Mountains near Gagra 7 letters. What to see and where to go in Gagra: attractions and entertainment

10.01.2024

Mount Mamzyshkha (Mamzyshka) is located 6 kilometers from the city of Gagra. The height of the peak is 1876 meters above sea level. The entire mountain is covered with impenetrable green massif, with the exception of the very top. Due to strong winds, only grass grows on the top of the mountain. The peak of Mamdzyshkhi is located in the zone of alpine meadows.

Eight months of the year Mamzyshka is covered with snow. The rest of the time, horseback and car excursions are organized to Mamzyshka. At the beginning of the 20th century, a phaeton road designed by I. Maruashvili was built to the top of Mamzyshki - a winding serpentine 30 kilometers long, which under Soviet rule was almost entirely covered with asphalt. At the top it was planned to create a ski resort with a cable car and hotels. Since then, observation platforms have been installed along the road at different heights.

In clear weather, a magnificent panorama of the cities of Gagra and Pitsunda, as well as the village of Alakhadzy, opens from a bird's eye view. Mamzyshkha is one of the most interesting attractions of Abkhazia.

Mount Agepsta

Mount Agepsta can be conquered only by professional climbers, beginners and amateurs; this mountain is not very fond of it, because Agepsta is the highest point of the Gagra ridge, the height of which is more than 3000 meters.

Climbing to the top of Agepsta, you will pass through deciduous and coniferous forests, then you will find yourself in alpine meadows, and throughout the entire ascent you will be treated to amazingly beautiful views, the Tikhaya and Dolgaya rivers, glaciers and, of course, a lot of limestone, from which consists of Agepsta. Slopes with green grass and snow are some of the most common photographs taken by those who have been here. After all, winter and summer, existing harmoniously on the same mountain, simultaneously amaze the eyes of even the most avid travelers.

It is noteworthy that the slopes of one mountain belong to two countries at the same time, since Agepsta is located on the border of Russia with Abkhazia, so the north belongs to Russia, the south to Abkhazia. As a result, it is necessary to take a Russian border service pass with you when climbing this mountain. If from Abkhazia, then no permits are needed.

Day 8. Mount Mamzyshkha and Gagra 06/08/17 VSK

Pitsunda - Mamzyshkha - Gagra - Pitsunda

Mileage 124 km.

We are drawn to the mountains again! Does the word Mamzyshkha, so unusual for the Russian ear, mean anything to you? You can also find the variants Mamdzyshkha or Mamzyshka. They all represent one place, or rather a mountain, at the foot of which lies the resort of Gagra. And its conquest became our next venture.

The new day of our southern holiday began the same way as the previous ones. Breakfast in the kitchen, then a walk to the seashore and morning swimming. Each day of beach time would be similar to all the others - the same weather, constant temperature, the same activities. Some people love this kind of vacation. But not us!

Today it was decided to go to a neighboring city and climb the mountain that “presses” Gagra to the very edge of the earth. The mountain is called Mamzyshkha. I couldn’t find what this word means on the Internet. The mountain is a mystery!

In preparation for this trip, I wrote down the coordinates of a dozen places that you can visit in Gagra and its environs. But the most interesting were, of course, the observation decks on Mamzyshkha. Climb higher, take a bird's eye view of the surroundings - what could be more exciting?

We're all going together again in one car. As I already said, our Qashqai, if desired, easily turns into a seven-seater minibus, and can take quite a large company on board. Its high ground clearance of 200 mm will also be useful to us today.

A short preparation time and we're on our way. No extreme treks like the trail to Malaya Ritsa were expected here. Along the now familiar path past the Pitsunda pines we leave the city and, having reached the Sukhumi highway, turn left - towards the Russian border. On the very first day, when we were still driving forward in the darkness of the night, we passed through Gagra. Now let's look at it in the light of day.

After two dozen kilometers, the road dives into tunnels, two of which are functioning, and the third, apparently, was never completed. On the other side, the houses of Gagra are already appearing. We begin to look for a turn to the left - up the mountain. Here he is!

