Gagra new and old city. Holidays in Gagra by the sea: beaches, photos, accommodation, reviews. Map of Gagra with streets and attractions

Gagra is the pearl of the subtropical resorts of Abkhazia, which is located 22 km from Adler (Sochi airport).

Arrive at the Gagra resort via Russian city Adler Krasnodar region by rail or by road along an excellent highway. The M-27 highway passes through Gagra along Ardzinba Avenue, renamed in 2013 in honor of the first president of the partially recognized Republic of Abkhazia.

Vladislav Ardzinba Avenue (formerly Nartaa Avenue) is the main thoroughfare of the Gagra resort. Stretching on both sides of Ardzinba Avenue, numerous boarding houses, recreation centers and sanatoriums have territories immersed in the greenery of subtropical plants and palm trees, their own beaches and a variety of rooms in buildings and cottages right on the beaches.

The Tsykherva River is a kind of border between Old and New Gagra.

A clear division of the Gagra resort into quiet and serene with more deserted beaches Old Gagra, as well as the noisy and restless younger New Gagra, gives tourists the right to choose the type of vacation.

Coastal beach line of Gagra of sand and pebbles stretches along Black Sea coast at 53 km. The mountains approach Gagra closest to the coast in all of Abkhazia.

Old Gagra- the most picturesque part of the city, surrounded by the greenery of the subtropical vegetation of the Primorsky Park and botanical garden. It was built up at the beginning of the 20th century, when the Prince of Oldenburg founded a resort area here climatic conditions reminiscent of the French Cote d'Azur.

Old Gagra is located between the Zhoekvara and Tsykherva rivers and is the first to greet guests on the road from Adler (Russia). People who work here are people left over from Soviet times.

The beaches of Old Gagra are suitable for those recreation lovers who value nature and privacy without active water activities.

Excursions in Gagra

Excursions in Gagra are organized at a good level and are offered in sanatoriums, boarding houses, hotels, on the square near the Continent supermarket and in excursion bureaus.

Leads to the Ritsa Nature Reserve of the Western Caucasus from the Black Sea coast through the environs of Lake Ritsa. highway to the climatic resort of Auadhara to the mineral spring.

High mountain lake Ritsa (950 meters above sea level) is an unforgettable magic of the nature of Abkhazia. Lake “Bolshaya Ritsa” has a length of 2.5 km, a width from 270 to 860 meters, a depth from 64 to 130 meters, water transparency from 1 to 10 meters. The trip to Lake Ritsa passes through the gorge of the Bzyb River with a visit to several waterfalls. Climbing into the mountains, near the village of Bzyb you can see the ruins of the Bzyb fortress of the 9th century. At 8 km of the route, tourists are greeted by a grove of Himalayan cedar planted in 1938. At 16 km of the highway, the excursion stops at the Blue Lake, 76 meters deep. The Yupshara River flows from Lake Ritsa. At the confluence of the Yupshara and Gega rivers, the road starts at an eight-kilometer section of the Yupshara gorge and leads to the Yupshara Gate - overhanging rocks 500 meters above the 20-meter wide road. This sight makes you stop!

The giant Geg waterfall is the highlight of the excursion to Lake Ritsa. The Geg waterfall became a film set for a Russian film about Sherlock Holmes. Lake "Malaya Ritsa" covers an area of ​​0.2 square meters. km. Cost of the excursion “Lake Ritsa” from Gagra: adult ticket 750 rubles, children’s ticket 450 rubles, children under 8 years old free (2018 prices).

One of the best day excursions in Gagra it is considered the “Main Caucasian Ridge + Lake Mzym” (2055 meters above sea level). Here you will travel along the entire Ritsin route, take a 1.5-hour walk to alpine meadows and have two picnics. Tourists will appreciate the breathtaking view from the Main Caucasian Ridge of Lake Morozovo. The cost of an adult ticket is 2000 rubles for 2018.

The article discusses in detail the holiday at the Gagra resort in Abkhazia in 2019: the sea and beaches, entertainment, attractions, cafes and restaurants, where to find accommodation, how to get there, a map with marks and many photos.

Gagra is the main resort of Abkhazia

✔ General (group) excursions

On the streets of Gagra there is great amount tents and points where tourists will be offered to choose excursions. The list and prices, as a rule, are almost identical for everyone. Basically, these are group or jeep excursions (in the latter, drivers often act only as carriers, but not as guides).

