Where is it better to go to rest on the Black Sea? Let's find out! Over the years of travel, I have visited all the famous resorts of our south and can share my experience. I will tell you where it is cheaper, more civilized, more interesting and more beautiful. Choose the resort that's right for you.
Where to have an inexpensive vacation
My main complaint about the Russian resorts on the Black Sea is the cost of the rest. They are turning the prices down! Fold over rigidly and unnecessarily. Against the background of an obscure service, these prices are striking. I know from personal experience that vacationing in Turkey and even in the Maldives is cheaper than on our sea. It is only less expensive to get to the Black Sea resorts, and hotels, food and entertainment are often more expensive than abroad.
But it is not all that bad! In our south, you can also relax on a budget, you just need to know two main rules: when to go and where to go. For an inexpensive vacation, you should choose June and September - at this time the prices are much lower, and there are fewer tourists, and this makes the rest more calm and enjoyable. As for the choice of resorts, you just need to avoid expensive ones with a claim to a certain status, which in fact is not supported by anything. The main example of such an expensive dummy is Yalta. If you want to save money, I advise you to choose resorts without show-off.
Expensive resorts: Sochi, Gelendzhik, Alushta. However, you can still find quite budget hotels there, especially in the off-season.
Inexpensive resorts: Anapa, Adler, Lazarevskoe, Sudak, Feodosia, Evpatoria and Koktebel. And the lowest prices are offered by small resorts of Crimea: Rybachye, Mezhvodnoye, Ordzhonikidze, Mirny, Shtormovoye, Kurortnoye and others. But keep in mind that small villages do not always have inexpensive and good cafes or canteens.
Another way to wisely save money is to go on vacation to the Black Sea in your car. Highly recommend! I have already traveled this way three times and will go again. The car makes the trip not only cheaper but also more interesting.
Where is more civilized
If you are looking for a resort with the best conditions for a comfortable stay, then I definitely advise you to go to Sochi. Thanks to the Olympic Games, the city's infrastructure has been updated: many new hotels and entertainment centers have been built, there are more good apartments in the private sector, and there are good restaurants. You can stay in Sochi itself or go to other resort areas of Greater Sochi. This includes the quieter and more inexpensive resorts of Lazarevskoye, Adler and Khosta. You can get to the center of Sochi from these villages by transport.
The second most popular resort in Russia on the Black Sea is Gelendzhik. There are many modern hotels and guest houses, a large selection of housing in the private sector. However, prices are overpriced and there are many tourists. During the season, there is not enough space on the public beach - tourists swim even under prohibitory signs. It is more comfortable to relax in the suburbs of Gelendzhik - Kabardinka and Arkhipo-Osipovka. Go there if you want to breathe more freely, although it is overcrowded in the summer.
The third resort on the Black Sea where you can relax comfortably is Anapa. Vacationers with children especially love this city - for them there are ideal conditions. Many tourists choose the neighboring villages: Vityazevo and Dzhemete.
Tuapse has a well-developed infrastructure, but many people dislike the resort because of the port and the railway passing through the city.
You can also have a good rest on the Black Sea in Crimea. The most progressive and civilized resorts are Yalta, Evpatoria, Sudak, Feodosia, Sevastopol and Alushta. However, in general, Crimea lags behind the Krasnodar Territory in terms of development. The new bridge and the infusion of money from the federal budget will help Crimea accelerate a little, but still, Western sanctions are hampering development. Check out our selection of all-inclusive hotels in Crimea and the best hotels on the seashore.
The worst developed infrastructure is in small villages such as Dederkoy, Praskoveevka, Makopse, Vishnevka, Agoy, Krinitsa, Betta in the Krasnodar Territory and Olenevka, Privetnoye, Mezhvodnoye, Kurortnoye in Crimea. As a rule, the entire local infrastructure is a couple of shops, one or two cafes, the simplest children's attractions and water activities on the beach. But at such resorts it is calm.
Leisure
Divers prefer the shores of Adler, Anapa and Gelendzhik. There they can explore the beauty of the underwater world and conduct fascinating research on the remains of sunken ships. In Crimea, the best places for diving are Cape Tarkhankut and its underwater museum, Cape Aya near Balaklava, Chersonesos lighthouse and the bays of Sevastopol, Simeiz cliffs, Cape Meganom near Sudak and the bay of Novy Svet.
Surfing on the Black Sea possible in winter in Anapa, Sochi, Sudak.
Yachting search in Sochi, Anapa, Sevastopol, Yalta, Evpatoria, Sudak.
In many resorts of the Black Sea and in their vicinity, rafting, mountain tourism, horseback riding, jeeping, airplane, paragliding and hot air ballooning, boat trips and cycling are possible.
Secluded and wild relaxation
Personally, I think that the most pleasant vacation in our south is in small villages or even wild with a tent. Let's see where you can relax in peace on the Black Sea:
- The villages of Betta, Dzhanhot and Krinitsa.
- Uncrowded beaches in the area of the Lower Imeretinskaya Bay in Adler.
- Uncrowded beaches near the Kiselevaya rock and in Dzhubga.
- The coast from Dzhanhot to Praskoveevka was chosen by fans of wild camping with tents. There are also nudists.
- There are campsites on the wild beaches of Kabardinka and Blagoveshchenskaya.
- Eastern coast of Crimea near Ordzhonikidze and Kurortny.
- Wild beaches in the Sevastopol region (Cape Fiolent, Chersonesos, Laspi bay) and in Lyubimovka.
