Where is the best place to relax on the Black Sea in 2021? Personal review

Our review of where it is better to relax on the Black Sea. Low prices, personal experience, clean beaches, entertainment for one and all.

Are the Black Sea resorts a storehouse of pleasant memories or a big disappointment? Someone considers a quality vacation on the Black Sea coast a myth. Others talk about the most fantastic vacation in life. And everyone is right!

Where is it cheaper to relax on the Black Sea?

One of the main points on which domestic tourism loses to foreign ones is that prices are often overstated and do not correspond to the level of service. But if you know a few simple tricks, a vacation at home can be cheaper and more sincere in Turkey or Georgia.

For an inexpensive vacation:

✓ Choose hotels away from iconic resort towns (at least 15-20 km), where the infrastructure is less developed, but the sea is cleaner and the beaches are more deserted
✓ Find cafes and restaurants for locals (away from beaches and city center)
✓ Use early booking of tours and 10 rules for their search
✓ If you are traveling on your own: compare which is more profitable / convenient from your city - plane or train
✓ To minimize the cost of housing, rent apartments in the private sector without intermediaries

The most reliable way to book directly is the Sutochno.ru service. There are less chances of running into outright fraud when, in fact, there is no rented housing, or it is not available. What, alas, happened to us in Adler when searching through Avito and making arrangements by phone.

Where is the best place to relax on the Black Sea in Russia, if you need a budget and "angry"? Most often, among the reviews about cheap resorts, there are villages near Tuapse. This impression is more likely due to the lack of luxury hotels and tangible entertainment for the wallet (attractions, restaurants, nightclubs, etc.).

Objectively, the Black Sea resorts, under equal conditions, have almost the same prices. You can have an inexpensive vacation in Sochi, and in Anapa, and in Gelendzhik, and in Yalta, and in Tuapse. Above we told how, and below - facts ↓

* cost per person

Season on the Black Sea

The velvet season is ideal for evening walks along the promenade
Nizhneimeretinskaya Bay in Adler

There are a lot of places on the Black Sea coast where you can relax all year round thanks to the healing climate. Swimming and sunbathing is better from June to mid-September... The season reaches its maximum peak in the Black Sea in July-August. The air temperature rises to + 35 ° С, and the water temperature rises to + 28 ° С.

But even those who go on vacation at the height of summer run the risk of facing a phenomenon that the locals call "nizovka". These are cold currents when the lower layers of water rise to the surface. For vacationers, such a thing threatens with invigorating water at + 10 ° С ... + 15 ° С. The sea warms up quickly - in a few days. We like cool May and September more. And in October, the weather may already be unstable, the sea is quite cool. Although in 2018, the month spoiled quite "bathing" + 24 ° C.

• About Adler in October
• About Adler in November

Many hotels and resorts offer good discounts in the fall. So our sympathy with the velvet season is mutual 🙂

Tours to the Black Sea

One of the life hacks on how to save money on a trip to the Russian coast: last minute tours. Catching them is most effective from the end of August (this is especially true for Muscovites, indigenous and not so :)).

A 10-day trip to a 3 * hotel in Adler in September - from 30,000 rubles for two. Having paid 8-9 thousand, you can go to Lazarevskoye for 2 weeks: a tour with a flight from Moscow - from 38,000 rubles (without stars).

But not only Moscow is united. You can see where it is better / cheaper to go from different cities of the country on:

• Onlinetours
• Level.Travel
• Travelata

Websites compare offers from different tour operators and come up with the most attractive options. Plus, you can customize filters for your own wishes: hotel stardom, presence / absence of food, etc.

Note: if you plan to go to the Black Sea before July 2021, be sure to see if the conditions of the tourist cashback from Rosturizm are suitable for you (20% return is not bad).

Black Sea resorts in Russia

You can scold the rest on the domestic coast as much as you like, but let's be objective - there are good places.

The best Russian resorts on the Black Sea:

• Sochi
• Adler
• Lazarevskoe
• Anapa
• Yalta
• Zander
• Evpatoria

There are many villages and cities on the map of the Russian Black Sea coast. Resort life is concentrated around large settlements. To know exactly where to go to rest on the Black Sea, you need to delve into the "highlights" of each location and "fit" it into your budget.

