Blue lakes and ancient towers

Start the day with a walk through another green park, Walnut Grove. Stroll along the alley and breathe in the healing air between the walnut trees, pine trees and southern shrubs. By the way, all the trees are about 70 years old.

Get to know the region's culture further and drive toward the Sobornaya Mosque, the main mosque in Nalchik. The imposing mosque features a modern, high-tech design. The Balkars perfectly combined tradition and style in the architectural embodiment of the mosque. It is decorated with two 30-meter minarets and trimmed with stained glass, natural stones and minerals. The roomy mosque can accommodate up to a thousand worshippers at a time. Do not forget the modest and closed dress code.

50 km from Nalchik, right by the road R-291, there is a whole group of Blue Lakes. One of them, the lower one, or Tserik-Kyol, is the most beautiful. Its water temperature is only 9 degrees Centigrade all the year round and it has no outside tributaries, but the river flows out of it. To the other lakes you can already walk only on foot. Take a walk along the lake and marvel at its extraordinary beauty too. There are a couple of cafes nearby, where you will be able to have lunch right away.

Lunch will catch up right by the Blue Lake, so it's a good time to grab a bite to eat at the cafe with national cuisine "The Shadow of the Mountain". The view is beautiful, the interior is unusual, and the cuisine is delicious. Get the meat dishes - you can't go wrong. The national pastry is also worth your attention.

Travel further along road R-291 to the Upper Balkaria archaeological complex. This is an ideal place to get acquainted with the history of the region: this is where various objects of cultural heritage of Kabardino-Balkaria of the Middle Ages period are located. Ruins of ancient Balkarian villages are waiting for you, go and explore the history. The main thing is to make plenty of time to enjoy the local beauties in peace. Abayev Tower is the most famous and accessible to visit out of all of them. It can only be reached on foot.

For dinner, head to the atmospheric Old Balkaria café. Here you'll not only taste delicious national cuisine, but also have a chance to swing on a high-mountain swing and take a couple of pictures with panoramic views on it.

After an active day, it's worth having a good rest and admiring the photos you've taken.