✔Individual excursions

Such tours are conducted by private guides - residents of Abkhazia. Individual excursions are designed for a family/company of 1-6 people, on foot or by car (in a guide’s SUV).

There are the following options order this type excursions:

• Based on contacts from the experience of friends
• A guide can come up on the street and offer his services.
• On specialized sites (for example, on).

Examples individual excursions in Abkhazia with prices and reviews are presented below (you can go to any tour you like, get acquainted and, if desired, order).

What to do in Gagra

In addition to sightseeing and sightseeing trips, while on vacation in Gagra, you can have fun in the following ways:

✔Visit the water park : adult – 1000 rubles, children (4-10 years old) – 700 rubles.

✔Take a boat trip (2 hours): adults – 800 rubles, children – 400-600 rubles.

✔Ride a jet ski : about 1000 rub. in 10 minutes

✔Take a bungee ride (height – 150 m): 2000 rub.

✔Fly with a parachute above the sea.

✔ Go paragliding from Mount Mamdzyshkha: flight – 4000 rubles. + disk with photos – 200 rub.

Where to eat

Gagra has a decent number of canteens, cafes and restaurants. For regular breakfasts/lunches/dinners, everyone will find an establishment in their area of ​​residence. But for going out, you might want something special. We didn’t manage to visit all the restaurants in Gagra, so we will share a brief opinion only about those we visited ourselves.

✔ – yes, this is the same old restaurant that was mentioned earlier in the section about the sights of Gagra. Moderately tasty. More expensive than other eating establishments in Abkhazia, but quite affordable.

✔ – restaurant near the famous Gagra colonnade. Prices are slightly lower than in Gagripsha. The food is delicious, the portions are large.

✔ – a restaurant of Abkhazian cuisine on the outskirts of Gagra, which is mainly visited by local residents. Inexpensive, very tasty and soulful.

The location of these restaurants is marked on the map of Gagra in the corresponding section of this article.

Other useful things

✔ Basic shopping in Gagra takes place at the market. The town also has small shops and minimarkets. During the tourist season, some retail outlets can serve customers even at night. About the market and more is written in the article at the link.

✔ Abkhazia is dominated by two mobile operator : A-Mobile and Akvafon. SIM cards can be purchased both at branches of these networks and in almost any store. The tariffs of both operators are adapted for tourists, the quality of communication and coverage is equivalent. 4G in Gagra is not bad at all.

✔ Operating railway railway station is located in New Gagra, and closer to Staraya there is the half-abandoned Gagripsh platform, where only commuter trains stop.

✔ Pharmacy there is enough in Gagra. In any case, don't forget in advance.

How to get to Gagra

Details for help:

✔ Tinkoff map 4377 7237 4260 2448 Samorosenko Konstantin Igorevich (Elisha’s dad)

✔ Yandex money 410012258423394 Samorosenko Konstantin Igorevich (Elisha’s dad)

The largest in Abkhazia resort town, stretched along the sea coast for 20 km. The center of the westernmost region of Abkhazia. Shortly before the birth of Christ, there was a settlement called Triglit, then the Roman colony of Nitika appeared. In the Middle Ages there was a Genoese trading post Khakara (Kakara), the name of which comes from the local Abkhaz surname Gagaa. In the 16th century, the Turks came here and engaged in the slave trade here for several decades. Then, for several centuries, the Gagra region was a bone of contention between neighboring mountain tribes. In 1830 - 20 years after the formal annexation of Abkhazia - Gagra was captured by the Russian army. Decembrist A.A. served here. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky. Passes through Gagra Railway. Within the city there are the points of Abaata (on the bridge over the Zhoekvara River), Gagrypsh (Gagra Pavilion), Atskhyda (near the Continent supermarket) and Gagra itself (station). The M-27 highway passes through the city - along Nartaa Avenue. Certain sections of the bypass road are in effect because they provide connections with some quarters of Gagra located on the mountain slopes; There is a large overpass at the Sukhumi exit and two tunnels.

