It is quite cheap to have a rest in the Land of the Soul during the low season. We tell you about the prices for holidays in Abkhazia in the winter of 2020-2021, the weather, reviews of tourists, we advise what to visit and see.
Abkhazia looks unusual and attractive in winter: mountain peaks, generously covered with snow, are crowded with evergreen plants, bright orange tangerines invitingly hang from the branches, and the sea, albeit cold, still beckons to itself. You can swim only in a wetsuit, but you can walk and admire the local sights as much as you like, because Abkhazia has the warmest winter in the entire Caucasian region.
Weather
In winter, it becomes sparsely crowded in Abkhazia - the beaches are empty, although the temperature is kept at a confident level of +8 ... + 10 ° С, it is already too cold for water procedures. Below zero, the air temperature drops extremely rarely. It rains on the coast, snow happens, but rarely.
Locals say that the most unstable weather is in the second half of January and in February - the sea is often stormy, it rains with sleet. But if the sun shines for a long time and there is no precipitation, then the air can warm up to + 18 ° С, and the weather looks more like early spring. You can not be zealous with warm clothes, just a sweater and a light jacket.
Prices in Abkhazia in winter 2020-2021
Winter is a low season, so prices are falling, which makes holidays in Abkhazia attractive for budget travelers. Sanatoriums and hotels are becoming more affordable. If we compare accommodation in the same sanatorium in winter and summer, then the price changes at least twice. The average cost of a room in a boarding house is 2000-2500 rubles per day, in a hotel - 900 rubles, in the private sector - 300-500 rubles.
In winter in Abkhazia, prices go down not only for housing, but also for food. You can buy any local fruit - tangerines, oranges, lemons, kiwi, persimmons, dates, feijoa, pomegranates, late apples and pears - at an affordable price. For example, tangerines cost from 30 rubles per kg. However, imported fruits are not cheap at all. We recommend buying in the markets - you can bargain there. But groceries in stores generally cost the same as in Russia, and sometimes more.
Local wines can be purchased from 170 to 250 rubles per bottle. The average check for lunch in a cafe is 250-500 rubles, in tourist places it is a little more expensive, especially if the cafe is by the sea.
The fare in buses and minibuses is from 50 to 150 rubles, depending on the distance.
Related article: Prices in Abkhazia in the summer.
Where to go to rest in Abkhazia in winter
The most popular in winter months among tourists are Sukhum, Pitsunda, Gagra and New Athos. Obviously, the factor is that it has the most developed infrastructure. But if in Gagra, Pitsunda and Novy Afon at this time most of the establishments are closed or only those at hotels and health resorts work, then in Sukhum most establishments operate all year round. New Year's banquets with an entertainment program are organized in nightclubs and restaurants in Sukhum, the cost of the event is about 2000 rubles.
There are some nuances of rest in Abkhazia in winter that need to be taken into account. The main one is that most houses do not have central heating, so pay attention to this when choosing a home. Most often, apartments and hotels with fireplaces, heaters and split systems are offered, autonomous heating is less common. Also, according to tourists, public transport runs much worse, so it is better to choose more lively areas for living or settle in the center.
Things to do in the Land of the Soul in winter
Winter in Abkhazia is very mild, so you can safely go on excursions. For example, Lake Ritsa, which never freezes. It is difficult to get to public transport in winter, so it is best to buy a tour. On the way to the lake there are several stops - "Maiden's Tears" waterfall, wine tasting, wooden bridges, Blue Lake. There is a cafe on Lake Ritz where you can dine.
Another popular destination for tourists is New Athos... The New Athos Orthodox Simono-Canaite Monastery is open to visitors until 21. The New Athos caves are no less popular. In winter, the caves are usually open on weekends; the opening hours during New Year's holidays may vary. You can get there by public transport, but they are allowed into the cave only as part of an excursion group, a ticket costs 400 rubles. There is a cafe and a canteen on the territory of the cave.
From the New Athos cave you can climb to the top of the Iverskaya mountain, walk for about half an hour. Very beautiful views open from this place, there is also the ancient fortress of Anakopia 2-4 centuries.
IN Pitsunda tourists love to visit the Pitsunda Temple - this is a monument of medieval Byzantine architecture, which was mentioned in their memoirs by foreign travelers. Part of the temple's treasures is kept in the Museum of Art of Georgia (the icon of the Mother of God, the mosaic floor and the seal of Constantine of Abazgsky), the silver bowl is in the state museum.
IN Sukhum you can see the Sukhum fortress, Bagrat castle and Besletsky bridge, taste good local wine and taste dishes of national cuisine. The Botanical Garden and Monkey Nursery are open to visitors all year round.
On vacation in winter in Abkhazia, you can improve your health: not far from Sukhum, there is the Kyndyg thermal spring. Several wells supply drinking mineral water, and hot hydrogen sulphide springs are directed through troughs to partially cool them. More than a dozen of these gutters are installed on the mountainside, people can substitute different parts of the body for hydromassage, or you can bask in a hydrogen sulphide pool and rub yourself with therapeutic mud, mud is especially useful for diseases of the joints and musculoskeletal system. The procedures cost 100 rubles.
There are also balneotherapy facilities near Novy Afon and in Gagra, radon springs are located near Tkvarchala, but in winter they work with restrictions, you need to find out their mode of operation before the trip. The mineral spring "Markheul" near Sukhum is ideal for people with urological diseases.
Find out more about what to see and do in Abkhazia.
Reviews of tourists about winter holidays in Abkhazia
I must say that Abkhazia is a rather specific destination for tourism, and when going there, you need to be clearly aware of this fact. Otherwise, the obligatory disappointments will follow. The republic is generously endowed with nature, but it was clearly not lucky with business executives. Once there were the best health resorts in the Soviet Union, since then many buildings have fallen into disrepair and dilapidated. Such pictures make a depressing impression on unprepared travelers.
In general, tourists who were vacationing in Abkhazia in the winter of 2020 were divided in their opinions. Someone liked it, but someone categorically speaks out against such a vacation, complaining about low service, uncomfortable housing, traces of devastation. There are especially many complaints about the private sector, where travelers are faced with the problem of lack of heating, intermittent power outages, dilapidated furniture and minimal amenities.
If you do not focus on the low level of service and the old-fashioned interior, then there are some pleasant sides. No one will bother after midnight with noisy night festivities, a lot of cheap fruits and alcohol, tasty and, again, inexpensive food. If you need to undergo treatment on the waters, winter is ideal for this - quiet, calm, not crowded, inexpensive.
According to tourists' reviews, winter Abkhazia will appeal to those who want to take a break from the hustle and bustle, admire the scenery, breathe in the fresh sea air and enjoy good cuisine.People who are accustomed to impeccable service are better off choosing another place to visit.
You can read the reviews that our readers left about their vacation in Abkhazia in the summer of last years in the comments to this material. So you will find out what vacationers like in this country and what not. You may also be interested in our calculation: "How much does it cost to rest in Abkhazia?"
