Excursion "Golden Ring of Abkhazia": route, most interesting places, photo

Tourist excursions are the most accessible way to get acquainted with another city or country in a short time. Within the framework of the trip you can see the main sights with which this or that place is famous.

Excursions to the country with ancient history and amazing nature

Excursions "Golden Ring of Abkhazia" are carried out from all over the Black Sea coast. From Adler and Sochi, it is more convenient to travel to the republic, that's why dozens of buses with tourists who have already heard about amazing kinds of hospitable country with original culture leave from these places.

Despite the fact that different companies bring visitors for new impressions, the route for all organizers of an unforgettable trip is the same. The road to beautiful Abkhazia is one, and only the points of commercial stops differ, where you can taste the products of local production and have a snack in the cafe after a long trip. Before you go, read the main recommendations, so that nothing gloomy fascinating journey.

Documents required for crossing the Russian-Abkhaz border

1. To cross the border, which operates a visa-free regime, you need a general passport.
2. Children under 14 years must have a birth certificate, on which there is a note on citizenship. Those who are older than this age cross the border only if they have a passport.
3. Travelers under the age of 18 traveling on their own way must be granted parental consent to leave Russia for Abkhazia. And all documents must be in the original, with blue seals, and copies must be certified by a notary.

Recommendations for tourists

• Be prepared for very early departure to the road by buses and late return after the tour "Golden Ring of Abkhazia": the tour lasts about 16 hours.
• It is recommended to take bathing accessories, warm clothes for visiting the cave, comfortable and non-slip shoes.
• The tour does not include food expenses. As part of the trip, there are stops at cafes and restaurants, but the prices are much higher than on the Black Sea coast, so you should stock up on cash in advance.
• Visits to local houses with wine tastings, chacha, cheese, honey take a very long time, and the offered products are much more expensive than in the market. When drafting the contract for the upcoming excursion "Golden Ring of Abkhazia", refuse from the services imposed by the operators and make out the trip only on clearly stipulated conditions.
• In a long-term trip it is not necessary to take small children who will not stand the tiring journey.

Trip to the sunny republic

Excursion routes "Golden Ring of Abkhazia" have several options, and we will consider the most popular tour, which includes visits to Pitsunda and Gagra, Novy Afon, Lake Ritsa. However, each tour operator has the right to add new places to explore the sights of the fabulously beautiful republic.

Stop first: Gagra

So, our journey called "Golden Ring of Abkhazia" from Adler, bordering directly with the sunny country, begins, and the first stop after crossing the border is the most beautiful resort of Gagra. A picturesque city can not be imagined without a famous landmark, which is a symbol of the whole of Abkhazia.

Gagra colonnade is a semi-circular arcade, which includes eight arches. Appeared in the postwar period, the structure is located in the square on which tourists will see the original fountain with a sculpture of a white dove - a symbol of peace. Many people note the tremendous harmony of the architectural ensemble, which looks incredibly majestic. Illuminated by lanterns, it is especially beautiful in the evening, and not for nothing is the square always full of tourists making memorable photos of a wonderful place.

Stop second: Pitsunda

The next planned stop is in the oldest Caucasian city with luxurious beaches and pine groves. But the main attraction of the resort famous for its purest water is, of course, Pitsunda complex, located in the heart of the city. The historical and architectural reserve "Great Pitiunt" attracts a huge number of tourists.

An ancient city, which appeared on the site of a settlement founded by the inhabitants of Hellas, gave the name to the most visited reserve. Pitiunt was an important trade center of the Black Sea region, and the preserved architectural monuments make up the main wealth of the institution of culture, founded in 1991.

Fortress wall

The huge complex, which is inspected during the excursion "The Golden Ring of Abkhazia", is of great interest to all tourists who spend several hours in the reserve. Here you can see a fortified stone wall, which has been repeatedly rebuilt. Visitors will be surprised by uneven masonry and non-ideal stones, and the guide will tell a curious legend telling how the wall was erected literally in one day.

When the Gentiles tried to destroy the main Christian church, all residents of the city and its environs, rallying together in a single impulse, brought cobblestones to build a high wall that protected the shrine.

What else to see in the reserve?

A majestic temple is not in vain considered a pearl of the reserve. Today in the cross-domed cathedral there are concerts of organ music, sounding powerfully and expressively due to the beautiful acoustics of the building.

A lot of time tourists will spend in the historical museum of Pitsunda, where large collections of exhibits are presented, telling about the life of the ancient inhabitants of these lands.

Curious visitors will explore the ruins of an ancient basilica and bell tower, a dilapidated aqueduct and a dolmen, in which the Abkhaz buried their relatives. The artifact brought from the village of Esheera is an invariable success, and all tourists have traditionally thrown small coins on the tomb.

Stop third: the miracle of the nature of Abkhazia

Tired after a walk through the historical reserve, tourists go to the most famous Abkhazian lake - Rizza. Photos of this natural miracle resemble fairy-tale landscapes that come to life in reality. The bus passes along the edge of the gorge, and everyone stops at the sight of a mountain serpentine. To get to the high water body in the mountains, tourists are removed from the sea shore.

The fascinating views of the lake amaze the imagination of everyone who sees for the first time a miraculous monument. Not tired of admiring the wonderful landscapes, travelers admit that Lake Ritsa, whose photo conveys its amazing beauty, is the place where one wants to return again. Transparent water of the natural masterpiece does not warm above 20 degrees, so only the bravest decide to swim.

Fourth stop: New Athos

The final point of the trip is New Athos, to which it is not very long to go. There are only two objects of interest for the guests of Abkhazia - a famous monastery and caves hiding in the depths of the Iberian Mountains.

Our route includes an inspection of the quaint galleries of the underworld. An excursion to the Novy Afon cave for many tourists becomes the most memorable. In 1975, the railway was opened, through which visitors are delivered to the mysterious grottoes, which store the age-old silence. The delightful "Apsny" hall in gray and brown colors is often associated with a huge giant, sleeping for thousands of years.

Two underground lakes, the water surface of which is not touched even by the breeze of the breeze, cause a feeling of admiration for the power of Mother Nature, which created a unique work. Colonies of transparent stalagmites, like fairy gnomes, lined up near limestone walls, cracked with cracks. The stone enchanting spectacle is the final stage of an impressive tourist trip.

"Golden Ring of Abkhazia" is an excursion, which will be remembered for a long time. A rich program with a visit to the main attractions of a friendly country will give everyone the most vivid impressions and incomparable pleasure.