Adler and Sochi - personal experience of rest

When you think about the south of Russia, first of all you remember about the most popular and desired resort in the country - Greater Sochi (stretching from the border with Abkhazia almost to Tuapse). Thanks to the 2014 Olympics, the unique climate for Russia (where else do tangerines grow like apples, and kiwi instead of grapes?), Everyone wants to visit natural and historical sights.

We rested in Sochi several times, at different times of the year and in its different regions: in the winter - in Krasnaya Polyana, in the summer - in Adler, central Sochi, Dagomys, Lazarevsky. The cheapest is in tents on the beach near Dagomys. Housing in this case is free, but there is no need to hope for a shower. More expensive - in a sanatorium in central Sochi. From 65,000 rubles for two per week in a double room with full board in low season (end of September).

• An Unbiased Comparison: Adler or Sochi?

Bonuses of rest in a sanatorium / rest house: most often it is 1 coastline and a private beach. But in my personal TOP, the 1st place belongs to new hotels in the Nizhne-Imereti Bay.

✓ Equipped pebble beaches without breakwaters
✓ Near the airport, the new Adler railway station
✓ Send by hand to the starting point of independent excursions to Abkhazia - Russian State Farm
✓ Krasnaya Polyana (Rosa Khutor) can be comfortably reached by Lastochka from the Olympic Park railway station
✓ The Olympic Park itself and the Russian Disneyland - "Sochi Park"

Excursion from Adler to Abkhazia

We went to Abkhazia on a one-day excursion - we bought delicious cheeses and were stunned by the beauty of lakes, waterfalls and canyons!

Are you bored in Sochi? You can drive back and forth to another country - Abkhazia. Excursion options:

All our independent excursions to Abkhazia, to be honest, ended with a belly holiday in one of the incredibly tasty establishments of the country. Therefore, organized trips also have their own charm: on the way back you don't have to sigh heavily and unbutton your jeans.

Trip to Krasnaya Polyana

It looks like the Olympic village and the mountain slopes over which you climb
to Rose Peak (photo # 3). We set aside a whole day for this and reached
to the highest point - the Stone Pillar.

The 2014 Olympics in Russia gave a powerful impetus to the development of ski resorts in Krasnaya Polyana in Sochi, which is an hour's drive from the hot summer city. After the heat of the coast, it is very refreshing to climb to the highest point of the region - Rosa Peak (2320 meters) - by cable car. Cost: 1590 rubles.

On a clear day, you can see the sea from the Rosa Peak observation deck. And during the ascent on the cable car, you can see the Olympic Village and the facilities built for the Olympics.

Anapa

Where is the best place to relax with children on the Black Sea? Rumor has it that it is in Anapa. But don't believe them. In high season, the resort looks more like a crowded anthill with a blooming sea.
The main reason for the negative reviews of vacationers: algae porridge. Locals advise to swim in the area of ​​the Healing beach or the beach of the yacht club.

From a useful family vacation:

✓ a large number of children's attractions
✓ Dolphinarium "Nemo" - the cost is 800 rubles, children under 5 years old are free
✓ overview of Anapa by car - for 5000 rubles for a group of up to 4 people

By the way, the city is also suitable for those who are delighted with the vibrant nightlife. This is where the music never stops until dawn!

Where, then, to rest on the Black Sea in this area? There are good sandy beaches with a gentle entrance in the villages:

• Vityazevo (16 km from center)
• Dzhemete (10 km) - easy and quick to reach by public transport

Prices for accommodation in Anapa start from 500 rubles per day per person in the private sector to 7-8 thousand rubles per room with access to the beach. You can find acceptable options near the sea for 2500-3500 rubles in guest houses and private boarding houses. The food is cheaper than in many other resorts, there are set meals.

Gelendzhik

According to most travel guides, Gelendzhik is a suitable place for a family vacation. Main arguments:

✓ sandy beaches with smooth entry into the water
✓ developed infrastructure
✓ long promenade for walking
✓ entertainment for every taste (there is a safari park and a dolphinarium - 1,700 rubles, if your height is 145 cm and above; 900 rubles - from 106 to 145 cm, and even diving)

But the resort has its own pitfalls. Or rather, not even stones, but something less pleasant.

The beaches within the city are free, but there is no smell of clean water here: the locals like to cut their pipes into storm drains, letting sewage go there. In 2018, there was a sewer accident, and all the beaches of Gelendzhik were closed for several days.