An asphalt path of fairly good quality quickly leads us to a place called the first observation deck. As we expected, after lunch there is silence and desolation. No cars, no people. There's no one even in the cafe.

The site itself is a concrete ledge on the mountainside facing the sea. There is even decorative tile trim and a parapet. The height is about 300 meters above sea level. The view is excellent at 180 degrees. Gagra stretches along the seashore. And somewhere in the haze in the south you can see Pitsunda and the mouth of the Bzyb River. A short photo break, and we move on. There's nothing else to do here.

It was much more interesting to get to the second observation deck. Reviews about the road there were the most contradictory, but intriguing. The path to the top was paved at the beginning of the 20th century for phaetons that took the resting public on rides. In Soviet times, the road was even paved, hoping to create a ski resort on the top of the mountain. There was a cable car underneath. But perestroika came, and after it the Soviet Union collapsed.

The higher we climbed, the worse the road surface became. In some places the asphalt was still preserved, and even better than what we saw in the Auadhara valley, but in some places there were very large potholes. I would say like craters after shelling, if this could not be true. During the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict of 1992-93, fierce fighting took place here. Georgian troops occupied Gagra, cutting off the Abkhazians from the Russian border. And the dominant height of Mamzshkha made it possible to control the entire Gagra and the surrounding area.

In my story, one cannot ignore the particularly difficult topic of that war of 1992-93. The more I learned about the details of the fighting, the more the hair on my head stood on end. Such barbarity occurred at the end of the twentieth century!

For Russians, these events somehow remained outside the time of troubles. We were more concerned about what was happening in our country. And then, on the territory of the former USSR, a real massacre broke out, when ambitious politicians pitted two peoples, who had lived side by side with each other for centuries, in a cruel and senseless war.

On the territory of the Abkhaz Autonomous Republic, which was part of the Georgian SSR, approximately half of the population were Georgians. But in 1992, the Abkhaz Supreme Council announced the restoration of the 1925 Constitution and the actual secession from Georgia. In response, Georgia sent National Guard troops into the territory of Abkhazia, first of all occupying Gagra, thereby cutting off the Sukhumi authorities from the Russian border. Very quickly, the entire territory of Abkhazia was taken under control by the Georgian army, except for a small area around the Russian military base in Gudauta.

Volunteers sent by the Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus came to the aid of the Abkhazians. Among them is the later notorious Shamil Basayev. It was in the Abkhazian mountains that his fighters gained combat experience, which would later turn against the Russian army. Where the semi-partisan detachments got their weapons and ammunition from, let the reader guess for himself. But the carnage broke out in earnest. What struck me most was the facts of terror and genocide that were used by both sides. Doctors, teachers, and artists were shot en masse without trial. Entire families, young and old, were slaughtered. Examples of modern barbarism have been recorded from both the Abkhaz and Georgian sides.

Largely thanks to the inaction and indecisiveness of the Georgian authorities led by E. Shevardnadze, control over the territory of Abkhazia ended up in the hands of illegal armed groups. There was a mass exodus of the Georgian people. The country's population has almost halved. The entire economy was destroyed. But the new leaders of the country declared their victory and independence.

Now the border between Georgia and Abkhazia runs through the south of the Gali region and is an almost frozen front line - minefields and firing points. There is no communication with Georgia. The sovereignty of Abkhazia is recognized by only a few states (including, naturally, Russia). For the rest, this is the occupied territory of Georgia.

The conflict was calmed down 25 years ago. And since then nothing has changed. Abkhazia is content with its position as a Russian dominion and feeds from that. Georgia does not have the strength and political will to restore the status quo. The rest of the countries of the world community are trying not to interfere in this hornet's nest, where hot Caucasian guys can make new troubles.

Traveling throughout Abkhazia, we came across a lot of different monuments, steles, monuments dedicated to that war. These are, perhaps, the most well-maintained facilities in the republic. Maintained in perfect order. But no less often, along the roads at battle sites, you can see grave obelisks or simply memorial plaques with photographs of young people who died for the ambitions of others.

