Gagra is one of the most picturesque cities of Abkhazia. Numerous travelers from all over the world come here. The city has a rich history dating back over 2000 years. It was founded by the ancient Greeks, after which it was ruled by the Genoese, the Turks and the Russians.
The status of the resort was given by the town of the Russian Prince Oldenburg at the intersection of the 19th and 20th centuries. Now the resort continues its active development. The influx of tourists lasts here from July to September. The city is especially popular with couples and young people.
Road to Gagra
The city is located 22 km from the famous Adler and prostrate along the coast. You can get here by road or by train. Its services to tourists and local residents provides a special train Moscow-Sukhum, which travels for a day and a half. The fare will cost 5,800 rubles.
You can also take a bus. A trip along the route Moscow-Gagra also lasts a day and a half, but will cost much less - only 2,800 rubles.
Another option is a flight.The nearest airport to the resort is located in Sochi. From Moscow you can fly here in 2 hours, while spending 3,900 rubles. Further by bus or taxi you can proceed to the checkpoint "Psou" or directly to the point of destination.
Inland transport
The most popular transport in Abkhazia:
- bus;
- minibus;
- Taxi.
Travel by minibus within the city will cost 20 rubles, and moving through the districts will range from 150 to 250 rubles. It is better to check the route of transport movement with the driver himself before starting the trip.
The minimum fare for a taxi will cost 150 rubles. One of the largest local companies, Garuda Express, offers to pay 100 rubles for a landing and 14 rubles for each kilometer.
Bicycle rental within the resort is highly demanded. For an hour of riding you will have to pay 100 rubles, and for a scooter - 320 rubles or more, depending on the model.
Food, cafes and restaurants
Food in local cafes, restaurants and snack bars is very diverse both in composition and in prices. Especially popular are:
- Abkhazian national cuisine;
- Slavic cuisine;
- European cuisine.
Also here you can try any drink from a wide range of alcohol and soft drinks.
The average bill for a full dinner will be 500-700 rubles. In many cafes and restaurants on weekdays you can get lunch for only 250 rubles. Coastal snack bars offer budget menu options. Lunch here will cost 300 rubles from one. If you want to have dinner at the national apache institution, you will have to lay out 350-500 rubles. On the beach you can eat ice cream, corn. Khachapuri on the beach will cost 60-70 rubles.
If you don’t feel sorry for the food for gastronomic delights, then at least once you should visit the oldest restaurant in the city “Gagripsha”. He is over 100 years old. Here is a special atmosphere that keeps traces of Nicholas II, Stalin, Gorky, Fyodor Chaliapin, Chekhov, Bunin. Accordingly, the level will cost and the average lunch - about 1,700 rubles for each.
You can not leave this city without tasting the exclusive local delights. Local hominy served here with cheese and beans. Famous Abkhazian cheeses have a special taste: suluguni, ashvchapan with mint filling, spicy fermented milk sauce.
It is also recommended to try the meat of lamb roasted on a spit, goat meat with adjika, liver kebab, boiled liver with nuts. Hot smoked fish has a special taste and aroma. Do not list all the delights of local cuisine - you need to try everything!
Rest in Gagra 2018 near the sea
Gagra provides guests with 50 km of beautiful beaches. Each of them is publicly available. You can find a beach covered with a mixture of sand and small pebbles, but the main part is the pebble coast.
Like the city itself, the beaches are divided into those that relate to the Old Town and the New Town. Families with children and those who love an idle stay in silence rest on the beaches of Old Gagra. There are few people and underdeveloped infrastructure. Entertainment here to a minimum. New Gagra attracts lovers of outdoor activities. It offers:
- boats;
- boats;
- catamarans;
- water bikes;
- rubber "bananas";
- paragliders;
- aquapark;
- diving.
It also focused based mass of restaurants and beach eateries.
Rest in Gagra (Abkhazia) 2018: recovery
For the treatment and prevention of diseases in this resort built balneological sanatorium. The main part of the procedure bases its impact on the hot springs of hydrogen sulfide properties. Local thermal water helps to prevent diseases of the skin, cardiovascular system, urogenital, nervous, musculoskeletal and other diseases.
Rest in Gagra 2018 without intermediaries: private sector, hotels
The advantage of the resort is a large number of accommodation options. They differ in cost, distance from the sea and level of comfort. Depending on the season, prices may vary, but on average they are quite adequate.
The most expensive housing costs in July and August. In Gagra, four stars were awarded only two hotels. Number in them will cost 4700 rubles from each.If the choice fell on local sanatoria, then it should be remembered that their interior decoration is rather democratic, and in some places even poor.
Local mini-hotels can offer accommodation with full board or with the ability to cook their own food. Usually in such establishments there is a parking lot, children's entertainment, terraces, barbecues. Accommodation here will cost about 800 rubles. If you wish, you can save and rent an apartment in the private sector. This service will cost only 450 rubles. But it should be remembered that in such apartments there will be minimal comfort.
Rest in Gagra 2018: all inclusive prices with meals
Fans of high-grade rest and the increased comfort can be recommended to get rounds on system "All inclusive". There are many hotels and guesthouses in Gagra operating on this principle:
- The Amra Park-Hotel & Spa hotel offers three meals a day and a wide range of services for the price from 1800 to 2300 rubles per person per day;
- pension "Cote d'Azur" - 2300 - 2560 rubles;
- pension "Energetik" - 1750 rubles;
- sanatorium them. Chelyuskintsev - 1500 - 2000 rubles;
- pension "San Marina" - 1550 - 2300 rubles;
- Sunrise Garden Hotel - 1700 - 2500 rubles and others.
Gagra Entertainment and Attractions
In Gagra there are all conditions for diving enthusiasts. The dive program can include a survey of coral reefs, as well as a more difficult walk along the sunken ships of the Great Patriotic War. On the coast there are numerous diving centers with qualified instructors. A half-hour session will cost an average of 1,500 rubles.
The most popular attractions include:
- Abaat fortress - the oldest architectural and historical landmark;
- Joekvar Gorge;
- Gagra Temple and the Museum of Abkhaz Weapons;
- the castle of the Prince of Oldenburg;
- Seaside Park;
- Observation deck;
- Crow Crow (Krubera) and more.
For children, Gagra offers a water park with nine slides, eight pools, several cafes. Interesting will be visiting the amusement park and children's center of creativity.
The climate of the resort city
Gagra is considered the warmest resort city of Abkhazia. Even in winter flowers bloom here. From May to October you can swim in the sea. The mountains are as close to the sea as possible, which helps create a unique climate. The warmest here is from July to August, and it is cold only in January. Frost is a rare phenomenon. Precipitation falls in the winter months and early spring. You can bask in the sun in Gagra for seven months a year, which makes the climate comfortable for tourists of any age.
Holiday in Gagra 2018: reviews of tourists
Not all tourists got the maximum pleasure from the rest in Gagra. Some reviews indicate unsanitary conditions, which result in all sorts of infections. Other guests of the city complain that the buildings in the city have not been reconstructed for a long time and their appearance leaves much to be desired.
You can also find an opinion about the unfriendly attitude of local residents. In some cases, tourists were offered one service for the agreed price, eventually providing a completely different one for big money.
But all the tourists unanimously speak of the magnificence of the land, beautiful views and beautiful nature. It can be concluded that it is easy to get a good impression of rest by approaching it wisely and carefully choosing the places of accommodation, food and entertainment.