Another misfortune of Gelendzhik (and not only him) in July and August is crowds of people and high prices for absolutely everything. It is important to book accommodation in advance, during the peak season you will not find anything budgetary and of acceptable quality. Prices: from 1,500 rubles per room per day and from 3,000 rubles per apartment.

The beaches of Blue Bay and Gardens of the Seas are located far from the central ones, it is better there. For the "tasty" pine air and less crowded coastal strip:

• to the village of Dzhanhot - 25 km south of Gelendzhik
• Divnomorskoe - 17 km to the south
• Kabardinka - 12 km to the north

If you like to relax on your own - as a savage, choose one of the campsites, which are just located in the side of these villages. Novorossiysk is an hour's drive from the resort. The main attractions are the Mikhail Kutuzov cruiser museum (250 rubles) and the Malaya Zemlya memorial (100 rubles).

Crimea

Two hundred years ago, the peninsula was a place of relaxation for the elite. Kings and noble persons built palaces and dachas here. Today everyone can enjoy Crimea. If you choose where it is better to relax on the Black Sea, take a close look at the Crimea.

✓ Just being here makes you healthier: the air is saturated with iodine and coniferous phytoncides
✓ Do you want to improve your health to the fullest? Come to one of the sanatoriums for three weeks (the period is recommended by the doctors). There they treat chronic diseases of the respiratory system, problems of the cardiovascular and nervous system.
✓ There is something to see in Crimea: palaces, fortresses, ancient settlements, caves, waterfalls
✓ Entertainment for every taste and budget: water parks, horseback riding, mountain hikes, kayak tours, boating and yachting

The coolest thing to do is to rest on the South Coast of Crimea. This is a coastal zone 180 km long from Foros to Koktebel. I love these places for their beautiful nature. Hiking in the mountains is a must-have for any tourist here!

The main resorts of the South Coast:

With a tent, you can go around even the whole Crimea. Fewer people in Shchelkino, Olenevka, Rybachy.

I want to recommend you an excellent article where the author tells in detail about all the nuances of car rental in Crimea: where is it better to book, about insurance, parking, gas stations and other features that you definitely need to know.

Our opinion: the best time to travel to Crimea is the off-season. What month is not so important. Comfortable in April, May (except May holidays), early June, September. In summer, everything is several times more expensive, and crowds of people.

For those who want to immerse themselves not only in the clear water in Crimea, but also in the local culture, we recommend that you look at:

➢ Genoese fortress in Sudak - 150 rubles
➢ Historical and archaeological reserve Chersonesos (near Sevastopol) - 300 rubles
➢ Bay and submarine base in Balaklava - 300 rubles
➢ Uchan-Su waterfall (Yalta) - in high water in spring or frozen in winter
➢ Valley of Ghosts (Alushta) - one day hike
➢ Mount Ai-Petri - go up by cable car, go down on foot - 400 rubles one way
➢ Foros Church

Yalta

Yalta is a place where people with completely different interests will like it.

✓ You can visit three beautiful royal palaces with park ensembles: Livadiyskiy, Massandrovskiy, Vorontsovskiy (400, 350, 350 rubles)
✓ Climb the mountains by cable car (400 rubles for an adult, 250 - for a child 6-12 years old)
✓ Visit the theater (150-500 rubles admission to the performance of a local troupe)
✓ Take a ride in one of the water parks. Average prices: for the smallest (up to 100 cm) admission is usually free, for children from 100 to 150 cm - from 600 to 900 rubles, for adults - from 1000 to 1500 rubles

You can live at the main Crimean resort in:

➢ renovated villas with a century of history - from 20,000 rubles for a deluxe room in high season
➢ modern hotels - from 10,000 for a standard room
➢ private Yalta houses - two-room apartments in the region of 3000 rubles per day

Resting in the city in summer is an expensive pleasure, but you can always stay in the nearby resort villages (Mishor, Massandra, Alupka) and come for a walk along the Yalta embankment.

Where is the best place to relax with children on the Black Sea?

Well-known Black Sea resorts in Russia for families with children are located near:

• Feodosia
• Evpatoria
• Anapa
• Gelendzhik

Sand, sea with a gentle entrance, water parks, amusement parks - everything is in these cities.