So, along a narrow path, hidden under tree branches and sandwiched between a slope and a cliff, going around craters, our car climbed higher and higher. A couple of times we were overtaken by local horsemen until we were “on the tail” of one minibus. This is not the first time that local drivers have driven along this road; they know the most optimal trajectory over potholes. And we will take advantage of their experience.

In some places the pits have sharp, steep edges, and I thought it was good to have high ground clearance, otherwise you would rip off the entire bottom or leave the bumpers there. And it’s good that we didn’t take Solaris with its low landing. But as soon as I thought about it, both a Solaris and a BMW came across the road, rather briskly rolling down the pits.

Meanwhile, the serpentine climbed higher and higher, and soon we found ourselves at an altitude of about 1000 meters above sea level, where the second observation deck is located. By the way, you can easily drive past it and not notice it. It’s good that there were a couple of cars parked here with auto tourists just like us. The platform is a metal structure mounted on the side of the road. From here you can see Gagra somewhere far below. And the sea turns blue in the haze. The horizon line merges with the sky. The entire fence of the site is tied with hundreds of rag ribbons, and therefore looks untidy. We stood and looked. By the way, it’s not scary to look down. There is no sheer cliff here. Just a very steep slope, all overgrown with trees and bushes.

Yes, the road goes further up, gradually skirting the entire mountain. Somewhere at an altitude of 1500 meters there is a fairly large clearing from which paragliders take off. There is this type of entertainment - together with a paragliding instructor, go down from Mamzyshkha directly to the sea beach of Gagra. Three paragliders took off from the mountain in front of us, and we watched the landing of one of them already below in Gagra.

The zone of alpine meadows begins even higher. But the asphalt road ends here, turning into a dirty dirt road, accessible only to all-wheel drive all-terrain vehicles. We reached the dirt and turned back. Local residents who happened to be nearby offered to transfer to their UAZ and get to the very top of the mountain (which is 1873 meters above sea level), but we refused. Although, perhaps, it was worth agreeing. A few more kilometers of dirt road and we would have found ourselves at the very top of the mountain. And so, it turns out that we did not conquer her. But then it seemed to us that such a bold raid along a mountain serpentine somewhere to the sky was enough.

The car reacted to the difference in height completely calmly and pulled as if nothing had happened. In the pits in first or second gear, and where it’s more level, even in third. Nothing was warm. And it was even easier to roll down. Just don't overuse the brakes to avoid overheating. It's better to brake with the engine. Although you won't be able to accelerate particularly well. And the potholes have not gone away, and you want to stop at every turn to contemplate the panorama that opens up to your eyes.

About forty minutes later we had already passed the first observation deck and rolled further down.

“I was transferred to the terrible climate of Abkhazia. There is a depression between huge mountains on the Black Sea coast, in Abkhazia. The wind doesn't fly there; the heat there from the hot rocks is unbearable, and, to top off the pleasures, the stream dries up and turns into a fetid puddle. In this gorge a fortress has been built, into which the enemies are hitting the windows from all sides, where the fever is rampant to the point that one and a half troops a year die from the garrison, and the rest come out of there no other way than with deadly obstructions or dropsy. There is the 5th Black Sea Battalion, which can communicate with other places only by sea, and, not having an inch of land for pastures, feeds on rotten corned beef all year round.”

Now it is difficult to imagine what the fortress looked like two hundred years ago. There is a hotel and restaurant on its territory. Behind their buildings, the low, two-meter stone walls of the citadel are completely lost. Entry is completely free. But there was nothing to see. Of the ancient buildings, only the Church of St. Hypatius of Gagra has survived, the same age as the fortress, which is still operational. Yes, a small house with a sign “Museum”, which was closed with a large barn lock. We entered the church, but the strict caretaker warned that the priest was blessing only one photo from the threshold of the temple. We lit candles and moved on.

Some kind of hotel has now been built between the fortress and the sea, fencing off a section of the beach. But the lock on the gate of the fence did not work, and we walked through its territory completely freely to the shore, and there we already found ourselves near the famous Gagrinsky pier, which goes 200 meters into the sea.

