Natural Beauties

Not far from the border the first attraction is waiting for you: white rocks! It is a favorite place for photos among many tourists. You can not only relax under the sun on the cleanest beach, but also take beautiful pictures.

We'll go to Gagra from here. The city seems dull at first sight, but it has its charm. It's a charm from a long time ago and partially destroyed.

Alexander Petrovich Oldenburg is a representative of the ancient ducal and princely family of German origin, close relative of the Romanov dynasty and great-grandson of Paul I. It was Alexander Petrovich who founded a resort on the coast of Gagra, after he had built his castle. The construction of the castle was completed in 1902. During the reign of Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin the castle became a sanatorium "Seagull" for the Soviet elite. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the structure was no longer needed, and after the castle was heavily damaged during the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict. The building survived, but there was no complete reconstruction and now it is in an emergency condition. The entrance is 150 rubles per person. It is very worth looking at.

And take a little walk in the park adjacent to the castle. Here you can spend quite a pleasant time admiring the scenery and fountains.

I advise you to visit this restaurant as a famous historical place. Excellent architectural solution in perfect condition. Nicholas II, Stalin, sang Chaliapin himself at the opening of the restaurant. Magnificent national cuisine. But the prices here bite very hard.

Next town we're going to visit is Pitsunda. The ancient ancient city and port of Pituount was founded by Greek merchants from the city of Miletus. Pitiunt means "pine" in Greek, because then the cape was covered with a relict pine grove, as it is now. And the first settlements on the site of today's Pitsunda appeared in the IV century BC. In 302 - 64 B.C. Pituount was part of the Pontic kingdom, a Greek-Persian Hellenistic state in Asia Minor, on the southern Black Sea coast.

From the end of the 1st century B.C. Pitsunda was a Roman fortress, and from the 4th century A.D. one of the centers of Christianity in the Caucasus was founded here. In the 780s Pitsunt entered the Abkhazian kingdom, and from the end of the X century - in the united Abkhazian-Georgian state.

Lake Ritsa, a mountain lake of glacial and tectonic origin, is one of the main natural attractions of neighbouring Abkhazia. Once upon a time there was a noisy mountain river Lastishe running on this place, but about 250 years ago a large earthquake collapsed part of the Przhegishkhva mountain range, blocking its way and forming a new natural reservoir, which is now known as Ritsa. The beautiful scenery around it is breathtaking and one wants to stay here for a long time. But we still have a lot of interesting things ahead of us, so we will have a snack, admire the beauty and go further.

Let's take some pictures in the Yupshar gorge. This is one of the most beautiful places in Abkhazia. A canyon overgrown with centuries-old boxwood, moss and ivy hanging from rock cornices makes an indelible impression. The road passes between two very close-standing rocks that were once cracked by the earthquake. The narrowest place in the canyon is called the Jupshar Gate, where the two rocks practically converge, the distance between them does not exceed 20 meters.

We'll make another stop on the way back to the sea. By the Blue Lake. The lake is fed by underground rivers and the water here is always cold, even in summer.

Our last stop for today is Gudauta. The history of the city goes back to the Neolithic Age, when on its western outskirts in the tract Kistric (named after the small river flowing nearby) there was a settlement of fishermen and farmers.

It's time to rest. Let's move into a hotel and get ready for tomorrow.