In July and August, vacation in Crimea is a priority. In Krasnodar resorts, there are more chances of catching a rotavirus infection - the sea is shallower, the water heats up faster to the optimal temperature for bacterial reproduction. Plus, the sea begins to bloom in Anapa.

Middle-aged and older children will love Yalta and Sochi. Here are the most interesting entertainments.

Tips and Questions

The price is indicated for one person when buying a tour for two

The choice of the Black Sea resort largely depends on the purpose of your trip, the age composition of tourists and preferences in rest. Someone prefers wild, deserted beaches (like us!), Someone waits for the whole year of vacation to dance until the morning for 28 days in a row (and again about us!). The coast in Russia is not so great, but everyone will find a place to which they want to return again and again.

Where is the best infrastructure?

Most resort areas live from season to season: in the summer there is everything you need to relax, and in the winter they evoke the thoughts of horror films - so deserted. The best infrastructure is in large cities that are not empty all year round:

• Sochi
• Yalta
• Alushta
• Zander
• Anapa
• Gelendzhik

Where is the best active rest?

For lovers of active recreation, there is a lot of offers throughout the Crimea and the Krasnodar Territory: amusement parks, diving, paragliding, kitesurfing, mountain hiking, kayaking.

- Youth recreation is developed in the Crimean villages of Shchelkino, Mezhvodnoye, Olenenka - they teach there ride a kite
— Scuba diving possible in the area of ​​Cape Aya, Tarkhankut, Balaklava, Simeiz
— Kayaking it is interesting to swim near the bear mountain in Gurzuf and to the Lost World beach at Cape Aya
- Between Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana there is skypark A.J. Hackett Sochi... Thrill-seekers can wander along the shaky bridge at an altitude of 207 m. Those who are more extreme can jump, fly and swing on a swing. Issue price: 1250 rubles for entrance. Attractions are paid separately - from 2500 to 15000 rubles

Personal impression: in the Sochi skypark the second jump / flight into the abyss in one day is at a discount. I didn’t think that someone would do it until our friend jumped 2 times in a row! The bridge was enough for me. And then almost on a crawl 🙂

Where is a calm and secluded rest?

Uncrowded beaches can be found in the eastern part of Crimea (Ordzhonikidze, Rybachye, Kurortnoye), in the regions of Sevastopol, Nizhneimeretinskaya Bay, in the east of Tuapse. If you decide where it is better to rest for the elderly, take a closer look at the sanatoriums of the South Coast.

Where are the best beaches?

Pebble beaches are usually cleaner. The best is the coastline in Yalta, Gurzuf, Nizhneimeretinskaya Bay (Adler), Dzhankhot, under the Kiselev rock. For the sand - to Feodosia, Evpatoria, Vityazevo.

In the Crimean Novy Svet, you can choose what type of beach you like: part of the coast is covered with sand, and part of it is pebble.

How to get to the resorts?

You can get to the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory by car, train or plane.

1. The M4 highway runs from Moscow to the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory. In general, the roads are good, it is convenient to stop in different places if you have a car.
2. Trains from major Russian cities run to Sochi, Tuapse, Gelendzhik, Anapa and Novorossiysk.
3. There are airports in Anapa, Gelendzhik and Sochi

Getting to Crimea is more difficult, but in 2018 the Crimean bridge was launched, now you can come to the peninsula by car. There is still a ferry service, but only motor transport goes from the port "Kavkaz". There is only one airport in Crimea - in the city of Simferopol.

How much does a vacation in Sochi / Adler cost? Our budget

In September (on our first trip), from 3 to 10 (week), we rested in Imeretinka in a narrow company of 2 girls: me and my sister. They didn’t show off, but they didn’t deny themselves small joys. The budget for two is as follows:

• Accommodation - 35,000 rubles for a double room in the Velvet Seasons (we took it on a tour without a flight)
• Food - 7,000 rubles. Ate: breakfast, lunch - canteen, dinner - cafe or restaurant, sometimes canteen
• Transport - because we had a beach holiday, there were practically no trips. In total, with a taxi airport-hotel-airport, it came out 1000 rubles
• Tickets - 16,000 rubles (plane)
• Entertainment - 1000 rubles (a couple of times they took a set - sun beds and an umbrella, the cost is 500 rubles)

Total: 60,000 rubles.