How to make your vacation in Abkhazia unforgettable: sights, accommodation, souvenirs

Abkhazia is a picturesque mountainous country that stretches along the Black Sea coast. In the warm season, you can relax on the beach here. But tourists come here all year round - they are attracted by mineral springs, resorts, sanatoriums and mountains.

When to go to Abkhazia

It depends on the purpose of the trip. If you want to lie on the Black Sea beach, you can plan a trip from May to October. The warmest sea here is in July-August.

Many tourists prefer to go to Abkhazia in August and September: the July heat is receding, and the sea is still very warm. In September, the velvet season begins: the temperature during the day can get up up to 20–30 °С, in the evening it is about 5–7 °С cooler. Those who do not like the heat come here in October as well. Day temperature at this time is changing from 12–13 to 24–26 °С.

Sanatoriums and dispensaries are open all year round. For lovers of trekking, travel agencies arrange trips to the mountains starting from May.

How to get to Abkhazia

Russian citizens can enter Abkhazia with an internal passport. You can get tickets for train Moscow - Sukhum. In the summer season, it departs from Kazansky or Vostochny stations daily. In the autumn and winter months - twice a week.

Or you can first come to Adler by train or plane. There are minibuses from the airport and railway station to settlements on the border with Abkhazia. Then you need to transfer to local Abkhaz minibuses and get to the chosen city or resort on them.

Where to stay in Abkhazia

Most tourists stay in resort towns. The most popular are Sukhum, Gagra, New Athos, Pitsunda, Gudauta. There are many hotels, sanatoriums and rest houses in these cities and near them. There are also many mini-hotels and guest houses. In August 2023, you can stay in a four-star hotel in Sukhum by paying 6 295 rubles per day. If you choose a three-star hotel, a night can cost 4 400 rubles for one guest.

In Gagra you can live in a guest house for 2 500 rubles per day. Or in a three-star hotel for 4 200 rubles.

There are more expensive hotels where tourists need to cook 10 525 or 14 154 ruble per day.

You can rent a house in the private sector. Here the night will cost from 800 rubles in New Athos, from 900 rubles in Gagra, from 1 000 rubles price Tsandrypsh |

What sights of Abkhazia are worth seeing

A huge part of tourists travel to Abkhazia to relax on clean sandy or pebbly beaches and plunge into the warm Black Sea. But there are other recreation options.

1. Lake Ritsa

Located in the Western Caucasus. Usually they get there from Gagra. Lake located high in the mountains. It has the purest water, which changes color from emerald to pale blue.

Ritsa and surroundings are one of the most beautiful places in Abkhazia. Around spread out relic national park with amazing natural scenery. The mountains protect the lake from the winds, so it is quiet and comfortable here. The air around Ritsa is very humid, so you can often see thunderclouds hovering over the lake and touching the nearest mountain peaks.

Trout, whitefish and other valuable species of fish are found in the lake.

2. Waterfalls Maiden's Tears and Men's Tears

These amazing natural monuments are seen by tourists who are heading along the road to Ritsa.

Men's tears are a mountain stream that falls from a height of 11 meters into a small bowl. By legend, the shepherd Adgur turned into a waterfall when he lost his beloved Amra in the mountains. Come here often cometo tie a ribbon to a branch of one of the nearby trees. This means that the young man is looking for a meeting with the future bride and asks for true love. Traditions say: if the stream broke the ribbon, then love is just around the corner.

Maiden's Tears is a waterfall that can be seen on the same trail. He is thin streams or drops falling from above. In a dry summer, you can see only a wet rock - the tears almost dry up, but then they flow again with the same force. There are also a lot of ribbons on the nearby trees. The girls tie them up to ask the mountain spirits for love. According to one of the legends, both waterfalls merge in the waters of the Bzyb River, and the lovers finally meet.

3. Castle of Prince of Oldenburg, Gagra

Located on the slope of Mount Mamzyshkha. Lock in the Art Nouveau style was built in the late XIX - early XX century and belonged to Alexander of Oldenburg. In Soviet times, there was a sanatorium here. Over the past decades, the building has been badly damaged, but textured masonry, red-tiled roofs, picturesque balconies attract many tourists. Against the background of a mountain slope covered with greenery, the castle looks like the scenery of an old historical film. And waiting for renovation.

The castle is easily accessible from Gagra - on foot or by taxi.

4. Mount Mamzyshkha

Tourists on the slopes of the mountain are attracted not only by the old castle, but also by observation platforms from which you can see magnificent landscapes, as well as admire Gagra and Pitsunda.

The first platform is located at an altitude of 300 meters. It is equipped, there is a cafe here. The next one is at the level of 900 meters. And to get to the highest observation deck, you need climb over 1400 meters. At such a height, you can see wonderful fir forests and alpine meadows, admire the high snow-covered slopes of neighboring mountains. Those who have been on the highest platform talk about the cleanest air and stunning views.

