sparkle among the picturesque mountain landscapes, and nearby there is an observation deck overlooking the sea, parks and gardens.
New Athos Cave
The size rivals the most famous dungeons in the world. Each room is unique in its own way. There are lakes, stalactite palaces and even a cave waterfall – a huge, forever frozen stone shaft falls from a sheer wall 30 meters high.
Artificial waterfall and lake Psyrtskha
Water falls down from a dam built at the end of the 19th century by monks – it was the first hydroelectric power station in Russia. There is a park around it and sculptures are placed. On the right side of the waterfall there is a stone staircase that leads to an old railway platform where there is a beautiful gazebo.
Where to stay in New Athos
- Hotel Eco Village. Per night for two from 1,800 rubles.
- Afon Resort Hotel. Per night for two from 2,900 rubles.
- Apartments Novy Afon Cottage. Per night for two from 5,500 rubles.
Rest in Sukhumi
The beaches are wide and long, with easy access to the water, mostly pebble, but there are also sandy ones. Landscaped areas with amenities are only available in the central part of the city. Sinop Beach is especially appreciated, it is sandy.
Attractions
Sukhumi Mountain
This is a natural monument and a majestic pantheon at the same time. There is a television tower, an abandoned rotunda of a former restaurant, and Soviet architecture overgrown with moss. Through the pines, cypresses and eucalyptus trees there is a view of the streets and boarding houses of the city, as well as the Black Sea.
Makhadzhirov Embankment
Picturesque and original, thanks to the white stone houses, mansions made of Venetian brick, their interesting balconies and verandas. There are many hotels, restaurants and cafes here, whose appearance still retains the imagination of the previous owners.
Hot spring in the village of Kyndyg
Natural mineral hot spring is located near the capital of Abkhazia. The complex consists of cascading pools and a mini-waterfall. The jets fall from a height of several meters and replace visitors with a massage. Water and mud have a healing effect.
Where to stay in Sukhumi
- Guest house Sadia. Per night for two from 1,200 rubles.
- Atrium-Victoria Hotel. Per night for two from 4,600 rubles.
- Mare holiday home. Per night for two from 8,500 rubles.
How to get to Abkhazia
By plane
There are no direct flights, but you can get to Sochi Airport, which is located in Adler. From here to the border with Abkhazia is only 8 kilometers. Flights from Moscow are operated by Aeroflot, Rusline, Yakutia Airlines, Azimut, Utair, S7, Ural Airlines, Nordstar. Travel time is 2 hours. Flights from 2,000 rubles* one way.
Ural Airlines, S7, and Aeroflot fly from Vladivostok to Adler. You will spend from 13 to 36 hours on the road with one or two transfers in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Flights from 17,400 rubles one way.
From Novosibirsk to Adler, flights are provided by Pobeda, Azimut, RedWings, S7, Ural Airlines and Aeroflot. You will have to make one or two transfers in Moscow and Irkutsk. Air tickets cost from 6,700 rubles one way.
You can fly from Arkhangelsk to Adler using Aeroflot flights with one or two transfers. Travel time is from 9 to 24 hours. Airplane tickets from 5,000 rubles one way.
By train
If you are traveling by train, you can also get to Adler station or Sukhumi.
Moscow — Adler. The price of a train ticket is from 3,800 rubles one way. Travel time is 23 hours. There are compartment and ST cars.
Novosibirsk – Adler. The price of a train ticket is from 8,800 rubles one way. Travel time 83 hours. We offer reserved seat and compartment cars.
Arkhangelsk – Adler. The price of a train ticket is from 6,100 rubles one way. Travel time 60 hours. The train runs once a week. You can buy seats in reserved seat, compartment and SV carriages.
*Prices valid at time of publication