Old Gagra

Located between the Zhoekvara River (northwestern end of the city) and the Tsykherva (Zykhvertskoy) River, sandwiched between the sea and the mountains, stretched along Nartaa Avenue. Tsykherva crosses Nartaa between the Three Barrels restaurant and the sanatorium named after. Chelyuskintsev. All the historical sights of the city are concentrated in Old Gagra. In the depths of the Tsikherva gorge there is a large cave of two halls - the cave of St. Evpatia (Euphrates). It is very difficult to find; barely noticeable paths run along both banks of the river from the bridge on the bypass road (between two active tunnels), and this river dries up in some areas in the summer (goes underground). On the left bank of the Joekvara, right next to the road, is the Abaata fortress, founded in the 5th century and operating until the end of the 19th century. It was partially destroyed, partially rebuilt. In the middle of the fortress there is a small temple, built from roughly hewn stone blocks in the 6th-7th centuries. In Soviet times, there was a weapons museum inside, but now the church is closed. From the side porch begins an underground passage to the seashore (it’s only a couple of hundred meters away). Up the gorge, along the right bank of Zhoekvara, from the Abaat railway platform (it is located right on the bridge over the river, between two railway tunnels) there is the street of Russian Volunteers. On its right side (if you go from the sea), on the border of two personal plots, the ruins of the so-called. Towers of Marlinsky - Russian fortification of the 19th century. In Old Gagra, very much has been preserved beautiful building restaurant "Gagripsh" with a clock on the pediment (early 20th century); it is clearly visible from the Primorsky Park. This is one of the symbols of the city. The park itself was founded by the Prince of Oldenburg, the founder of Gagra (the resort was founded in 1901). This park is home to many tropical plants brought specially for it from other countries. In Old Gagra you can see several ancient buildings - these are the first sanatoriums on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. In the center of Old Gagra, where Nartaa Avenue comes especially close to the sea, there is one of the most famous places in Gagra - Colonnade (a picturesque arcade in the Moorish style, enclosing a platform with a fountain in a semicircle). One of the most interesting sights of Old Gagra is the house of Nestor Lakoba, the leader of Abkhazia in 1921-1931. This is an old mansion on the mountainside, built by the Prince of Oldenburg for the masseuse who served his wife; Lenin subsequently allowed Lakoba to “privatize” this house. After Lakoba’s death, party bosses rested in his house, receptions and other events were held. For the last 20-odd years, an old Russian woman has been living here with her son (a crazy guy with a huge beard); At first she was just a cook, during the war she saved the mansion from looters, and now she continues to live in it and rents out rooms to vacationers. In Old Gagra there is the Gagra-Pavilion railway station; on the station building there is a banner with a beautiful inscription: “Give peace to the Caucasus and do not look for earthly paradise on the Euphrates - it is here. A.A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky." Serves as a background state flag Abkhazia.

New Gagra

Located between Old Gagra and the village of Psakhara (formerly Colchis); lives here most of population of the city, there are almost all shops, cafes, post offices, about 10 pharmacies, a market, etc. Most cafes and stalls are open only in June-September. Films can be bought and returned in just a couple of places on the main streets; orders are transported to Sochi for fulfillment. The Gagra collective farm market is a large two-level building covered with a concrete vault; Opening hours are from 7.00 to 17.00, but traders begin to actively disperse as early as 14.00. In the area around the market there are many stalls and shops that operate according to their own schedule. From the transit route - st. Demerdzhipa - to the market you need to go along narrow lanes (there are many of them, all parallel), and you will have to climb over the railway line. The street goes north from the market. Abazgov (Abazgaa) is the main highway of New Gagra (not transit), along which there are the high-rise hotels “Abkhazia” and “Energetik”, numerous cafes, and the beach is just a couple of hundred meters from the roadway. There is no traffic on this street, but there are many passers-by. If the market is located approximately opposite “Energetika”, then the nearest post office is opposite “Abkhazia”, also on the street. Abazgaa (house approximately No. 49). If you walk along Abazgaa north to the place where it makes a bend, a well-groomed square with lanterns, benches and a monument in the center will open on the right. Although the monument does not have any signs, it is clear that this is a memorial to the last war (a golden ball on a high concrete pedestal - apparently a futuristic flower as an allegory of peace). On the street Abazgaa, right opposite the market, there are usually several UAZ cars, the drivers of which invite vacationers to go on a jeep tour (to Mamzyshkha, Ritsa or somewhere else). All along the street you can see other excursion barkers. There is a small taxi stand near the market; It’s not convenient to sit on them here, because... the most popular ring is at Continent.