5. Abaata fortress

Another attraction of Gagra. The fortress, which may be over a thousand years old, was built as a fortification on the seashore. Protected from enemy attacks from the Zhoekvarsky gorge.

To date, the remains of gray fortress walls made of large stones, ancient gates with an arch, dilapidated towers have been preserved. Near the main entrance, a cypress alley begins, which leads to a small church. Perhaps the temple was built from the ruins of the fortress walls. Or simply from the same material as the walls: it looks strict and harsh.

6. New Athos Monastery

New Athos monastery St. Apostle Simon the Zealot is located at the foot of Mount Athos. The complex of buildings built in the 19th century looks harmoniously against the backdrop of mountain landscapes. After a long break, the monastery again became a functioning monastery. Here are held services and church rituals. But tourists are also welcome in the monastery.

You can get here on foot from New Athos.

7. New Athos cave

Opened to visitors relatively recently - since 1975. This is a huge underground space - only the initial section is a mine with a depth of 30 meters. And then travelers are waiting for transitions, galleries, underground halls. Today, tourists can see the unique underground interiors created by nature and hear excursions about the discoveries of speleologists.

8. Anakopia fortress

Located on the Iverskaya mountain in New Athos. This is an ancient structure that was built to protect against enemies. Thick stone walls, square and round towers really withstood the siege more than once. The fortress was partially destroyed, but a significant part of it has survived to this day.

Tourists get here from New Athos in groups or on their own. At the entrance you can buy tickets or join the tour.

9. Botanical garden in Sukhum

Sukhumi Botanical Garden - the oldest in the Caucasus, and today its collection includes about 5,000 varieties of trees, shrubs and flowers. These are 5 hectares divided into 50 zones and connected by footpaths. Not only the entire regional flora is represented there, but also many plants from Asia, North America, australia, Mediterranean. The main attraction of the garden is a three-hundred-year-old Caucasian linden.

10. Kyndyg thermal spring

For those who want not only to relax, but also a little improve your health and gain strength, you should go to the village of Kyndyg, which is 35 km from Sukhum. It is here that the hot spring of calcium-sodium mineral water is located. Its temperature reaches 100 ° C, so it is fed to the font through special gutters and cools down on the way.

There are several options for wellness treatments: hydromassage, therapeutic mud and a swimming pool.

What to bring from Abkhazia

For gifts, you can go to the local market, to the apiary or to the souvenir shop.

Sweets - dried fruits, churchkhela, baklava, honey

There are many apiaries in Abkhazia where you can buy eucalyptus honey. There are other types of honey, but eucalyptus is hard to find elsewhere. The market also sells different types of honey. But to be sure of the quality, it is better to go to the apiary.

Churchkhela is a delicacy shaped like a long sausage. Nuts are enclosed in a translucent shell of thick fruit syrup. Traditionally, the delicacy is made from walnuts and grape juice. But today you can find churchkhela with hazelnuts or with added dried fruits. Instead of grape juice, pomegranate or plum juice is sometimes used. Churchkhela is a local delicacy, so you should buy it here. High-quality, tasty and fragrant delicacy can be found in the market.

Tourists often bring from Abkhazia local spices and ready-made seasonings, cheese, nuts, as well as jam and delicious dried fruits. To choose really high-quality products, you can ask local residents for advice. And go to those sellers from whom they buy themselves.

Cezve for coffee

In Abkhazia, coffee is often prepared in copper cezves. In the market, you can choose products of any size as a souvenir. There are Turks with smooth walls and with local ornaments. Before you gather for a cezve, it is also worth asking your local acquaintances which seller they would go to.

Ceramic products

These are plates and dishes, jugs and bottles for wine, various containers for honey. You can choose both unpainted ceramics and products with unusual finishes and paintings. There are jugs on the market that can decorate a kitchen or living room, or turn into family mascots.

Wooden or wicker souvenirs

These are kitchen utensils made of wood or wicker. You can find interesting cutting boards, trays, spoons, mortars for spices. From wickerwork, you should pay attention to baskets of different sizes, decorative bread bins or fruit dishes. All these utensils can be safely used in the kitchen. A basket or box is convenient to take on picnic.

Eucalyptus brooms

This is a gift for connoisseurs of the bath. There are many eucalyptus groves in Abkhazia. Brooms made of thin branches, collected and processed according to all the rules, will keep a wonderful eucalyptus aroma for a long time and will give a lot of pleasure to lovers of steam.

Decorations

They make bracelets, pendants, rings and earrings. For jewelry, semi-precious stones are used, as well as beautiful shells and corals. You can find elegant products made of copper and other metals. There are also silver jewelry - if you choose them, pay attention to the sample and the manufacturer. Such gifts can be found in the markets and in numerous souvenir shops.