When I read earlier that in the evening all vacationers love to walk along this pier and look from the sea at the city colored with lights, I imagined it a little differently. I imagined a stone breakwater with a pedestrian promenade along it. In fact, the pier turned out to be a rather tall metal structure. This building is more of a utilitarian-technological nature, but in no way a place for walking and having fun. Nevertheless, to check in here, we still walked to the end of the pier. Despite the presence of a barrier at its beginning with a warning sign that the structure is in disrepair and passage is prohibited. But if there is no fence with barbed wire, then a simple inscription will not stop our tourist at all.

The view of the mountains and the city from the pier is okay, but not outstanding. Maybe it's more beautiful in the evening? On the mountainside stands out the castle of the Prince of Oldenburg, which has now been converted into a restaurant.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Prince Alexander of Oldenburg, seduced by the mild climate of Gagra, decided to turn the city into a resort. He built himself a castle on the mountainside and was actively involved in landscaping the surrounding area. So, on a narrow strip along the sea beach, the Primorsky Botanical Park appeared, named after its founder.

After the pier, we walked along the seashore through this park, where you can see many strange tropical plants and examples of park architecture. Due to the early evening heat there is very little public. Only here and there, sellers of boiled corn, drinks or some kind of entertainment were bored, buried in their phones.

We passed by the cable car station, which has not been operating for a long time. Now there is a cafe there. In general, the impression is that the Abkhazians are doing their best to use the remnants of the Soviet era. Time stood still in the 1980s of the last century. Nothing new has been erected or built since then.

We reached the famous colonnade. We walked between its white columns. Nothing special. Why is she so praised? Built in 1955, when the whole country was still healing the wounds of heavy war and devastation. She appeared in the film “Winter Evening in Gagra” and became an unspoken symbol of the city.

The time allotted for getting to know Gagra was coming to an end. We had to go in the opposite direction again through the park to the car left at the Abaata fortress.

Along the way we saw and bought unusual melons. Small (about the size of an apple) and striped like watermelons, but the stripes are brown on a yellow background. They look very original and bright. But you need to eat them like regular melons - p cut, clean out the seeds, then gnaw out the pulp to a thin, dense crust. Not very comfortable. Especially if you try to do it on the go. Pampering.

Another object listed in tourist guides was found near the car. This is a children's playground on which some concrete structures were built, decorated with pieces of colored tiles. It turned out that before us, neither more nor less, is Zurab Tsereteli’s thesis! As always, monumental! But it does not fulfill its main task. We didn't see any children there.

Having returned to our place in the Monasheskoe Gorge, before dinner we still had time to go to the sea for a swim. The water is clean and warm. And then the usual evening gatherings with a glass of wine and board games.

It so happened that our day today was completely dedicated to Gagra. The city most beloved and visited by Russian tourists. But we were able not only to walk through its wonderful Seaside Park, but also to look at the city from a bird’s eye view from the slopes of Mount Mamzyshkha, and from the sea - from the tip of a 200-meter pier. And they saw about the same thing that was here forty years ago.

The city of Gagra is the first large Abkhaz settlement that travelers encounter after passing the Psou checkpoint. Moreover, by Abkhazian standards it is a city, but by Russian standards it is more of a village. The population of this resort town is about 15 thousand people. The names “Gagra” and “Gagra” are equivalent, it is correct to say both ways.

Although at the beginning of the twentieth century Gagra was considered the “Russian Nice”, it was much more popular than Sochi, with a more developed infrastructure. This place owes its transformation into a resort to the Prince of Oldenburg. It’s hard to believe, but before that, on the territory of modern Gagra there were many swamps, stuffiness, malaria was a common disease...

In general, this place is considered the warmest on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. This is facilitated by the favorable geographical location of the city. It is located in a cozy bay, surrounded by mountains by the Gagra ridge. There are more than 200 sunny days a year here. In summer, the water warms up to 30 degrees, the air temperature in July in the shade usually rises to almost 40. You can swim from May almost to November. Often the water temperature allows you to plunge into the sea even in the last month of autumn. Rain is a relatively rare occurrence here.