Last summer we had a great time on vacation at the "Raccoon" camping near Arkhipo-Osipovka. This is one of the best campgrounds in the entire Black Sea. The owners organized the work of the camping at the highest level, everything is civilized: hot showers, wi-fi, electricity, comfortable washbasins, decent toilets, plenty of space. In the evenings, raccoons come and ask for food - cute. The campsite has several locations with stunning sea views!
Cultural program and excursions
Our Black Sea resorts will satisfy not only beach lovers, but also those wishing to visit the sights. You can go on interesting excursions to unusual and beautiful places from almost every resort. And if you rest on your car or rent a car on the spot, you can easily get anywhere on your own.
In Crimea especially a lot of interesting places. Visit picturesque bays and a nature reserve in Novy Svet, walk along the Golitsyn trail to the sanctuary of the Taurus, see ancient fortresses in Sudak and Balaklava, explore cave cities in Bakhchisarai, go to waterfalls in Yalta and Alushta, climb Mount Ai-Petri, visit the Botanical Garden in Nikita, take a look at the old palaces (Vorontsovsky, Livadiyskiy, Massandrovskiy), visit the historical monuments in Sevastopol. You can't list everything here! Check out our travel itinerary in Crimea and a list of the most interesting places.
In the Krasnodar Territory there are also enough attractions. There is a unique Cypress Lake near Anapa, and ancient dolmens are found in the mountains in the Gelendzhik region. In Sochi, visit the arboretum and the Olympic Park, go to the waterfalls. In many cities, theme parks and museums are open, exhibitions and concerts are held during the season. Go on an excursion to Novorossiysk, to the caves of Adygea, as well as to Krasnaya Polyana and Abkhazia.
Youth resorts
For a good rest, young people need a clean sea with a beach, inexpensive food with accommodation and entertainment. All this is in Sochi, Gelendzhik, Tuapse, Anapa, Alushta, Feodosia, Sudak and Evpatoria. Quite good entertainment is also in the villages - Dzhemete, Vityazevo, Lazarevsky, Simeiz.
Where to go for seniors
Elderly people are best suited for quiet places where there is a lot of greenery and silence in the evenings. Many come to be treated - in the health resorts of the Crimea and Krasnodar Territory, they treat diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, respiratory organs (Yalta, Sochi), dermatological, urological diseases and diseases of the musculoskeletal system (Gelendzhik, Saki, Alupka, Evpatoria, Anapa).
You can relax with health benefits not only on the coast. For this purpose, the resorts of the Caucasus - Kislovodsk and others are ideal. And some tourists prefer to relax at the thermal springs of Adygea and Krasnodar Territory.
Resorts for children
There are many resorts on the Black Sea where you can go on vacation with children.
The Black Sea resorts of Anapa, Evpatoria and Feodosia are considered the best for children. All of them are not too expensive and, in terms of infrastructure, are ideal for families. There are dolphinariums, water parks, children's cafes and amusement parks everywhere. Good conditions for family recreation can be found in Zaozernoye, Peschaniy, Lyubimovka, Ordzhonikidze (Crimea), Vityazevo, Dzhemete, Olgino, Lermontovo, Lazarevskoye (Krasnodar Territory). I myself brought my nephews (5, 9 and 12 years old) to rest in Sudak - it is also great for these purposes.
Water parks is available in many resorts of the Black Sea. The best are "Golden Bay" in Gelendzhik, "Golden Beach" in Anapa, "Banana Republic" in Evpatoria, "Zurbagan" in Sevastopol, "Blue Bay" in Simeiz, "Almond Grove" in Alushta. There are also water parks in Sudak, Koktebel, Dzhubga and Nebug.
Advice: take into account the travel distance, prices and natural conditions. For example, Anapa is well suited for families with children, but in the middle of summer the sea begins to bloom and the water becomes cloudy due to algae. If you compare in prices, then the cheapest is the rest in Feodosia, Sudak and the villages of Western Crimea, but it will take longer to get to the resort, which is not always convenient with children.
Conclusions: where to go to rest
Prices. Look for the most budgetary rest in small villages. However, in large resorts you can have an inexpensive vacation if you arrive in June or September, and book accommodation in advance.
Civilization. The best Russian resorts on the Black Sea in terms of infrastructure development are: Greater Sochi, Gelendzhik, Anapa, Tuapse in the Krasnodar Territory and Yalta, Evpatoria, Sudak, Feodosia, Sevastopol, Alushta in the Crimea. We especially like it in Sudak - I can't even count how many times we have come there. There are low prices, good beaches nearby, beautiful nature and everything for a comfortable stay.
Leisure. Almost any resort on the Black Sea.
Secluded relaxation. Even near large cities there are uncrowded beaches and places. Most of them are near Gelendzhik, Anapa, Tuapse, Sudak, Koktebel, Sevastopol. For wild recreation, the coast between Dzhanhot and Praskoveevka, Laspi Bay, Tarkhankut is suitable.
Excursions and beauty. Almost any resort and its surroundings have something to see - the region is picturesque and interesting. The most beautiful nature is on the southern coast of Crimea (Yalta, Alushta), as well as on Cape Tarkhankut and in the area of Sudak and Novy Svet. In the Krasnodar Territory, the most interesting places are in Sochi and Gelendzhik.
For young people. In order not to get bored, come to the larger resorts: Sochi, Gelendzhik, Tuapse, Anapa.
For the elderly. Yalta, Sochi, Gelendzhik, Saki, Anapa, Sochi, Alupka, Evpatoria are suitable.
For kids. Anapa, Evpatoria and Feodosia are generally recognized resorts for children. There are also good conditions in Sudak and Lazarevsky.