"Continent" supermarket

The most luxurious store in Gagra, with automatic doors and self-service (it opened just recently). Located on the street. Demerdzhipa, which runs east of the railway, parallel to it. On the site next to it there is a ring of minibuses going to Pitsunda, Bzyb, Gudauta, Sukhum and to the Psou checkpoint. There is also a bus stop here where you can catch passing transport. Next to the Continent department store there is the so-called. The tricky market is a little more expensive and smaller than the city one. Immediately behind the “Continent” there is a railway, op. Atskhyda and the folk trail to the central street of Abazgaa, which is only a 5-minute walk away. Train Station(Gagra station) is located on the street. Demerdzhipa is about a kilometer from the “Continent” (towards Sukhum). The building itself has not been renovated, but a small cement house with cash registers has been restored long distance(the Express system works here!). The Sukhum-Moscow train has a stop in Gagra. Please note that the station is difficult to see from the highway - it is behind the trees, and also at the bottom, but there are wide asphalt roads leading to it.

In the north of the street. Demerdzhipa “dives” under the railway overpass, on which it is written “Gagra is our city!”, and - merging with Adygeyskaya Street. - turns into an endlessly long avenue. Nartov (Nartaa), which leads to Old Gagra. Tsar Leon Street (Apskha Leon), extending towards the sea at the beginning of the avenue, connects it with the street. Abazgaa. If you walk about 20 minutes along Nartaa Avenue to the north, you can find a working library No. 2 (house 223), buildings of the local Ministry of Internal Affairs and administration, a working cinema, the Reprua river (its length is 18 m - this is the most short river in the world, which has a name) and the main Gagrinsky post office (Nartaa Ave., 147). On Nartaa Ave. there is also a city stadium named after. Daura Akhvlediani; opposite it, among private courtyards, is hidden Orthodox Church, the only one in Gagra, which, surprisingly, was created from an ordinary house in Soviet times. Services are held only on weekends; the priest lives nearby. The most popular beach in Gagra is near the Abkhazia hotel and the Energetik holiday home; On the promenade nearby there are many small cafes and souvenir stalls; services such as scooter riding, sea fishing and a dolphin boat cruise are offered directly on the beach.

Mount Mamzyshkha

Has a height of 1866 m; rises directly above Gagra, on the other side it is adjacent to the Mamzyshkha ridge, along which you can descend to the famous Blue Lake(see description of the Bzyb Gorge). At the beginning of the 20th century, an Alpine road was built to the top of Mamzyshkha from Old Gagra - a winding serpentine road, which under Soviet rule was mostly covered with asphalt (it was planned to create ski resort, and they were going to mount it on the slope cable car). The total length of the road is 30 km, it is quite possible to walk it in one day (you can go down twice as fast). The sign to Mamzyshkha hangs on the avenue. Nartaa, quite far from the modern city center. There is a trail that is several times shorter and does not make as many turns, but it is difficult to find without a guide. It starts in the Gorge and goes along a certain stream. There are two observation platforms on the Alpine road, from where you can see almost the entire Gagra, as well as the village of Bzyb, Cape Pitsunda and the Black Sea. The first site is located relatively close to the beginning of the road, where the residential buildings end, and is equipped on a grand scale - a concrete balcony over the abyss, an expensive cafe. The second site is in the middle of the second turn of the serpentine, where a certain Dzikhcha is indicated on the map; there is no longer any housing here; the bushes around the small balcony are completely hung with rags tied for good luck. Excursion minibuses bring vacationers to the Mamzyshkha observation decks to admire the sunset. Above the second site, several actively used logging roads branch off from the road. About 5 km before the top the asphalt ends; further on the narrow and dirty road can only be passed by goats.

Soon after the asphalt ends, the road will bifurcate: to the right and upward there will be a continuation of the alpine road to the top of Mamzyshkha (it is 30 minutes away by UAZ or an hour on foot), and to the left and slightly downwards the difficult road to Mount Arabica will go. UAZ cars with tourists occasionally drive along it, so it looks like it is actively used. They say that this road is quite new; it is absent from the General Staff's kilometers. The UAZ owners who are on duty opposite the market in Gagra and offer jeep tours through the mountains charge an additional 1,000 rubles for a trip to Arabica. mountain range Arabica is very extensive, it is famous mainly due to the large amount karst caves. Somewhere there is the deepest cave in the world - Krubera-Voronya, as well as some other famous cavities. In the alpine meadows of Arabica there are inhabited summer grounds of shepherds and hunters.

