How many kilometers from the border to New Athos. Excursion to New Athos. Travel time and distance from the border to villages near Gagra

If you want to find an ancient city shrouded in many secrets, and just a quiet corner where you can hide from the bustle of the world, this is perfect for this role New Athos in Abkhazia. Ancient monasteries, majestic fortresses, huge caves, mesmerizing cypress alleys, a gentle sea and a mild climate - what else is needed for a relaxing, but at the same time memorable holiday? This is a place for those who truly appreciate life and its brightest moments.

In the 3rd century, on the site of today’s New Athos, there was a large shopping mall region called Anakopia (Trachea). Archaeological finds testify to the high standard of living of the inhabitants of this ancient city. At first the settlement belonged to Byzantium, but at the end of the 8th century it passed to the Abkhazian kingdom and became its capital. The constant raids of the Arabs forced the city residents to build the Anakopia fortress, which, by the way, amazes with its grandeur today. She left her mark here in the 13th-16th centuries. ekah and the Genoese colony of Nikopsia in the form of a Roman tower, which has also survived to this day.

In the late 1890s, New Athos was called one of the largest religious centers on Black Sea coast Caucasus. It acquired this status thanks to the New Athos Monastery built here, where pilgrims came from different parts of Tsarist Russia. In the 1910s, one of the first hydroelectric power stations in the country was built here. In the 1930s, this place became one of Joseph Stalin’s favorites - in the summer he often came to his New Athos dacha, where today the museum of the former leader is located.

The city attracts many admiring glances and every time makes you look at it from a different angle. Anton Chekhov drew inspiration here; in a letter from 1888, he exclaimed: “Nature is amazing to the point of fury and despair. I’m a scoundrel for not knowing how to draw!” This place was also chosen by filmmakers; in the 1980s, under the direction of director Leonid Menaker, the most famous Soviet science fiction film, “The Testament of Professor Dowell,” was filmed here.

The picturesque location of the city between the two mountains Athos and Iverskaya - on the one hand, creates unique magic, on the other - protects from the winds. When you get here, you are immediately enchanted by the surrounding beauty, which has developed over many centuries. Time over New Athos seemed to slow down.

New Athos Monastery

To New Athos monastery they come to recharge with spiritual and vital forces, to find peace and tranquility. It is located at the foot of the mountain of the same name - this place was chosen by Hieromonk Arseny (Minin) with the blessing of the Athonite elders. In the 1st century, one of the 12 apostles of Christ, Simon the Canaanite, and Andrew the First-Called preached here. Construction of the monastery began in 1875, but it was complicated by the need to carefully prepare the site - clearing part of the mountain and trees that impeded the construction of the monastery. A few years later the complex was built, but the Russian-Turkish War that began in 1878 significantly spoiled the appearance of the monastery. The monastery was restored over 20 years cash Emperor Alexander III. The outbreak of the 1917 revolution brought complete ruin to this place, and in 1924 they decided to close it completely. Permanent services began to be held here 70 years later.

The complex includes 6 operating churches, the main one - Panteleimon Cathedral - was built in 1888-1890. It is a striking example of the neo-Byzantine style. The arrangement of the five domes crowning the temple can be called an echo of Greek architecture - they are not placed diagonally, as required by the Russian Christian tradition, but stand along the axes of a spatial cross. Inside, the walls of the temple were painted in blue, brown and golden colors by Palekh masters in 1911-1914. In the center of the western building there is a 50-meter bell tower. This gift from Alexander III is distinguished by a clear and melodic sound that spreads throughout the entire area.

Anakopia fortress

“Whoever visited New Athos and did not visit the Iveron Mountain is like someone who was in Rome and did not see the Pope in the Vatican” - Anton Chekhov made this apt remark after visiting the Anakopia fortress on the Iveron Mountain. The defensive structure was built in the 4th-5th centuries. ekah in order to protect against attacks, first of all, by Arabs and other enemies. Many times the first tried to capture this fortress, but their efforts were in vain. The history of attacks on the citadel was vividly described by Roman Petrozashvili in his novel “At the Walls of Anakopia.”

Today, only ruins remain of the fortress, but they have been preserved with great care as a valuable relic of years gone by. Looking at these powerful high stone walls, you inevitably think about the greatness of the people who erected them. Here you can see fragments of the temple of St. Theodore Tyrone, which was built in the VI-VII centuries. Tourists and all pilgrims are attracted here by an inexhaustible well carved into the rock. They say that the water here has divine powers, being healing and life-giving.