Very diverse flora and fauna, many plants listed in the Red Book. The climate allows for the cultivation of tropical fruits. The beaches are mostly pebble. Although there is a small sandy beach in the Primorsky Park area.

How to get to Gagry

City districts

The city is divided into two large districts - New Gagra and Starye Gagra. The section passes through the Tsikherva gorge, which itself is a local attraction.

Old Gagra

As the name suggests, this area came first. It was formed at the beginning of the twentieth century. There are many buildings of historical value here. Some of them arose thanks to the Prince of Oldenbug, on whose initiative and under whose control the area was developed into a resort starting in 1900. Active work was carried out to drain swamps and fight malaria. Outlandish plants were brought from all over the world. Tourists perceive many of them as originally growing here, but this is not so. The names of attractions that perpetuate the name of the Prince of Oldenburg have survived to this day.

This part of the city is the first on the route of tourists coming from Russia. It is most suitable for a relaxing holiday, for those who prefer to live in boarding houses and not only enjoy the sea, but also visit museums and sites of historical value. All those objects that are considered symbols of the city and its calling card are concentrated in Old Gagra.

New Gagra

For a more active holiday, this area is better suited than the historical center of the resort. There is a water park, a market, a large offer of housing in the private sector, and more cafes and restaurants.
The area arose during Soviet times. Residential buildings predominate, including multi-storey ones. Many small shops with food, clothing and souvenirs. There are beaches whose condition is quite normal. The area looks much more modern compared to its neighbor, but like the first, there are many unfinished or destroyed buildings.

Since the offer of accommodation is at every turn, the tourist has a choice. Some owners didn’t like it - it’s quite possible to find another room or apartment in a short time.

One of the attractions of New Gagra is the monument to the victory in the Georgian-Abkhaz War. This armed conflict occurred in 1992 and became one of the bloodiest in the country's history. Abkhazians attach great importance to the fighting of 1992-1993, after which the “Country of the Soul” was left in a dilapidated state. Many cultural sites of historical value were damaged at that time.

Sights of Gagra

All objects of interest to visitors to this city can be divided into those located in Gagra and those located in the surrounding area. The latter primarily include natural objects.

What to see in Gagra?

As already mentioned, most of the historically significant places are located in the older area. Their inspection is very convenient when walking along the former Nartaa Avenue. Now it is called Ardzinba Avenue. In Gagra there is somewhere to go every day.

1. Abaata Fortress. This bastion is about one and a half thousand years old. Both local tribes and the Romans had a hand in its construction. The fortress wall has not been completely preserved. It was partially destroyed by order of the Prince of Oldenburg.

On the territory of the fortress there is an equally ancient temple, where services are still held. At the beginning of the twentieth century, a hotel was built next to it.

2. Seaside Park. This park is also called Prince of Oldenbug Park or Arboretum. It runs parallel to the sea. The development of this park began in 1902. We prepared the area and brought plants from all over the world. There are wonderful alleys, several ponds with fountains, and a mosaic labyrinth. The beauty of the vegetation is amazing. Tropical trees make a special impression on residents of the northern regions.

The legendary eucalyptus alley runs parallel to Ardinba Avenue. The trees are simply huge. There is a unique smell here. Eucalyptus trees were planted here at the beginning of the last century to combat swamps and small insects.

3. In the Primorsky Park there is one of the main symbols of the city - Colonnade. It was built more than 60 years ago.

Opposite this building there is a small square and a fountain.

4. Walking through the Seaside Park, on the opposite side you can see Prince of Oldenbug Castle. Previously, a cable car led to it from the park. It still exists, but is increasingly closed for renovations. The castle was built as the residence of the prince. It towers over the city. For its time, the building was built in an unusual style.

After 1917, there was a sanatorium named after. Stalin, then the Chaika sanatorium. Now this historical site is officially closed to the public. It is in disrepair. However, the place is not guarded or fenced by anyone, so those who wish can take a chance and go up to the top floor, which overlooks the Seaside Park and the sea. Also, the staff of the Gagripsh restaurant sometimes conducts excursions to the castle for their visitors, which is an equally interesting place.