The peak of Mamzyshkha is already in the zone alpine meadows. Armenian shepherds spend the summer months there (they have about two dozen booths). In addition to a huge number of cows, they graze their horses on Mamdzyshkha, on which they lead tourists - from the end of the asphalt road to the top of the mountain and back. Mamdzyshkha offers stunning views of the surrounding area mountain ranges, Black Sea; below you can see Pitsunda, and at night the lights of Sochi and Adler airport are clearly visible. Cell phones work great. If you want to spend the night with the shepherds, bring/bring them bread and tea, they always lack these products. But they will feed you to your heart’s content with cheese and milk. It’s better to come to Mamdzyshkha before dark - at night the paths between the booths are hard to see, and watchdogs pose a great danger. Another danger is thunderstorms; On the mountain there is a monument to a 22-year-old shepherd who died from a lightning strike.

Rest in Gagra.
The resort town of Gagra (also Gagry; Abkh. Gagra) is located on the Black Sea coast in Abkhazia, stretching along the Black Sea coast for a distance of about 20 kilometers, about 10 of which are a beach resort area. The city is located 36 km from Sochi on the shore of a bay. The Gagra spurs of the Greater Caucasus Range come closest to the sea. The mountains create their own microclimate, protecting the city from cold winds and retaining warm sea air. Thanks to this, Gagra is the warmest place on the Black Sea coast. Due to the contrast in altitude, mountain gorges ventilate and renew the air in the city. Within the city limits, several rivers flow into the sea: Zhoekvara, Gagrypsh, Anykhamtsa, Reprua. To the west and southeast there are groves of Pitsunda pine.

Gagra is the largest resort town in Abkhazia, the center of the Gagra region and climatic resort Big Gagra. The name of the city comes from the ancient "Gagaa" tribes who lived here. The founder of the Gagra resort is the Prince of Oldenburg, who in 1903 built his palace here, founded the first sanatoriums, and planted the famous Seaside Park. The city is a subtropical park, which is notable for its wide variety of fountains, alleys, ponds and plants that bloom all year round.

The nature in Gagra is simply unique; a large city by local standards, especially its old part, is literally drowning in greenery. Moreover, the contemplation of this greenery is quite unusual for the eyes of visitors from most regions of Russia. Combined with the nearby high-mountain topography, all this contributes to the deliciousness of the local air. The air of the city, which is distinguished by its healing properties, deserves special attention. There are no harmful industries in Gagra, so you can enjoy clean air, which is rich in sea salt and a large (about 40%) amount of oxygen. Gagra is a romantic place. There are many cozy and secluded corners for lovers here.

The city is divided into Old and New Gagra.

Old Gagra - the very place where the main architectural attractions of the resort are concentrated. Most of the coastal buildings (1st and 2nd lines) were built in late Tsarist/early Soviet times. Now many of them operate as hotels and boarding houses. A little further from the sea, on the foothills, there are buildings of a later time, incl. modern guest houses and small private hotels. Abkhazia in this place is clearly visible; you can enjoy the view of the mountains, bays, and gorges.
The advantage of living here (in addition to the nearby natural splendor) is the relative lack of crowds on the beach and streets, due to the low density of private buildings, and, accordingly, the absence of a large number of guests. The minus smoothly follows from the plus: the main shopping and resort life is not vibrant here, and accordingly, the range of prices for services and goods is small. For example: in Old Gagra there are enough restaurants and cafes, but most of them are pretentious places by local standards, so their price tags are equally high. In New Gagra, the holidaymaker has much more choice - you can find both expensive restaurants with waiters in uniform, and cheap cafes.

New Gagra - the busiest part of the city, representing numerous private buildings and a number of apartment buildings. These neighborhoods arose in late Soviet times, so there are no significant historical attractions here.
It is here that the entire resort infrastructure is mainly concentrated: shops, cafes, tour desks, hotels for every taste, etc. There are supermarkets and an ATM. The Gagra market is also located here. The final stop of most minibuses running between Gagra and Pitsunda, N. Athos, etc. is also located in New Gagra near the Continent supermarket. Many of them do not go to the Old part of the city. The largest number of resort offers associated with beach activities, rental housing, excursions, purchase of goods/products, catering, etc., tourists receive it here.
The downside of living here: the beach is very crowded in the high season, a tourist’s favorite cafe may not have free space at the right time, and at night, revelers dance noisily and sing along to live musicians or stereo systems that loudly entertain visitors in restaurants by the sea.

The beaches of Gagra are about 10 km long, together with the beaches of the surrounding area - up to 30 km. The beaches in Gagra are pebbly and even during the season they are not completely filled. There are no sandy beaches in Gagra, but there are mixed stripes: with small and medium pebbles - near the sea, with sand - at a distance of 10 meters. The clean pebble and sandy areas near the city center are the first to be occupied by tourists: at the height of the season, free places can only be found in the morning.

