Krasnodar Region and Adygeya - main attractions

The Bukreev Dendrological Park in the village of Goncharka has its history since 1970. At that time in several kilometers from the estate of the state farm "Giaginsky" a recreation center "Birch" was opened, where seedlings of trees started to take root.
Although the villagers were sceptical about the initiatives of the state farm director, over the years the interest of the population in the growing park has been growing. Today, not only characteristic for these regions trees (spruce, beech, hornbeam, oak), but also exotic plants grow in the park - in total about 350 species.
The central part of the park is available for walks and recreation. A third of it is occupied by plants, the rest of the territory has a pond with islets. The park is open from 8:00 to 20:00. The entrance costs 200 rubles for adults and 100 rubles for children under 14 years.

After the walk a vicious appetite has been whetted! We stopped in Maykop to have lunch at "Xl-cafe", a family restaurant of European cuisine of the author's design.

Since we're in Maikop, we should definitely go to the Cathedral Mosque. It was built 20 years ago on the personal funds of the former Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE. The mosque is incredibly beautiful: the outer facade is lined with white stone, the bright blue domes symbolise the sky.
Only Muslims are usually allowed to enter the mosque, but the main Maikop mosque made an exception for tourists. The building is surrounded by a well-kept park area with a fountain, where it is pleasant to walk with children on a clear, sunny day.

Few people know, but near Maykop, in the village of Krasnooktyabrsky, there is a real planetarium. It was built by a local pensioner, amateur astronomer Viktor Ivanovich Matyushin. On his land, on his own money and according to his own project. According to Matyushin, he has read hundreds of books and watched many films, so he knows as much about the subject as a professor of astronomy.
The planetarium is even more impressive from the inside than from the outside. The dome, 12 metres in diameter, seems enormous. The planetarium owner makes everything inside by hand, from available materials: balls, wire and foam rubber, pots and basins. Even the telescope is assembled from old mirrors and glasses (although, there are two new telescopes sent to the enthusiast from America).
At the planetarium grandfather shows scientific films and explains to the little visitors how the solar system works. You can make an appointment by phone +7 (8777) 267-83 to visit the planetarium. There is no fixed entrance fee: there is a box at the entrance, where you can put as much as you want. Monday is a non-working day!

The picturesque ruins, which many call "Castle Hajjokh" or "Castle of Meota", have nothing to do with castles or medieval towers, let alone knights.
In 1930 a factory was built in this place, where lime was burnt. So the romantic towers of the castle are just pipes from the old factory kilns. On the side of the kilns you can find a little-known path that leads to the tops of the kiln pipes.
The stone for the plant was mined in a nearby quarry. It is now known as the Hajjoh quarry. Over time, streams filled the quarry and it turned into a lake. The locals nicknamed it Red - for the color of the rocks reflecting in the water. You can also visit the quarry: you get great pictures here!

Right on the highway, at the entrance to Kamennomostsky, there is one interesting (especially for children) museum. It is a rocky grotto with two sections. The first one reconstructed the parking lot of ancient people - the ancestors of the southern tribes of Meotians, who once lived in this area. On the walls there is an imitation of ancient rock paintings: bisons, mammoths, bears. The illumination creates the illusion of real fire.
The second section houses a small exhibition of fossils and minerals. The entrance to the cave costs 100 rubles for adults and 50 rubles for children over 7 years.

You can have dinner in the restaurant of the Parfenov Estate Hotel. Cozy and spacious dining room, calm music in the background - this is the ideal place for an evening meal in Adygeya. The menu includes dishes of classical European cuisine and some local delicacies, as well as vegetarian options and simple treats for children.

You can spend the night in the same area: tomorrow will begin with a visit to a natural park nearby, so you need to gain strength. In the morning, you can have a snack at the hotel restaurant, so you can go straight to the road.