State dacha

Not far from the New Athos Monastery there is a state dacha, where the “leader of nations” Joseph Stalin liked to spend his holidays, and later Yuri Luzhkov and Vladimir Zhirinovsky visited here. The construction of this house was planned immediately after the war, when the manager began to have health problems. Stalin ordered the head of the security, Nikolai Vlasik, to build a summer residence here in a very short time, the latter expressed doubt that he would have time, to which Stalin responded in his categorical manner: “If there is a dacha by April, there will be Vlasik, if there is no dacha by April, there will be no Vlasik." As a result, the structure was erected on the site of a house for the abbot of the New Athos monastery by German prisoners of war.

Today there is a museum where tours are held. The two-story mansion is literally surrounded by greenery - it is surrounded by palm trees, cypresses, eucalyptus trees, roses, and on the neatly mowed lawn there is a sign calling for caution: “Stop, they’re shooting!” Upon entering the home, you are immediately taken to the second floor with six living rooms and three bathrooms. All of them are decorated modestly, but tastefully - the floors and walls are lined with Karelian birch, and there is good quality German trophy furniture everywhere. In three bedrooms there are beds made to order specifically for Stalin’s small stature, but, as they say, he preferred to sleep on couches, moreover, at night he moved from one sleeping place to another. It is worth paying attention to the small nail driven into the wall by Joseph Vissarionovich himself - according to ancient Siberian custom, the owner, when moving into a new house, must perform this ritual.

New Athos Cave

A unique miracle of nature, the New Athos Cave was discovered in 1961 by 16-year-old Abkhaz aspiring artist Givi Smyr. After 14 years, it was landscaped for tourists. The dense flow of people wanting to get here continues today. There are even sightseeing trains that stop at three stations. One such rolling stock is capable of transporting up to 90 people at a time. About 2,000 guests try to get here every day. Since 2001, the director of the New Athos Cave has been the same discoverer, Givi Smyr.

The total length of the cave is 1.9 km, and maximum depth— 180 m. There are 11 halls in total, but only some of them are open to the public. The tour begins from the most beautiful hall “Anakopia”, where there is a cave waterfall, which is a frozen stone shaft falling from a 30-meter height, with water flowing over its surface. Thanks to its unique acoustics, the Apkhyartsa Hall was chosen by the Abkhaz State Choir. Each sound performed here receives special depth and richness. In the hall "Ayuhaa" concentrated great amount centuries-old orange and red stalagmites. Most Big hall named after the Mukhajirs - the forcibly resettled Abkhaz people to Turkey and the countries of the Middle East, and the tallest is named after Givi Smyra. Here you will see tall stone vaulted ceilings and a huge stone jellyfish.

Seaside Park

One of the main attractions of New Athos is the Seaside Park, which is located in the city center. Previously, in its place stood the rather modest village of Primorskoye. Through the efforts of Athonite monks, landscaping of the territory began in 1880, which turned into a magnificent park. The official opening took place in 1910 with the arrival of the royal family. IN Soviet time its landscape was supplemented with plaster sculptures in the spirit of socialist realism, and a little later with restaurants and cafes.

An integral part of the Primorsky Park are swans, which have lived here since the beginning of the 20th century in seven dug ponds. In the crystal clear water you can see trout, carp and crucian carp swimming past. The bottom of each pond is lined with stone tiles, and they are filled by the Psyrtskha River, which is considered sacred by believers. A riot of greenery will unfold before you in all its diversity in the form of local and imported plants, and there are about 400 of them here. Date palms grow here Canary Islands, coconut palms from South Africa, mallow from Syria. Rare species floras are represented by agave, Himalayan cedar, candy tree, and chamerops.

Leisure

You won't find entertainment venues like nightclubs here, but you can have a great time free time rafting on the Bzyb River. It is 100 km long and is considered one of the wildest rivers North Caucasus. Bzyb is divided into three sections of varying complexity: the first is considered very dangerous, the second has highest category complexity, and the third is relatively safe and is used as a tourist route. A qualified instructor will give instructions, provide the necessary equipment and go with you on an unforgettable hour-long journey along an 11-kilometer route.

New Athos invites horse riding enthusiasts and those wishing to master the skill of horseback riding. Under the guidance of an experienced trainer, beginners will learn to confidently stay in the saddle, and experienced riders will freely ride around the designated area. Your route will run through beautiful boxwood gorges and winding mountain paths.