The main vacation spot at the resort is Central Beach in the area of ​​New Gagra. It is located near the most populated sector and has a developed infrastructure: most of the attractions are concentrated on its territory, and there is a water park. However, at the height of the season, this part of the coast can be too crowded; undeveloped city beaches are more suitable for a secluded holiday.

Besides public beaches, in Gagra there are small beach strips assigned to hotels and boarding houses. The number of vacationers in such areas depends on the area; Entrance to the territory is usually free, but there are paid services. The water is clean, but becomes cloudy in stormy weather. Quiet, cozy beaches Gagra resort will help you disconnect from the hustle and bustle and everyday life. Gagra is perfect not only for family vacation, but also for young people.

Most of the water activities are concentrated on the coast of New Gagra, in particular - a water park with five small slides and the stadium named after Daur Akhvlediani. Other things to do at the resort include: aquatic species sports - diving and water skiing, ride a banana boat, and also go fishing or horseback riding in the picturesque surroundings. It is possible to rent a boat, boat, catamaran or jet ski. In the Old Town there are city courts where you can play tennis.

Once upon a time, holidays in Gagra were fashionable among the aristocracy. And even in Soviet times, its main guests were difficult people. Today, the few surviving buildings remind us of this. Modern Gagra is democratic, although a holiday here will be somewhat more expensive than in nearby villages. But here the entire infrastructure has been preserved to the greatest extent.

Every season, a large number of gastronomic, leisure, excursion and entertainment outlets and institutions are available to vacationers. In addition, from Gagra it is possible to get to any large and visited city in Abkhazia without resorting to the services of taxi drivers (the cost of intercity taxi trips during the season is quite high). Public regular transport (minibuses/buses/train) will cheaply take a tourist to Pitsunda, N. Athos, or Sukhum.

You can visit this amazing corner of the world without intermediaries, on your own. It is possible that you will like a trip to the city of Gagra without intermediaries more, since only you know what you want to visit, where to go, what to see and where to stay. When going on vacation to Gagra, don’t be afraid to take your children with you, as they will also really like it there. After all, this resort town is designed not only for adult tourists, but also for children. You just have to keep a close eye on children on the beaches, since there are no lifeguards on the beaches.

The climate in Gagra is humid subtropical. Spring begins early, sunny and not hot. Summer is warm, with predominantly clear weather: the average August air temperature is +23°C. Summer gradually turns into a long one the Velvet season: air temperature in October +17°C. The bulk of precipitation falls in April and October (the annual norm is 1400 mm). Swimming season in Gagra begins in May-June, ending in September.

Sights of Gagra

♦ Castle of the Prince of Oldenburg (1901-1904, architect G. I. Lyutsedarsky);
♦ Fountain in Primorsky Park
♦ Abaata fortress with the temple of St. Hypatius of Gagra V-VI centuries;
♦ Colonnade;
♦ Monument to soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War;
♦ Restaurant “Gagripsh”;
♦ Observation deck;
♦ Memorial of Glory;
♦ Seaside Park;
♦ Marlinsky Watchtower (1841);
♦ Cave of St. Hypatius;
♦ Krubera-Voronya Cave - the deepest in the world (2196 m);
♦ Subtropical College;
♦ Mansions of the early twentieth century;
♦ Hydrotherapy center of the early twentieth century;
♦ Water supply system of the early twentieth century;
♦ Hydrogen sulfide hospital;
♦ Holiday home “Amra”;
♦ Exhibition of wood carvings “Valley of the Winds”.

History of Gagra

In the 1st century BC, the Triglyph trading post was founded by Greek merchants. In the second half of the 1st century. BC e. becomes dependent on the Roman Empire. Since the 2nd century AD it has been known as the Nitika fortress. Later, in the 4th-5th centuries, a fortress was built here, called by the Abkhazians Abaata, the remains of which have survived to this day.

In the 14th century, the Genoese came here and founded a trading post. On a map of 1308 by Pietro Visconti it is called Jakara or Kakara.

The Genoese were then driven out by the Turks.
Despite the official annexation of Abkhazia to Russia in 1810, Gagra remained outside Russia's sphere of influence.

In 1830, a garrison was sent from Sukhum-Kale under the command of Major General Hesse, who began building a fortification to protect Abkhazia from Circassian invasions. At the beginning of the Crimean War, the fortification was destroyed and abolished.