5. Restaurant "Gagripsh"- this is another calling card of the city, a popular object for depiction on magnets and souvenirs. It has a unique architecture. This building is more than a hundred years old, its design has remained almost unchanged. The building is interesting because it was created without a single nail and is decorated with real Swiss watches.

The Prince of Oldenbug ordered parts for this building from Europe, and they were delivered ready-made. Nearby was the castle of Princess Oldenbeg. It was created in the same architectural design as “Gagripsh”. It has not survived to this day. A long stone staircase leads from the restaurant to the park, where tourists love to take pictures. Famous people of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire have visited this restaurant.

6. Gagra embankment starts from the Colonnade and stretches along the Seaside Park. Along its entire length you can go to the sea. The embankment ends with a pier. The Abkhaz authorities are gradually improving it. Along the entire length there are trash cans and benches where you can sit and relax. Near the Embankment there are public catering facilities and sanatoriums.

7. Sanatorium "Georgia". Nowadays it is also called the Gagripsh Resort Complex, but the site is still an abandoned Soviet holiday home for the elite. Previously, it was possible to get to it along a path coming from the sea, but now the easiest way to get there is from the bypass road. This was once one of the most luxurious party sanatoriums in the Soviet Union; only the party elite ended up here.

The building still retains remnants of its former grandeur. However, it is not recommended to take children on the excursion, as the structure is in disrepair. You should also be careful when you open another door and fall into the elevator shaft.

8. And, perhaps, one of the few attractions of New Gagra - aquapark, completes the list of top places to visit within the city. This complex has been open since June 1 and receives visitors daily. Ticket prices vary depending on the time of year. Children under 4 years old are admitted free of charge. Having purchased a ticket, you can stay on the territory of the complex without time restrictions. The water park includes 8 attractions, swimming pools, and a small section for very young visitors. There are mini versions of the slides. Near the attractions there are small cafes where you can have a snack. There are enough sun loungers and umbrellas for all visitors.

Attractions outside the city limits

In order to visit many interesting natural sites, you will have to go to the vicinity of Gagra.
1. Standing up to Mount Mamdzyshkh and, in clear weather, you can see the panorama of Gagra and Pitsunda from a height of almost 2 thousand meters. The view is of amazing beauty. There is an asphalt road up the mountain. The ascent takes place in jeeps.
2. Not far from Gagra is located. At different times of the year, the color of its water is not the same. It is amazingly beautiful. Not far from the lake is one of Stalin's dachas. It is painted green and designed so that it is not visible from an airplane. In summer, the water in Ritsa warms up to such a temperature that you can swim there.

3. Zhoekvar waterfall. It can be reached on foot. To do this you need to go up the road from Gagarinskaya Square. The waterfall is amazingly beautiful. It is located in the Zhoekvar Gorge. At the beginning of the twentieth century, it supplied energy to a small power plant, the building of which is located nearby. In addition to him, they are also famous Gegsky and Molochny waterfalls.

Markets Gagra

In New Gagra, spontaneous markets are located everywhere. However, it is better to make most purchases at the Central Market, which is located near the Energetik boarding house. The market is located near the sea.

It is convenient to get to it from Adygov Street. The Gagra market has more choice and lower prices compared to street mini-markets. There are practically no supermarkets in Gagra. In small stores, products rarely have price tags. In many cases, the seller names the price depending on what the buyer looks like.

At the Central Market you can buy local fresh vegetables and fruits, wine, dairy products, honey, clothes, and souvenirs. However, you should keep in mind that not everything can be transported across the border. Bread prices are almost the same as in the Krasnodar region. You can buy meat at the market and cook barbecue if the conditions of your rented housing allow.

Here you can buy bay leaves and spices inexpensively. Laurel trees grow in almost every yard. Dried persimmons are very popular. You can inexpensively buy grafted lemon seedlings and other strange plants.