Fans have a relaxing holiday by the sea they can relax on one of the beaches of New Athos. Entrance to all beaches belonging to sanatoriums and hotels is free, even if you are not a guest of a particular hotel. They are equipped with showers, changing rooms, as well as sun loungers and umbrellas that can be rented. The beaches are predominantly pebble, but there are also sand and pebble beaches.

How to get there?

You can get from Moscow to New Athos by train. It runs from the Kazansky and Kursky railway stations to Sukhum with a stop at the New Athos station. The journey will take you 1 day, 14 hours and 30 minutes. Trains run to and from New Athos Northern capital from Moskovsky station, travel time will be 2 days 7 hours.

There are no direct flights from Moscow to New Athos, so you must first fly to Sochi Adler, and then take a minibus or bus to the Psou checkpoint (Cossack Market stop). After successfully crossing the border, you should find a minibus that goes to New Athos, or take a taxi.

Moscow car travelers will get to New Athos in 24-25 hours, St. Petersburg in 31-33 hours. These routes operate toll roads. It is worth not forgetting about the need to cross the state border. Border guards work around the clock, but if you don’t want to get into a long line - best time border crossing will be early morning or late evening.

Local transport

New Athos is a small city, so all tourists and local residents prefer to travel on foot. Transport links to neighboring Sukhum, Primorsky, and Psou are quite well established here. As for taxis, each carrier has its own prices - the cost can vary depending on the tourist season and the passenger’s bargaining ability.

Hotels

The legend of the city - the Abkhazia Hotel, where Anton Chekhov stayed, today attracts many tourists with its historical value and picturesque location near the swan ponds. This two-story hotel includes 36 rooms of different categories. For an additional reasonable fee, the hotel cafe provides homemade breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. An equipped pebble beach is located 50 meters from Abkhazia. However, remember that the hotel accepts tourists from May 1 to October 31.

The small wooden hotel “Griffin” (3*) is designed to give home comfort and warmth. It is able to satisfy the needs of the most demanding, but thrifty tourists. It is distinguished by responsive and friendly staff and a convenient location. You will be 500 m from the New Athos Monastery, 100 m from the park, and 300 m from the sea. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, TV with cable channels, and panoramic windows with stunning views will be a great bonus. In the Grifona restaurant you can enjoy Abkhazian cuisine, and relax with a glass of wine in the bar.

“Tsarskaya Alley” (3*) belongs to the category of luxury hotels. The three-story hotel has 33 rooms of various categories. The windows offer views of the monumental New Athos Monastery and the majestic Iveron Mountain. The territory has a swimming pool, a children's playground, gazebos, and a guarded parking lot. For a fee, you can enjoy European cuisine in the hotel restaurant. The ten-minute road to the beach leads through the famous cypress Tsar's Alley, planted in honor of Emperor Alexander III.

The boarding house “At the Monastery” is located in a closed protected area, which previously belonged to one of Joseph Stalin’s state dachas. It received its name due to its proximity to the New Athos Monastery. The only olive grove in Abkhazia grows here. The boarding house consists of two buildings - two and three floors, in each room you will find a TV, refrigerator, iron, electric kettle, air conditioning or fan. On the territory of the hotel there is a sports ground, table tennis and free guarded parking, and 500 m away there is a beach with free sun loungers and canopies.

Restaurants

You should start getting acquainted with national Abkhaz cuisine at the Nikofa restaurant. The establishment offers a fairly wide range national dishes: Abkhazian achash (khachapur), pork and lamb kebabs, various salads seasoned with spicy adjika, and quail broth. Separately, it is worth noting homemade cognac, white and red wine from grapes grown under the hot sun of Abkhazia, and chacha.

One of the favorite establishments of New Athos residents and tourists is the summer restaurant “Three Plane Trees,” which is located in the Primorsky Park near the Swan Pond. You can sit on the first, second floor or on the open terrace. The restaurant offers dishes mainly national cuisine. Here you should try delicious shish kebab, Abkhazian solyanka, mamalyga and homemade wine. Every weekend in the evenings there is music and a dance floor.

For a romantic dinner, the Kamarit restaurant on the Black Sea coast is perfect. Here you can enjoy dishes of European, Japanese, Russian, Ukrainian, Caucasian, and Uzbek cuisines. Sitting comfortably on a sofa in one of the two rooms with panoramic windows or on the summer veranda, order the restaurant’s signature dish - Athonite chicken, for dessert - any signature dish from the chef, and as a drink - chacha. During the day, the establishment plays a lounge and foreign hits, and in the evening there is live music.