Gagra was founded as a resort by Prince A.P. Oldenburg (a member of the Imperial House, a relative of Nicholas II), whose task was to turn the city into a full-fledged resort, the “Russian Monte Carlo”. The prince founded a telegraph office, a subtropical technical school, installed electric lighting, running water, and built a climate station, which opened on January 9, 1903 in the Gagripsh restaurant. This day is considered the founding date of the resort.

A park was laid out on the seashore, where agaves, palm trees, lemon and orange trees, and cypresses were planted. In today's Gagra, the famous park, the Gagripsh restaurant, the castle of the Prince of Oldenburg and the colonnade, with the nearby Winter Theater, have been preserved.

In 1904, the Gagrinskaya volost became part of the Black Sea province and remained there until June 1920, when it became part of Abkhazia.
In 1911, the first tourists from Germany arrived in Gagra.
In 1912, on May 17, Emperor Nicholas II visited Gagra.

During the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict of 1992-1993. the city fell into a war zone and was badly damaged. As a result of ethnic cleansing and genocide carried out against the peaceful unarmed Georgian population, the city's population decreased three times and the Georgian population decreased from 67% in 1991 to 2.7% in 2011.

Accommodation in Gagra.

The resort has many small hotels and private mini-hotels, most of which are concentrated in Novaya Gagra. Sanatoriums and boarding houses are located mainly in the Old Town. Accommodation is also possible in the private sector - apartments and houses local residents. The cost of accommodation depends on the season and location of the accommodation. When renting an apartment or house on long term It is necessary to clarify the frequency of changing bed linen - local residents are not always familiar with the rules of service. Even during the high season in Gagra, it is possible to rent accommodation upon arrival.

How to get to Gagry .

Most often they get to Gagra by minibus. From Adler airport or from the railway station you need to get to the border, and then to the nearest hotel.

The fastest way to cross the border is by regular bus, especially since they run every day. The following buses can cross the border out of turn: Nalchik - Sukhum, Moscow-Sukhum, Rostov-on-Don - Sukhum, Krasnodar - Sukhum, Sochi - Dranda, Vladikavkaz - Sukhum, Sochi - Sukhum, Cherkessk - Sukhum.

You can get to Gagra by train. It goes to Sukhum. At the same time, you will stop twice: at the Psou post - the Russian side and at the Tsandripsh post - the territory of Abkhazia. The train runs every day. Departure from Adler to Abkhazia is at 7.00 o’clock, and from Sukhumi to Adler – at 11.05 o’clock.

The most convenient and fastest way to cross the border is by catamaran. Customs and border control immediately upon landing at the port of Adler or Sochi. Travel time ranges from one hour to one hour and forty minutes. Children under seven years old travel on a catamaran for free.

There is an option to get to Gagra by train. The Moscow – Sukhum train stops in Gagra. These are essentially two trains, since the Mosca – Adler train (No. 076С and No. 075С), and trailer cars Adler - Sukhum in Abkhazia are assigned numbers 627 C and 628 C.

In total, the length of the coast of Abkhazia is approximately 400 km. There are both public beaches and closed ones, wild and equipped, rocky and sandy and pebble. Less commonly you can find beaches strewn with small pebbles.

This article will describe one amazing resort owned by the Republic of Abkhazia - Gagra.

The beach is essential for all vacationers when choosing a place summer holiday. Therefore, we will take a closer look at the recreation areas of this resort, especially since the beaches of Old Gagra and New Gagra have some differences.

A little about Abkhazia

The entire territory of Abkhazia is located between the two and Ingur) and Caucasian ridge. The total length of the coast is 210 kilometers. The best resorts Sukhumi (the capital), Pitsunda, New Athos and Gagra are considered.

The climate in these places is subtropical and summer lasts more than 6 months with an average July temperature of about 25-27°. Below we will take a closer look at some of the features of one of the resorts and find out whether Gagra has sand beach.

Features of the beaches of Abkhazia

• The descent into the water is gentle almost everywhere.
• The beaches are mostly pebble, a little less often - pebble mixed with sand.
• The water warms up quickly, the water in the sea is clean.
• Magnificent surrounding nature and good ecology.
• Many small streams and rivers flow into the sea, and therefore in some areas of the water area the water temperature is lower than usual.
• The same rivers bring a lot of garbage after rainfalls, but all this is quickly cleared by coastal currents (only in the Sukhumi and Gudauta bays this process takes longer).