1. Various types of palm trees grow in this area, including coconut and date palms. In some places you can find palm trees with bananas growing on them and fruit-bearing grapefruit trees.
2. The shortest river in the world flows in the Gagra region. It's called Reprua.
3. Near Gagra there is the second deepest cave on Earth - Krubera Cave. Until recently, it ranked first among the deepest caves on our planet.
4. In the Gagra region there is only one species of poisonous snakes - the Caucasian viper.
5. Most of the shots in the film “Jolly Fellows” were filmed in Primorsky Park.
6. Pugacheva’s video “Antique Watch” was filmed against the backdrop of the “Gagripsha” clock.

Location of the highest landmark in Gagra

Above Gagra, towering majestically, stands Mount Mamzishkha. Its height is 1876 meters above sea level. At the beginning of the 20th century, a road was built to the top of the mountain for excursions and visitors, along which along its entire length there were special observation platforms from which one could observe the city, enjoying a beautiful panoramic view of Gagra. The platforms offered an amazing view of not only Gagra itself, but also Pitsunda, as well as other nearby towns and villages. Guests of the city can enjoy the wonderful view of the sea seen from the mountain; its turquoise surface sparkles and shimmers like a beautiful diamond in the sun, bewitching everyone with its unprecedented beauty.

The main advantages and benefits of the mountain

It’s worth climbing to Mamzishkha not only for this beautiful panorama, the mountain itself is quite interesting, it is buried in dense subtropical vegetation, thanks to which all visitors can breathe especially healing ionized mountain air, which mixes the resinous smells of growing trees with the delicate aroma of flowers. Visitors to Mount Mamzishkhi can walk through a truly beautiful forest and see the crystal springs that abound in this area. Thanks to its unusual topography, as well as climatic conditions, Mount Mamzishkha is perfect for various sports activities, including alpine skiing. The ski slopes, which are located on the northern slope, are intended for use seven months a year. Guests of the resort town can see a magnificent panorama of Gagra and its surroundings from a bird's eye view; the altitude of almost 2 km allows you to see an attractive view of the Abkhazian cities and the wonderful surface of the sea. It is in these places that the sea and mountain climates are different, making their combination ideal for active recreation.

Attractions nearby

Another unforgettable place in Gagra is the Primorsky Park, which was founded in 1902-1905. In it, visitors will be able to see rare varieties of various ornamental plants, green palms and oleanders. On the territory of the park you can see a unique architectural monument of the early 6th century - an ancient fortress temple, and visit the museum of Abkhaz weapons located in it. Walking along the road from the old seaside park to Novaya Gagra, you can see the seaside alley, founded in 1949, a palm park near the Gagripsh hotel, which displays various large specimens of palm trees, and a small terraced park, organized at the Moscow sanatorium and surprising everyone present with cascading wall fountains. Tennis lovers will enjoy the well-equipped tennis courts; they can take a break after tiring walks on the picturesque embankments equipped with cozy bars and cafes, relax in the shade of plane trees and try delicious Abkhazian cuisine. In addition, in the center of Gagra there is a water park where you can have fun in discos or in cafes with live music.

We are launching a series of materials about travel to Abkhazia. Pristine nature, inimitable history and Caucasian hospitality - this is all about it, about the “Country of the Soul”.

Around Gagra

The dream resort of tsars and Soviet party workers. Gagra is the warmest place on the entire Black Sea coast, because the high Arabica mountains are closest to the coast and protect from cold winds.

We all know the most popular places in the city - the Gagra Colonnade, the Prince of Oldenburg Castle and the Gagripsh restaurant. However, today we suggest going to the outskirts of the city, where you can find no less picturesque corners and monuments with ancient history. And the main advantage of Gagra is that the resort is located a 30-minute drive from Adler, and spending a whole day there is as easy as, for example, in Krasnaya Polyana.

White Rocks Beach

A unique natural phenomenon of the Black Sea is the marble beach. This is one of the most beautiful beaches in Abkhazia. Snow-white cliffs emerge from the sea onto the shore, stretching for a distance of 200 meters along the very edge of the water. In 1981, the white rocks in Abkhazia were recognized as a natural monument. Rock formations stretch along the shore, the water is very clean, which is also excellent for scuba diving.