Exquisite interior, delicious food, attentive staff - all this is concentrated in the fashionable Abkhazian art cafe Z. Guests are attracted by the antique objects of the Abkhazian principality neatly arranged on the shelves, Russian Empire and even European countries. The main principle of the establishment’s work is an individual approach to each client. For business negotiations or a date, you can retire to the VIP area. The restaurant menu includes dishes of Abkhazian, European and Thai cuisines. The establishment is famous for royal mussels baked with vegetables, khinkali, Abkhazian khachapuri, and national dry red wine “Atauad”. Guests are offered free Wi-Fi.

Shopping

In New Athos you will not find large shopping centers and large retail outlets, but there are two markets - the first is located near the New Athos cave, the second - near railway station. Here you can buy fruits, vegetables, wine, chacha. The bulk of fruits and vegetables appear on shelves from the beginning of May. At this time, feel free to purchase local crisp cucumbers, juicy peaches, strawberries, cherries, oranges and tangerines from the winter harvest. In June, active trade in tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, medlars, strawberries, pears, and apples begins. July and August delight with watermelons, melons, plums, figs, dogwoods, Isabella and Lady's finger grapes, September - kiwi and pomegranates, but it is better to buy persimmons and feijoas in October. You will always find young homemade wine on the shelves.

For coffee lovers, the best souvenir from New Athos will be ceramic cups and a Turk. Housewives will definitely like a set of Abkhazian spices in a beautiful gift box, adjika and wooden kitchen spatulas. Real men should be presented with daggers and knives skillfully made by Abkhazian craftsmen. Fans of quality alcoholic drinks Chacha and young homemade wine will definitely be appreciated, true tea drinkers will appreciate Abkhazian green tea, and those with a sweet tooth will love the excellent tasting honey.

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The question “what to drive around Abkhazia?” is asked by everyone who travels to Apsny for the first time. There are two types of public transport in Abkhazia - minibuses and taxis. There are also buses, but there are only a few of them.

Buses in Abkhazia are quite old

Minibus

Basic public transport in Abkhazia between cities. They drive along the main highway of Abkhazia (Sukhumi highway, also M27 - the Psou border crossing passes from the border with Russia through Tsandrypsh, Gagra, Gudauta, New Athos, Sukhum). Minibuses also go to Pitsunda, which is located away from the main highway, and to some villages in Abkhazia. Each locality has a base location, for example

  • Border crossing Psou - the area immediately at the exit from the border control
  • Gagra – stop at the former “Continent”
  • New Athos – “at the shell” – bus stop in the shape of a shell next to the swan lake.
  • Pitsunda – square near the church

Minibuses leave from the “base” as they fill up, which can take a lot of time (the exception is Psou, someone is constantly leaving from there). It’s better to stand on the highway and vote - passing minibuses stop and pick up passengers. The final destination of the route is written on a sign on the windshield. In addition to minibuses, you can be picked up by taxi drivers plying the same route. The price for a passenger car will be slightly higher.

Minibus operating hours are from morning to approximately 9 pm. Later you will have to take a taxi.

Abkhazia minibuses: approximate prices per person

  • Psou - Gagra 70r minibus, 100r passenger car
  • Gagra - Pitsunda – 50r minibus. 300 rubles for the whole minibus at odd hours
  • Gagra - New Athos – 150r minibus

If you need a minibus from Adler to Abkhazia, then read our article on how to get to Abkhazia. There we tell you how to take a taxi cheaply, which is more convenient than a minibus.

Sukhumi highway– the main highway of Abkhazia. It is a continuation of the M4 Don highway; during Soviet times, this highway led from Moscow to Georgia. In cities, Sukhumi highway turns into main street city ​​and has, accordingly, a different name. All popular resorts are located on the Sukhumi highway, with the exception of Pitsunda and adjacent areas (Alakhadzy, Lidzava, Myussera). Settlements Abkhazia visited by tourists, which can be reached by minibus, is listed according to distance from the border with Russia:

  • Tsandripsh
  • Gagra
  • turn onto the road to Pitsunda: Alakhadzy, Pitsunda, Rybzavod, Ldzaa / Lidzava
  • Bzyb / Bzyp / Bzybta
  • turn on the road to Myussera: boarding house Myssera
  • Gudauta
  • Primorskoe
  • New Athos
  • Escher
  • Sukhum
  • Agudzera


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