Gagra

One of the most famous resorts located on the Black Sea coast of Abkhazia is Gagra. Central Beach is the most popular among locals and vacationers.

All Gagra recreation areas extend along a beautiful and calm bay, just 35 km from Sochi airport. Conventionally, Gagra is divided into 2 parts - New and Old, with a total length coastline approximately 56 kilometers. Compared to the beaches of Sukhumi, the entrance to the sea here is steeper.

In general, it fully corresponds to the concept of a relatively inexpensive budget vacation resort town of Gagra. Of course, you cannot compare it with the beautiful resorts on the coasts of Turkey, Greece, Cyprus and other European countries. The infrastructure and services here are much less developed, but there is the main advantage of these places. This is an amazing and unique charm of the surrounding nature and quite affordable prices. Thanks to all this, the flow of tourists to the beaches of this resort is growing.

Gagra is a magnificent and cozy place to relax. Almost any beach is surrounded by evergreen palms and oleanders. Most of them at the resort are unequipped and free, but some of them have the opportunity to rent umbrellas and sun loungers. The most popular beaches are located in areas near the boarding house "Energetik" and near the holiday home "Abkhazia".

The beaches on the territory of New Gagra are more comfortable and therefore more crowded. A big plus is that the shores are covered with smaller pebbles than the beaches of Old Gagra.

Traditional water activities for resorts are also widely represented here; there are rental points where you can choose any equipment. In terms of their specificity, the local beaches are similar to the beaches of Sochi, but they are not so crowded, and the hotels here are mostly represented by boarding houses of the Soviet era.

New Gagra has several beaches:

• Central Beach is a publicly accessible strip of shore approximately 40 meters wide and about 300 meters long, perfectly landscaped for recreation. There is a water park on its territory. There is a fairly developed infrastructure here: bars, cafes, supermarkets, attractions, tennis courts, etc. There are rental services for catamarans, speedboats, boats and other equipment. The beach is pebble, covered in places with sand, with a gentle entrance. Some areas are shallow.
• Energetik beach is located 50 meters from the boarding house. On the clean, well-maintained shore there are umbrellas and sunbeds for the guests of the hospital. You can use paid water slides and attractions (catamarans, banana boats and pleasure boats) and equipment rental services.
• The small clean beach area of ​​the Gagripsh boarding house is closely adjacent to the complex (located only 40 meters away). Sun loungers are placed on the pebble shore, where there are attractions for children during the day. There are several cafes nearby.

Of all the coastal areas of the New Gagra region, a sandy beach can be found in the central part of the city.

Old Gagra

This part of Gagra is calmer, less noisy, not crowded, and, naturally, the infrastructure here is less developed. good in its own way: a huge amount of exotic greenery and an abundance of numerous historical attractions that are of interest to lovers of excursions.

This area is perfect for those who like to relax in peace and privacy. Here you can perfectly combine beach holiday with cultural education. This part of the city also has more vegetation: cypress trees, oleander, palm trees, etc.

Old Gagra is unique and notable for its multiple boarding houses and sanatoriums with small own clean beaches, restaurants and cafes. One of the most famous and popular such establishments is the famous Gagripsh restaurant.

The most popular recreation areas in the Old Gagra region:

• Beach "Gagripsh" with free entry and rental services for canopies and sun loungers. The boarding house of the same name and the beach are located near the main attractions of the city.
• The Mahito beach is located near the grill bar of the same name and not far from the city colonnade. The beach area is landscaped, pebble, and open to any visitor. Sun loungers and umbrellas are freely available. There are equipped tennis and volleyball courts. The inventory is free. Very a good place holidays for families with children. Nearby is the café of the Mahito restaurant with discos and beach parties.
• The beach area of ​​the Kolkhida boarding house is also publicly accessible, well-maintained and located next to the pier. The coastal strip has two zones covered with small pebbles and sand. There is a well-developed entertainment infrastructure: rental of sun loungers, umbrellas, etc. There is a dance floor and a summer cafe on the territory. The beach is convenient for youth and family recreation.
• Free beaches are located near the Seaside Park and the Abaata fortress.

Conclusion

Anyone who has been here will certainly want to return to these amazing Beautiful places. Beautiful Abkhazia, Gagra, beach, Black Sea, bright sun, fresh air- all this will remain in memory for a long time.

For every tourist, a beach holiday has its own value. Some people love the amazing nature of places, some like beaches, and some come here to improve their health.

The beaches in Gagra are suitable for tourists with any preferences and tastes.