Gelendzhik: attractions, souvenirs, accommodation

Where to stay in Gelendzhik

Gelendzhik is a small town, therefore, wherever you stay, it will not be difficult to reach the sea. Even from the remote Severny microdistrict, you can reach the embankment on foot in just 30–40 minutes.

As in other resort cities of Russia (except, perhaps, Sochi), in Gelendzhik things are not very good with hotels, and in a few decent prices have skyrocketed in the summer season. For example, the best local hotel is Kempinski, where you will have to pay 35,000 rubles for a standard double room in August.

In the four-star hotel "Primorye" they ask for 33 397 rubles per room. At the same time, guests of high-class hotels often complain that places on the hotel beach are sold to everyone, and this creates certain inconveniences for those who paid a decent amount for a room and counted on a secluded vacation.

But still, prices are not so high everywhere in Gelendzhik. Here is a small hotel Kompass - if you go here at the end of August, you will be able to check in for 6,675 rubles per day. Or here's another stylish mini-hotel, where a night in August will cost from 5,944 rubles.

There is also the private sector, but those who are looking not only for the proximity of the beach, but also for a design approach to decoration, will be disappointed: they simply cannot rent a beautiful room on Airbnb. If you choose between the prettiest options, you can rent an apartment for 3,500 rubles per day or a very modest one for 1,600 rubles.

What sights of Gelendzhik to see

Embankment with sculptures

You should start your acquaintance with Gelendzhik with a walk along the long embankment. This is the most comfortable part of the city; all the tourist infrastructure is concentrated here. Along the way, you will meet many life-size sculptures: the Scientist Cat immortalized in bronze from Pushkin's fairy tale, monuments to a tourist and a bride (we will talk about the latter a little below) and not only.

Sculpture "White daughter"

Attractions of Gelendzhik: sculpture "White bride"

The symbol of Gelendzhik is located between two piers: Central and Commander pier. There is also a plaque with an explanation that the name of the city is translated as "daughter-in-law". This is where the concept of the monument came from. It looks like nothing special, but locals and visitors are very fond of sculpture, so there are almost always crowds nearby who want to take a photo as a souvenir.

Gelendzhik lighthouse on Tolstoy Cape

One of the most famous and "postcard" places of the city is located on the Tolstoy Cape. The image of the lighthouse is found on many souvenirs; you can get acquainted with the attraction during boat trips and excursions. There is a wild beach next to the lighthouse.

Gelendzhik leading lighthouse

If you do not know that it is a lighthouse in front of you, the building can be confused with a residential pre-revolutionary mansion. Its practical function is hinted at only by the vertical red stripe on the façade. Alas, you can't get inside, so you will have to admire the structure from behind the fence. At the same time, take a photo next to the monument to the Lighthouse Keeper.

What attractions to see in the vicinity of Gelendzhik

Rock Sail

You need to look for this amazing natural monument in the vicinity of the village of Praskoveevka and the Dzhanhot farm, near the beach. A huge stone monolith rises 25 meters above the sea, and there is a strange "window" in the lower corner. It is believed that this is the trail of a cannonball that hit the rock back in the distant 19th century (although this version has not been proven).

Experienced tourists strongly advise Tripadvisor review to admire the object from afar - if you believe the reviews, you will have to walk on slippery stones and water from the Praskoveevka beach, and the area around is completely unsuitable for recreation.

Wild beach "Sosnovka"

The most remote and inaccessible beach of Gelendzhik is located near the Sosnovaya Shchel SNT. There are large pebbles here, and the water is blue and transparent. Sometimes in the sea you can even see dolphins, which are not at all afraid to swim close. But it is worth considering the following point: you will most likely have to pay for entering the territory, and the descent to the beach is very difficult and inconvenient.

Pshad dolmens and the Dolmen farm

Dolmens are mysterious archaeological sites dating back to the Bronze Age. Moreover, historians are still trying to figure out the purpose of these stone statues. There are many dolmens in the Gelendzhik region, some of them are located in forests and mountains, so few know where to look for them.

A proven way to see the buildings is to visit the private farm "Dolmen", owned by the Bambakov family and located in the village of Pshada. On its territory you will find as many as four dolmens: one on the top of the mountain, the other three on the mountain slopes.

Gebius waterfalls

The best time to visit the waterfalls on Mount Gebius is spring or summer, and right after a good rain. But if you arrive in the fall, there is a chance that there will not be a lot of water in the river. The trail to the waterfalls begins on the Gelendzhik - Dzhubga highway near the large white sign “Gelendzhik”.

To untrained people, this walk may seem daunting. But in general, it is available to any physically healthy person, except that you must wear comfortable shoes: you will have to walk a lot on wet and slippery stones.

Dolmens of the Janet River and the Renaissance village

What to see in Gelendzhik: dolmens of the Zhane river and the village of Vozrozhdenie

In the valley of the Janet River on the territory of the Vozrozhdenie village there are four more famous dolmens. And then the channel forms several beautiful cascading waterfalls where you can swim. The river is considered to be a place of power, so here you can see tent cities where people engaged in various spiritual practices live. You will have to pay 250 rubles for the entrance ("environmental tax"), but tourists say on Tripadvisor that there are also simple detour trails.

Mount Shahan waterfalls

It will take a long time to get to this location: it is located 30 kilometers southeast of Gelendzhik, where the upper reaches of the Abin and Zhane rivers are located. There is one subtlety here: you cannot go to the waterfalls in dry weather, otherwise the water flow will be too weak. But even immediately after the rain, you should not set out on the road: there is a chance that the road will blur. Keep in mind that you will have to go down and up the mountainous terrain, so comfortable shoes will be needed here again.

Where else to go in Gelendzhik

Naked Coffee

A very cozy place with huge windows, where coffee is brewed using both classical and alternative methods. At the same time, here you can treat yourself to croissants or other pastries (by the way, after 17:00 all this is given with a pleasant discount).

Parametric coffee shop

In addition to delicious coffee, you should go here for the events that the guys organize regularly: it can be a lecture on art, a musical or poetry evening. All these events are usually announced on Instagram by establishments.

What to bring from Gelendzhik

Mountain honey

A great gift would be southern yummy: linden, chestnut, acacia honey or something even more unusual, such as pine cones in syrup or feijoa jam.

Wine

The wine industry in Russia is developing by leaps and bounds, so there are many wines worth bringing from the Krasnodar Territory. Moreover, this is not only the famous Abrau-Dyurso champagne, but also drinks from the wineries Myskhako, Usadba Divnomorskoe, Galitskiy & Galitskiy, Vedernikov, as well as products of the Chateau Taman brand.

Spices

A versatile yet practical gift. Most often they bring coriander, pepper, suneli hops, paprika, and Adyghe salt with spices. A jar of any Caucasian sauce will also be a good present: satsebeli, satsivi, narsharab.